Agniveer Salary: How much do Agniveers earn over 4 years, and what will their earnings be during an additional 2-year extension?

As announced yesterday, November 4, by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General N. S. Raja Subramani, the Union Cabinet has decided to grant a 2-year extension to Agniveers who complete their initial 4-year term of service.

Agniveer Salary: The Central Government has given a gift to thousands of Agniveers ahead of Diwali. The Centre has approved an extension of service for Agniveers under the 'Agnipath' scheme. According to an announcement made yesterday, November 4, by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General N. S. Raja Subramani, the Union Cabinet has decided to provide a 2-year extension to Agniveers who complete their initial 4-year service period. Under the Agnipath scheme, approximately 24,400 Agniveers first joined the armed forces in 2022; their 4-year tenure was set to conclude this year. While the scheme's existing rules stipulate that 25 percent of these personnel will be selected for the permanent cadre, the new decision offers the remaining 75 percent the option to continue their service for an additional 2 years—bringing their total service duration to 6 years. With this extension, discussions have also emerged regarding their remuneration. Let us look at how much Agniveers earn over 4 years and what their earnings will be during the two additional years.

How much salary do Agniveers receive over 4 years?

Under the Agnipath scheme, Agniveers receive a total monthly package of ₹30,000 during their 4-year tenure. Of this amount, 70% is provided to the Agniveers as an 'in-hand' salary, while 30% is contributed to the 'Seva Nidhi' fund. In the second year, the total monthly package is ₹33,000. This includes both the in-hand salary and the 'Seva Nidhi' (service fund) contribution. Similarly, in the third year, the monthly package becomes ₹36,500. In the fourth year, the salary of an 'Agniveer' increases to ₹40,000. In addition to this salary, Agniveers also receive 'Risk and Hardship Allowances' throughout the four-year period.

'Seva Nidhi' Package After 4 Years

Over the four-year service period, an Agniveer’s total contribution amounts to approximately ₹5.02 lakh, with an equal amount contributed by the government. This brings the total principal amount to approximately ₹10.04 lakh. Including accrued interest, this results in a tax-free 'Seva Nidhi' package of approximately ₹11.71 lakh, which is provided to the personnel upon completion of their four-year tenure.

Earnings During an Additional 2-Year Extension

If an Agniveer opts for a two-year service extension, the rules governing their salary and 'Seva Nidhi' corpus may be adjusted for the fifth and sixth years. In the fifth year, the monthly package could increase to ₹43,500, while in the sixth year, it would rise to ₹47,500.

Government to Contribute 70% to the 'Seva Nidhi' Corpus

For this two-year extension period, the formula for the 'Seva Nidhi' corpus has been revised to a 30:70 ratio. This means that the government will increase its contribution to the corpus to 70% relative to the Agniveer's own contribution. According to CDS General N.S. Raja Subramani, the 'Seva Nidhi' amount for these two additional years of service has been set at ₹10.92 lakh.