What are the eligibility criteria for Agnipath Yojana?

Candidates must be between 17.5 to 21 years old, meet educational qualifications (10th/12th pass depending on the role), and fulfill physical and medical standards.

How can one apply for Agnipath Yojana?

Applications can be submitted online through the official website of the Indian Armed Forces or respective service branches.

What is the duration of service under the Agnipath Yojana?

The initial service period is four years, after which a percentage of personnel may be retained for longer service based on performance.

What benefits do Agniveers receive?

Agniveers will receive a monthly stipend during service, along with a severance package at the end of their term, and will also be eligible for skill development programs and opportunities for further education.

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Agnipath Yojana 2025: Eligibility, Application Process & More

Q: What is the Agnipath Yojana?

The Agnipath Yojana is a recruitment scheme launched by the Government of India to recruit young individuals into the armed forces for a short-term service period.

Pragya Pathak

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 7:08 AM

Agnipath Yojana 2025: Eligibility, Application Process & More

The need for young people in the military is crucial due to the growing and advanced technological world. It is significant to recruit youth in the defence forces as they are physically fit, adaptable, quick learners, and best of all, wizards of technology. They are further trained to master advanced technologies like drones, cyber warfare, etc. This led to the birth of the Agnipath Yojana.

The government of India launched the Agnipath Yojana primarily to recruit young individuals so that their tech-savvy skills can be used in the Indian armed forces. The military not only focuses on recruitment but also their proper training so that their skills can be nurtured in the right way.

Name of the scheme	Agnipath Yojana
Launched by	Indian government
Launched in	2022
Objective	To recruit tech-savvy youth in the Indian armed forces
Service duration	4 years
Recruitment age	17.5 to 21 years (extended to 23 years)
Post-service benefits	Seva Nidhi package of Rs. 11 lakhs, priority in public service jobs, etc.
Application process	Fitness test, written exam, medical exam

What Is The Agnipath Yojana?

The Agnipath Yojana is a government recruitment scheme launched by the government of India in 2022 to recruit tech-savvy youth in the Indian armed forces. The govt scheme aims to target youth aged between 17.5 to 21 years, recruited for 4 years, and are referred to as ‘Agniveers’.

The program offers the youth of the country an opportunity to serve in the Army, Navy, or Air Force. After 4 years, 25% of the Agniveers are offered full-time roles in the armed forces while the others are given their financial packages along with other benefits.

The govt scheme aims to recruit young people into the armed forces and provides them with a range of benefits.

Why Was The Agnipath Yojana Launched?

The Agnipath Yojana was launched to address the needs of the Indian armed forces and to address those evolving needs by recruiting tech-savvy youths of the country. One of the major reasons was to reduce the average age of soldiers to make the Indian armed forces more efficient.

It also eliminates the rigidity that traditional recruitment systems have and allows soldiers to work for the Indian armed forces for a short duration and then work their way up if they see themselves fit in the forces.

Goals Of The Agnipath Yojana

The Agnipath Scheme has certain goals that outline the objectives of the government scheme. Some of the major goals of the scheme are:

Youthful armed forces: The govt scheme aims to considerably lower the average age of the Indian armed forces by recruiting younger soldiers referred to as the Agniveers. This was done to create a much stronger force to protect the country.
Modernisation: The introduction of short-term recruitment helps in modernising the recruitment process of the Indian armed forces as it allows a frequent inflow of young people.
Cost-effective: The govt scheme aims to reduce the long-term financial burden of the defence budget, especially related to pensions. The government aims to reduce the number of lifelong pensioners to save resources.
Skill development: The Agnipath Scheme aims to equip Agniveers with the necessary skills and training to serve the nation effectively and efficiently throughout their employment period.

Benefits

Several benefits of the Agnipath Scheme help both, the Indian armed forces and the youth. Some of the benefits of the scheme are:

Youth empowerment: The govt scheme provides an opportunity for the youth to serve the nation and gain valuable skills in a disciplined environment.
Financial package: The Agnipath Scheme salary is approximately 11.7 lakhs released after their service period. It is tax-free and can be used however they wish to use it.
Insurance: Agniveers are covered under a life insurance policy of Rs. 48 lakhs and receive other benefits like health insurance and death compensation.
Post-service opportunities: The Agniveers are given priority in employment in various sectors like government services, paramilitary forces, and even private industries.

Eligibility Criteria

Interested candidates first need to ensure whether they fit into the criteria or not. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

Applicants should be between the ages of 17.5 to 21 years.
Applicants should be 10th or 12th pass.
Applicants must be Indian citizens.

Exclusion Criteria

Some candidates cannot apply to be an Agniveer due to several reasons. The exclusion criteria are as follows:

Applicants who are already serving as lifelong or permanent officers cannot apply for the scheme.
Applicants exceeding the age limit cannot apply for the scheme.

Application Process

Interested and eligible applicants can apply for the Agnipath Scheme by following the steps mentioned below in detail:

Step 1: Please fill out the application form through the official websites of the Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force.
Step 2: Candidates need to clear physical fitness tests, written exams, and medical assessments.
Step 3: If selected, they are enrolled as Agniveers and then undergo rigorous training before getting posted.

Required Documents

Applicants need to submit certain supporting documents to successfully apply for the govt. scheme. The list of documents is as follows:

Challenges Of The Agnipath Yojana

Despite the benefits of the Agnipath Scheme, it has been under the light of controversy due to various reasons such as:

Job insecurity: Only 25% of Agniveers are offered full-time positions after completing their 4 years of service which leaves the rest. i.e. 75% of the Agniveers with doubt and uncertain futures.
Limited military experience: The people have been arguing that 4 years is a very short duration of time wherein proper expertise cannot be attained.
Social adjustments: After 4 years of service, it is harder for the Agniveers to get back into civilian life which serves as one of the biggest challenges for them.

Conclusion

The Agnipath Yojana is a bold initiative taken by the government of India to keep the Indian armed forces up with the time demands and embrace a flexible recruitment process.

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