Centre Declares 10% Reservation For Ex-Agniveers In BSF, Exemption From ‘Physical Proficiency Test’

Before this, the Home Ministry had announced 10 per cent vacancies in Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles shall be reserved for Agniveers who are not absorbed in the defence forces.

Agniveer Quota: In a significant step, the Central government has declared 10 per cent reservation for  former Agniveers in vacancies within the Border Security Force (BSF). The Home Ministry has also relaxed the upper age-limit norms depending on whether they are part of the first batch or subsequent batches.

The upper age limit has been relaxed by up to five years for candidates belonging to the maiden batch whereas the upper age bracket for those belonging to the subsequent batches has been relaxed by three years for these vacancies. The notification read, “Ten per cent of the vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers.”

Another note that was made part of the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) (Amendment) Recruitment Rules, 2023. It provides for exemption of ex-Agniveers from taking the physical proficiency test.

Before this, the Home Ministry had announced 10 per cent vacancies in Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles shall be reserved for Agniveers who are not absorbed in the defence forces.

The age limit for recruitment to CAPFs is 18-23 years old but any person who has been enrolled as an Agniveer at 17-22 years of age can be recruited into the CAPFs till 26 years of age. The decision is significant as it incentivises the choice of youths for a short career in the armed forces through a long-term and follow-up career in the Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles. Through this, around 73,000 vacancies in both forces.

However, for ones who join the armed forces as part of the first batch of Agniveers at 23 years, the maximum age for enrolment under Agnipath, the enhance five-year upper age limit relaxation will still leave them a year after completion of the four year-stint, to seek recruitment into the CAPFs and Assam Rifles.

As per an official release of MHA, the first batch of Agniveers can avail of 10 per cent job quota in CAPFs and Assam Rifles till the age of 28 years. The Home Ministry decision for absorption of Agniveers into CAPFs is significant in that it incentivises the choice of youths for a short career in the armed forces, by offering them a long-term, follow-up career in the Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles.

It also benefits the CAPFs and Assam Rifles in equal measure by helping them fill up the more than 73,000 vacancies they currently have between them. The move will benefit the CAPFs in getting trained personnel at the pre-recruitment stage itself, saving them the usual time and training costs before the new recruits can take up field duties.

Agnipath scheme

India had on June 14, 2022, announced the Agnipath scheme replacing the military’s decade old system of recruitment, which will lower the age profile of the armed forces, ensure a fitter military and create a technically skilled war fighting force capable of meeting future challenges.

The Agnipath scheme seeks to recruit soldiers for only four years, with a provision to retain 25% of them in the regular cadre for 15 years after another round of screening.

(With inputs from ANI)