Agneepath Scheme – Benefits, Eligibility, Salary, Agneepath Scheme UPSC

What is Agneepath Scheme?

Agneepath Scheme has been introduced by Indian Government to recruit soldiers across the three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force). soldiers recruited under the Agneepath scheme will be called Agniveers. Under this scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers are expected to be recruited in three services.

Agneepath Scheme UPSC Notes PDF

Most of the recruited soldiers have to leave the service in four years. Only 25% of recruited soldiers will be allowed to continue for another 15 years. Those who are between 17.5 years and 23 years can apply for this scheme.

Agneepath Scheme Latest News

• Over 3,00,000 applicants have been filled for the Navy recruitment till now. The last date to apply for Navy SSR is 24 July, and for Navy MR, candidates can fill out the form from 25 July to 30 July 2022.
• As per the latest update, 20% of the seats have been reserved for women.
• Thousands of youth in various States of India took to the streets to protest against the Agneepath Scheme.
• As a one-time relaxation or waiver, the upper age limit of the Agniveer will be 23 years for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.
• Agneepath Scheme is a new scheme unveiled by the Government of India on June 14, 2022, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Agneepath Scheme Eligibility

The Agneepath Scheme is only for personnel below the officer ranks, i.e., those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers.

• Aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 23 years will be eligible to apply for Agneepath Scheme. The upper age limit has been relaxed from 21 years to 23 years as a one-time measure for the Recruiting Year 2022-23.
• Army, Navy, and Air Force will release the detailed eligibility criteria on their respective official websites for candidates to apply accordingly.
• Agniveers should meet the medical eligibility conditions laid down for enrolment in the armed forces as applicable to respective categories/trades.

Position under	Eligibility for Agneepath Scheme
Agniveer (Tech)	10+2/Intermediate Exam Pass in Science with Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and English with 50% marks in aggregate and 40% in each subject.
Agniveer Tech (Avn & Amn Examiner)	10+2/Intermediate Exam Pass in Science with Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and English with 50% marks in aggregate and 40% in each subject.
Agniveer (General Duty) (All Arms)	Class 10th /Matric with 45% marks in aggregate and 33% in each subject.
Agniveer Clerk / Store Keeper Technical (All Arms)	10+2 / Intermediate Exam Pass in any stream (Arts, Commerce, Science) with 60% marks in aggregate and a minimum of 50% in each subject. Securing 50% in English and Maths/Accts/Book Keeping in Cl XII is mandatory.
Agniveer Tradesmen (All Arms) 10th pass	(a) Class 10th simple pass (b) No stipulation in aggregate percentage, but should have scored 33% in each subject.
Agniveer Tradesmen (All Arms) 8th pass	(a) Class 8th simple pass (b) No stipulation in aggregate percentage but should have scored in 33% in each subject.

How to apply for Agneepath Scheme?

To apply for Agneepath Scheme, one can visit the government websites of the three armed forces and enroll themselves respectively. The force-specific forms have been released, and each force has a different set of criteria and eligibility for the recruitment of the Agniveers. The application forms will be out in July/August 2022, and recruitment will be completed by December for the first batch of Agniveers.

Recruitment and Training under Agneepath Scheme

The recruitment of the Agniveers under the Agneepath Scheme will be done twice a year through rallies and on an ‘all India, all class’ recruitment basis. Currently, the recruitment is based on a ‘regiment system’ based on region and caste bases.

• The online registration will be opened from July onwards by respective AROs for Agniveer General Duty, Agniveer Technical, Agniveer Technical (Aviation/ Ammunition Examiner), Agniveer Clerk/ Store Keeper Technical, Agniveer Tradesman 10th pass and Agniveer Tradesman 8th pass.
• Once selected, the aspirants will go through training for six months and then will be deployed for three and a half years. During their service, Agniveers will be imparted various military skills and experience, discipline, physical fitness, leadership qualities, courage, and patriotism.

