After protests, the government raises the upper age limit for the Agnipath scheme to 23 this year.

After violent protests demanding a rollback erupted in Delhi, key NDA ally JD(U) has led calls for an immediate review of Agnipath, the new short-term recruitment policy for the Armed Forces several states on Thursday, the Centre announced this year a two-year relaxation in the scheme’s upper age limit because there has been no recruitment in the services “during the last two years.”

Following a day in which large groups of youths blocked roads, pelted stones, set fire to train coaches, and targeted BJP offices and leaders, the Defense Ministry announced that those who were 21 years old in 2020, when recruitments were halted, would be eligible — but only for this year.