Policy sans thought, consultation

Agnipath scheme has received a mixed response from military veterans and experts and, as the protests show, elicited protests from the youth

The large number of protests that have erupted in many parts of the country over the government’s new recruitment policy for the armed forced speak of the anxieties and concerns of young people over the policy. The protests are spreading even after clarifications by the government and some modifications in the scheme. Agnipath is a major policy initiative coming after decades, but there are doubts whether enough thought has gone into its implications. It seeks to create a younger profile for the three military services by bringing down the average age. The recruitment will start from 17.5 years of age and the ‘Agniveers’ will serve for four years on contract. Only 25% of them will be absorbed in the forces and others will be released with a lump sum package. It is claimed that the scheme will increase the combat potential of the forces and make the soldiery more tech-savvy. The British-era regimental organisation based on caste and ethnicity will not be followed in this recruitment and regiments will have an All India, All Class structure.

The scheme has received a mixed response from military veterans and experts and, as the protests show, elicited protests from the youth. One major benefit is the savings in expenditure on pensions and other retirement benefits. One other professed aim is to create a leaner and more technologically equipped force. Short service recruitment is done in other countries, but it is debatable whether it is needed in Indian conditions where there is no shortage of those who seek a regular job in the forces.

There are also questions about the adequacy of the training period and whether the recruits will be as motivated as soldiers who are on permanent rolls. The prospect of three-fourths of the recruits being dropped after a short stint would unnerve and disappoint many who have looked forward to a job in the forces. Temporary employment with no pension benefits will not appeal to many. The protests have to be seen in that light. The government has promised that Agniveers will be given priority in recruitment to the central armed police forces and similar organisations. But many of them will have to look for other opportunities. Finding them may not always be easy. It is pointed out that the disgruntled cadres of young persons who had military training may turn into socially and even politically disruptive forces. There may be a threat of militarisation of society without the discipline that keeps the armed forces in order. The impact of replacing the old regimental system with the new all-India recruitment system is also not clear. The government should have held consultations with all stakeholders and interested groups before formulating and announcing such a major scheme.