Army conducts internal survey on Agnipath scheme, may propose tweaks: Report

Army conducts internal survey on Agnipath scheme, may propose tweaks: Report

The Indian Army is conducting an internal survey on the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces and could propose a few tweaks, The Indian Express has reported.

The survey to evaluate the scheme - which was rolled by the Centre in 2022 - comes at a time when Congess and its INDIA bloc allies have promised to scrap it if voted to power in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

According to the report, the scheme is being reviewed to help the incoming government make possible changes.

The Agnipath scheme recruits male and female candidates across Army, Navy and Air Force. Known as Agniveers, the candidates are recruited either directly through educational institutions or through recruitment rallies. They are supposed to serve for a short period of four years and are not eligible for pension.

The terms of the scheme had triggered a controversy, with veterans and aspirants saying that it can potentially affect the future of serving personnel; affect the professionalism, ethos and fighting spirit of the forces; and could lead to militarisation of civil society.

At a recent rally in Haryana, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Army does not want the Agnipath scheme. “PM Narendra Modi has made the jawans (soldiers) of India like labourers... It's a scheme made by the PMO. Once Congress comes to power we will discard the scheme entirely."

Meanwhile, Union defence minister Rajanath Singh earlier said the Centre is open to making changes in the Agnipath scheme if required.

Currently, two batches of 40,000 Agniveers are under posting in the Army. In the Navy, three batches of 7,385 Agniveers have completed training. In the IAF, 4,955 Agniveer Vayu trainees have completed training.

The Indian Express report said that the Army had sought feedback from all stakeholders including Agniveers, the recruiting and training staff at different regimental centres of the Army and unit and sub-unit commanders.

A questionnaire comprising 10 questions has been sent to the stakeholders concerned. Responses to specific questions for each group will be consolidated and put together by the end of May for further assessment. Recruiters will also have to respond to questions on the overall impact on Army recruitment after implementation of the scheme, the report said.

The feedback will comprise comparative performance of Agniveers as against the soldiers recruited before the launch of the Agnipath scheme and the positive/negative qualities observed in Agniveers.

Based on these details, the Army will suggest possible tweaks in the scheme. The survey will also seek input from Agniveers on why they chose to join the defence services and the other jobs they attempted before joining as Agniveers. The Agniveers will also need to share if they think that they should all be absorbed permanently into the force. They will also be providing input on their preferred choice of career after four years and if they choose to stay back and serve in the Army.

The survey will also seek to know if these soldiers will motivate their near and dear ones to join as Agniveers.