On January 13, Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting of the Security Council, which was convened to discuss issues of strengthening the country’s military security and defense.
The President advocated for reforming the military personnel training system, noting that mandatory military service should be organized not only as physical and military training but also as a stage of preparing young people for the labor market and an independent profession so that they can take a firm place in society.
A new system will be created in the army, providing for young people to master at least one profession upon completing their service. Based on the main directions and specialties of military units, professional training programs for military personnel will be developed for 3-6 months. Upon completion of the program, military personnel will take a qualification exam, after which they will be issued a certificate of profession.
Each year, 5 thousand conscripts will be selected to undergo training as part of the “One Million Programmers” and “Five Million Leaders in Artificial Intelligence” programs.
During their term of service, military personnel will be given the opportunity to take entrance exams for admission to higher education institutions directly at their military units. Military personnel who successfully pass the tests and are enrolled as students will begin their studies at the university after completing their term of service.
In addition, young people who have returned from the army and wish to study at higher education institutions will be compensated for the costs of obtaining certificates in foreign languages and specialized subjects. In the case of admission on a contract basis, an interest-free educational loan will be provided.
In addition, separate benefits are provided to ensure employment for young people returning from military service. In particular, for young people wishing to engage in entrepreneurship, 6 percent of credit costs will be covered by the state; For young people who want to work in government agencies, there’ll be a 10% bonus on the test scores given by the Agency for Management Efficiency. Young people planning to work in the private sector will have their professional training and certification costs covered.
In short, compulsory military service should become a path to success for young people, — emphasized the president.
It was noted that the most important issue is the training of highly qualified specialists in the fields of engineering and technology, cybersecurity, and countering information attacks. In this context, the need to strengthen the military-scientific base of engineering and technology and to organize local military technology parks was noted.
A reading competition for the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Prize will be organized in the Armed Forces system. For military personnel who have become winners and prize-winners of competitions at the level of the district, command, ministry, and Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the term of military service will be reduced by one month.
Also, in 2026, the programs of sports competitions under the Ministry of Defense will be expanded, and military personnel will be able to compete in esports, drone control, and robotics.
Constantly analyzing the regional and global situation, strengthening the potential of the national army is a requirement of today. The army of Uzbekistan must always be mobile, high-tech, adapted to new combat conditions, and ready to defend the people, — said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Read also — For one year in the army: one-month military service may be canceled in Uzbekistan. According to the head of the “Milliy Tiklanish” party, Alisher Kadyrov, the forced conscription of young people will have a great effect on discipline.
