Central Govt. Announced 10% Reservation For 'Agniveers' In The CAPFs and Assam Rifles

1st batch gets an age relaxation of 5 years beyond the given upper age limit.

New Delhi: With the rise in violent protest against the Agnipath Scheme spreading in eight states of the country, today, the central govt. announced 10 per cent reservation for 'Agniveers' in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. The Ministry of Home Affairs also announced three years age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit for Agniveers for recruitment in the two paramilitary forces.

In the statement by the govt. officials also included that the first batch of Agniveer will get age relaxation of five years beyond the prescribed upper age limit.

The announcement comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that preference would be given to 'Agniveers' in the CAPFs. The Centre has already announced a "one-time" change in the age limit for the new military recruitment scheme to 23 from 21. The decision was taken as no recruitment has taken place in the last two years.

While stating the current scenario, over 73,000 posts are vacant in five wings of the paramilitary forces - Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Shastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

As many as 73,219 posts are vacant in CAPFs and Assam Rifles suggests Union Home ministry data. Besides, 18,124 posts are also vacant in police forces in Union Territories.

The 10-lakh-strong CAPF is one of the largest employment-generating agencies under the home ministry.

After the sudden increase in the aggression of the aspirants over the scheme, it has boiled into an issue for the government with protests now spreading to eight states despite assurances by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and the Army chief.

A person died in police firing in Telangana as a mob set fire to trains and damaged properties, creating a security scare. Violence has also been reported in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh. In Bihar, the house of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi was attacked amid the protests.

Showing their unhappiness over the scheme, the protesters said,  in the new recruitment scheme, particularly the length of service and no pension provisions for those released early.

The government unveiled Agnipath on Tuesday -- calling it a "transformative" scheme-- for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force. Congress, however, claims that the scheme is "controversial, carries multiple risks, subverts the long-standing traditions", and may turn out to be a case of "penny wise and security foolish".