Agnipath scheme: Armed forces announce schedule for recruiting ‘Agniveers’

The Agnipath scheme triggered massive protests across the country with incidents of violence being reported in several states.

The three services on Sunday announced a broad schedule for the recruitment in the armed forces under the recently-announced Agnipath scheme, PTI reported.

Agnipath scheme: Armed forces announce schedule for recruiting ‘Agniveers’ (Sanjay Sharma)

The Indian Navy's chief of personnel Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi said the naval headquarters will issue a broad guideline for recruitment by June 25.

"The first batch of recruits will join the training programme by November 21. He further added that both men and women will be recruited as ‘Agniveers’ under the scheme," he said during the press briefing also attended by top brass of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

IAF's Personnel in-charge Air Marshal SK Jha during the briefing said the registration process for induction will begin on June 24 while the process of online examination for the first phase of recruitment will begin on July 24. He further added that the IAF is planning to commence the training for the first batch of recruits by December 30.

"The army is set to issue a draft notification on Monday and subsequent notifications will be issued by various recruitment units of the force from July 1 onwards," said Indian Army's Adjutant General Lt General Bansi Ponappa. He added that the first batch comprising 25,000 personnel will join the training programme in the first and second week of December, while the second batch will join around February 23.

Lt General Ponappa further added that a total of 83 recruitment rallies will be held across the country in August, September and October.

The Agnipath scheme has triggered massive protests across the country with incidents of violence being reported in several states. There are reports of protesters torching train bogies, and police vehicles and damaging government property. However, the defence ministry has said the scheme won't be rolled back.