'Agnipath' will provide good opportunity to NCC cadets: NCC D-G Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh

The new 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in the armed forces will provide a good opportunity to National Cadet Corps cadets, Director General of the NCC Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh said here on Wednesday. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the passing-out parade of Associate NCC Officers at Kamptee here.

To a question about the new recruitment scheme, Lt Gen Singh said 'B' and 'C' certificate holders of the NCC get a special weightage for recruitment in the armed forces. Under the Agnipath scheme, NCC cadets have a good opportunity to become 'Agniveer' for four years and they can follow other professions afterwards, he said.

The main objective of the NCC is to make youths and cadets responsible citizens, and NCC cadets who become Agniveer will become more responsible citizens when go back to civilian life, Singh added. India on Tuesday unveiled the 'Agnipath' scheme for the recruitment of soldiers into the army, navy and air force, largely on a short-term contractual basis with an aim to cut the ballooning salary and pension bills and enable a youthful profile of the armed forces.