Reservation for Agniveers: In a latest development, the Union Home Ministry has announced a 10% reservation for former Agniveers in vacancies in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). This comes a week after the government took a similar initiative for jobs for them in the Border Security Force (BSF).
Further, the ministry also announced relaxation in the upper age limit depending on whether they are Agniveers from the initial batch or later batches. The announcement was made through a notification after amending the rules made under the Central Industrial Security Force Act, of 1968, (50 of 1968). "Ten per cent of the vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers," the notification said.
According to the notification, the upper age limit shall be relaxable up to five years for candidates of the first batch of former Agniveers and up to three years for candidates of other batches. It further stated that ex-Agniveers will also be exempted from physical efficiency test.
About Agnipath scheme
Last year on June 14, the Centre unveiled the ambitious Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youths aged between 17 and a half and 21 in the army, the navy and the air force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis. Those recruited under the scheme will be known as Agniveers.
After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 per cent of the recruits from each batch will be offered regular service. At that time, the home ministry had announced that 10 per cent vacancies in central paramilitary forces and Assam Rifles shall be reserved for demobilised 75 per cent Agniveers.
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Age relaxations for ex-Agniveers
It had also announced that the upper age limit was also relaxed for first batch of ex-Agniveers by up to five years and for the subsequent batches for three years. In addition, the ex-Agniveers would be exempted from the physical proficiency test. The specified age limit for recruitment to paramilitary forces is 18-23 years.
Those who join the armed forces even at the upper age limit of 21 years under the Agnipath scheme can be recruited by the CISF till the age of 30 after four years of service in the army or the air force or the navy in case of first batch and till 28 years for the subsequent batches.
(With inputs from PTI)
