In India, Modi’s coalition allies lead calls to review ‘disappointing’ army hiring process

Neer (single name) is up at the crack of dawn every day with neighbourhood friends for a 10km (6-mile) run followed by vigorous exercise drills to prepare for the Indian army’s tough recruitment of soldiers.

However, he is worried that his dream job may slip away because of an Agniveer programme, which has slashed the employment period to only four years for three quarters of a new batch of recruits.

Conditions have become even tougher since a year ago when the government lowered the upper eligibility limit to 21 from 23 years, he says. “All these changes are disappointing. Our chances are looking remote now” said Neer, a Delhi resident whose family hails from the hill province of Uttarakhand.

Candidates between the ages of 17½ and 21 years under an Agnipath programme launched two years ago are called Agniveers. Resentment has mounted over the scheme’s curtailed period in belts of India which have been hotbeds for recruitment.

People in some communities and provinces in India aspire for lifelong army jobs, but are angered by the ruling BJP party after the programme affected employment prospects.

“A job in the armed forces provides job security with a lot of respect. In rural areas, the moment someone joins armed forces, the level of the family shifts from the poor to the middle class,” defence analyst Sanjay Soi said.