MHA to facilitate career progression of Agniveers after their retirement

A year before the first batch of Agniveers retires from service, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been tasked with coordinating activities for “further progression” of Agniveers who complete their tenure in the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme.

A year before the first batch of Agniveers retires from service, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been tasked with coordinating activities for “further progression” of Agniveers who complete their tenure in the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme.

A portal will also be launched to monitor the career prospects of Agniveers after they finish their short-term service.

A government source said that the MHA will coordinate with various Ministries and departments of Government of India and with State Governments to facilitate career progression of Agniveers. “After serving four years in armed forces, 75% of Agniveers will exit. For coordinating and monitoring further progression of ex-Agniveers, there will be an online portal,” the source added.

The scheme was launched on June 14, 2022 to recruit soldiers, airmen and sailors in the three Services for a period of four years.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretariat through a notification signed by President Droupadi Murmu amended the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 and allocated the work on progression of former Agniveers to the Ministry.

The Government of India (Allocation of Business) (381st Amendment) Rules, 2025 stated that in The Second Schedule, under the heading “Ministry of Home Affairs”, the following entry shall be inserted: “Coordinating activities for further progression of Ex-Agniveers.”

The recruitment policy met with violent protests in 2022 and was one of the major issues during the 2024 general election. Following the protests, the Ministry announced that 10% of all vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be reserved for the armed forces recruits who have completed their service. Defence Ministry sources said they were in process of reviewing the scheme.

The first batch of Agniveers will be eligible for recruitment in CAPFs such as the Central industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles in 2026.

After retirement, up to 25% Agniveers would be selected into the regular ranks of the three Services on a permanent basis. The age bracket for new recruits was fixed at 17-and-a-half to 21 years of age and till 2026, the overall intake was capped at 1.75 lakh.

Published - June 17, 2025 08:33 pm IST