Fact Check: Don't fall prey to this fake notification on Agnipath scheme

New Delhi, Jun 20: An alleged letter, attributing to defence ministry about the Centre's Agnipath scheme is in circulation on social media. PIB has termed it fake and urged the aspirants to beware of mischief-mongers.

The viral message claimed ORs attested after 1 Jan 2019 and those not promoted to a substantive rank of Naik or equivalent on 1 July 2022 are to be kept under Agnipath scheme.

"The above-mentioned ORs undergo a fresh selection process after their completion of five years of service. It is to be noted that only 25 percent of the ORs will be making it to the next stage and the same will be remustered to new pilot program trades. The rest of the ORs are to be discharged as per the existing policies instead of Seva Nidhi," the letter stated.

"The above-mentioned ORs, who are awarded with the gallantry awards/ commendation/equivalent are to be given the extra weightage in the selection process," it added.

"ORs that will be shortlisted to get discharged are to be provided with monetary benefits including Provident fund and incentives, Leave encashments and Group insurance scheme, " the fake letter read.

Meanwhile, the Central government on Sunday banned 35 WhatsApp groups for allegedly spreading fake news on the Agnipath Scheme and the Agniveers. Reportedly social media platforms such as WhatsApp were being used to create misinformation about the scheme.

Under the 'Agnipath' scheme, youths aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 were to be recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.

Subsequently, the Centre raised the upper age limit for recruitment under the scheme to 23 years for 2022 as protests against it intensified. Thereafter, the Central government also announced several incentives including reserving 10 percent vacancies in its paramilitary and the Defence Ministry for Agnipath retirees, and said it would look into any grievance about the new military recruitment scheme "with an open mind'. Those recruited under the scheme would be known as 'Agniveers'.

After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 percent of the recruits from each batch would be offered regular service.

The announcement of the new scheme came in the backdrop of recruitment into the military remaining stalled for over two years. The Army recruits 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers annually.