Discuss the advantages of the Agnipath scheme? What can be done to address the concerns raised by critics?

The Agnipath initiative is the Government of India’s new recruiting scheme for enrolling new troops in the three wings of the defense forces. Recruits for the programme will be referred to as “Agniveers.” Up to 50,000 troops will be enlisted annually, the bulk of whom will be released after only four years. A permanent commission will only be granted to a maximum of 25% of the yearly recruits for a period of 15 years.

Arguments in favour of the Agniveer scheme:

• In India, the national government’s human resources (HR) policies have undergone a number of changes. These terms and conditions of service have also occasionally been modified for airmen, sailors, and soldiers. 
• As a result, claiming that the Agnipath idea involves interfering with established systems or relying on cliches like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is unhelpful. 
• Our youth’s passion and readiness to advance the cause of the nation are evident in the Agniveer rallies, which drew a huge crowd.
• Agniveers can be absorbed laterally into the Central Armed Police Forces, State Police, and even other Ministries. 10% lateral induction has been announced by the Home Ministry and several State governments. In the event of lateral induction, issues like pension and health insurance would be handled automatically.

Way forward:Nothing is ever stable, and change will always be the norm. As a result, we also need to update our policies to reflect the future. A specific policy’s benefits or drawbacks might be discussed, and suggestions can be made to strengthen it. However, it is inappropriate to outright condemn it. There will always be space for course corrections when they occur. Everyone must work together to make the Agnipath plan successful.

Topics: GS-III: Various Security Forces and Agencies and Their Mandate