Revamped Agnipath opens a window, casts a wider net |
The changes to the Agnipath scheme for armed forces recruitment, cleared by the Union cabinet on Wednesday, expand its reach. Rolled out in 2022, the scheme envisaged a reduction in the age profile of the armed forces while making the permanent force levels leaner. This, in turn, was to help address an unstated concern: The forces’ hefty wage and pension bill. However, the exercise was fraught, facing criticism on military grounds — that having such a high proportion of contractual personnel serving for just four years would compromise training, experiential learning and ultimately, effectiveness, as warfare and technology grow more complex.........