The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday revealed that it has received a total of 56,960 applications under the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme within just three days of the registration process getting underway on Friday.

This comes after violent protests erupted nationwide after the Centre announced the scheme for recruitment into three wings of defence in India.

Taking to Twitter, IAF wrote, “56960! That's the total number of applications received till date from future 'Agniveers' in response to the 'Agnipath' recruitment application process on https://agnipathvayu.cdac.in. Registration closes on July 5.”

The government had unveiled the ‘Agnipath’ scheme on June 14 stating that youth between the ages of 17-and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for tenure of four years of which 25 per cent would later be inducted for regular service.

Following the announcement, several parts of India witnessed violent protests against the scheme.

The government then increased the upper limit for recruitment under the scheme to 23 years form 21 for the year 2022. It also announced several placatory steps like preference for them in central paramilitary forces and defence public sector undertakings upon their retirement.

Moreover, many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states declared ‘Agniveers’ as inductees under the scheme will be known, will be given priority in the induction into state police forces.

However, the armed forces made it clear that those who had indulged in violent protests and arson against the new recruitment scheme will not be inducted.