Agnipath Scheme

Definition

A short-term military recruitment model for the Army, Navy and Air Force, introduced in 2022, under which young recruits called "Agniveers" are enrolled for a four-year tenure, after which a portion is retained for regular service and the rest are released with a financial package.

Key points

• The scheme was announced in June 2022 and applies to the recruitment of soldiers, sailors and airmen (the personnel below officer rank) across the three services.
• Recruits, called Agniveers, serve for four years; at the end of the tenure up to about 25 per cent are selected for regular cadre engagement for a further period, and the rest are demobilised.
• Released Agniveers receive a lump-sum "Seva Nidhi" package (built partly from their own contributions and a matching government contribution), which is exempt from income tax, but they are not entitled to a regular pension or lifelong ex-servicemen benefits for the four-year stint alone.
• Stated objectives include a younger average age profile of the forces, a leaner pension bill, and skilled, disciplined youth re-entering the civilian workforce; the scheme also fixed an eligibility age band (relaxed for the first cohort).
• It drew protests in several States in 2022 over job security and pension concerns; various State governments and central forces announced preferential consideration for released Agniveers in their own recruitment.

Why it matters for CAPF

Agnipath is a major current-affairs and defence-personnel topic; the four-year tenure, the roughly 25 per cent retention, the Agniveer and Seva Nidhi terms, and the 2022 launch are commonly tested. Several CAPFs have announced reservation or relaxation for ex-Agniveers, which directly concerns CAPF recruitment.

Common confusion

Agnipath recruits personnel below officer rank, not officers; officer entry (through the NDA, CDS examination and similar routes) is unchanged. Only a minority of Agniveers are retained as regulars after four years; the majority are released without a standard pension.

Related concepts

concept make in india defence, concept chief of defence staff, concept central armed police forces overview, concept defence acquisition procedure

Parent note

indian defence forces and modernisation