Agnipath Scheme: Anand Mahindra makes job offers to Agniveers amid widespread protests

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra will give an employment opportunity to the Agniveers in his company and its subsidiaries, the industrialists said through his Twitter handle on Monday. 

Since the launch of the Agnipath scheme, there has been a stormy protest, which rocked several states in the past four days, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Telangana, while peaceful agitations were held in several places. 

Amid widespread protests, industrialist Anand Mahindra has said he is saddened by the violence around the Agnipath scheme. “The Mahindra Group welcomes the opportunity to recruit such trained, capable young people,” said Mahindra  

“When the scheme was mooted last year I stated-& I repeat-the discipline & skills Agniveers gain will make them eminently employable,” the group chairman had further stated. 

Saddened by the violence around the #Agneepath program. When the scheme was mooted last year I stated-& I repeat-the discipline & skills Agniveers gain will make them eminently employable. The Mahindra Group welcomes the opportunity to recruit such trained, capable young people

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 20, 2022

When a user asked him what positions Mahindra will hire Agniveers in, the industrialist responded, "Large potential for employment of Agniveers in the Corporate Sector. With leadership, teamwork & physical training, agniveers provide market-ready professional solutions to industry, covering the full spectrum from operations to administration & supply chain management." 

On Sunday, the government banned as many as 35 WhatsApp groups that were allegedly spreading fake news about the scheme, officials said. 

The government also ruled out any rollback of the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme in view of widespread protests.  

Besides, the Army, Navy and the Air Force on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment of soldiers under the new policy and asserted that it is the only "progressive" step to bring down the age profile of the three services, according to a PTI report. 

Unveiling the scheme on Tuesday, the government said youths between the ages of 17 and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for a four-year tenure while 25 per cent of them will be subsequently inducted for regular service. 

Those recruited under the new scheme would be called 'Agniveer'.