India takes steps to ease recruitment anger

NEW DELHI－The Indian government has taken a series of measures to modify a controversial new recruitment plan to quell the anger of young people.

Last week the youths vented their anger against the new recruitment plan called Agnipath, announced by the government on June 14, which entailed provisions for recruiting 46,000 youths into the country's armed forces.

The epicenter of protests was in the eastern state of Bihar, and violent protests were reported in the states of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, leaving at least 12 trains burned, many government properties damaged and at least one youth killed.

Under the new plan, the recruits would be enrolled in the armed forces under respective Service Acts for four years. They would form a distinct rank in the armed forces, different from any other existing ranks.

Upon completing four years' service, based on organizational requirements and policies, they would be given the chance to apply for permanent enrollment in the armed forces. Based on the performance of four years, up to 25 percent of each specific batch of recruits would be enrolled in a regular cadre of the armed forces. The rest would be relieved from service but given priority in the selection for various jobs along with a financial package.

Initially, the age eligibility criterion announced was in a range from 17 and a half years to 21 years.

Viability questioned

The protesters argued that there had not been any recruitment in the armed forces over the past two years, so some who were eligible in the past two years were barred from recruitment under the new program.

Questioning the viability of the new plan, the protesters also asked what their fate would be after leaving the service four years later. They thus demanded that the planned program be scrapped.

Sensing the public outrage over the plan immediately after it was announced, the government announced a relaxation of two years in the upper age limit, thus making it 23 instead of 21, but only for this year.

On Saturday the Home Ministry announced a 10 percent job reservation in Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles for the recruited soldiers after they finish their four years of service.

On Saturday, too, the Ministry of Defence approved a proposal to reserve 10 percent of the job vacancies in the Indian Coast Guard, defense civilian posts and all the 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings for those completing the four years' service under the new program.

Xinhua