Hiring of Agniveers: ‘Only going online, exam syllabus unchanged’

NEW DELHI: There is no change in the syllabus or the test pattern that will be used for the online common entrance examination (CEE), the first level of screening in the recruitment procedure for Agniveers, a top Army official said on Thursday.

Lt Gen NS Sarna, Director General of Recruiting, Indian Army, during a media interaction held at the South Block here, said the decision to go for an online examination format was driven by multiple factors, including that the youth are now very “technologically aware” and the proliferation of mobile phones and its penetration has gone deep into the villages, making new technology accessible to people.

The Army had recently announced a change in the Agniveer recruitment process and candidates wanting to join the force will now have to first appear for an online common entrance examination (CEE), followed by physical fitness and medical tests.

Earlier, candidates for Agniveers and others, had to undergo physical fitness test, followed by medical tests, and appearing for the CEE was the last step.

Lt Gen Sarna said the process to hold the online CEE as the “first screening process” is also to help candidates, and facilitate the Army in recruiting “youths who are both technologically aware and physically fit”.

“Candidates earlier had to stand in long queues for the screening process, and even during rallies a large number of them had to take part. Now, the change in the recruitment process will help potential candidates, and the Army will be able to manage it better with easing of the administrative process,” he said.