A quota or a target of a paid one-month reserve service is determined on the basis of a special decision before the beginning of a conscription campaign and is agreed with the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan, Faridoun Mahmadalizoda, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus in an interview Monday afternoon. 

According to him, the registration for the paid one-month reserve service for the spring conscription campaign will begin after April 1.

“There is no a certain quota for the paid one-month reserve service.  The quota will be allocated annually, a month before the beginning of the conscription campaign,” the Defense Ministry spokesman said, noting that the quota can change both upwards and downwards, depending on the number of applicants.  

The two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.

Mahmadalizoda further added that the number of military training centers is increasing in the country that will make it possible to gradually increase the quotas for the paid one-month reserve service. 

Recall, amendments were made to the country’s law on military service in 2021.  The amendments came into effect on February 4, 2021 and young men in Tajikistan who wish to forgo the military service may now do so by paying a fee to the government.  A one-month basic reserve service will be organized for those who did not perform conscript service for a fee.  At the end of basic reserve service they will receive military cards.

Besides, under the law on the universal military duty in new edition, graduates of universities having military department will also be drafted into the army for one year.

Only people who have done military service will be permitted to obtain employment with the government or join the army in a professional capacity.

Tajikistan’s armed forces consist of Ground Forces, Mobile Forces (paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan), Air Force and Air Defense Force.

During the 2022 autumn conscription campaign, the Defense Ministry of Tajikistan reportedly earned nearly 27 million somonis from the paid one-month basic reserve service.  

From December 2022 through February 2023, 1,000 young men reportedly took the paid one-month basic reserve service.  Some of them reportedly took the basic reserve service from late December to January 18, 20223 and others took the basis reserves service from January 20, 2023 to February 10, 2023.   

Each of those 1000 draftees pad 26,800 somonis (equivalent to 420 calculating indicators).  Since they were called up for military service during last year’s autumn conscription campaign, they paid in accordance with last year’s calculating indicator, which amounted to 64.00 somonis.

Tajikistan has raised the rate of a calculating indicator (estimate) this year.  On January 1, 2023, the calculating indicator rose 6.25 percent to 68.00 somonis.  Beginning on January 1, 2022, the indicator for calculating taxes, state duties, other mandatory payment, fines and social payments as well as for calculating certain cost limiting values calculating will be set at 68.00 somonis.    

Those 1,000 young men took the paid one-month basic reserve service at Lohour (Roudaki district) and Fakhrobod (Khatlon province) training grounds as well as at Tajmahal training center in Dushanbe and at training base of the Military Institute’s branch in Sughd province.  

The paid amounts were reportedly channeled to construction military units, improvement of material and technical base, payment of salaries to officers and teaching staff, payment of administrative expenses, ensuring social protection of other servicemen and so forth.