NEW DELHI, Nov. 4 -- The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a two-year extension in the service tenure of Agniveers under the Agnipath recruitment scheme, allowing personnel completing their initial four-year engagement to continue serving in the armed forces and seek permanent enrolment after the extended period.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani announced the decision following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The revised arrangement will provide an additional opportunity to Agniveers who were otherwise scheduled to leave the Army, Navy and Air Force after completing their contractual service.
The decision comes just weeks before the first batch of Agniveers was due to begin exiting the armed forces in phases from mid-November. More than 18,300 personnel were expected to complete their four-year tenure and leave the services by December 31.
Under the original Agnipath scheme, introduced in June 2022, young recruits were engaged for four years, including training, with up to 25 per cent of each batch eligible for absorption into the regular armed forces based on merit, performance and organisational requirements. The remaining 75 per cent were required to leave after completing their contractual engagement.
The Cabinet's latest decision provides the latter group with an optional second term of two years, effectively increasing their potential service period from four to six years. Those willing to continue beyond the extended tenure will be considered for regular enrolment, subject to prescribed selection criteria, physical fitness, performance assessments and applicable service guidelines.
General Subramani said the decision followed a review of the performance of Agniveers during their initial four years of service. He indicated that the armed forces had received encouraging feedback regarding their performance, prompting the government to provide an additional opportunity for continued service.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the Cabinet's approval, describing the additional two-year engagement as a significant step in the continuing structural reforms of the armed forces. He said the measure would provide willing Agniveers with an opportunity to enter regular service after four or six years, provided they fulfilled the required selection criteria.
The minister also reiterated the government's objective of developing a younger, physically fitter and technologically equipped military capable of responding to the changing nature of warfare.
The first recruitment cycle under Agnipath involved approximately 24,400 personnel across the three services, including around 19,000 in the Army, 2,850 in the Indian Air Force and 2,550 in the Navy.
The Navy's first batch is scheduled to complete its initial tenure on November 21, followed by the Air Force on December 21 and the Army on December 31.
The Agnipath scheme has remained a subject of political debate since its introduction, particularly over the limited duration of employment, post-service career opportunities and the absence of pension benefits for personnel who are not absorbed into regular service.
The latest modification marks a significant departure from the original four-year engagement framework by allowing a larger proportion of recruits to remain in uniform for an additional period.
However, permanent absorption will continue to depend on the willingness of individual personnel and their fulfilment of the prescribed eligibility and selection requirements, rather than being automatic.
The government is expected to provide further operational details regarding the implementation of the revised arrangement, including service conditions and the selection process for regular enrolment following the additional two-year tenure.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.