The Centre’s decision to offer Agniveers an additional two-year extension after their initial four-year tenure is a “win-win situation” for both armed forces and recruits, as it provides trained manpower to the military while giving personnel another opportunity for permanent absorption, a senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officer said on Thursday.
The revised arrangement strikes a fine balance between Agniveers’ aspirations and the armed forces’ requirements, said Air Vice Marshal GS Bhullar, Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration (SOA) of the South Western Air Command (SWAC). He was addressing a press conference at the command headquarters in Gandhinagar on the changes announced by the Centre in the Agnipath recruitment scheme.
In a major overhaul of the scheme, the government on Wednesday announced that Agniveers (as soldiers under the plan are called) set to exit the military at the end of their four-year tenure will be given an additional two-year extension and subsequent permanent recruitment subject to meeting specific eligibility criteria.
Under the revised arrangement, 75 per cent of Agniveers who are not selected for regular service after their initial tenure will be eligible for the extension, subject to recommendations from the armed forces, their willingness and performance.
“Agniveers would naturally want to continue serving in the armed forces. The revised arrangement strikes a balance between their aspirations and the organisation’s requirements. We need trained, motivated personnel who are technologically equipped to handle modern military equipment,” said Air Vice Marshal Bhullar.
“Retaining personnel whom we have already trained, particularly to operate costly and advanced equipment, is a major advantage for the armed forces. At the same time, Agniveers get two additional years to prove themselves and an opportunity for permanent absorption. It is a win-win situation for both sides,” he emphasised.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Air Vice Marshal Bhullar insisted the additional two years would help the forces retain trained personnel, particularly as the military was inducting technologically advanced and expensive equipment that required skilled manpower. “The Agniveer gets two more years, addressing his immediate concern of potentially leaving without a job. The beauty of this second, independent engagement of two years is that there is no cap,” he said. The officer clarified that unlike the initial selection process, where 25 per cent of Agniveers are selected for permanent absorption based on merit after four years, there would be no fixed quota during the second engagement.
“If 100 people joined, 25 were taken, and 75 took the two-year extension, then if all 75 meet the minimum performance criteria, they will be permanently absorbed into the regular cadre,” he explained.
The minimum criteria would include discipline, medical fitness and job performance, he added.
Air Vice Marshal Bhullar noted the revised arrangement would provide Agniveers with greater job security and enough experience to decide whether they wanted to continue in the armed forces or explore a second career after six years of service. On the performance of Agniveers in SWAC, he said they were deployed in a wide range of operational and support roles, including air defence, fighter and helicopter operations, radar and sensor systems, and administrative duties.
Under the Agnipath scheme rolled out in June 2022, soldiers were recruited for a four-year term, with a provision to retaining only 25 per cent of them in regular services. The changes in the scheme were brought in just over three weeks before around 18,300 Agniveers were to exit the armed forces by December 31 after completing their tenure.