In a bid to attract more youth and fill-up vacancies, the Indian Army is mulling a proposal to have a three-year internship or a “tour of duty”– both as officers and soldiers– for youths who want to experience the thrill and adventure of military professionalism.
While no entry criteria will be relaxed, the “tour of duty” will not be mandatory, sources said. In a bid to make the idea attractive for individuals who opt for it, it has been proposed that earnings for this three-year period could be made tax-free and individuals opting for this could be given preference in public sector jobs and post-graduate courses.
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The proposal also talks about how the cost of a three-year service per officer will be a fraction of the cost incurred on Short Service Commission (SSC) officers. While the cost incurred on a SSC officer is estimated to be between Rs 5 to Rs 6.8 crore, the cost of a three-year service is being estimated around Rs 85 lakh.
The “tour of duty” is envisaged as a short service for three years in which both officers and soldiers will be recruited for a limited number of vacancies. The first year of the three-year term will be utilized for training.
There is a sense that many youngsters could find this to be a good career option given the fact that after serving the military for three years, they will have the option to pursue any other career after three years.
The idea, if approved by the government, could be tried out by the Navy and Air Force as well, sources said.