IAF releases details on Agnipath recruitment scheme: Key points

NEW DELHI: As protests against the Centre’s

Agnipath

scheme entered its fifth day on Sunday, opposition parties continued to attack the government and demand a roll-back.
At a tri-service media briefing in the afternoon, defence ministry officials gave out further details on how the scheme will be kick-started.
Here’s a look at the days developments so far:
Those named in FIR for vandalism cannot join: MoD official
Agnipath aspirants will have to furnish a certificate that they were not involved in violent protest or arson, said Lt Gen

Anil Puri

, additional secretary, Dept of Military Affairs, MoD. Speaking at a tri-service media briefing, he also said police verification of applicants will be done, and those named in FIR will not be considered for Agnipath.
He said reforms in the recruitment process for armed forces are long pending, and are aimed at bringing down the average age of the forces. He asserted that there will be no rollback of the scheme.
Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi said that women too can join the Agnipath scheme for enlistment with the Navy.
“Indian Navy has 30 women officers at present sailing on different Indian Navy ships. We have decided that under Agnipath scheme, we will recruit women also. They will be deployed on warships also,” he said.
From November 21 this year, the first naval ‘Agniveers’ will start reaching the training establishment INS Chilka in Odisha, he added.
Congress holds Satyagraha, says scheme will ‘finish Army’
Congress workers held a ‘satyagraha’ on Sunday at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the youth protesting against Central Government’s Agnipath recruitment scheme.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said that the scheme will ‘kill the youth’ of the country and will ‘finish the Army’. She said that the government is not working for the poor and youth but for big industrialists.
“This scheme will kill the youth of the country, will finish Army… Please see the intent of this govt and topple it. Bring a govt that is true to the nation, and protects the country’s assets. I urge you to do peaceful protest but don’t stop,” she said in her address.
Disruption in train services continue
The Eastern Railway on Sunday cancelled or rescheduled several trains connecting Kolkata and other places in West Bengal with northern parts of the country, including the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, owing to the stir against the Centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
A total of 29 trains, including the Poorva Express, Howrah-Kalka Netaji Express, Kolkata-Amritsar Express, Yog Nagari Rishikesh Doon Express, Sealdah-Jaynagar Gangasagar Express and the Kolkata-Gorakhpur Purvanchal Express have been cancelled for the day, the official said.
Southern Railway on Sunday said it has cancelled some more trains due to the agitation.
The KSR Bengaluru-Sanghamitra Daily Express in both directions has been cancelled while KSR Bengaluru-Patna Weekly Humsafar Super Fast Express stands cancelled immediately.
Similarly, Gaya-MGR Chennai Central Weekly Express, scheduled to leave Chennai today, was cancelled while KSR Bengaluru-New Tinsukia Weekly Superfast Express operated on Mondays has been cancelled.
No change introduced in defence sector for 80 years: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said several steps, which the government takes aimed at the welfare and well-being of India and its people, get political colour.
While noting that no change has been introduced in the defence sector for the last 80 years, PM Modi said that it government has now been trying to bring changed aimed at improvement of the sector.
The prime minister made the statement while inaugurating the main tunnel and five underpasses of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project.
IAF releases details on Agnipath scheme
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday released the details of the Agnipath recruitment scheme amid the ongoing agitation and widespread protests against the scheme across several states.
The process for the recruitment will begin from June 24. The IAF document lists the eligibility, educational qualification, medical standards, assessment, leave, remuneration, life insurance cover, etc., among many other factors. As the recruitment process is also open to those below 18 years, the enrolment form will need to be signed by the parents for those aspirants who are below 18 years of age, the IAF notification said.

“Post the period of four years, each

Agniveer

will go back to the society, based on organisational requirements and policies promulgated by the IAF,” the document said, explaining the benefits which the government will provide to the 75 per cent who will not be retained.
Recognise ‘fake nationalists’, country with you: Priyanka to youths
Urging the youth to recognise “fake nationalists”, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday assured her party’s full support to those peacefully protesting the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces.
She made the remarks as Congress MPs and leaders sat on a ‘Satyagraha’ at Jantar Mantar here in solidarity with the youths protesting the controversial scheme.
“There is no bigger patriot than you. I want to tell you, open your eyes and recognise the fake nationalists and fake patriots. The entire country and the Congress are with you in your struggle,” the Congress general secretary said in her remarks aimed at youths protesting the Agnipath scheme.
Rajnath meets chiefs of Army, Navy and IAF
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday met the three service chiefs amid escalating protests against the ‘Agnipath’ military recruitment scheme in several parts of the country.
It was Singh’s second meeting with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force for the second straight day on the issue. There was no official comment on the meeting.
It is learnt that the focus of the deliberations was on pacifying the protesters.
Additional Secretary Lt General Puri to address presser
Department of

Military Affairs Additional

Secretary Lt General Anil Puri will address a press conference in South Block on Sunday on the new model of recruitment scheme, at around 2pm, the government said.

‘PM forcing youth to walk on Agnipath of unemployment’
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said by repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, he has forced the youth to walk on ‘Agnipath’ of unemployment.
He also said 16 crore jobs were to be given in eight years, but the youth only got knowledge on “frying pakoras”.
“By repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, the prime minister has forced the youth of the country to walk on the ‘Agnipath’ of unemployment,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

“In 8 years, 16 crore jobs were to be given but the youth only got knowledge on frying pakoras,” the former Congress chief said. Only the prime minister is responsible for this condition of the country, he added.
Take back ‘Agnipath’ to avoid repeat of farm laws: Pilot
Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday urged the government not to be “stubborn” and immediately withdraw the new military recruitment scheme Agnipath for wider consultations to avoid a repeat of the farm laws episode.

He also asserted that the country had been kept “on a permanent boil” in the last few years, and a culmination of factors such as rejection of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, unemployment and economic and agrarian distress had resulted in the “severe backlash” from the youth.
‘Is this MGNREGA-like step for educated youth or hidden agenda of RSS?’
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said there were many doubts about the scheme in the minds of the youth and demanded that it be withdrawn.
He asked whether this was a MGNREGA-like initiative for the educated youth or there was a “hidden agenda” of the RSS in it. Yadav also appealed to the youth to