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.
In addition, the Home Ministry has decided to grant Agniveers a three-year age relaxation above the specified upper age restriction for enlistment into the Central Armed Police Forces and the Assam Rifles.
Earlier, as a one-time gesture to appease the protesters, the Centre raised the upper age limit for recruitment to 23 years for the year 2022.
On Sunday, the three military forces released a comprehensive timetable of enrolling under the 'Agnipath' initiative, warning that anyone who engage in violence or arson will not be enrolled.
On Saturday, the Home and Defence Ministries announced new 10% job quotas for 'Agnipath' recruits after their four-year service in the armed forces
