Agniveer recruitment rally: Indian Army says registration to begin from July

Even as protests from aspirants and rumblings from the opposition continue, the Indian army on Monday reportedly released a notification on the Agniveer recruitment rally, saying that the registration will open July onwards.

The Indian Army had recently released terms and conditions and related details for prospective applicants wanting to join the force under the Agnipath military recruitment scheme.



The Indian Army on Sunday had released terms and conditions and related details for prospective applicants wanting to join the force under the Agnipath military recruitment scheme.

The Army said 'Agniveers' would form a distinct rank in the Indian Army that will be different from any other existing ranks and they can be posted to any regiment and unit.

Protests are underway across multiple cities in India, with many organisations calling for a Bharat Bandh, even as Tri-service chiefs ruled out the withdrawal of the scheme on Sunday.

As the protests continue, a senior Army officer on Sunday clarified that the scheme will not be rolled back and said that it is the "only progressive step to make the country young".

The opposition, led by Congress, has said that by rolling out the Agnipath scheme, the Centre is forcing the country's youth to walk on 'firepath' of unemployment. The Congress party held the Centre responsible for the 'deteriorating' condition of the youth in the country.

In a detailed note on the scheme, the Army last night said 'Agniveers' will be barred from disclosing classified information gained during the four-year service period to any unauthorised person or source under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

"With the introduction of this scheme, the enrolment of soldiers in the the regular cadre of the Indian Army, except technical cadres of medical branch, will be available only to those personnel who have completed their engagement period as Agniveer," it said.

The Army said the release of an Agniveer at own request prior to completion of terms of engagement is not permitted.

"However, in most exceptional cases, personnel enrolled under this scheme may be released, if sanctioned by the competent authority," it said.

The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years to 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.

Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022. Protests have erupted in several states against the Centre's scheme.