The Kerala High Court has dismissed a suit challenging the Centre’s new short-term recruiting policy for the Armed Forces.
- The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the Centre’s Agnipath initiative.
- The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the Agnipath initiative next Monday.
The Kerala High Court rejected an Army jobseeker’s suit, challenging the Centre’s new short-term recruiting policy for the defense forces. A total of 23 adolescents filed complaints with the HC over the Centre’s Agnipath initiative.
The petitioners claimed that the army recruitment office provided them with admission cards for the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) and that they had passed the physical examination.
All petitioners possess NCC ‘C’ certificates. The Indian Army CEE was postponed owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, and some candidates were told that NCC ‘C’ holders were excused from the tests, according to the petitioners.
The petitioners believe they are qualified for the positions since they possess NCC ‘C’ certificates. However, prior to the implementation of the Agnipath system, the Centre announced the cancellation of all outstanding procedures, including CEE for past recruiting years. According to the notification, all candidates must reapply for employment under the initiative.
However, when the matter was heard, the court ruled that the petition was not viable, and the petitioners were forced to file an appeal with the Armed Forces Tribunal in response to the revocation of an earlier announcement for Army recruiting.
The court ruled that because the petition is about recruiting, it should be filed with the AFT. On June 14, the Centre revealed its recruitment policy. The scheme’s launch sparked nationwide outrage about its practicality.Â
The Supreme Court decided to hear a case next week challenging the national government’s Agnipath plan. The hearing will take place when the court reconvenes following the holiday break next week. The Supreme Court petition is connected to the Agnipath plan, in which Air Force hopefuls claim their career would be cut short from 20 years to four years.
“My case is about cancelling the notification issued by the government,” said advocate ML Sharma. The government may devise any programme it wants, but it all comes down to right and wrong. More than 70,000 people are still waiting for appointment letters.”
The Centre started the Agnipath recruiting initiative for the armed forces last month. The initiative, intended to be reformative, is aimed at youth in the armed services. The execution of this strategy is expected to reduce the average age profile of the Indian armed services by four years.
