Agniveers participate in a ceremonial parade at the JAK LI Regimental Centre in Srinagar.
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet has approved a major revision to the Agnipath scheme, offering 75 per cent of Agniveers an additional two years of service after completing their initial four-year tenure in the Armed Forces.
The announcement was made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani on Wednesday following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Under the revised arrangement, the existing provision allowing 25 per cent of Agniveers to join the regular Armed Forces after four years based on merit will remain unchanged. However, the remaining 75 per cent, who were earlier expected to leave the military after completing their four-year tenure, will now be offered an additional two-year engagement period.
After completing the extended two-year period, all Agniveers in this group will be offered regular enrolment in the Armed Forces as permanent soldiers, subject to their willingness and fulfilment of the prescribed selection criteria.
Higher remuneration and additional benefits
The additional two-year engagement period will come with higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and cumulative seniority benefits.
The revised arrangement will allow Agniveers to serve for up to six years before being considered for regular enrolment under the new framework.
The decision creates another pathway for young recruits to pursue a long-term career in the Armed Forces while helping the military retain trained personnel for a longer period.
Why has the government revised the scheme?
The decision comes as the first batch of Agniveers approaches the completion of its four-year service period. Around 18,300 Agniveers were expected to leave the Armed Forces by December 31, 2026, under the original arrangement.
According to General NS Raja Subramani, the decision follows a four-year assessment of the scheme and positive feedback from the Armed Forces regarding the performance, physical fitness, motivation and technological adaptability of Agniveers.
The additional engagement period has been introduced following recommendations from the Defence Forces to retain trained personnel and provide Agniveers with further opportunities to continue serving.
Changes to the Agniveer recruitment process
Alongside the revision to the service period, the government has also announced changes to the recruitment process.
The written examination will now be conducted before the physical fitness test, reversing the earlier sequence of the selection process.
Agniveers will also receive skill certificates recognising the training and experience gained during their service.
What is the Agnipath scheme?
Introduced on June 14, 2022, the Agnipath scheme allows the recruitment of young personnel into the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force for an initial period of four years.
Under the original framework, 25 per cent of each batch could be selected for permanent enrolment into the regular Armed Forces based on merit and organisational requirements. The remaining 75 per cent were required to leave service after completing their four-year tenure and receive a Seva Nidhi package.
With the latest revision, the government has introduced an additional two-year engagement period for the remaining 75 per cent. After completing this period, they will also be offered an opportunity to join the regular Armed Forces, subject to willingness and prescribed selection criteria.
The revised arrangement retains the Agnipath recruitment model while expanding the service duration and career opportunities available to Agniveers.
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