No, Agnipath Scheme has not been re-launched as 'Sainik Saman Scheme'

What is the claim?

An image circulating on social media claims that the Indian government is relaunching the Agnipath scheme under the name "Sainik Saman Scheme." The Agnipath Scheme, introduced on June 14, 2022, aims to recruit soldiers into the Indian armed forces on short-term contracts. It aimed to lower the average age of the armed forces, bring in fresh talent, and improve operational readiness while offering temporary service opportunities for young people.

Under this scheme, recruits, known as 'Agniveers,' serve for four years, with the possibility of extension based on performance, followed by transitioning to civilian life with certain benefits.

The viral image surfaced shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah hinted at potential revisions to the Agnipath scheme following an internal survey of all three branches of the armed forces: the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.

What does the viral image say?

The purported document outlines several proposed changes, including increasing permanent positions from 25 percent to 60 percent, making technical posts permanent, extending service duration from four to seven years, introducing family pensions for deceased soldiers, lengthening the training period to 42 weeks, raising salaries and posts, granting 45 days of holidays, and offering a total package of Rs 41 lakh. It also guarantees jobs after seven years of service, provides a 15 percent relaxation in central vacancies, and ensures full honors for deceased soldiers.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the image with captions in Hindi that translate to, “Imagine what would have happened if the Opposition had been stronger. The Agniveer scheme has been extended from 4 to 7 years! This underscores the importance of a strong opposition.”

Another user on Facebook, also in Hindi, wrote, “The tenure of Agniveer has been increased from 4 years to 7 years.” The post has garnered over 700 likes and 33 shares. Archived versions of these posts are available here and here.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, this document is fabricated. As of June 18, 2024, no such changes to the Agnipath scheme have officially been notified

What discrepancies did we notice in the viral image?

Upon review, several inconsistencies were noted in the image of the purported document. These include spelling errors such as 'Agnipath' incorrectly written as 'Aganipath,' 'Permanent' as 'Parmanent,' 'Pension' as 'Pantion,' 'Lakhs' as 'Lacks,' and 'Guaranteed Jobs' as 'Gurnted Jobs.' These errors suggest that the document may not be official or authentic.

Screenshot showing the spelling errors in the viral image. (Source: X)

Furthermore, mainstream media reports do not mention any modifications to the Agnipath scheme. The 'Join Indian Army' website also lacks any notification regarding the scheme's relaunch.

The latest notification from the Indian Ministry of Defence's official website is from March 2024, and it does not include information about the Agnipath scheme. It is to be noted that most of the official documents have the letterhead of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Other notices in the ‘What’s New’ section of the website have the letterhead of the Ministry and a unique notification number on them. The font of these notices also differs from the font used in the viral image. 

A comparison showing the letter head of the official documents from the Ministry of Defence and the viral image. (Source: X/Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence's official social media accounts (archived here and here) have not released any notifications regarding the alleged changes. A recent post dated June 16, 2024 (archived here), from the PIB’s fact-checking wing labeled the image as fake: “#fake WhatsApp message claims that the Agnipath Scheme has been re-launched as 'Sainik Saman Scheme' with several changes including duty period being extended to 7 years, 60 percent permanent staff & increased income #PIBFactCheck GOI has taken no such decision."

Logically Facts has also contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. This article will be updated as and when we receive a response.

The verdict

The purported image detailing modifications to the Agnipath Scheme is false. The Ministry of Defence has not officially notified or commented on these alleged changes.