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Journalism of Courage
From a 21-year-old in Banka, Bihar, who hopes to be the first in his family to get a job to a 19-year-old from Jammu’s Reasi town who seeks to follow his brother into the armed forces, The Indian Express talks to young defence aspirants from some of the states that bore the brunt of the protests against the Agnipath scheme.
1. Rohit Deswal, 20
Patwapur village, Rohtak, Haryana
Earlier attempts: Appeared for the Army’s recruitment drive in February 2020, but could not clear the physical examination; took Air Force examination thrice but failed to clear it twice; the results are yet to be out for the third attempt.
Why the armed forces: “I come from a rural background and farming is my family’s only source of income. My elder brother is also in the Army. Since my childhood, I have seen him and other village youth preparing to get into the Army. Since we do not receive great education, getting into the Army is considered to be a respectable and secure career option. Serving the nation is a passion for many youngsters like me.”
On Agnipath: “It is absolutely wrong. If I am recruited at 21 years, after four years, I will be out of the Army. At 25 years, what will I do? I will not be able to prepare for any other government job because I will be over the age limit. Also, how will a man begin studies once he has spent four years in hardcore training and Army service? The precious years will be spent serving in the Army and there will be no future left. The old recruitment system should be retained.”
2. Roshan Singh, 21
Ramchua village, Banka, Bihar
Earlier Attempts: Appeared for two Army recruitment drives in 2018 and 2020
Why the armed forces: Roshan’s father is a farmer with five bighas of agricultural land, which barely supports the family of four. Roshan prepares for the exams from his village with little monetary support. “A job in the forces commands a lot of respect. Apart from serving the country, you can live a decent life. There are challenges but that is the most exciting part of the job. With none of my family members in any government or private job, I am desperate to get one. I have very few options. I only know how to run well. I am preparing only for defence jobs.”
On Agnipath: “This scheme is unfair. I have now been preparing for this job for four years. I am working hard to get employed without any pension and medical benefits and no assurance of another job. How would a politician react if there is a law to allow him to become an MP or MLA just for one term? An Army job is about intense passion and Agnipath scheme is playing with our emotions.”
3. Phungkha Narzary, 18
Simlaguri village, Chirang (Bodo Territorial Region), Assam
Earlier attempts: No attempts yet but has undergone pre-recruitment training organised in October, 2021.
Why the armed forces: “My priority is to serve the nation. This has been my dream since I was a child. A neighbour went on to become a major in the Army and that inspired all of us in the village. My brother joined the paramilitary force (CISF) in 2009. It made my father, a farmer, very proud.”
“Being in the Army requires one to be physically fit and I want to be like that. My friends want to join the Army as well. Earlier, villagers didn’t like the Army because there was a lot of harassment on the pretext of the insurgency. In the last few years, there has been a change in attitude with insurgency on the decline. There is a feeling of nationalism now, we feel proud to be Indian. I will keep trying for as long as I can, but if it doesn’t happen, then I will try for other government jobs or join politics.”
On Agnipath: “I don’t like it much as you have to retire in four years. Only 25% will be retained and there will be no pension. While I agree that people join the country to serve the country, we have a family to take care of too. Not just me, I don’t think any Army aspirant will like this scheme.”
4. Umesh Singh Yadav, 21
Bawara village, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh
Earlier attempts: Has not attempted earlier.
Why the armed forces: “I want to be in the Army because I want to serve the country like my grandfather and father did. While my grandfather retired as a Subedar, my father was a Barrack Hawaldar Major (BHM). They are my inspiration.
“I am not appearing for any other examination because I only see myself as an Army person. From childhood, I have seen my father return from duty amid cheers and joy in the village. They were respected because they fought for the country, and I want to do the same. I have been preparing for the recruitment examination and physical tests by waking up at 4 am every day to train in the village along with other aspirants.”
On Agnipath: “How can they make Army service temporary? Soldiers fight on the borders knowing that their family will be taken care of if something happens to them, and now, the government is saying recruitment will be done for four years only. This is about the country’s defence, not some regular civilian job. It is completely irrational and unfair to the future foot soldiers of this country.”
5. Sandeep Shukla, 24
Raipur Kharsia village, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh
Earlier attempts: Gave three attempts and qualified the physical test one, the medical tests in another attempt and the examination the third time.
