Agniveer Service Extension: Centre Plans to Extend Service Tenure; UP Announces 20% Reservation
The Central Government is considering a proposal to extend the four-year tenure of 'Agniveers' to six years. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced a 20% reservation in state government jobs for former Agniveers who have completed their service.
Agniveer Service Extension: Central and state governments are taking significant decisions regarding Agniveers recruited under the 'Agnipath' scheme. While the Centre is weighing a proposal to increase their service tenure from four to six years, the Uttar Pradesh government has made a major announcement: former Agniveers will be granted a 20% reservation in state government jobs, along with the provision for direct recruitment without the need for an examination. Both announcements are considered highly significant for candidates completing their service.
Plans to Extend Agniveer Service by 2 Years
The four-year tenure for the first batch of recruits under the Agnipath scheme—launched in 2022—is nearing its end. The first batch of the Indian Navy will complete its service on November 21, the Indian Air Force batch on December 21, and the first batch of the Indian Army on December 31, 2026. Reports now suggest that the Central Government is planning to extend the service period for Agniveers from four to six years. A final decision on this is expected before November 21. According to some reports, discussions have been ongoing for months regarding the possibility of retaining a larger percentage of Agniveers than the original 25% limit per batch. It is understood that the extension proposal has moved through various stages of deliberation and is currently under review by top-level officials.
How many Agniveers might receive an extension? According to reports, the government is preparing to extend the service period for 'Agniveers' from 4 years to 6 years. However, the exact number of Agniveers across the three armed services who might receive this extension has not yet been determined. It is understood that this extension would be in addition to the existing provision to retain 25 percent of the personnel. Agniveers themselves would decide whether they wish to continue serving in the armed forces or opt to leave the service, receiving their tax-free 'Seva Nidhi' package of Rs 11.71 lakh. If this proposal is approved, the armed forces could potentially consist of three categories of personnel: Agniveers in their initial 4-year service period, Agniveers with an extended service tenure, and permanent soldiers inducted into the regular cadre.
Major Announcement Regarding Agniveers in UP
In addition to the central government's proposal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made a significant announcement for the state's youth while inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 520 crore in the Gaura assembly constituency of Gonda. Yogi Adityanath announced a 20 percent reservation for Agniveers—upon their return after completing 4 years of military service—in various police and security-related departments under the Uttar Pradesh government. Furthermore, the Chief Minister stated that after completing 4 years of disciplined military service, Agniveers would be exempted from any written or physical examinations for state government jobs; they would be issued appointment letters directly. Prior to CM Yogi's announcement, the UP Cabinet had approved a proposal on October 9 to amend the recruitment rules for the police, forest, prison, and transport departments. This amendment includes a 20 percent reservation for Agniveers, a relaxation of up to 3 years in the upper age limit, and an exemption from recruitment examinations.
