Troop shortfall, Army looks to raise Agniveer vacancies to 1 lakh a year

Troop shortfall, Army looks to raise Agniveer vacancies to 1 lakh a year

During the two years of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Army put recruitment of soldiers on hold while 60,000-65,000 soldiers continued to retire per year during this period.

In a bid to reduce a shortfall of nearly 1.8 lakh soldiers, the Army is looking to increase vacancies for recruitment of Agniveers to over 1 lakh every year, from the existing 45,000-50,000, The Indian Express has learnt.

During the two years of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Army put recruitment of soldiers on hold while 60,000-65,000 soldiers continued to retire per year during this period. This was before the launch of the Agnipath scheme in 2022, when soldiers were recruited through the usual route.

When Agnipath was launched on June 14, 2022 — recruitment was to be for a period of four years — a total of approximately 46,000 vacancies were allotted for recruitment that year to the Army, Navy and Indian Air Force. Out of this, 40,000 vacancies were for the Army and the rest for the Navy and the IAF.

According to plans at that time, over the next four years, the intake of Agniveers for the Army was to increase progressively, with capping at 1.75 lakh. The recruitment figures for the Navy and the IAF were also set to increase progressively over the next four years to around 28,700.

Despite the recruitment of a limited number of soldiers starting in 2022 with the Agnipath scheme, the retiring strength of soldiers continued to be 60,000-65,000 every year, adding to the overall deficiency by 20,000-25,000 a year. Currently, the overall deficiency of soldiers is nearly 1.8 lakh.

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According to sources, the Army is looking at releasing additional vacancies for recruitment of Agniveers to approximately 1 lakh annually this year onward, considering the soldiers retiring and the percentage of Agniveers likely to be phased out December 2026 onward.

The release of additional vacancies will be made keeping in mind the training infrastructure of all regimental centres to ensure that there is no compromise in standards and optimal usage of facilities.

Responding to queries from The Indian Express on the matter, the Army said that in the first four years of the Agnipath scheme, 1.75 lakh Agniveers were being recruited (until 2025-end).

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“Recruitment of Agniveers will be undertaken to cater for existing deficiencies and accordingly, the vacancies will be released,” the Army said.

Sources said that over the next few years, soldiers recruited until 2020 – before the launch of the Agnipath scheme – would continue to retire at the rate of 60,000 per year.

Moreover, 2026-end onward, a certain percentage of Agniveers would also start retiring since the first batch would complete the four-year tenure.

With the number of regular troops and Agniveers retiring every year, it would add to the existing shortfall of troops in the Army. The additional vacancies, which are planned to be released over the next three to five years, would make up for the outgoing personnel and reduce the existing shortfall.