Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today asserted that the Agnipath scheme is a golden opportunity for the Indian youth to join the Armed Forces and serve their motherland.
In a statement, Singh, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, said that the government, on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has increased the age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022.
"The relaxation of age indicates that the government cares for our youth. The Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence and the Services are committed to commence the recruitment process at the earliest. We invite the youth to join the Armed Forces and serve the nation through Agnipath," said the minister.
He stated that many youngsters did not get the opportunity to join the Armed Forces as the recruitment process could not take place for the last two years.
The three chiefs of Indian Defence Services have also hailed the government's decision to approve the Agnipath Scheme, a recruitment process for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces.
"The Government has announced Agnipath scheme under which youth will be able to join armed forces. The age criteria will be 17.5 to 21 years. Happy to announce that for the first recruitment, the upper age limit has been revised to 23 years. It will benefit the youth. Air Force recruitment will begin on June 24," the Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said in a virtual address on Friday.
The Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande, in an exclusive interaction with ANI, informed that the training of first Agniveers will begin this December.
"As far as the question of Agniveers going to recruitment training centres is concerned, the training of first Agniveers will begin this December (in 2022) at the centres. The active service will commence in the middle of 2023," said General Pande.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar termed the Agnipath scheme as "one of the most transformational schemes" for the armed forces.
"It gives an opportunity for the youth to participate and contribute toward Desh Seva," said Kumar.
Agnipath Scheme, which was approved by the cabinet on June 14, was launched in an effort to bring a change in the recruitment process of the Armed Forces. With the new military recruitment scheme facing criticism, the Centre has decided to bring a change in the upper age limit for recruiting Agniveers.
Granting a one-time waiver, the Centre announced that the Agniveer upper age limit for recruitments via Agnipath Scheme has been extended to 23 years from 21 years.
(With agency inputs)
