According to officials familiar with the matter, the first cohort of over 18,000 recruits under the “Agnipath” (Path of Fire) scheme will complete their four-year service term and be discharged by December 31, at which point they will begin seeking opportunities for a second career.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the first cohort of over 18,000 recruits under the “Path of Fire” (Agnipath) scheme will complete their four-year service term and leave the military by December 31, shifting their focus toward pursuing second-career opportunities.
Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the three branches of the armed forces—the Navy, Air Force, and Army—will begin the phased release of 75% of the first cohort of “Agniveers” starting in mid-November.
The “Agnipath” (Path of Fire) recruitment model has long been a subject of political contention, as it shortens the service tenure for personnel below the rank of officer and reduces their benefits. Introduced in 2022, the model is intended to keep the military youthful and combat-ready. Under the Agnipath scheme, soldiers serve a four-year term, with only 25% eligible to continue their service for an additional 15 years.
Approximately 18,300 Agniveers are set to leave the service, representing three-quarters of the 24,400 recruits from the initial intake across the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Official data indicates that the first cohort consisted of about 19,000 personnel in the Army, 2,850 in the Air Force, and 2,550 in the Navy.
All three branches of the armed forces have expressed satisfaction with the performance of “Agniveers” (volunteers/recruits under the new scheme) in their respective roles. Officials indicated that the scheme may be adjusted in the future to retain a larger number of Agniveers who possess specialized technical skills. According to officials, there are currently approximately 270,000 Agniveers in the Army, 27,000 in the Air Force, and 21,000 in the Navy.
The “Agnipath” (Path of Fire) model represents a significant departure from the recruitment system that the military had employed for decades. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government announced this new scheme in June 2022, replacing the previous recruitment framework.
Officials noted that the coming months will test the government’s ability to facilitate the placement of these Agniveers—who will be between 21.5 and 25 years old upon completion of their service—into new roles. They will be eligible to apply for positions reserved for them in organizations such as the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), state police forces, Indian Railways, the Coast Guard, and 16 defense public sector undertakings. The government has previously announced that half of the entry-level vacancies in forces such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Assam Rifles will be filled by former Agniveers. Given that these recruits primarily receive combat training, the Central Armed Police Forces have been tasked with developing training modules focused on internal security and law-and-order duties, in preparation for the transition of the first cohort of Agniveers into civilian life.