New Recruitment Scheme
Asia News Agency
The media has been talking of the imminent formal announcement of a new recruitment scheme — Agnipath Pravesh Yojna — for the armed forces. Lt Gen H S Panag (was GOC in C Northern Command and Central Command. Post retirement, he was Member of Armed Forces Tribunal) writes “under the ‘Agnipath' (literally path of fire) soldiers to be known as ‘Agniveers’ (literally fire warriors) will be recruited for a three-year tour of duty without any pension entitlement but with the promise of yet to be specified ‘assistance’ in getting post-discharge employment. Battle or ‘attributed to military service’ casualties will be treated at par with regular soldiers. A fixed percentage from such intake will be absorbed as regular soldiers on merit.”
The primary motivation for this scheme, according to the former General “is the reduction of the burgeoning pension bill of the armed forces. Additional advantages cited are reducing the age profile of the armed forces; improving career prospects of regular soldiers; strengthening the society with military connect; instilling sterling military character qualities and nationalism among the youth; and providing an opportunity for the youth to fulfil their aspiration of serving in the Armed Forces.”
The former General says the scheme “is certainly a far-reaching reform.” However, “this reform must be in sync with holistic reforms flowing out of the National Security Strategy, to transform the armed forces, particularly with respect to optimisation/reduction of manpower and restructuring/ reorganisation.”
Panag concludes “the Agnipath Parvesh Yojna in its present form does not meet organisational and individual needs. However, short-term engagement is the only pragmatic way forward to arrest the rising pension bill. Government/military must modify the scheme, take advantage of the default shortage of 200,000 soldiers by end 2022 and take a giant stride for transformation of the armed forces."
