Government of India has taken a crucial move by declaring a 10 per cent reservation for ex-Agniveers in vacancies within the Border Security Force (BSF) and relaxed upper age-limit norms depending on whether they are part of the first batch or subsequent batches.
On March 9, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) made the announcement through a notification issued in exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (b) and (c) of sub-section (2) of section 141 of the Border Security Force Act, 1968 (47 of 1968).
Utilising its authority, the Modi Government declared to make the rules further to amend the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015, namely Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) (Amendment) Recruitment Rules, 2023.
Amending the BSF, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015, with effect from March 9, the Central Government announced that against the part relating to the post of Constable, notes should be inserted relaxing the upper age limit for ex-Agniveers by up to five years for candidates belonging to the maiden batch of ex-Agniveers and up to three years in case of all other batches of ex-Agniveers.
Another note that was made part of the BSF, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) (Amendment) Recruitment Rules, 2023. Ex-Agniveers are exempt from taking the physical proficiency test according to this clause.
“Ten per cent of the vacancies shall be reserved for Ex-Agniveers,” pointed out another amendment to the rules.
The MHA, mindful of criticism of the Agniveer scheme that provides for absorption of only 25 per cent of the Agniveers in the defence forces upon completion of their four-year stint even as the remaining 75 per cent are demobilised, had announced soon after that 10 per cent vacancies in Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles shall be reserved for demobilised Agniveers.
The upper age limit was also relaxed for the first batch of ex-Agniveers by up to five years and for the subsequent batches by three years. In addition, the ex-Agniveers would be exempted from the physical proficiency test.
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have a set age range for recruitment that ranges from 18 to 23 years. So any person who is enrolled as Agniveer at 17-22 years can be recruited into CAPFs till attaining 26 years of age.
However, for ones who join the armed forces as part of the first batch of Agniveers at 23 years, the maximum age for enrolment under Agnipath, the enhance five-year upper age limit relaxation will still leave them a year after completion of the four year-stint, to seek recruitment into the CAPFs and Assam Rifles.
According to an MHA official announcement, the first batch of Agniveers can avail of a 10 per cent job quota in CAPFs and Assam Rifles until 28 years.
The Home Ministry’s decision to absorb Agniveers into CAPFs is significant in that it incentivises the choice of youths for a short career in the armed forces, by offering them a long-term, follow-up career in the Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles. Additionally, it helps the CAPFs and Assam Rifles fill the approximately 73,000 open positions that they now have between them, which benefits both organisations equally.
The move will benefit the CAPFs in getting trained personnel at the pre-recruitment stage itself, saving them the usual time and training costs before the new recruits can take up field duties.
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