On Monday, the Indian Army issued a notification for its Agniveer recruitment rally, in pursuance of the short term service Agnipath scheme. The Army said that it would open registration from July onwards.
This came as protests ahve erupted in several states since Wednesday against the Centre's Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of soldiers between 17.5 and 21 years in the armed forces for a four-year period, followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits.
The Home Ministry has further decided to give 3 years of age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit to Agniveers for recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles.
Earlier, the Centre raised the upper age limit for recruitment to 23 years for 2022 as a one-time measure in a bid to pacify the protesters.
The three services of the military on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the 'Agnipath' scheme and warned those who indulged in violence and arson will not be inducted.
The Home and Defence ministries on Saturday promised new 10 per cent quotas each in jobs for 'Agnipath' recruits after their four-year tenure in the armed forces.
