Centre Reserves 50% CAPF, Assam Rifles Posts for Ex-Agniveers

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced a 50% reservation for former Agniveers in posts of constable (general duty) and rifleman in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday that the government has created a new recruitment category of 'ex-Agniveer' for these positions.

According to the minister, ex-Agniveers will benefit from a three-year relaxation in the prescribed upper age limit, while candidates from the first batch will receive an additional five-year relaxation beyond the standard age limit. Moreover, applicants under this category will be exempted from the physical standards test, physical efficiency test, and written examination.

“A dedicated ex-Agniveer wing under the ministry of home affairs has been established for the purpose of coordinating further progression of ex-Agniveers,” Rai stated.

The first batch of Agniveers, enrolled under the Agnipath scheme launched in 2022, has not yet completed its four-year tenure. The scheme aims to recruit young soldiers for a short service period, with a proportion retained for regular service.

A notification issued by the MHA in December 2025 amended the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015, increasing the quota for ex-Agniveers in constable (general duty) posts from 10% to 50%. The notification also maintained a 10% reservation for ex-servicemen and up to 3% for combatised constable (tradesmen) through absorption of annual vacancies.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had introduced a similar amendment in its recruitment rules in May 2024, reflecting a broader policy shift to integrate ex-Agniveers into central paramilitary forces.

This move is part of the government's effort to provide career opportunities to Agniveers after their service, addressing concerns about their future employment. Critics of the Agnipath scheme had previously raised questions about job security and benefits for short-service personnel.

The reservation applies to constable (general duty) and rifleman posts across all CAPFs—including the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and National Security Guard (NSG)—as well as the Assam Rifles, which is under the MHA's administrative control.