Can an Agniveer Become a Special Para Commando?

Can an Agniveer Become a Special Para Commando? The Indian Army has recently introduced the Agnipath Recruitment Scheme 2022, offering a unique opportunity for aspiring candidates to join as Agniveers for a four-year tenure starting from July 2022. This scheme has sparked curiosity among candidates regarding the possibility of transitioning into elite units such as the Parachute Regiment or the Para Special Forces (Para SF) to serve as Para Commandos.

Can an Agniveer Become a Special Para Commando?

Understanding the Agnipath Scheme

Becoming a Para Special Forces Commando:

• The special forces of the Indian Armed Forces will have to wait at least four years to get new elite commandos. Due to the significance of the super-specialization required, this advanced training can only be extended to those joining as permanent cadre of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
• Sources within the services have confirmed that the probation period and advanced training for these specialized roles require significant time. A Navy source stated, "The policy decision on the induction of Marine Commandos (Marcos) is still in progress. Only Agniveers who complete their four-year tenure and join as permanent cadres will receive specialized training."
• Recently, the Union government approved 'Agnipath,' a new recruitment scheme for the armed forces under which an Agniveer will initially be inducted for four years. After this tenure, only 25% of Agniveers will be re-inducted into the forces on a permanent basis, without pension.
• The probation period for Marcos (Navy special forces) alone is nine months, according to Navy officers. Selected commandos will then receive further training in specialized streams. In the Army and IAF, these commandos are known as Parachute Commandos and Garud Commandos, respectively.
• To become an elite Para Commando in the Army, a soldier must first complete a rigorous 90-day probation period. “After successfully completing probation, a soldier receives specialized training based on their assigned role in the unit,” explained an officer. The training of a commando never stops. The probation period for Garud Commandos of the Air Force is also extensive and demanding.

Selection Process for Recruitment into PARA Regiment

1. Eligibility Criteria : Successful candidates who achieve 100% marks in Physical Fitness tests and 50% marks in Written tests and are in merit will be given the option to join the elite PARA Regiment by AROs just before their dispatch.
2. Additional Screening : These volunteer candidates will undergo additional tests to qualify for the PARA Regiment.
3. Assurance of Parent Regiment : Candidates opting to join the PARA Regiment will have the assurance of returning to their initially allotted Parent Regiment if they do not qualify in the special screening tests for the PARA Regiment.

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