Agnivira Scheme and Nepal

By Rabi Raj Thapa

Since the Government of India introduced a new recruitment policy Agnivira Scheme, the recruitment of Nepali citizens in the Indian Army has almost come to a halt.

It has been four years since Nepali citizens’ recruitment to the Indian Army has been stalled. There are only some aspirants who cherish joining the Indian Army in Nepal who are confused and failing to adequately comprehend its pros and cons and differentiate between Agnivira Scheme and conventional army recruitment properly.   

Generally speaking, the old conventional recruitment of soldiers is a permanent kind of full-time rigorous job where soldiers get a fair chance of long-service benefits followed by lifelong pensions and medical facilities for their dependants. However, the provision of the 25 percent intake into permanent service after the completion of four years of service under Agnivira Scheme or more as an exception may not appeal to many aspirants. The rest of the 75 percent who do not fit into the permanent status and their chances to join Indian Central Paramilitary Forces like the Border Security Forces (BSF) or even some other corporate sectors may attract some.   

On the positive side, Agnivira retiree after four years of service can hold the military rank and title till his death. The second advantage is a person can get professional training, and gain experience and knowledge of a rigorous and disciplined organization, the art of survival and confidence that remains with him forever thereafter.

To be a soldier and to serve army is a different type of job that may not attract everybody.  People don’t join the Army to earn money. Money and power will be there, but it offers you a respect that money cannot give. It helps to develop a mindset of a fraternity of people who are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect and serve their country. Earning money may be there as a secondary, but never a primary and sole object of soldering, wearing a uniform and holding any position in the Army.

Comparing this to the flow of Nepali people abroad to find all types of jobs through all types of commission agents and brokers which is for many people insecure, and uncertain is also risky and many people come prematurely in body-bag. That is also equally sad and painful.

Then, what a poor country full of unemployed Nepali can do where there is no choice except to serve in a foreign land? What is better -- to be a soldier for four years or just an employer of any kind for uncertain periods, terms and conditions! Is it better to take the risk of joining Agnivira and fight like a soldier or is it better to be a uniformed security guard of some private company with no respect, authority or identity; however temporarily?

As far as the Agnivira Scheme is concerned, even some of the high-ranking Indian Generals don’t look happy. They think that recruiting soldiers on four-year contracts can be de-motivating and risky. It takes more than four years to develop a well-trained good soldier and to turn them out once they are trained at government expense might not be so prudent. Instead of focusing on enhancing professional competency, many of the personnel may worry about a job after their four years’ completion. Twenty-five percent retention policies may also develop appeasing tendencies among the recruits to please their commanding officers to bring them within the 25 percent permanent quota limit.

Given a choice of a four-year Agnivira option, candidates may go for other long-term service options in other similar but lower-uniformed paramilitary organizations.

Finally, it is a pity that since Agnivira Scheme was introduced; it has at least broken the long historical traditional military diplomacy and legacy of more than two hundred years.   

REFERENCE

Please watch "AGNIVEER Scheme Explained In 8 Minutes - Easy Explanation" on YouTube