CENTRE EXTENDS AGE LIMIT FOR AGNIPATH SCHEME FROM 21 TO 23 YEARS

(The Quiver): Earlier on Tuesday, during the launch of the Agnipath scheme, the Centre had said youngsters between the of 17-and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for a four-year tenure in the Indian Army/Indian Air Force/Indian Navy.However, as per the latest order by the Defence Minister, the age limit for recruitment has now been raised to 23 for the 2022 batch only.”

Cognisant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022. Accordingly, the upper age limit for the recruitment process for the Agnipath scheme for 2022 is increased to 23 years,” according to a statement issued by the defence ministry.

The Agnipath scheme has received a huge backlash from a significant number of military experts, saying it will adversely impact the functioning of the armed forces.

Besides, youngsters in several states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand also protested against the recruitment model into three armed forces.The Central government believes that the Agnipath scheme is a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process to enhance the youthful profile of the three services. Besides, the three service chiefs have also strongly backed the scheme and said it was unveiled after over two years of deliberations.

After the scheme was rolled out, the Army said it would ensure an enhanced youthful profile of the force and result in a “reduction in the average age from 32 to 26 years over a period of time”.