Agniveer recruitment list for CAPFs will come from armed forces

The armed forces are likely to provide the list of Agniveers eligible for recruitment into the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the government’s reservation policy for the temporary recruits, a government source told The Hindu. The first batch of around 25,000 Agniveers is scheduled to retire from the Army by December.

The source added that while the CAPFs have reserved 50% of constable vacancies for former Agniveers, the Army, Navy, and Air Force will furnish the details of eligible personnel, indicating that ex-Agniveers may not be able to apply directly for recruitment under the reserved quota.

Although recruitment into the armed forces is not based on caste reservations, the official said that the existing quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs) will continue to apply for recruitment into the CAPFs.

Hiked quota for ex-Agniveers

Over the past month, CAPFs such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Assam Rifles have issued notifications, specifying 50% reservation for the ex-Agniveers. As reported by The Hindu, the Border Security Force (BSF) was the first to issue such a notification on December 19, 2025, enhancing the quota from 10% to 50%.

For instance, the annual intake of constables in the CRPF, the largest CAPF, is typically around 7,000. Under the new recruitment framework, about 3,500 of these vacancies will be reserved for ex-Agniveers. If all the reserved vacancies are not filled during the first phase of recruitment, the unfilled posts will be carried forward and added to the remaining 50% of vacancies to be filled through the open recruitment process in the second phase. The total strength of the CRPF is around 3.3 lakh.

Longer service tenure

The service tenure of personnel in the CAPFs extends up to the age of 60, whereas personnel in the armed forces retire much earlier. “During deliberations, it was felt that, if given a choice, many Agniveers would prefer to join the CAPFs rather than continue in the armed forces because of the longer career span and greater job security,” a government source said. “Therefore, it has been decided, at least initially, that the armed forces, beginning with the Army, which will witness the first batch of Agniveers retiring later this year, will provide the CAPFs with a list of eligible candidates for recruitment under the reserved quota,” the source added.

When a recruitment policy seeking to retain just 25% of Agniveers in the armed forces was announced in 2022, it was met with violent protests and agitations. The MHA then announced that 10% of all vacancies in the CAPFs would be reserved for the armed forces recruits who had completed four years of service under the Agnipath scheme. It also announced a five-year age relaxation in recruitment for the first batch and three-year age relaxation for subsequent batches. Following this, several State police forces also announced reservations for the Agniveers, ranging from 10% to 30%.

The ex-Agniveers will be exempted from written examinations, physical standard tests, and physical efficiency tests, the notifications said.

CRPF notification

Recruitment to the post of Constable (General Duty) will be carried out through direct recruitment, with 50% of vacancies in every recruitment year reserved for ex-Agniveers, the CRPF’s notification, issued on July 27, said.

“In the first phase, the concerned nodal force will conduct recruitment to fill the vacancies earmarked for ex-Agniveers, or in accordance with instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from time to time. In the second phase, recruitment for the remaining 50% of vacancies will be conducted through an open examination under the existing recruitment provisions. Any vacancies reserved for ex-Agniveers that remain unfilled in the first phase will be added to the vacancies to be filled in the second phase. The existing reservation provisions for various categories will apply in both phases of recruitment,” the CRPF said.

A dedicated ex-Agniveer wing and an ex-Agniveer cell have been created within the MHA for smooth coordination, monitoring, and formulation of rehabilitation policies for ex-Agniveers.