Agnipath scheme: Registrations for 1st batch to begin on June 24; online exams on July 24

Under centre's new Agnipath recruitment scheme, registration process for first batch of Agniveers will begin on June 24 and online examination would be held on July 24, a top military official informed on Sunday.

dressing a joint press conference of tri-services, Air Marshal SK Jha said, "Registration process for first batch of Agniveers will start from June 24. phase-1 online examination process would start on July 24. first batch would be enrolled by December and training would commence by December 30."

Navy Chief of Personnel, Vice miral Dinesh Tripathi said, "From November 21 this year, first naval Agniveers will start reaching and training establishment INS Chilka, Odisha. Both female and male Agniveers are allowed for this."

ditionally, Lt Gen Anil Puri, Secretary, Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Indian Army's jutant General Lt Gen Bansi Ponappa, Indian Navy's Chief of Personnel Vice miral Dinesh Tripathi and Indian Air Force's Personnel in charge Air Marshal SK JHA held a joint press conference on Agniveer scheme on Sunday.

Lt Gen Puri said that Centre will start with recruitment of 46,000 Army aspirants to 'analyse' scheme.
"In next 4-5 years, our intake (of soldiers) will be 50,000- 60,000 & will increase to 90,000- 1 lakh subsequently. We've stated small at 46,000 to analyse scheme...and to build up infra capacity," said Lt Gen Puri.

He furr said, "Our intake of Agniveers will go up to 1.25 lakhs in near future and will not remain at 46,000 which is present figure."

Centre plans to aid Agniveers

Amid a freeze on recruitment rallies for two years owing to COVID-19 pandemic, Union Cabinet approved a new scheme called 'Agnipath' on June 14. Under aegis of this scheme, 46,000 youths aged between 17.5-21 years would be recruited into Armed Forces in 2022 for a period of 4 years. This is being touted as a major defence policy reform. Among total recruits, 25% of Agniveers would be selected for enrolment in Armed Forces as regular cres. Apart from an attractive monthly salary, y will be given a one-time ‘SevaNidhi’ package of Rs.11 lakh at end of ir 4-year stint.

However, Centre's announcement was followed by pan-India protests which witnessed vandalism, torching of railway trains, stone-pelting and attacks on police personnel. In first attempt to assuage protesters, government increased upper age limit for recruitment via Agnipath scheme to 23 years. 

reafter, Ministry of Home Affairs announced a 10% reservation for Agniveers in Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles. Similarly, Defence Ministry cleared a proposal to reserve 10% of posts for Agniveers in Indian Coast Guard and all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings.

(With inputs from ANI)