Despite massive uproar and nationwide violent protests against Centre's Agnipath Scheme, the Defence Ministry on Wednesday revealed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) received over 2 lakh applications under the new recruitment plan within six days of launch of the registration process. According to the ministry, 2,01,000+ aspirants have registered to become AgniveerVayu.
The registration process to hire AgniveerVayu (recruits of IAF under Agnipath scheme) that began on June 24 witnessed filing 94,281 applications by Monday and 56,960 applications till Sunday.
"2,01,000+ aspirants have registered to become AgniveerVayu. Last date to get on board: July 5, 2022," Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu said on Twitter.
Even the IAF took to its official Twitter handle and wrote: "So far, 1,83,634 future Agniveers have applied on the registration website <https://agnipathvayu.cdac.in> ...Registration closes on July 5, 2022."
The online examination for applicants to become AgniveerVayu will be held on July 24. The candidates will be selected on the basis of online test, physical fitness test (PFT), adaptability test-I, adaptability test-II and medical examination.
The first batch of AgniveerVayu would be enrolled by December and training would commence by December 30.
All About Agnipath Scheme For India Air Force
The new Agnipath scheme allows youth between the ages of 17-and-a-half and 21 years to apply for various posts of Defence services for a four-year-tenure, while 25 per cent of them will be subsequently inducted for regular service.
"Candidates born between 29 December 1999 and 29 June 2005 (both days inclusive) are eligible to apply. In case, a candidate clears all the stages of the Selection Procedure, then the upper age limit as on date of enrolment is 23 years," said an IAF notification.
The notification even added that the AgniveerVayu will not have any right to be selected for further enrolment into the Indian Air Force. Selection of the Agniveervayu for further enrolment, if any, shall be at the discretion of the Indian Air Force, it added.
Ever since the Agnipath scheme was announced by BJP-led Central government on June 14, violent protests against it were witnessed in several states with angry military aspirants blocking national highways, damaging public properties and set ablaze several trains and railway assets.
Several Opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and other demanded the its rollback.