Why JD(U) Has Raised Voice Against Agniveer Scheme, About Defence Programme That Faced Backlash

In a visible sign of test for the BJP in its third term, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has sought review of the Centre’s Agniveer recruitment scheme for the Army, that saw nationwide protests in June 2022. The development comes days before Narendra Modi will take oath as Prime Minister for the third time.

A spokesperson JD(U) said the party has offered unconditional support to the BJP-led NDA but wanted the shortcomings in the Agniveer scheme to be discussed.

“A section of voters has been upset over the Agniveer scheme. Our party wants those shortcomings which have been questioned by the public to be discussed in detail and removed…On UCC, as the national president of the party, CM had written to the Law Commission chief. We are not against it but a solution should be found by talking to all stakeholders," said JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi.

Bihar used to have Army recruitment rallies once every year. The state contributed about 10,000 soldiers through the recruitment rallies held in the three years before 2022. Students used to form groups of 50-60 to train and one could see such groups in every village of Bihar, as quoted by The Hindu.

What is Agniveer Scheme?

The Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022 where selected candidates will be enrolled as Agniveers for a four-year period.

After the stint of four years, the Agniveers will be infused into the civil society where they can contribute towards nation building. The skills gained by each Agniveer will be recognised in a certificate to form part of his unique resume.

The ‘Seva Nidhi’ of approximately Rs 11.71 lakh would aid the Agniveer to pursue his/her future dreams without the financial pressure, which is normally the case for young people from the financially deprived strata of society.

The individuals, selected for enrolment in the Armed Forces as regular cadre, would be required to serve for a further engagement period of minimum 15 years and would be governed by the existing terms and conditions of service of Junior Commissioned Officers/Other Ranks in Indian Army and their equivalent in Indian Navy and Indian Air Force and that of Non-Combatant enrolled in the Indian Air Force, as amended from time-to-time.

Why People Protested in 2022

Many youths protested the Agnipath scheme for its four-year tenure. Some of the other drawbacks of the scheme are:

No retirement benefits, pensions: The scheme offers no gratuity or pensionary benefits. Those protesting have complained that the new scheme hinders their claim for monetary benefits, such as pensions, since the Centre plans to absorb only 25 per cent of the ‘Agniveers’ after the completion of four years.

Period of Service: This along with the short period of employment has caused widespread outrage among youths. Most feel that serving in the Army for four years is not reasonable and those leaving the service after four years will have a path full of uncertainty ahead of them.

Age: Protesters want the government to raise the upper limit since several of them have already crossed the present upper age limit of 23 years as defence recruitment was not conducted for two years due to the pandemic.

Army’s Concern

The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is actively reviewing feedback on the Agniveers’ performance to adjust the scheme as needed for the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Personnel department heads from all three services are involved in this ongoing assessment.

In July 2023, it was first noted that the induction of Agniveers had led to concerns within the armed forces. Operational challenges due to personnel shortages have already been reported.

What Did the Government Say?

Defence minister Rajnath Singh had said in March that the government is “open to change" in Agniveer scheme if necessary.

Asserting that youthfulness is necessary in the defence forces, Singh had defended the scheme, and said, “Sena mein youthfulness honi chahiye. The youth, I feel, are more enthusiastic. They are more tech-savvy. We have taken proper care that their future is also secure. We will also make changes if there is a need."

Proposals under consideration include increasing the percentage of Agniveers retained to 50% and raising the maximum recruitment age from 21 to 23 years to expand the eligible candidate pool, particularly for technical roles in aviation, engineering, and electronics. Without these changes, there could be a significant dearth of personnel, affecting the army’s functional and operational capabilities.

What Other Political Parties Said About the Scheme?

Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha election had promised to scrap the Agnipath scheme. The Congress had said if elected to power at the Centre, it will ensure a return to the earlier recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and Air Force that will guarantee economic and social security. Rahul Gandhi has publicly claimed that army chiefs did not endorse the new scheme. It was thrust upon the army to cut pension costs. The party had also promised a reform in the process to appoint the Chief of Defence Staff.

Samajwadi Party had also promised to end ‘Agnipath’ scheme and introduce regular recruitment in armed forces.

Nationalist Congress Party led by Sharad Pawar had said it supports full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, scrapping the Agnipath Scheme and rejects the idea of ‘one nation, one election’.