Military life without joining armed force: What is the Tour of Duty scheme?

Army has branded the Tour of Duty (ToD) as an opportunity for India's youth to experience military life without having to join the armed forces -- Army, Navy, and the Air Force -- on a long-term basis

The Ministry of Defence is likely to approve the ambitious Tour of Duty (ToD) scheme this week as extensive deliberations among three service chiefs for over two years have concluded, according to reports. 

Already adopted in several other countries, the Tour of Duty, or 'Agneepath', is a scheme under which the forces will recruit soldiers on a short-term and long-term basis to serve the country.

Tour of Duty is not conscription

Conscription refers to the mandatory of youth in the national armed forces. In some countries, youth must serve a minimum number of years in the armed forces. Countries that follow the practice of conscription include Israel, Norway, North Korea, and Sweden.

Not to be military conscription like in Israel, the Army has branded ToD as an opportunity for India's youth to experience military life without having to join the armed forces -- Army, Navy, and the Air Force -- on a long-term basis.

According to the initial proposal, the recruitment of soldiers in the Army will be conducted under the new scheme in the immediate future, and the duration of service for 50 per cent of the recruits could be between three to five years, while the rest may have a much longer tenure.

All the recruits under the Agneepath scheme shall be released from service after four years. Then 25 per cent will be re-enlisted for full service with a fresh date of joining, media reports said, adding that the first four years of contractual service would not be counted towards their full service for the fixation of pay and pension.

The rationale for Tour of Duty

The scheme is also said to benefit the Army financially. This recruitment model has been conceptualised to address personnel shortages, including officers.

It has also been proposed as a means to generate increased employment opportunities, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that 40 per cent of the personnel are recruited through this medium.

Currently, the Army recruits young people under the Short Service Commission for an initial tenure of 10 years, extending up to 14 years.

With no recruitment taking place for nearly two years now in the military, there has been considerable anxiety among the youth, with protests in Haryana and Punjab over the delay. The Army currently has roughly 43,000 officers -- 80 per cent of whom are in the permanent commission class -- and an additional 1.18 million forming other ranks.