In the context of the ongoing debate on the Agnipath scheme, one of the factors that has been mentioned sometimes in its favor relates to the need for reducing the pension burden. However this is not relevant due to the reasons given below. Firstly the amount of civilian defense personnel pensions is often included in the armed forces pension bill.[Read More…]

Can you train a man( or a woman) to kill in 6 months? Definitely yes. In fact, our crime records would indicate that a majority of killers in India; don’t require any training at all. When the time comes and the need occurs, the trigger is pulled or the dagger is thrust in, quite effortlessly. But in the armed forces,[Read More…]

Lakh of the youths in the country are feeling fudged. Violent protests took place against the recently announced Agnipath scheme in the army recruitment for personnel below officer rank (PBOR). Under the new Agnipath scheme, the government has announced recruiting youths for the army, to be called Agniveers. Under this scheme, after qualifying, they will not have a secured tenure[Read More…]

Few changes in armed forces have been as controversial as the Agnipath scheme of recruitment announced in June. It is very important for national interest to examine carefully the objections raised by several very senior and experienced veterans of armed forces, some of whom have distinguished themselves not just in the battlefield but as also as very learned commentators on[Read More…]

Democratic and well-meaning sections across the country have already come up against the “Agnipath” scheme announced by Modi regime in mid-June 2022. As in the case of other corporate-fascist moves, the Agnipath was neither discussed in parliament nor in any parliamentary committees including the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence. It is a superimposed saffron-fascist offensive, the brainchild of RSS conceptualized[Read More…]

The Tour of Duty scheme of recruitment for the Defence Services is catchily named Agnipath, and the youth to be recruited are named Agniveers. The implications of the Agnipath scheme are different for the Army (and within the Army for different arms and services), the Navy and the Air Force. This is because of the difference in the arena of[Read More…]

Under Narendra Modi, unemployment reached a peak today. At the very least, even sanctioned government posts are not being completely replaced. An examination of various departments of the Central and State Governments has revealed that at least 30 lakh posts are vacant under the Central Government (including various agencies run by the Center) and another 30 lakh posts are vacant[Read More…]

The official website of the Indian Army writes that approx 60,000 personnel retire each year, however, only a small percentage transit to a viable second career befitting their several years of service and experience. This smaĺĺ percentage is estimated to be just 10%. The balance 54,000 keep hunting for jobs year after year. Presently, India’s joblessness is around 8% among[Read More…]

On June 14, Government of India announced the Agnipath Scheme for Indian armed forces. The scheme would recruit 45,000 to 50,000 people — between the ages of 17.5 to 21 years — every year. The service would be for a duration of four years, at the end of which one-fourth of the recruits would be awarded permanent commission in the[Read More…]

It is true that the Agnipath recruitment scheme is a contractual-soldier scheme. That is, a youth of 17 to 21 years of age will be recruited in the three armed forces on a contract for four years term. They will not be entitled to the facilities and social security available to the regular soldiers till now. (The concessions being talked[Read More…]

Thousands of youths upon the streets.Mainly but not exclusively BJP-ruled states. On their faces a burning desire to avenge a wrong.But not necessarily a maniacal rage with indiscriminate targets.Buses and trains in flames.Youths storming at everything associated with government with sticks and pelting stones at police.Police trying desperately to stem the tide.Lathi-charges and in one incident bullets. Frightening and disturbing[Read More…]

by Harshavardhan Purandare and Sandeep Pandey Narendra Modi government just doesn’t seem to learn from its past mistakes. From demonetisation to Farmers’ laws with decision on Kashmir, Citizenship Amendment Act and Covid lockdown in the interim the citizens of this country have had to suffer because of not just the unwise decisions of the government but also the manner in[Read More…]

The Modi Government unveiled the new Agnipath scheme for recruiting soldiers across the three services. Under the new scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited annually, and most will leave the service in just four years. Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.This is[Read More…]