Govt launches degree course for Agniveers

New Delhi, June 15

To enhance future career prospects of Agniveers and equip them for various job roles in the civilian sector, the Education Ministry will launch a special three-year skill-based bachelor degree programme for serving defence personnel that will recognise the skill training received by them during their tenure in the defence establishments.

The programme offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will be recognised both in India and abroad for employment and education. The Army, Navy and the Air Force will sign an MoU with IGNOU for implementation of the scheme, ministry officials said.

The degree programme will recognise in-service training received by Agniveers as credits for graduation and will open up opportunities for them to pursue civilian career of their choice. Under the programme, 50 per cent of the credits required for a graduate degree will come from skill training — both technical and non-technical — received by the Agniveers, according to officials.

The remaining 50 per cent will come from a basket of courses covering a wide variety of subjects like languages, economics, history, political science, public administration, sociology, mathematics, education, commerce, tourism, vocational studies, agriculture, “jyotish” and ability enhancement courses on environmental studies and English communication skills, they add.

This programme is aligned with UGC norms and the National Credit Framework /National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) as mandated under the National Education Policy 2020.

It also has the provision for multiple exit points — Undergraduate Certificate on successful completion of first-year courses, Undergraduate Diploma on successful completion of the first and second year courses and degree on completion of all courses in three-year timeframe.

The framework of the programme has been duly recognised by the regulatory bodies concerned — All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and UGC degree will be awarded by IGNOU as per UGC nomenclature — BA,

B Com, BA (vocational) and BA (tourism management).

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved an attractive recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the armed forces called “Agnipath” and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as “Agniveers”.

Has provision for multiple exit points

• The programme is aligned with UGC norms and the National Credit Framework/National Skill Qualification Framework as mandated under National Education Policy 2020
• It has provision for multiple exit points — Undergraduate Certificate on successful completion of first-year courses, Undergraduate Diploma on completion of first and second year courses and degree on completion of all courses in 3 years