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AGNIVEER RECRUITMENT REGISTRATION FROM JULY

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 6/21/2022 3:38:07 PM

New Delhi, June 20 Even as protests and promises continue amid a controversy over the Agnipath defence recruitment policy, the Indian Army issued a notification for the first round of recruitment on Monday. Registration for the recruitment rallies begins from July, it said. This came amid a ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the protesters that led to disruptions in several parts of the country, including Delhi. The protesting aspirants have been decrying the four-year job scheme for it does not provide for any service guarantee after the four years, nor does it carry any pension or gratuity. Only up to 25 per cent of the recruits under the Agnipath scheme – called ‘Agniveers’ – may be chosen for the regular 15-year service that carries pensionary benefits. The older system provided for direct recruitment for 15-year regular service. Protests started from Bihar and have spread to several states since June 14, when the scheme was announced for recruitment from the 17.5-21 age bracket across all three services. The government later relaxed the upper age limit by two years to 23, acknowledging that many aspirants became overage during a halt on re cruitment since the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the protests have not subsided. The plan under Agnipath scheme is to hire around 45,000 recruits in the first year across the Army, Navy and Air Force. The three services of the military had on Sunday come out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the scheme and said that those who indulged in violence will not be inducted. The Indian Army is the first of the three services to issue a notification. The document shows that Agnipath remains the only entry point for soldiers into the Indian Army, except technical cadres of the medical branch. Online registration is mandatory on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in once it is opened from July. ‘Agniveer’ will be a distinct rank, says the notification. For General Duty, Class 10 with 45 per cent marks in aggregate and 33 per cent in each subject are mandatory. For Technical cadre, including Aviation and Ammunition Examiner, aspirants will need Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Maths and English with 50 per cent marks in aggregate and at least 40 per cent in each subject. For Clerk or Storekeeper (Technical), Class 12 in any stream is fine as long as one has 60 per cent marks in aggregate and minimum 50 per cent in each subject. For this cadre, 50 per cent marks in English and Maths/Accounts or Book-Keeping are mandatory. For Tradesmen, there are two categories – 10th pass and 8th pass. For these posts, the minimum criterion is having passed Class 8 or 10 with at least 33 per cent in each subject, according to the notification. It says the Agniveer’s pay is “a composite package” and “he will not be eligible for any Dearness Allowance and Military Service Pay”. The Agniveer soldier “will get applicable Risk & Hardship, Ration, Dress and Travel allowances”. The recruits will get life insurance cover of 48 lakh for the duration of their engagement period, it adds.