Over 19,000 Agniveers Recruited By Indian Army Begin Training At Nearly 40 Centers Across the Country: Report

On January 1, more than 19,000 soldiers recruited as Agniveers by the Indian Army began training at nearly 40 centers across the country in courses designed to prepare them for the future, a report in ThePrint says.

The training, which will last for 24 to 31 weeks, places a heavy emphasis on simulation and involves both basic and advanced military programs.

To facilitate training on a range of weapons and equipment, a large number of simulators are being set up at the centers.

The second phase of training will take place within the unit to which each soldier is assigned for four years of employment, while the third phase will involve interactions with peers, senior non-commissioned and commissioned officers, and other officers.

These layers of training are intended to impart discipline and a sense of duty and loyalty to the organization and the country, and to enable soldiers to experience the Army as a "way of life."

The Agnipath program, announced last year, allows for the recruitment of yoouth between the ages of 17.5 and 21 (extended to 23 in 2022) for a period of four years, with the possibility of retaining 25 per cent of them. These personnel will be known as Agniveers. After completing their four years of service, all Agniveers will return to civilian life.