Age relaxation for Agnipath scheme indicates govt’s concern for the youth: Rajnath Singh
India Today
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that age relaxation for 'Agnipath' scheme indicates the government’s concern for the youth.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the ‘Agnipath’ scheme is a golden opportunity for the Indian youth to join the Armed forces and serve their motherland.
In a statement, Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir, said that many youth did not get the opportunity to join the armed forces, as recruitment process could not take place for last two years.
Keeping in mind the future of the youth, as per Rajnath Singh, the government, on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has increased the age limit for the recruitment of ‘Agniveers’ from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022.
“The relaxation of age indicates that the government cares for our youth. Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence and the Services are committed to commence the recruitment process at the earliest. We invite the youth to join the Armed Forces and serve the Nation through Agnipath,” he said.
Nationwide protests continue for the third day on Friday against the central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The protesters mainly consist of young people voicing dissent against the government’s four-year scheme.
The Centre on Tuesday had unveiled the ‘Agnipath’ scheme that will allow youngsters between the age of 17.5 to 21 to be inducted into any of the three services of the Army as “agniveers” for a period of four years. However, in a one-time waiver, the Central government has increased the upper age limit for the ‘Agnipath’ scheme from 21 to 23 years. In several parts of the country, trains were cancelled and delayed as protesters targeted railway lines. In Bihar, trains were set on fire in several railway stations across the state. More than 100 young men stormed the railway station in Bihar’s Buxar district and squatted on the tracks.
