Bagdogra/New Delhi: All Agniveers will be eligible for enrollment as regular soldiers after completing an additional two-year tenure, subject to their willingness and meeting the selection criteria, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.
He clarified this during an interaction with air warriors at Air Force Station Bagdogra in West Bengal.
It came three days after the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to extend the service of outgoing Agniveers by an additional two years. This will be optional.
The decision is a “significant Diwali gift for Agniveers”, Singh said, reiterating the government’s commitment to the welfare of the defence forces personnel and their families.
This would provide Agniveers with another opportunity to serve the nation, he said, as reported by Deccan Herald.
The Agnipath scheme launched in June, 2022, under which soldiers were recruited for a four-year term, with a provision to retain only 25 per cent of them in regular services.
On Wednesday, Chief of Defence Staff Gen N S Raja Subramani announced the changes in the scheme, just over three weeks before around 18,300 Agniveers were to exit the armed forces after completing their four-year tenure.
Over 3,00,000 soldiers recruited under the Agnipath scheme are serving in the military at the moment. Nearly 270,000 of them are in the Army.
The government’s decision will open a “pathway” for all Agniveers, ensuring almost all of them are going to be absorbed into the defence forces, Gen Subramani had said.
On Friday, defence officials said that all serving Agniveers will be absorbed as regular soldiers after six years of service, provided they are willing to continue, physically fit, and disciplined. The Agnipath recruitment scheme has not been rolled back, they insisted.
The Agnipath recruitment scheme was introduced to bring down the age profile of the three services. It provides for recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17 and a half years and 21 for four years.
Several opposition parties, including the Congress, had targeted the government over the scheme, wondering what will happen to 75 per cent of the Agniveers after their four-year tenure ends, as only 25 per cent of the total recruits will be retained for 15 years.
The Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles had announced 50% reservations for Agniveers released from service after four years.