Amid concerns over the future of Agniveers after the end of their four-year service in the Armed Forces, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that the Centre, state governments along with industries are working with a "whole-of-the-government approach" to connect the retired young soldiers with new job opportunities.
Since the launch of the Agnipath recruitment scheme on June 14, protests spread across various parts of the country demanding the rollback of the programme. The political parties have raised concerns regarding the future of the youth after their retirement.
"Agnipath scheme is beneficial for the nation, army and youth. Central govt, state governments and industries are working with a whole-of-the-government approach to connect Agniveers with new job opportunities after 4 years of their service," Pradhan tweeted.
The Minister, while addressing an event, said that consultation was done with the Education Department during the introduction of the scheme.
"A consultation was done with the Education department while introducing the Agnipath Scheme. We were given the responsibility by the Prime Minister. Usually, those who join the army on the post of a sepoy are 10th or 12th pass students. Some of them are graduates. When an Agniveer completes four years after completing his 10th class, he will get the certificate of class 12 naturally," he said.
"If he is a class 12 student before becoming an Agniveer, the National Education Policy is implemented in the country in which it is mentioned that the work experience will be equated as education. The experience will be converted into credit. That would be given the status of education. IGNOU will give a chance under a new framework to such youth to appear in the exams. When they pass that exam, they can get a degree and also get graduation," the Minister added.
Pradhan further said that an Agniveer who is a graduate can also do Masters and PhD.
Meanwhile, over 80 trains have been cancelled and massive traffic jams are being witnessed across Delhi-NCR on Monday as some organisations have called for a "Bharat Bandh" to mark their protest against the Agnipath recruitment scheme unveiled by the Central government last week. This comes a day after Tri-service chiefs ruled out the withdrawal of the scheme.
The commuters in the national capital experienced difficulties in commuting as heavy traffic jams were reported in various parts of the city including at the Delhi-Gurugram expressway as Delhi Police installed barricades at various checkpoints in wake of the Bharat Bandh against the Agnipath Scheme.
Precautionary measures are being taken at various railway stations in many states as several stations were vandalised and many trains were set ablaze by agitators.
( With inputs from ANI )
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