New Delhi: Significant news has emerged for ‘Agniveers’—personnel recruited into the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme. They will now have the option to extend their service by an additional two years beyond the initial four-year tenure. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani announced this development on Wednesday. Under this new arrangement, 75 percent of Agniveers who complete their four-year term will be offered the option of an additional two-year service extension, subject to their consent. During this extended period, they will receive increased salaries and allowances.
Opportunity for regular enlistment after six years of service
Under the existing rules of the Agnipath scheme, up to 25 percent of Agniveers from each batch can be inducted into the regular armed forces upon completing their four-year tenure. This selection is based on their performance, merit, and the requirements of the armed forces.
Furthermore, those Agniveers who opt for the two-year service extension will also have the opportunity to seek regular enlistment—following the prescribed selection process—should they wish to continue serving in the armed forces after completing their six-year tenure.
Potential benefit for 18,300 Agniveers from the first batch
According to available data, approximately 18,300 of the 24,400 personnel recruited in the first batch of Agniveers are set to complete their four-year tenure by December 31. This figure represents about 75 percent of the first batch.
Under the previous arrangement, these personnel were scheduled to be phased out of service starting in mid-November. However, following this new announcement, they will now have the option to extend their service by two years.
Previously, the Indian Air Force had decided to retain 712 out of the 2,850 recruits from its first batch of ‘Agniveer Vayu’ personnel for regular service. Around 3.18 lakh Agniveers deployed across the three armed services
The Agnipath scheme was launched on June 14, 2022. Under this scheme, youth are recruited into the Army, Navy, and Air Force for a four-year tenure. Currently, approximately 3.18 lakh Agniveers are serving across the three branches of the armed forces.
The new arrangement will provide Agniveers with the opportunity to serve in the military for an additional two years. Furthermore, after completing six years of service, they will gain an additional chance to participate in the selection process for induction into the regular armed forces.
