State governments to directly recruit retired Agniveers! Uttarakhand government makes the announcement..

Agniveer Recruitment: The first batch of 'Agniveers'—recruited into the Indian Armed Forces for a four-year tenure under the 'Agnipath' scheme—is set to complete its service. Under this scheme, 75% of the recruits will be discharged, while 25% will be retained for permanent service. Consequently, efforts are underway to provide fresh employment opportunities to those completing their tenure. In this context, several state governments, as well as paramilitary forces, have introduced reservation quotas and various other concessions for these outgoing Agniveers. Furthermore, there are indications that some state governments are now moving toward offering direct appointments to these individuals. The government of Uttarakhand announced this effect on Friday.

Let us examine the details of this development. We will look into the Uttarakhand government's initiative regarding the recruitment of former Agniveers and explore why it is being suggested that state governments are preparing to offer them direct appointments.

Uttarakhand Government to Directly Induct 2 Former Agniveers into the PAC
The initiative to offer direct appointments to former Agniveers has emerged from Uttarakhand. The state government announced on Friday that two former Agniveers will be inducted into the 40th Battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) against existing vacancies. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has approved the proposal.

Appointment Following a Request from the Central Government; Letter Sent by Joint Secretary
In a statement, the Uttarakhand government noted that a letter had been received from a Joint Secretary in the Central Government, requesting the absorption/recruitment of the outgoing Agniveers. In this context, the Chief Minister has granted approval for a proposal to induct two 'Agniveers' into the 40th Battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) against existing vacancies.

First batch to complete service on November 21; Armed Forces aim to increase retention rate
The first batch of 'Agniveers' is set to complete its service with the Indian Navy on November 21, 2026. This means that the service of 75 percent of the candidates from the first batch will conclude, while 25 percent will be granted permanent status. However, all three branches of the Armed Forces are considering increasing the retention rate for 'Agniveers' and intend to submit a proposal to the government once the first batch completes its service.

50% reservation and test exemptions in CAPFs and Assam Rifles
To provide further government employment opportunities to former 'Agniveers', a reservation provision has been introduced within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)—such as the BSF, CRPF, CISF, and ITBP—as well as the Assam Rifles. This includes a 50 percent reservation for the posts of Constable (General Duty) and Rifleman. A new category, designated as 'Ex-Agniveer', has been created for recruitment into these security forces.

Exemption from PST, PET, and written examinations
Additionally, former 'Agniveers' will be exempted from the Physical Standards Test (PST), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), and written examinations during recruitment for the CAPFs and Assam Rifles. This exemption applies to the posts of Constable (General Duty) and Rifleman.

Reservation and age relaxation in states
Several state governments have also announced initiatives to provide government job opportunities to former 'Agniveers', including the reservation of 10 to 20 percent of vacancies across various government positions. Furthermore, they will be granted an age relaxation of 3 to 5 years. This means that former Agniveer candidates will have three years more than general candidates to apply for government jobs. The first batch will receive a five-year relaxation. Several states, including UP, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, have already made this announcement.

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