Amid the controversy regarding compensation for the families of Agniveers who have died in service, the leaders of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have announced special provisions and reserved posts for former Agniveers, following the Home Ministrys directive.On Thursday, July 12, the Home Ministry reiterated a 10 percent reservation for vacancies within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for ex-Agniveers. This announcement comes amidst ongoing criticism of the Agnipath recruitment scheme by the Opposition and some BJP allies, who question the future of the 75 percent of Agniveers not retained after their four-year service.Several CAPF chiefs declared their plans to integrate ex-Agniveers into their ranks, emphasizing the benefit of gaining trained and disciplined personnel. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Director General Nina Singh stated that an important decision has been made by the central government for recruiting agniveers and aligning with the same, CISF is also gearing up for recruitment.Singh elaborated that CISF will reserve 10 percent of jobs for ex-Agniveers in all future constable appointments, providing exemptions in physical tests and age relaxation - five years in the first year and three years in subsequent years. Similarly, Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Nitin Agrawal confirmed a 10 percent job reservation for former Agniveers, highlighting the benefit of recruiting already trained soldiers.The chiefs of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Railway Police Force (RPF) also announced similar quotas for ex-Agniveers, asserting that this move would give new strength, energy and boost the morale of the force. The SSB further noted that the first batch of Agniveers inducted would receive five years age relaxation and exemption from the physical efficiency test.DG BSF Nitin Agrawal says, Ex-Agniveers have dedicated four years of their life in service, they are trained, disciplined, and BSF after giving short training will deploy them along the borders. We are eagerly waiting to recruit them. They will get 10% reservation in the… pic.twitter.com/8DfpVdQbqE— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2024These announcements align with the Modi governments promise in December last year. Minister of State Nityanand Rai had then stated that the government was creating a new category of Ex-Agniveer for recruitment to constable posts in Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles (CAPFs and AR), which includes a 10 percent vacancy reservation and a three-year age relaxation from the upper age limit, alongside exemption from the Physical Efficiency Test (PET).The Agnipath scheme, launched in June 2022, recruits individuals aged 17.5 to 21 years for four-year terms. Recently, the scheme has been a contentious issue, with opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi accusing the Centre of treating Agniveers as use-and-throw laborers. In response, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh defended the scheme, highlighting that an Agniveer who dies in the line of duty receives a compensation of Rs 1 crore.
