Delhi, July 11: Several central armed forces, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Railway Protection Force, will reserve 10 per cent of constable posts for former Agniveer soldiers.
The government introduced the Agnipath recruitment scheme in June 2022. Per the new system, the armed forces recruit between 17-and-a-half and 21-year-old soldiers for four years. They later retain 25 per cent of these soldiers for extended service. The remaining retire with a substantial severance amount.
Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, have attacked the scheme, questioning what will happen to the 75 per cent of Agniveers who are not retained after their four-year tenure.
CISF Director General Nina Singh said that in line with the Union home ministry’s decision, the CISF is also preparing for this recruitment process. She announced that 10 per cent of jobs will be reserved for ex-Agniveers in all future constable appointments.
Ex-Agniveers will receive exemptions in physical tests and age relaxations. In the first year, the age relaxation will be five years, and in subsequent years, it will be three years.
“Ex-Agniveer will be able to take advantage of this and the CISF will ensure that. This will be beneficial for the CISF too as the force will get trained and disciplined personnel,” Singh said, DD News reported
BSF Director General Nitin Agrawal said that 10 per cent of total vacancies will be reserved for Agniveers. There will also be age relaxations, with the first batch receiving five years of age relaxation and subsequent batches receiving three years.
He said that the force will benefit from recruiting ex-Agniveers, as they have four years of experience and are fully disciplined and trained
“They got four years of experience. They are fully disciplined and trained personnel. This is very good for the BSF as we are getting trained soldiers,” said Agrawal.
Manoj Yadava, the director general of the RPF, announced that all future constable recruitment in the RPF will have a 10 per cent reservation for ex-Agniveers. He expressed enthusiasm about welcoming ex-Agniveers and said that their inclusion would provide new strength, energy, and a morale boost to the force.
(With inputs from PTI)