Why the armed forces: Sandeep is inspired by his uncle, who works for the Border Security Force (BSF). “I was 18 years old when my cousin and I first appeared for the Army examination and he was selected. It raised my hopes that if he can make it, so can I. But after three attempts, I have hardly anything left to look forward to,” says Sandeep, who has now pinned his hopes on joining the territorial Army. Sandeep also wrote the state police constable examination but fell short by five marks.
He has seen his father work hard to manage the family of five with a private job and farming. He now works as an agent at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to sustain himself.
On Agnipath: “Students are not goons that they would come out to the streets for nothing. If I join as Agniveer and get sent back after four years, what will I do with the Rs 11 lakh? It’s not even enough to build a house with that money. Also, if I’m not getting a job now in the police and state government services, how will things suddenly change after four years.”
6. Sunny Jandyal, 19
Godder Khalsa village, Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir
Attempts: Cleared the physical and medical tests at a recruitment rally held in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh in September 2021 but the written examination he was supposed to write was cancelled on account of the newly introduced scheme. He also went to the Army’s “open” recruitment rally held at Sunjwan (Jammu) in March 2021 but was unsuccessful.
Why the armed forces: A second-year commerce student, Jandyal has not thought of another option apart from joining the forces, which has been his childhood dream. His elder brother, also in the Army, is a big influence. “My father Chander Pal, a matriculate, too had tried to join the Army, but failed and thereafter started working as a labourer,” he said.
On Agnipath: He feels that the scheme will demoralise youth from joining the defence forces as the thought of being with the Army for only four years will keep haunting the recruit even when he is deployed at the border. However, he still wants to join the forces in the hope that the government may roll back the Agnipath scheme in view of continued protests in the country.
7. Vipin Khali, 20
Koti village, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
Attempts: None
Why the armed forces: “With the lack of educational infrastructure and career counselling in rural areas, joining the Indian Army is one of the best career choices we have. Growing up, I have seen most of my seniors preparing for the Army and that influenced me to walk the same path. Being in the Army is also a matter of pride and respect for us. This is a way for us to serve the country.”
“My father is a priest and my elder brother appeared in the Army entrance exam twice but failed. He works at a private tour and travel company. I started preparing for the Army recruitment exam soon after my schooling. I am pursuing my Bachelor of Arts degree in Dehradun. I focus more on my physical fitness and stamina instead of my studies to prepare for the physical test.”
Views on Agnipath: “It is not a good move by the Centre. This will end the job security, job satisfaction, and extra benefits it (being an Army jawan) used to bring along. With the new system, even if I join the Army, I will always be under constant tension about what to do after four years. This might prevent me from giving my 100 per cent. We prepare hard to get selected in the Army, but now we know it will most probably just be for four years.
Another important point is that, so far when a person gets selected in the Army, they used to get married and start a family soon after. Now things will change as we will not have job security. This will affect the people in the long term.”
8. Asif Khan, 22
Chugni village, Nagaur, Rajasthan
Earlier attempts: Cleared his physical and medical tests and got the admit card twice in February and July 2021, but the exams were subsequently cancelled.
“In February 2021, five minutes before the exam was to begin in Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), we were told that it had been cancelled. We were called again to Jabalpur in July only to be told once again that it has been cancelled yet again. Later we were told that the exam won’t be held at all now,” says Asif.
Why the armed forces: A BA (Geography) graduate, Asif says the Army holds “immense value” for him. “I want to serve the nation. Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to be in the Army. My uncle was in the Army and retired as a Subedar and two of my elder brothers are in the Army too.”
On Agnipath: “I don’t like it. I have been preparing and looking forward to joining the Army all these years. My father has spent a lot of money on my training. All that has gone waste now. I have watched interviews of retired army men and colonels, they say that “jitna acha woh fauji ladenge, utna ye nahi lad payenge (those hired through new scheme won’t be able to fight as well as the ones hired through the regular process). What will we know about the Army in four years, it takes at least six years.”
— With inputs from Arun Sharma, Asad Rehman, Avaneesh Mishra, Hamza Khan, Iram Siddique, Tora Agarwala, Santosh Singh, Varinder Bhatia
