28 September,2024 08:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Anand Singh
Retired Army personnel share their insights with Sunday mid-day in Maharashtra’s Satara district. Some veterans have participated in the Sino-Indian war 1962, The Indo-Pak war of 1965, and the Bangladesh Liberation War
It's a calm morning in the rural setting amid the Sahyadri hills. But a sharp blast of whistles cuts through the tranquil. Twenty teenagers walk out in a field and form a queue as they get ready for their physical training. Soon after they warm up, they will trek to the hilltops with weights strapped to their torsos.
Alongside them are the former drill sergeants of the Indian Army, whose commands echo like war cries, pushing the teenagers' weary feet to move faster. The scene is straight out of India's military academies, though these youths are yet to wear their official cadet uniforms, and eventually, the regimentals.
These teens are preparing for the army exams alongside all the other forces' tests.
Such scenes are the most common sights in Apshinge, the "military" village, located just 15 km from Satara city. The British officially referred to this village as "Apshinge Military", but after Independence, it was just called Apshinge.
For generations, around 20-25 people every year from this hamlet have joined the Indian Army, as well as paramilitaries such as the CRPF and BSF, and civil forces such as the Maharashtra Police.
Naturally, the kids here are no strangers to the rigours of military training - they were born into it, moulded by the village's proud legacy of service. Legend has it that warriors have been emerging from this Maratha hamlet since the times of Shivaji, forming a crucial part of his infantry. Once fighting with swords and spears, today's soldiers from Apshinge now carry Kalashnikovs and SIG Sauers, continuing their long tradition of sacrifice.
The village has produced General-rank officers, dozens of Brigadiers and Colonels, as well as martyrs and mighty fighters who gave the supreme sacrifice in The Great War, the Second World War, and every major conflict since India gained Independence. Their names are carved on the martyrs' memorial, which stands just a few metres from the village panchayat's main entrance.
Today, over 20 officers and 250 soldiers from this village are on active duty.
Apshinge is often compared to Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu, where around 60,000 people serve in the army and various paramilitaries at any given time. While Jhunjhunu is a much larger district with a population of approximately 1.2 lakh, Apshinge, according to the 2011 census, has a population of about 2,700 only. However, the local gram panchayat estimates the current population to be closer to a little over 4,000. Like Jhunjhunu, almost every family in Apshinge has at least one member serving in the army, paramilitary, or civil forces.
However, since the launch of the Central government's Agnipath Yojana in 2022, which allows youth aged 17-and-a-half to 21 to enrol as Agniveers for a four-year tenure, the village has observed a gradual decline in interest in joining the armed forces - a trend seen up north in Jhunjhunu, too. There could be many reasons for this shift, including the fact that only 25 per cent of Agniveers are offered permanent service, leaving the remaining 75 per cent to fend for themselves.
Anuj Bhogle, a five-year-old from the village, says, "I want to become an army officer. My father is a Major, and I will also fight for my country when I grow up." Riya Mohite, another five-year-old, shares the same goal. Coming from a family where three generations have served in the military, she dreams of becoming the first woman soldier in her family.
This sentiment runs deep across the village, transcending socio-economic lines. With children like Riya showing interest, it is clear that the desire to serve is also cutting across genders. Whether from well-off or modest backgrounds, the dream remains the same - to serve the nation. However, these children were unaware of the latest scheme, and their dreams are unharmed by reality. In Apshinge, the love for the armed forces is in every kid's blood.
According to Sarpanch Tushar Nikam, only 18 people have joined the army since the Agniveer Yojana was introduced in 2022, compared to the 20-25 soldiers who would enlist each year.
"The decline in the number of kids joining the army is mainly due to the Agniveer scheme, not because of lack of patriotic spirit," says Honorary Captain Narayan B Mohite, who served in the Army for 28 years.
He says, "The desire to serve the country is still strong, but personal interests play a role, too. It is quite apparent, as even women from neighbouring villages are no longer keen on marrying men from Apshinge. Back in the day, when we were in service, our fighting morale was always high, which is a USP of the Indian Army. One reason for this was the assurance that our families would be taken care of, with provisions like pensions if something happened to us on the battlefield. For Agniveers, this provision is absent."
Mohite continues, "When Agniveers come home on leave, instead of using the time to relax, they are always preoccupied with the uncertainty of finding a job in future, which isn't far. Soldiers are assessed on various parameters, and only 25 per cent will be retained after the four-year term. From my experience, once someone wears the olive uniform, they give nothing less than 100 per cent. The competition is going to be tough, but the rule remains that only a quarter will be kept. This uncertainty is causing anxiety among the Agniveers from our village. Who doesn't want to wear the uniform all their life? Not an Apshinge kid. Never."