Agneepath Scheme Salary

Agneepath Scheme is a short-service manpower model. The Agneepath recruitment scheme is a transformative initiative that will provide a youthful profile to the armed forces. The salary and perks included are:

• Upon joining, Agniveers will get a starting salary of INR 30,000, along with additional benefits which will go up to INR 40,000 by the end of the four-year service. During their serving period, 30 percent of their salary will be set aside under a Seva Nidhi program, and the government will contribute an equal amount every month, and it will also accrue interest. At the end of the four-year period, each soldier will get INR 11.71 lakh as a lump sum amount, which will be tax-free.
• They will also get an INR 48 lakh life insurance cover for four years under Agneepath Scheme.
• In case of death, the payout will be over INR 1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure. For 25% of soldiers, who are re-selected into service with higher ranks, the initial four-year period will not be considered for retirement benefits.
• There shall be no entitlement to gratuity and pensionary benefits.

Significance of the Agneepath Scheme

The Agneepath Scheme is a game-changing project that will give the Army, Navy, and Air Force a young image. The major significance of the Agneepath Scheme is listed below:

• All India, All Class Recruitment: National unity, camaraderie, and bonding are the essence that the government is looking for from young Agniveers. The spirit will help in building national integration and will pave the path for nation-building through empowered youth.
• Younger and Energetic Force: The forces look for physically strenuous deployments, which is essential. A leaner and younger force will contribute to deployments, especially in high-altitude areas.
• Reducing the Defense Bill: This year’s Budget estimate for defense pension is INR 1,33,826 Crore which is 4.4% of total expenditure or 0.6% of the GDP. Pensions made up 28.4% of this year’s defense budget. The money saved through the Agneepath Scheme can be utilized to buy state-of-art technology and equipment for modern warfare.
• Economic Benefits: The skills and experience gained by the Agniveer will help in various fields of employment. A higher-skilled workforce will eventually help in productivity gain and overall GDP growth.
• Standby Force: The Agniveers could act as an Adhoc buffer force in times of war or emergency.

Challenges of the Agneepath Scheme

No reform can be fool-proof and without trouble. Agneepath Scheme is no different; the scheme concerns national defense and security, so the Government needs to anticipate and address the problems that lie beyond their bold step forward. The challenges in the way of the scheme are:

• ‘All India, all class’ recruitment may lead to the erosion of the loyalty that a soldier has for his regiment, which was the recruitment method adopted.
• The absence of a pension and health benefits can act as a spoiler.
• The short training period may not be enough to trust the Agniveers with the same kind of tasks the current troops can be trusted with. This could compromise training, morale, and commitment.
• The ‘trained-to-kill’ soldiers being demobilized every year could prove dangerous if they remain jobless and frustrated. Many believe it may lead to the militarization of society.

Agneepath Scheme UPSC

The Agneepath Scheme is being covered in the news and is important from the Current Affairs perspective. The UPSC Syllabus tends to incline and ask questions about the latest happenings. The Agneepath Scheme is important from both Prelims and Mains’ points of view. In Mains, it is covered under Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandates section. It is important for candidates to go through the topic in detail and prepares notes accordingly for the upcoming Civil Services Exam.

Agneepath Scheme UPSC Questions

Question 1: Who launched the Agneepath scheme? a) Department of Military Affairs b) Department of Agriculture c) Department of Finance d) Department of Foreign Affairs
Answer: a) Department of Military Affairs

Question 2: In which area of the service the students will be recruited? a) Indian Air Force b) Indian Army c) Indian Navy d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

Question 3: What is the age limit for the Agneepath scheme? a) 16-23 b) 18-25 c) 17.5-23 d) 20-23
Answer: c) 17.5-23.

UPSC Notes
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation	National Health Mission
FATF	Statue of Equality
Goods And Services Tax	Minimum Support Price
World Trade Organisation	Inclusive Growth
Delimitation Commission	Uniform Civil Code
Gig Economy	National Health Mission