Armed forces announce Agnipath recruitment dates amid protests; Army notification tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing countrywide protests against the central government’s Agnipath scheme unveiled on Tuesday, the recruitment dates have been decided. The Army will announce its Agniveer notification on Monday. The recruitment rally will be conducted by mid-August. The training will be conducted in two batches in December first week and on February 23, said Lieutenant General Anil Puri, Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs.

Meantime, the registration in the air force is scheduled on June 23. Online examination will be conducted on July 10. The training for the first batch will begin on December 30. The notification in the navy will be released on June 25. Examination will be conducted within a month. Training will begin on November 21.

Addressing a press conference, Anil Puri said that Agniveers will receive the same allowances provided to the soldiers deployed in Siachen and other areas. Women will also receive jobs through the Agnipath scheme. In the navy, they will be appointed as sailors.

The intake of soldiers under Agnipath scheme will be 50,000-60,000 which will increase up to one lakh subsequently. Now 46,000 people will be employed but it will be increased to 1.25 lakh in future. There is no place for indiscipline in the armed forces, Puri said. The candidates, who participated in the protests against the scheme, will not be recruited into the forces, said the officials in a joint press conference.