While a proposal to raise absorption to 50per cent is on the anvil, Agniveers are paid a basic salary of Rs 30,000 monthly with various allowances as of now. After four years, Agniveers would be paid a one-time Seva Nidhi package of Rs 11.71 lakh.
Honorary Subedar Major Subhash Narayan Nikam, who served for around two decades, says, "The first four years are the foundational years for a soldier. Even officers at the rank of Captain and Major take time to become battle-hardened. It is the experience of multiple postings, acclimatisation to different terrains, and service across various fronts that hone a soldier. But this essential development will be largely absent for the new recruits (Agniveers). Countries like the US and UK have similar provisions, but they also have a system in place to support their soldiers afterwards. These kids, who will be trained to handle assault rifles, will likely end up as bank guards with dunaalis (double-barrel shotguns) or as personal security guards. From what I have seen, even JCO jawans who retire after 18-20 years of service struggle to find positions in paramilitary forces. And JCO jawans with that experience are fierce fighters."
Nikam adds, "If the government turned these promises into a formal Act or law, ensuring that Agniveers are absorbed into the BSF, CRPF, or police forces, this scheme would make much more sense."
The first four Agniveers from the village are reportedly anxious about their prospects.
Havildar (retd) Vikram Ghadge, a veteran who served for nearly two decades in the Indian Army, has served in UN Peacekeeping missions in Northern Africa, as well as in Kashmir, Rajasthan, Manipur, and along the Bangladesh border. Today, he runs the biggest training academy in Apshinge, dedicated to training young aspirants to become soldiers. His academy's students also prepare for "Police bharti", as securing a job - whether in the army or the paramilitary and police forces - has also been a top priority, alongside serving the nation.
Ghadge started his academy a year before the Agniveer scheme was implemented, giving him a unique perspective on its impact. As a seasoned, old-school soldier, he says, "Many don't realise this, but for a lot of people in India, the forces are seen primarily as a job opportunity." "I'm not saying they aren't patriotic. It is our patriotism that makes the Indian Army one of the fiercest forces in the world. But employment is a major concern," says Ghadge, who was also an instructor at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun and the Belgaum Commando Training Centre of the Maratha Light Infantry.
He adds, "Since securing employment is one of the main goals, Class 12 students in my academy now appear for all available exams, including those for civilian forces."
"Chaar saal mein ghar-waapasi hogi toh aagey ki tension toh hogi hi⦠Pehle ke muqaable abhi academy ke bachcho ka bhi josh kam hai⦠(If they are returning home after just four years, it's natural for them to worry about their future. Compared to earlier times, the enthusiasm among the academy's students has diminished)," says the former Drill Ustaad.
It remains to be seen what the first batch of Apshinge's Agniveers will do once they complete their service. Yet, for now, the kids have a simple dream - their beloved fauj, and their legacy of being generational fighters.
As he wraps up yet another day at his training academy, waiting for the "bharti" (recruitment) dates to be announced, the Drill Ustaad mutters to himself, "Fighting spirit kam nahi hona chaahiye bas⦠(The fighting spirit should not wane)â¦"
The Indian Army has a nearly 275-year-old legacy, and it has endured because of traditions passed down through generations. Certain norms may get diluted if the recruiting doesn't happen from the traditional lot. We may not attract the best talent, and many youths may turn to the central paramilitary forces or the police.
Also, when someone joins the army, they do so with the expectation of serving for the long term. Agniveer scheme disrupts that vision. So, anyone signing up through the scheme should view it as a brief exposure to the military. They need to go in fully aware that after four years, they will have to pursue another career path.
Older military men never had to worry about a career post-retirement as there were adequate pensions and other facilities in place. However, 22-year-olds may struggle with it as they need to figure out a career, and also deal with the perception that they are part of the 75 per cent deemed not "good enough" for permanent service, which could affect their confidence and future prospects.
Sushant Singh Lecturer at Yale University, Journalist
Before the Agniveer scheme, we were recruiting around 60,000-65,000 soldiers annually for the Army alone. Now, the total annual recruitment has dropped to approximately 46,000, which includes recruits for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy as well. This means the army is getting nearly half the number of recruits compared to earlier.
The scheme should have been tested with few thousand (soldiers) in standalone mode, and regular recruitment should have continued alongside.
Moreover, the training period has been reduced from nine months to just six, which is insufficient. It takes eight to nine years to become a soldier capable of leading small teams, like tank or gun crew, etc.
Also, if recruits no longer come from traditional military regions - such as Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Maharashtra - the unit cohesion may not suffer solely from their absence, but the impact of having soldiers on a four-year contract could prove to be detrimental as they will constantly think of their future prospects.
Major General (retired) (Dr) Yash Mor
