Agnipath scheme: Govt increases upper age limit to 23 years as protests rage

In a one-time waiver, the Central government has increased the upper age limit for the Agnipath scheme from 21 to 23 years.

Earlier, the entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces had been fixed at 17.5 to 21 years of age.

The Centre said, “Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake recruitment during the last two years, the government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.”

Accordingly, the upper age limit for the recruitment process for the Agnipath scheme was increased to 23 years.

MASSIVE PROTESTS

Meanwhile, nationwide protests continued for the second day on Thursday against the central government’s Agnipath scheme in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The protesters mainly consisted of young people voicing dissent against the government’s 4-year scheme.

The Centre on Tuesday had unveiled the Agnipath scheme – a new short-term recruitment policy for Indian youth to serve in the armed forces. The scheme will allow youngsters aged 17.5 to 21 to be inducted into any of the three services of the Army as “agniveers” for a period of four years.

In several parts of the country, trains were cancelled and delayed as protesters targeted railway lines. In Bihar, trains were set on fire in several railway stations across the state. More than 100 young men stormed the railway station in Bihar’s Buxar district and squatted on the tracks, blocking the onward journey of Patna-bound Janshatabdi Express for nearly 30 minutes. After the protests in Bihar, 30 trains were cancelled and around 36 were delayed.

The defence job seekers have voiced concern about their next step as, after the completion of four years, only 25 per cent of the soldiers recruited through the scheme will be retained to serve a full term. The youth recruited through the Agnipath scheme and not absorbed will be relieved without pension benefits.