Agniveer Scheme
Note
Launched in 2022, Agnipath enrolls personnel (Agniveers) in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force for a four-year tenure. After four years, 25% are retained as regular cadre; the remainder receive a Seva Nidhi corpus and priority in paramilitary and state police recruitment. Key policy debates centre on job security, regimental cohesion, pension liability reduction, youth employability, and civil-military relations. Because service conditions differ from those under the respective service Acts, the scheme raises questions about veteran welfare and long-term military readiness.
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Questions on this topic
Consider the following statements regarding the Agnipath scheme and the Seva Nidhi package:
- Under the Agnipath scheme, Agniveers are recruited for an initial four-year tenure, during which 30% of their monthly salary is deducted and deposited into the Agniveer Corpus Fund, with an equal matching contribution from the Government of India.
- After completing their four-year tenure, Agniveers who are not absorbed into the regular cadre receive a monthly pension in addition to the lump-sum Seva Nidhi payout.
- Under the original Agnipath scheme, 25% of Agniveers were to be selected on merit for absorption into regular service after completing the initial four-year tenure.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Seva Nidhi package under Agnipath operates as a contributory retirement-cum-transition fund, where 30% of an Agniveer's monthly salary is deducted and deposited into the Agniveer Corpus Fund, and the Government of India matches this contribution. Statement 2 is incorrect: Agniveers who exit the forces after their tenure do NOT receive any monthly pension or gratuity. They receive only the one-time lump-sum Seva Nidhi payout (approximately ₹11.71 lakh including interest, exempt from income tax). The absence of pension entitlement is one of the defining structural differences between the Agnipath scheme and the pre-existing regular recruitment system. Statement 3 is correct: The 25% absorption of Agniveers into the regular cadre on a merit basis after the four-year tenure was part of the original Agnipath scheme design from 2022, not an innovation introduced in the 2026 revamp. The revamp's new element is the additional two-year engagement route for the remaining 75%.
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