Lucknow

A group of Muslim intellectuals in Lucknow has taken up the task of encouraging the youth of the community to join the Indian army in large numbers through the Agnipath scheme.

The group led by Shahid Kamran has created a group called the Association of the Muslim Professionals (AMP) intending to dispel fears, misgivings, and myths about the Agnipath road to enter the Indian armed forces and to make sure a maximum number of Muslim youth apply for this job.

The APM has appealed to clerics to appeal to youths to utilize the opportunity offered by Agnipath and serve the country by joining the armed forces during the Friday congregations in the cities of Uttar Pradesh which were among the places to experience the anti-Agnipath protests.

Shahid Kamran said, "We support the Central government's Agnipath scheme also like other ones. Our message will be passed on to eligible Muslim youths by noted clerics and Imams of the mosques in various cities. A special appeal will be made for this by them in the Friday prayers."

Kamran said, "We are also taking the help of social media is trying to guide the Muslim youth looking for job opportunities in the Army.

The clerics will share details of the scheme at the Friday congregations so that the 10th and the 12th pass-outs could immediately apply as the registration process begins on  Friday, June 24. The applicant will have to sit for an online examination.

The age of candidates should be between 17 years and six months and 23 years, said Haji Mohammad Salees, convener of the Sunni Ulema Council.

He said this initiative received an encouraging response from the community. “By becoming Agniveers, Muslim youths will be benefited in many ways. A maximum number of Muslims should apply for the scheme and serve the country,” said Shahid Kamran Khan. Another cleric, Maulana Khairuddin, said he had shared the details of the Agnipath scheme on social media asking people to seek more details from the portal -- www.mod.gov.in

The Agnipath scheme is a new initiative introduced by the Government of India on June 14, 2022, for the recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces.

The recruits under this scheme will serve for a tenure of four years which includes training for six months followed by 3.5 years of deployment.

While 75 percent of the recruits will retire after four years, the rest will be absorbed into the armed forces' permanent cadre. Personnel who retire after 4 years of service will receive a one-time package of Rs 11.71 lakh.