CISF, BSF, CRPF Chiefs Announce 10% Reservations And Age Relaxations For Ex-Agniveers

The heads of the CISF, BSF, and CRPF announced that 10 percent of soldier posts in their respective forces will be reserved for former Agniveers, following a decision by the Union Home Ministry.

The comments by CISF Director General Nina Singh, BSF Director General Nitin Agrawal, and CRPF Director General Anish Dayal Singh came as the Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction of personnel in the Army, Navy, and Air Force received renewed attention.

"The Union Home Ministry has taken an important decision regarding the recruitment of ex-Agniveers. Accordingly, the CISF is also preparing the process of the recruitment of ex-Agniveer," Singh said.

Rolled out in 2022, Agnipath scheme provides for recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 for four years with a provision to retain 25 percent of them for 15 more years.

Several opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticised the government over the scheme, questioning the future of 75 percent of the Agniveers after their four-year tenure ends. They argue that this could result in "turning Hindustan ke jawan into labourers".