Defence minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the defence service chiefs on Saturday amid widespread protest against the Agnipath scheme through which the government is all set to recruit 46,000 youngsters between the age group of 17.5 and 23 years this year. Intense protests by youth were witnessed in several parts of the country over the last three days with opposition parties urging the government to withdraw the scheme. On Saturday, All India Students' Associated called a 24-hour Bihar bandh in the state, the epicentre of the protest.
Follow Live updates of the protest against Agnipath
The crucial meeting between the defence minister and the service chiefs took place soon after the Union home ministry on Saturday announced a 10% reservation for Agniveers in the recruitment of CAPF and the Assam Rifles.
The three service chiefs have expressed confidence about the scheme through which youngsters will be recruited into the Army, Navy and the Air Force for a period of four years. At the end of four years, 25% of them will be retained while the rest will be provided with assistance for their future.
IAF chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhuri on Saturday said the youth who are protesting against Agnipath should get hold of the correct information and understand the scheme in its entirety.
Army chief General Manoj Pande said the scheme will provide an opportunity to the youth and the ongoing resistance is because they are not properly informed.
{{/usCountry}}Army chief General Manoj Pande said the scheme will provide an opportunity to the youth and the ongoing resistance is because they are not properly informed.
{{/usCountry}}Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said the protest was not anticipated and that the Agnipath scheme is the single biggest human resources management transformation in the Indian military.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday urged the youth to start preparing for the recruitment as the process will begin soon. The Indian Air Force already announced that the selection process for the recruitment will begin on June 24.