The Union Cabinet has approved a major change to the Agnipath scheme: Agniveers who are not selected for regular service after their first four years will be offered a second engagement of two more years, after which they can be considered again for enrolment as regular soldiers. The decision was taken on November 4 and announced by Chief of Defence Staff General N.S. Raja Subramani at a briefing in New Delhi, according to a Press Information Bureau release reported by The Indian Express, CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol.

Source: Press Information Bureau via The Indian Express

Under the scheme as launched in June 2022, young recruits join the Army, Navy and Air Force as Agniveers for four years, and 25 per cent of each batch is absorbed into the regular cadre on merit. That 25 per cent provision stays unchanged. What changes is the road for the other 75 per cent, who earlier had to leave after four years with a Seva Nidhi package and a skill certificate.

What the second tour offers

The remaining 75 per cent will be offered the additional two-year engagement based on their willingness. At the end of six years, all Agniveers will be offered enrolment as regular soldiers, subject to their willingness and to meeting selection criteria. General Subramani said the criteria would include physical fitness, adaptability and discipline, and that there should be no pending misconduct or vigilance case. Regular enrolment is a second chance, not a guarantee.

Agniveers taking the extension will get higher remuneration and an enhanced Seva Nidhi package, with the government's contribution rising to 70 per cent for those completing the additional engagement, The Indian Express and Moneycontrol reported from the briefing. A centralised database across the three services has tracked Agniveers' performance, with annual reviews forming part of the assessment, the CDS said.

25%absorbed as regulars after 4 years (unchanged)
75%now offered a 2-year second engagement
6 yearstotal service before the next regular-enrolment chance

The timing matters: the first Agniveer batch is due to complete its four years within weeks. More than 18,000 Agniveers were due to be discharged by December 31 — the Navy cohort finishes on November 21, the Air Force on December 21 and the Army on December 31, CNBC-TV18 reported, citing official sources. The CDS said the proposal came from the three services themselves after a review of the scheme's first years.

Why it matters

The four-year exit was the most contested part of Agnipath since 2022. The second tour does not scrap the original design, but it means no Agniveer batch now faces a hard stop at four years — every recruit gets a pathway, though not a promise, to a regular career.