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New Delhi: The Indian Army is considering a proposal to attract young professionals to join the force for a three-year period as officers and in other ranks for a variety of roles. The ‘Tour of Duty (ToD) for three years is being pondered in the wake of the “revival of nationalism and patriotism” in the country.
The proposal is said to be an attempt to harness the sentiment of young people who do not want to join the Army as a profession but want to experience military life for a temporary period. The “game changer” proposal is being examined by top Army commanders.
“If approved, it will be a voluntary commitment and there will be no dilution in the selection criteria. Initially, 100 officers and 1,000 men are being considered for recruitment as part of the project’s test bed,” said army spokesman Colonel Aman. Anand. cited by PTI.
Currently, the Army recruits youth on a short service commission for an initial tenure of 10 years, which can be extended to 14 years. Under the new proposal, people who will be recruited under the ToD for 3 years, however, will be eligible to be deployed as fighters in key locations and there will be no restrictions on their roles.
The proposal, which is part of the extensive reforms planned for the force, will be discussed at a conference by top Indian Army commanders, after which it is reportedly to be tabled.
The scheme will economically benefit the Army, according to media reports. The cumulative approximate cost of pre-commission training, salary and other expenses is almost Rs 5.12 crore and Rs 6.83 crore for an officer if released after 10 and 14 years respectively. However, a similar cost for those released after three years would be Rs 80 lakh to Rs 85 lakh each.
Approximately 50 percent to 60 percent of short-service commissioned officers receive a permanent commission, but the cost of their retention until they reach age 54 is too high. On the other hand, the money saved in the cost incurred by the government for a stock with 17 years of service compared to a ToD stock with three years of service over a period of 17 years would be substantial.
Citing sources, the PTI report said the savings for just 1,000 jawans could be Rs 11,000 crore, which could then be used for much-needed modernization of the Indian military, adding that a stint in the Army would also be helpful. for young people to get jobs in the corporate and government sector.
After completing a year of training and three years of ToD, you are expected to help an officer or soldier show visible improvement in self-confidence, teamwork, responsibility, initiative, stress management, innovation and social skills.
Meanwhile, experts in military and strategic affairs have reacted cautiously to the army’s latest plan. While several former army commanders welcomed the proposed move, others spoke about the “inherent risks” involved.
Strategic Affairs expert Dr. Laxman Kumar Behera told PTI that those induced under the proposed scheme should not be allowed to operate in central areas as front-line bases, while adding that proper care must be taken to ensure they don’t have access to vital security details.
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