The Union Cabinet on Wednesday, November 4 approved a two-year 'Second Tour of Duty' for Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme, in what Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani called a significant day for the armed forces and for Agniveers, Jagran Josh reported. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a post on X, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the Cabinet, and said the decision would provide for enrolment of all willing Agniveers as regular soldiers after a tenure of four or six years, subject to the selection criteria.

Source: Jagran Josh

This is a major new development following the earlier position Awaaz Punjab reported: the first batch of about 18,300 Agniveers across the Army, Navy and Air Force was approaching the end of its four-year term and was set to exit from late 2026, with only up to 25 per cent absorbed into the regular cadre on merit and the remaining 75 per cent demobilised with a Seva Nidhi package.

Source: Jagran Josh

25%Agniveers enrolled regular on merit after 4 years
75%Now offered a 2-year Second Tour of Duty
6 yearsMaximum total service under the revised scheme
~18,300First-batch Agniveers immediately covered

Explaining the decision, General Subramani recalled that the Agnipath scheme, introduced on June 14, 2022, provided for continuous performance assessment and periodic reviews, and said feedback on the performance of Agniveers had been 'very positive' as the first batch neared the end of its initial tenure, Northeast Herald (IBNS) reported. The extension is intended to give Agniveers an additional opportunity to remain associated with the armed forces rather than return to civilian life immediately after four years.

Source: Northeast Herald / IBNS

Agniveers who take the extension will get enhanced emoluments, the CDS said at the briefing — the point carried in the wire headline 'Agniveers getting extensions will get enhanced emoluments: CDS'. Under the revised framework, continued service beyond four years is voluntary, and after the extended period those who wish to continue will be considered for regular enrolment through an objective selection process, both reports said.

Source: Northeast Herald / IBNS

What happens next: the services are expected to issue the detailed service conditions, the exact enhanced pay structure and the objective selection criteria for regular enrolment after four or six years. Those details had not been published at the time of the announcement.

Source: Jagran Josh