New Delhi: In a significant change to the Agnipath recruitment scheme for defence forces, the Narendra Modi government has tweaked the policy and approved an additional two-year engagement period for the 75 percent Agniveers who are not selected for regular service after their initial four-year tenure.
This has now created a pathway for all Agniveers to potentially join the defence forces as regular soldiers after their tenure of six years, subject to their willingness to join and service criteria which will include physical fitness, adaptability and discipline.
Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme provides for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. Those recruited under the scheme are called Agniveers and were meant to serve for 4 years.
Under the revised arrangement, 25 percent of Agniveers will continue to be selected for regular employment on the basis of merit, as originally envisaged under the scheme. The remaining 75 percent, who would have been let go, will be offered an additional two-year engagement, subject to their willingness.
At the end of this extended tenure, they will be offered enrolment as regular soldiers, provided they are willing and meet the prescribed selection criteria.
“When the Agnipath scheme was first introduced, we emphasised that it was not set in stone. We stated that we would evaluate the performance of the Agniveers and conduct continuous reviews. There were objective selection criteria, and a centralised database was maintained for all Agniveers across all three services to track their performance,” Chief of Defence Staff Gen N S Raja Subramani said, addressing the media here in the national capital.
He added: “Their performance was reviewed annually. Based on these evaluations—and considering the achievements I highlighted earlier—the Indian defence forces recommended to the government that 75 percent of the Agniveers be granted an additional engagement period—specifically, an extension of two years. This review did not just happen today; it has been an ongoing process. We have been discussing this for the past three to four months, and today the cabinet has approved our recommendations.”
He underlined that the Agnipath scheme in its current form, that is, the first four years, will continue. “This second engagement period of two years gives those Agniveers who have not been selected in the first four years a chance to serve longer.”
The decision follows a four-year assessment of the Agnipath scheme by the three services, which has reportedly yielded positive feedback on the performance of Agniveers.
The Defence Ministry in a statement said that an assessment of organisational requirements and operational efficiency found that Agniveers had demonstrated high levels of skills, motivation, physical fitness and technological adaptability.
The additional engagement period has been approved on the recommendations of the defence forces after an evaluation aimed at balancing the aspirations of Agniveers with the operational requirements of the services.
The second engagement period will come with higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and seniority benefits, the government said.
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