Tezpur: A pre-recruitment screening camp was held for 'Angiveers' from disadvantaged communities at the Rangapara army cantonment in Sonitpur district, Assam, with the Aadhunik India Foundation. 

"The camp aimed to train and empower the adavasi and tea garden community youths for their absorption into the armed forces as agniveers", said an official. Nearly 1200 youths, including girls from different tea gardens, participated in the awareness program.

The training team conducted preliminary pre-enrolment screening based on physical standards and ground tests, motivating participants to prepare for the army. The training team briefed aspirants on the Agniveer recruitment procedure, including academics, physical and medical standards, CEE syllabus, and physical exam. 

National President of Aadhunik India Foundation, DK Chauhan, also encouraged the adivasi and tea garden community youth, to join the Indian armed forces. The foundation envisages "empowerment of the poor and most marginalised communities in India for the welfare of humanities contained”, according to its official website.

The ‘Agnipath’ scheme, introduced in 2022 to recruit soldiers below officer ranks, marked a complete overhaul of India’s recruitment to non-officer posts in the army, as it aimed to deploy fitter, younger troops to the frontlines. Initially aimed at people aged between 17.5 and 21 years old, the plan defines that successful candidates will join the armed services for four years, after which only 25% of them will be retained.

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