Saving money to skilling soldiers: Agnipath's bold battle plan for military

A key element of Agnipath service model is that only 25 per cent of each batch, which has been chosen to remain in service, goes on to eventually draw a pension

Frustrated job-seekers are rioting in the streets over the government’s announcement of the Agnipath Yojana. This “transformative” measure, imposed by the government without warning, is intended to change the recruitment pattern of soldiers from the current long-service, 15-year contract that culminates in a lifelong pension; to a mainly short-service contract that will see soldiers serving for four years, after which most go home without a pension.

A key moment in these young soldiers’ careers will come when they complete four years of service. At that juncture, they can apply to continue in service and, based on their abilities, up to 25 per cent of a batch can remain in service. These soldiers will switch over from short-service to long-service contracts, going on to form the backbone of the military.

The key element in this service model is that only 25 per cent of each batch, which has been chosen to remain in service, goes on to eventually draw a pension. Lower pensions would save money for greater capital spending on equipment modernisation — a key step towards battlefield effectiveness.

In the current year’s (2022-23) defence allocation of Rs 525,120 crore, a whopping 23 per cent — about Rs 119,696 crore — is allocated for pensions, a bill that has been inflated by the introduction of the One Rank One Pension scheme from 2014. An even larger share will go on salaries for serving soldiers, sailors and airmen (hereafter “soldiers”), taking personnel costs to more than 50 per cent of the defence budget.

An unarguable benefit from short-term service under Agnipath will be a younger military that is more attuned to the rigours of the battlefield. Lieutenant General Anil Puri, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) general who has been a leading light in the formulation of Agnipath, estimates that the military’s average age will drop from the current 32 to a youthful 27 years. A younger military, or so the DMA argues, would be fitter, more mentally robust, dynamic and more technically savvy than older soldiers.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also arguing that Agnipath would result in the skilling of soldiers, increasing the average technological levels when they are released back into society. Recruits who join after passing the 10th class will be given a 12th class certificate. Recruits who join after passing the 12th class will get a diploma. Puri says these promotions will be based on the assumption that recruits had imbibed skills such as “physical education” and “supply chain management”, learned while delivering ammunition and supplies to forward troops. Credit is also given for learning how to handle sophisticated weaponry and specialist vehicles.

This increased technological savvy amongst the populace is expected to incrementally increase as a greater number of youngsters re-enter civilian life after their four-year military tenures. From 46,000 recruits in the first four years of Agnipath, the number of recruits taken in during the fifth year will leap to 90,000; and to 125,000 from the sixth year onwards. That means that, from the 10th year onwards, Agnipath will yield 25,000 soldiers (20 per cent of 125,000) for extended service tenures, while 100,000 will head home after completing their four-year service tenures.

Given that, currently, about 50,000 soldiers enter service each year and a similar number goes home, this deficit would have to be bridged from somewhere.

Another key point of concern is: Where are the jobs for the 100,000 young men discharged from service each year? The MoD argues that these trained and disciplined soldiers would side-step smoothly into government and factory jobs.

In fact, the transition is more difficult. Government data studied by Business Standard shows that just 2.4 per cent of ex-servicemen who applied for a post-retirement job were actually able to get one. Neither state nor central governments have been able to recruit enough to fill the reserved quotas. Between 32 central ministries, 22,168 positions are reserved for veterans. However, only 1.60 per cent of those have been filled. The Indian Railways, which has 1.15 million positions reserved for veterans, has only managed to fill 1.4 per cent of those positions, according to government figures.

That said, the government has announced the reservation of greater numbers of vacancies for recruits who have completed their four-year military service tenures. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced the reservation of 10 per cent of job vacancies in CAPFs (central armed police forces) and Assam Rifles for Agniveers. This includes a three-year age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit, which has been relaxed further to five years for the first batch of Agniveers. This constitutes a significant reversal by the MHA from decades of resisting the allocation of job vacancies in the CAPFs for retired soldiers. The MHA is assuming that these hardened veterans would require little training beyond a few weeks of orientation.

Keeping pace with the MHA, the MoD has also announced a 10 per cent reservation quota for Agniveers in ministry jobs, including the Coast Guard, defence civilian posts and in 16 defence public sector undertakings. This would be in addition to existing reservations for ex-servicemen.

Private industry has also promised the government job vacancies for retired Agniveers. Puri says that 85 private firms, including Bharat Forge, the Reliance Group and even foreign firms such as Apple have promised job reservations for retired Agniveers. Like the CAPFs, these firms are assuming that the Agniveers’ ingrained discipline would make them model workers.

Perhaps the greatest unknown in this bold initiative lies in the way human relationships play out — not just between the Agniveers, who will be competing with their fellows for permanent jobs beyond their four-year tenures but also between the Agniveers and the existing full-time soldiers who are steeped in the regimental system — which is based on long-term loyalties. How this plays out will perhaps hold the keys to the success or failure of Agnipath.

Trial by fire

Advantages

• Younger military, with the average age dropping from 32 to 27 years

• Skilling will increase average technological levels when they are released back in society

• This increased tech-savvy force will grow as Agnipath recruitment will jump from 46,000 in the first four years to 125,000 from the sixth year

Concerns

• From year 10, Agnipath will yield 25,000 full-time soldiers, roughly half the number that join the services each year

• Lack of jobs for men discharged from service each year

• Business Standard analysis shows that just 2.4 per cent of ex-servicemen who applied for a post-retirement job were actually able to get one

How the govt proposes to cope

• Home ministry announced 10% reservation of job vacancies in central armed police forces and Assam Rifles for Agniveers

• Defence ministry has also announced a 10% reservation quota for Agniveers in ministry jobs, including the Coast Guard, defence civilian posts and in 16 defence public sector undertakings

• 85 private firms, including Bharat Forge, Reliance Industries and foreign firms such as Apple, have promised job reservations for discharged Agniveers