On Saturday, in an engagement with the media, Amit Shah, the Union Minister of Home Affairs, stated that the MHA has decided upon a mutual mandate to reserve 10% vacancies of ‘Agniveers’ for Assam Rifles and central paramilitary forces after the four year service of commandoes.
In addition to the reservation cut-off, the Union Home Ministry has also mandated an age relaxation of three years from the upper age limit meted out for Agniveer service that pertains to the new recruitment for union paramilitary force as well the Assam Rifles.
As per the guidelines drawn out by the ministry, the first recruited batch of Agniveers will enjoy an relaxation of five years against the prescribed upper age limit. These new additions to the recruitment process for the Agniveers have been reiterated by Amit Shah through both twitter and a press conference.
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According MHA, the reservation mandate of 10% ideated for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles will somewhat provide an assurance of ‘permanent service’ to the deserving youngsters. These new additions are a result of the vehement protests going around the country against the Aginiveers service scheme since last few days.
Moreover, as the ministry stated, the age relaxation of 3 years is also going to attract more and more people towards joining the CAPFs as Agniveers. The scheme will currently aim towards provideing an upper age limit of 23 years for Constable ranks once a recruit completes his tenure of serving the armed forces. This link has been added by MHA in order to give a permanent job to youngsters serving in the armed forces as Agniveers .
The MHA administers the sustenance of the Assam Rifles as well as the CAPFs. Currently, as per official data, there are approximately one lakh vacancies in both the forces. Amit Shah told the media that the Agniveers scheme will aid the recruitment process and help fill the vacancies sooner.
In terms of protests pertaining to the Agniveers service, several southern and eastern states, on Friday, witnessed violent attack and vehement disruptions despite centre’s promise of adding new mandates to the scheme. All central ministers issued mass appeals for a calm and peaceful public agitation, and promised to come up with age relaxations, eligibility reformations, and permanency of Agniveers service.
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Till date, approximately 316 trains have been either burnt down or damaged, 200 cancelled and several railway officers as well as passengers harassed by protestors. The agitators are dissatisfied as the length of service is minimal, no pension or other monetary benefits are provided, and early retirement is inevitable. There is no job security for the Agniveers as per the agitators and they believe that the government solely seeks to exploit their service in exchange of minimal offerings.
