Agniveer / Agnipath Scheme — Meaning, Definition & Examples (Sarkari Exam 2026)
Category: Eligibility
Short definition: A short-term recruitment scheme launched by the Government of India in 2022 for enrolling young men and women into the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) on a 4-year contractual basis as 'Agniveers'.
What is Agniveer / Agnipath Scheme? (Detailed Explanation)
Agnipath was announced in June 2022 as a transformative recruitment scheme for the Armed Forces. Under it, candidates aged 17.5–21 (one-time relaxation extended in 2022 to 23 for first batch) are recruited for a 4-year contract as 'Agniveers'. After 4 years, 25% of each batch are retained for regular service for 15 more years; 75% are released with a Seva Nidhi corpus of ~₹11.71 lakh.
Eligibility: Indian citizen, age 17.5–21, education 10th/12th depending on the post (Soldier GD requires 10th 45% with 33% in each subject; Soldier Tradesman requires 10th pass; Technical posts require 12th PCM 50% etc.), physical standards as per Indian Army zone-wise norms (height 157–170 cm), medical fitness as per AYSI standards.
Agniveers receive: ₹30,000–₹40,000 monthly during 4 years (rising over years), Risk & Hardship allowance, full medical care, Rs 48 lakh non-contributory life insurance cover, Seva Nidhi (50% of monthly pay deposited + matching govt contribution + interest = ₹11.71 lakh corpus on release), and Ex-Servicemen status with reservation in Sarkari jobs after 4 years.
Live examples from Sarkari Exam notifications
- Indian Army Agniveer — 30,000+ vacancies per year
- Indian Navy Agniveer SSR/MR/Artificer
- Indian Air Force Agniveer Vayu
Frequently Asked Questions about Agniveer / Agnipath Scheme
Q1. Will Agniveers get pension?
No regular pension during the 4-year tenure. The 25% retained for regular service get pension after 15 years' regular service. The 75% released get only the Seva Nidhi corpus.
Q2. What is the selection process?
Common Entrance Examination (CEE) — online CBT — followed by Recruitment Rally (PET, PST, Adaptability Tests, medical). Indian Army has separate processes for Agniveer GD, Tradesman, Technical, Office Assistant, Nursing Assistant.
Q3. Are female Agniveers recruited?
Yes — Agniveer (Women) scheme by Indian Army for Military Police role, by Indian Navy across all branches, by Indian Air Force for selected branches. Standards adapted by gender.
Related Sarkari terms you should know
- Ex-Servicemen Reservation — 10% horizontal reservation in Group C and 20% in Group D direct-recruitment Sarkari jobs reserved fo…
Where to learn more
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