Agnipath scheme will shatter our goals, spoil our careers: Jarkhand military aspirants

By PTI

RANCHI: Rohit Kumar Singh is a apprehensive younger man. He fears his goals of carving out a life as a soldier within the Indian Army might be a chimera as soon as the brand new Agnipath scheme rolls out.

The son of a fruit vendor in Jharia space of Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, Singh has strived for 3 years and cleared the bodily and medical examinations for recruitment within the armed forces.

He was ready for the written examination, which was pending as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he’s apprehensive that his dream of becoming a member of the armed forces will likely be shattered as a result of Agnipath scheme.

Under the scheme, children between 17.5 and 23 years of age will likely be recruited for a interval of 4 years, following which 75 per cent of them should take obligatory retirement sans pension whereas the rest will proceed serving.

The choice will likely be made primarily based on their efficiency. “I have cleared physical and medical examinations in 2019 and 2020 respectively. We were told that the written test will be conducted once the COVID-19 situation normalises.”

“We were hopeful that the examination will be conducted soon as the pandemic situation is normal now. However, suddenly we see that the government has introduced this new Agnipath scheme, under which all examinations will be conducted,” Singh stated.

The aspirant stated he has ready for a number of years for the everlasting service fee, and never for contractual employment of solely 4 years. Singh just isn’t alone in expressing his grievances.

He and 10 different aspirants who follow collectively at Jharia’s Lodhna Ground and have certified for the written examination, face an analogous destiny.

These aspirants, together with a whole lot of others, had staged protests in opposition to the Agnipath scheme in several elements of Dhanbad district on Friday. They had additionally blocked railway tracks, forcing railway authorities to cancel 5 trains.

Sagar Kumar, one other aspirant, stated, “We demand rollback of the new scheme as it will not only shatter our dreams of serving the nation but also spoil our careers.” Similar protests have been witnessed in different districts together with Bokaro, Palamu and East Singhbhum.

Railway and street site visitors have been disrupted in lots of areas. In Palamu, protesters pelted a items prepare with stones at Daltonganj Railway Station, prompting the police to resort to lathi-charge to manage the scenario.

Agitators had additionally blocked railway tracks in Bokaro station. The same protest was witnessed in Jamshedpur. Sociologists, nonetheless, really feel the protests are a pure response due to shrinking employment alternatives.

“Armed and police forces have been a major source of employment for youths, especially those from rural areas. These jobs also contributed to their economic and social upliftment. “They do not discover Agnipath scheme profitable as they concern they will not discover jobs after 4 years of service amid rising unemployment. The protests are pure response and never politically motivated though political events might attempt to money in on the scenario,” Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh, affiliate professor on the Sociology Department of Ranchi University stated.

As per month-to-month unemployment knowledge offered by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Jharkhand’s unemployment fee in May was 13.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, the state’s ruling alliance companions JMM and Congress have protested in opposition to the scheme and demanded its rollback. “We see our jawans with pride.But the Centre is trying to undermine that pride by employing them for only four years, after which 75 per cent will have to work as security guards at ATMs or man the gates of restaurants,” JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya stated.

State Congress chief Rajesh Thakur stated, “The Centre is playing with the future of the youths by introducing this short-term recruitment scheme.”