Kolkata, Sep 26 (IANS): The Indian Army Headquarters' Recruiting Zone, Kolkata, said that recruitment of Agniveers from West Bengal in 2024 is highly unlikely as the state government has failed to provide support for organising physical and medical tests for candidates who cleared the online Common Entrance Examination (CEE).

"The first rounds of physical and medical screenings for the successful candidates were to be conducted in July and August at Barrackpore and Siliguri. Despite requests to the Department of Home Affairs, Government of West Bengal, no administrative support was forthcoming for these screenings which are loosely referred to as 'recruitment rallies'," said a senior official of Headquarters Recruiting Zone, Kolkata.

He added that the administrative support includes maintenance of law and order at the venues and traffic control. “As a result, the screenings could not be conducted,” he said.

The official added that the screenings scheduled for September and November in Kolkata and Murshidabad have also been put on hold as the first two could not be conducted.

"This effectively means that there will be no recruitment to the Army from West Bengal in 2024," he said.

The state Home Department has yet to respond to these allegations. However, sources at the Recruitment Zone, Kolkata, said that immediate steps need to be taken to prevent West Bengal’s quota from moving to other states.

"The most structured and formal policy toward equitable representation in the Armed Forces across states took shape after 1999 with the introduction of the Zonal Recruitment Policy. This policy was designed to ensure a balanced recruitment process and adequate representation from all states in the Indian Armed Forces. Such incidents will affect the whole process," the official added.

In 2023, nearly 3,900 youngsters from West Bengal had joined the Army as Agniveers.

Of them, about 1,000 have the chance of being permanently absorbed by the Army, while the remaining will be returning after four years and can then apply for recruitment in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

The CAPFs, including the BSF, SSB, CRPF, and CISF, have announced relaxations in the recruitment process for Agniveers who return after serving in the Indian armed forces for four years.

According to the, nearly 37,500 candidates from West Bengal registered themselves for the recruitment process in 2024.

About 16,000 of them cleared the CEE that was conducted between April 22 and May 3, 2024. Adequate support was provided by the state home department during the online CEE.