Repeating Class 10, forging Aadhaar — Agra youth have ‘Plan B’ ready to beat Agnipath age bar

With Covid hitting the recruitment drive hard, Army aspirants in Agra's Akola are willing to do it all for the coveted soldier tag. A job in the Army here comes with 'status' and 'perks'.

File photo of candidates running during an Army recruitment rally | Representational image | PTI

Agra: They may have lost the race but they will continue to run anyway — overage armed forces aspirants in Uttar Pradesh shaken by the absence of Army recruitments over the past two years say they are not ready to give up.

Some are willing to get the Army tag even if it means forging documents and investing two more years to “repeat” Classes 9 and 10 — in order to get fresh age proof — to become a soldier in the Army.

“Paanch saal se daud laga raha hun, koi na koi jugaad to karna padega. Aise nahi to vaise…hamara koi kasoor nahi tha… (I have been running for the past five years, now I have to find another way. If not this way, then another way. It wasn’t our fault),” said 21-year-old Amainder from a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Akola region, which is known for sending youths to the defence forces.

For every 10 lakh people, Uttar Pradesh sent an estimated 28 men to the Army from 2017 to 2019.

While hundreds also prepare for and join the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy as well as the Uttar Pradesh Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the paramilitary forces, the Army tops the list of aspirants.

In Agra district’s Akola town, dozens have been waiting for the Army recruitment process to begin.

But, the preparation for the physical fitness test and medical examination went down the drain when the Centre cancelled the recruitment drive in light of Covid in March 2020.

The recruitment process for 2021 remained incomplete as the candidates who appeared for the physical and medical examinations were not called for a written test, again on account of Covid-19.

‘Changing documents no big deal’

Anil, a native of one of the villages in Agra district, said he had been preparing for Army recruitment for the past five years. He is no longer eligible for recruitment as a general duty soldier as he hit the age limit — 21 — two years ago.

“My age limit got exhausted in 2020 and now I am 23. When I applied in 2020, I had not turned 21, because the age is counted from the date of notification. Now, I am 23 and cannot take part in this year’s recruitment either as the age will be counted from the date of issuance of notification,” he said.

A day after the protests broke out over the controversial Agnipath scheme, the central government announced on 17 June that it would provide a one-time age relaxation for 2022 recruitment, allowing those aged up to 23 to apply.

However, this seems to have brought little respite to the scores of aspirants who rue that many of them would have already turned over 23 years on the date of issuance of the notification.

Anil, however, is not doing away with his routine running and exercises. He plans to reappear for high school exams to get the “relevant documents” to ensure that he “remains in the age limit”.

Ashok, another youth from a village in the district, has the same plan. “That is the only option now. I will repeat Classes 9 and 10 and get the required education documents,” the 23-year-old told ThePrint.

Asked about the age on his Aadhaar card, he said it won’t be difficult to get it changed. “Everything is possible. It can happen in a jiffy nowadays.”

Repeating classes to get “ample attempts” to join the Indian Army is nothing new in Akola. A popular joke in Akola town goes — “Who can repeat matriculation how many times”.

“Speak to him, he has attempted [Class 10] four times,” said a 23-year-old in an open ground near the Mankenda village, pointing towards a 27-year-old who is still hopeful about joining the Army as a general duty soldier.

The latter continued with his exercise and shied away, requesting that his name not be published. “For us, entry into the Army is a childhood goal,” he said.

Larger-than-life status

In Akola, a job in the Army is synonymous with more than one achievement. Apart from being a legacy inherited from their forefathers, local Jat youth say it is a status symbol.

A visit to Mankenda exemplifies how joining the Army is more than a boost to an individual’s status — often, it’s more about competition between neighbours and relatives, or even siblings.

Whether it is the boards hanging outside houses or the licence plates on vehicles, all tend to inform a visitor whether the owner serves the Army, the Air Force or the UP Police.

Shyam Singh Chahar, whose father served in the Central Ordnance Depot at Agra, said six members of his family, including himself, have either served in the defence forces in the past or are currently serving the forces.

“About 1,000 families reside in this village. Around 600 houses belong to Jats. Most Jats have traditionally been joining the Army. Here, a child is given to understand that he has to join the Army when he grows up,” he said. “It is just as simple as that. If he does not, he is bound to deal with comparisons drawn with others who make it.”

Among other things, residents say the “perks” of being a jawan include lakhs in dowry.

Bhikham Chahar, a ‘guru’ who trains the village youths for the physical fitness examination, is unabashed about the trend.

“The rate for an Army boy is about Rs 15-20 lakh. Families here prefer an Army jawan for their girl. For an Air Force staffer, they cite less and it is even less for those serving in the Uttar Pradesh Police,” he said.

Rahul Kumar, who was once an Army aspirant, said it is not always the groom’s family that cites the “rate”.

“At times, the bride’s side itself says they can spend so much for the wedding. An Army soldier is likely to get wealthy in-laws,” the 32-year-old added.

Youngsters, however, dismiss this narrative and called it a trend limited to the elders of the house. “Army sirf Jat ki shaan ki baat hai, dahej se koi matlab nahi hai (Army is all about the pride of the Jats and there not nothing about dowry here),” said Ramesh, another armed forces aspirant.

(Edited by Tony Rai)