Under Agnipath, the short-term military service program, launched on June 14, 2022, approximately 46,000 vacancies were allotted to recruit young people into the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Out of this, 40,000 slots were allocated for the Army, while the rest were designated for the Navy and the IAF. To counter a shortfall of nearly 1,8 lakh soldiers now, the Army is looking to raise the number of recruitments to over 1 lakh every year, the Indian Express reported.
Soldier Deficiency Stands At…
The recruitment of soldiers was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Meanwhile, around 60000 soldiers continued to retire annually during this period. After the launch of the Agnipath scheme in 2022, the recruitment of Agniveers to the Indian Army progressed rapidly over the years as the number of retiring soldiers continued to be 60,000-65,000 per year. The overall deficiency now stands at nearly 1.8 lakh.
Agniveer Drive Amid Troop Shortage
To make up for this shortfall, the Army is reportedly planning to release additional vacancies to recruit Agniveers. Approximately 1 lakh Agniveers will be appointed annually from 2025 onward. The move aims to counter the soldiers’ retirement and the percentage of Agniveers expected to be phased out starting December 2026.
Recruitment Of Agniveers To Cater For..
The additional vacancies will be considered in light of the training infrastructure of all regimental centres without compromising standards and optimal usage of facilities. Responding to The Indian Express on the matter, the Army said, “Recruitment of Agniveers will be undertaken to cater for existing deficiencies, and accordingly, the vacancies will be released.”
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