AGNIPATH YOJNA: MAKING IT WORK

Starting the New Year on a POSITIVE NOTE

Pic Courtesy Internet

 

The Agnipath yojna has already been launched. Induction for the first batch has already been completed and the training has also started at some places.

 

Enough has been discussed and said about the concerns related to the scheme.

 

The intention is to suggest measures to mitigate these concerns and to make the scheme work to the best.

 

The concerns can generally be classified under three categories:-

 

• Military effectiveness.

 

• Individual apprehensions.

 

• Societal worries.

 

SUGGESTED MEASURES

 

Military Effectiveness.

 

• Selection Standards. One of the concerns is that the number of people applying would go down or the quality of intake may suffer. The selection standards should not be diluted. At the same time, the suspension policy should also be maintained strictly.

 

• Utilisation Plan. A utilisation plan needs to be worked out (by the services, stations, and units) for these agniveers, both for the period of initial engagement and for the subsequent permanent absorption of 25%.

 

• Training Pattern. The training pattern also needs to be worked out for the initial training and subsequent training for the permanently absorbed ones.

 

• Periodic Review. The utilisation plan and the training program need to be reviewed periodically, incorporating the changes based on the experience gained.

 

• Performance Monitoring. It is felt that to make the cut of 25%, for permanent absorption, the agniveers would perform to their best. However, caution needs to be exercised about those individuals who are not keen to work beyond initial engagement or realise early that they may not make it to the 25%. Caution is required so that military capability and safety are not jeopardised.

 

• Identification process. Exceptional ones if identified early could be given more exposure to groom them early for subsequent utilisation.

 

• Class system. Caution needs to be exercised by field commanders to avoid “Us Vs Them” sort of classification/grouping from forming.

 

• Appropriate Ratio. At the service level, it will be required to ensure that the distribution of agniveers is done uniformly, without causing adverse ratios in units and stations.

 

• Close Watch. The motivation, morale, and dedication of these warriors would have to be watched continuously.

 

• Over Reliance on OEM. The debate always goes on about outsourcing and reliance on OEM or development of inhouse capability to maintain, platforms, weapons and systems. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. A balanced approach is the best. With increase in percentage of untrained and inexperienced personnel the balance may tilt towards over-reliance on OEM. This aspects needs to be monitored.

 

Individual Apprehensions.

 

• Post Release Employment. A lot of agencies have committed to induct these agniveers. Some have even quoted a percentage (presumably a percentage of their total intake) for the induction. However, a study needs to be carried out at national level to compare the committed lateral inductions vis-à-vis numbers exiting.

 

• Uniform Appraisal. A template for assessment (appraisal system) would have to be worked out at the organisation level, to ensure uniformity in assessment.

 

• Corruption Watch. Caution would be required to watch out for external pressure or possible corruption (at different levels) for retention.

 

• Labelling. The Outgoing agniveers should not be labelled as defence rejects. They should be looked up to as defence trained (and should be advertised as such).

 

• Skilling and Certification. Acceptability of training syllabus and skill training needs to be ascertained with certifying external agencies and universities.

 

Societal Worries.

 

• Misuse of skill. A common concern is that of these arms-trained warriors getting picked up by anti-national organisations and groups. Some sort of monitoring system needs to be put in place.

 

• Misuse of Information. Also, misuse of acquired military information is another concern. Official Secret act should be applied and implemented strictly.

 

• Politicisation of the Issue. The protests, post declaration of the scheme had political overtone. The issue is bound to be politicised during the time of election. All political parties need to arrive at an understanding about the issue.

 

• Centre State Induction and Retention Issue. The central recruitment and merit based retention may invite protests from the states regarding percentage of numbers of agniveers from particular state being recruited and retained. The issue needs to be anticipated and addressed at national centre level.

 

General Thoughts.

 

• Regular Review. The new scheme is quite different from the earlier recruitment procedure. Ideally it should have been introduced in phases, with appropriate changes post reviews. However, various aspects mentioned above should be reviwed periodically and neccassary changes should be incorporated to refine the process.

 

• 25% Selected for Retention being Lured by Corporates with Higher Packages. This is one possibility that cannot be ruled out. Appropriate terms of engagement need to be included to avoid it.

 

• Paramilitary also to Train Agniveers. Equipping and training costs money. Maybe Paramilitary should also follow this scheme for induction.

 

• Enhance NCC. NCC is another way of instilling discipline in the youth at an early stage. This institution needs to be strengthened and its scope enhanced.

 

• Similar Schemes for Govt Organisations and Functionaries. A similar scheme for induction should be followed for other government organisations.

 

• Law suites. It has been seen in the past that, in spite of clearly laid out terms and conditions for recruitment, individuals resort to legal process for obtaining relaxations and privileges. More often than not these are generally granted by the judiciary. This aspect needs to be appropriately addressed.

 

Wild Thought

 

Money to Defence. In this scheme, the defence forces are providing trained and disciplined manpower to the other agencies.  Maybe the hiring agencies could share the training cost. This payback could go to defence budget for modernisation purpose.

 

Lighter Vein

 

Market Value. The Parents in many state are worried about the drop in market value of Bridegrooms joining defence forces through this scheme.

 

Value Additions

This is a compilation of initial thoughts on addressing the issues related to the scheme.

Value additions would help in making the post comprehensive.

 

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References and credits

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