10% CAPF posts for ex-agniveers

The announcement by CISF director general Nina Singh and BSF director general Nitin Agrawal comes as the Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction into the Army, Navy, and Air Force faces renewed scrutiny.

“The Union home ministry has taken an important decision regarding the recruitment of ex-agniveers. Accordingly, the CISF is preparing the process for the recruitment of ex-Agniveers,” said Nina Singh. She confirmed that 10 p.c. of future constable appointments in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will be reserved for ex-agniveers.

“In physical tests, they will receive exemptions along with age relaxation. In the first year, the age relaxation is five years, and in subsequent years, it will be three years,” she told DD News.

“Ex-Agniveers will benefit from this, and the CISF will gain trained and disciplined personnel,” Singh added.

In June 2022, the government introduced the agnipath recruitment scheme to lower the age profile of the three services. The scheme recruits youths aged 17-and-a-half to 21 for four years, with a provision to retain 25 p.c. for an additional 15 years.

“They have four years of experience and are fully disciplined and trained. This is advantageous for the BSF as we will receive trained soldiers. After short training, they will be deployed along the border,” said BSF director general Nitin Agrawal. He emphasised that all security forces would benefit from recruiting former Agniveers.

“We are waiting to deploy them after conversion training. Ten per cent of total vacancies will be reserved for them,” he said. “There will be age relaxation for them as well. The first batch will receive five years of age relaxation, and subsequent batches will receive three years.”

Similar statements were made by the director generals of the CRPF, RPF, and SSB, who assured fixed reservations and age relaxation for former Agniveers.

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary confirmed a fixed quota for ex-Agniveers, stating, “We have amended the recruitment rules accordingly. The first batch will be given an age relaxation of five years, and there will be no Physical Efficiency Test for them.” Railway Protection Force (RPF) DG Manoj Yadava echoed this, saying, “There will be a 10 p.c. reservation for ex-agniveers, and they will also get age relaxation — five years for the first batch and three years subsequently. There will be no Physical Efficiency Test for them.”

DG CRPF Anish Dayal Singh confirmed that all arrangements have been made to recruit ex-Agniveers in the CRPF, with recruitment rules amended accordingly.

The Agnipath scheme has faced criticism from several opposition parties, including the Congress, which has raised concerns about the future of the 75 percent of Agniveers who will not be retained after their four-year tenure. Various Central government agencies and departments have already announced plans to recruit former Agniveers.

In the recently concluded Parliament session, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanded the scrapping of the Agniveer recruitment system.