Jaibans Singh
Rally in Jalandhar, Punjab, for recruitment of Agniveer’s
The Agnipath scheme, launched by the Government of India in June 2022, was a transformative shift in military recruitment. It heralded as a bold step toward restructuring the armed forces with a view to enhancing their operational effectiveness. The scheme selects, at the national level, recruits called “Agniveer” for service with the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Air Force and Navy) in a manner that marked a significant departure from traditional recruitment methods.
The new scheme elicited the expected stringent response from the political opposition of the country. Agitation was witnessed in various parts of the Nation. In some instances, it degenerated into violence. The government, however, remained firm and the scheme was implemented. A few batches of Agniveers have already been selected and trained and are serving in their units.
The number of applicants has increased every year since the launch of the scheme in 2022 thus indicating considerable acceptability. In the 2024-25 cycle, 12.8 lakh youth, including men and women, applied for the highly competitive selection process. This was a nearly 10 percent increase from the 11.3 lakh applicants in 2023. The figures for the 2025-26 cycle have not been released as yet, however, the results of the initial rallies are indicating a huge surge. The desired intake levels have been achieved in totality.
Martial Tradition of Punjab
Punjab has a well-established martial tradition that made it a large and preferred recruitment base for the British Indian Army. Post-independence, the state remained steadfast in maintaining its martial practice. In the Indian Army, Punjab has a strength of roughly eight percent soldiers which is second only to Uttar Pradesh which is five times the size of Punjab.
The British Indian Army maintained a tradition of pure caste based units manned by what it had identified as the martial races of India. This system continues to be followed by the Indian Army, of course, with the creation of all class composition units alongside.
There are many units and subunits of the Indian army that have a pure Sikh composition. The most significant is the Sikh Regiment that constitutes a pure Jat Sikh composition while the Sikh LI constitutes a pure Mazhabi Sikh composition. This apart there are many subunits of the Armoured Corps, the artillery and Engineers that have a pure Sikh composition. These units have a rich legacy of valour and are very proud and possessive about their identity.
Impact of Agnipath Scheme in Punjab
The initiation of the Agnipath scheme was not well received in Punjab. The prospect of being without a job after four years caused a sense of insecurity that was aggravated by political parties opposed to the centre. The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution in June 2022, urging the central government to roll back the Agnipath scheme. Political leaders, including the chief minister of Punjab, voiced strong criticism, arguing that the scheme was detrimental for the future of the Punjabi youth.
The end result was a sharp decline in the recruitment levels from the state. The first recruitment drive for the Agnipath scheme in Punjab witnessing a lukewarm response while also facing significant opposition and resentment. Reports in 2024 also continued to note a fall in the number of candidates going to the Army recruitment rallies after the scheme’s introduction.
The reduction in recruitment levels of Sikhs caused alarm bells to ring in military circles and especially the units that have a pure Sikh composition as they stared at the prospect of not getting enough recruits to maintain their distinct identity. It was under these circumstances that veterans of the Sikh units, especially those from the Sikh regiment, took it upon themselves to motivate the youth to join the noble profession of arms.
Propagation of Agnipath Scheme by Veterans
Cutting across ranks these veterans from Lieutenant Generals who have served as Colonels of the Sikh regiment to the havildars and below started mass contact programs in their villages. The most active were the veteran junior commissioned officers (JCO’s) who hold a position of great respect in the Army hierarchy. The direction was [provided by the officer cadre.
These veterans first carried out interaction with the youth as well as elders of the village and attempted to remove apprehensions about the Agnipath scheme. Then they started conducting training to prepare the potential candidates for the tough competitive process.
Members of a welfare organisation called Global Punjabi Association also joined hands with the veterans in the attempt to spread awareness about the benefits of the Agnipath scheme.
Fortunately, the recruitment policy was amended to include Punjabi as a language in which the written examination could be taken. This came as a big relief for the Punjabi youth who found it difficult to write the written examination in English/Hindi. The veterans helped the potential candidates adapt to the Punjabi language in attempting the written examination. The end result was that the number of candidates who passed the written examination doubled in the 2025-26 recruitment cycle.
Then started the urgent process to ensure maximum success in the physical and medical tests. Grounds were found to train the boys; medical tests were conducted to ensure that there was not rejection for medical conditions that could be resolved.
Passing out Parade of Agniveer’s at Sikh Regimental Centre, Ramgarh, Jharkhand
The Tide Turns in Punjab
The efforts of the veterans have paid handsome dividends. The recruitment figures for the 2025-26 cycles have not been declared. However, news reports indicate a 100 percent surge in registrations for recruitment rallies in certain districts like Ludhiana, Moga, Rupnagar, Anandpur Sahib and Mohali, suggesting high interest among the youth and effective implementation on the ground. The Army recruitment establishments in Punjab have commented that the response is “encouraging as per trends of previous years.” This is music to the ears of the Punjabis.
In a delightful turn of events, the Sikh Regimental Centre in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, has reported almost complete filling up of the vacancies for the training cycle of 2025 -26. The centre has received such a large number of recruits, now called Agniveers, or the first time in many years, especially post the Covid period. There was a time when the strength went down to less than 50 percent.
It is a matter of great joy for Punjab that the negativity surrounding the Agnipath scheme has finally been set aside and the youth are coming forward to maintain the martial tradition of their forefathers.
This marks a shift from earlier concerns and hesitations regarding the scheme’s provisions, particularly the lack of pension benefits and the uncertainty about the future of the 75 percent Agniveers who would not be retained in the permanent cadre. A lot of credit goes to the Army veterans who put in the extra effort to ensure a change of heart.
Mid-Course corrections of Agnipath Scheme
The Agnipath scheme, initially planned for a total recruitment of approximately 175,000 Agniveers across all three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) in its first four years (until the end of 2025).
All recruitment in the Indian Armed Forces is now being carried out under the Agnipath scheme. Enrolment is on ‘All India All Class’ basis. The Agniveers are contracted to serve for four years which includes a training period of six months. They start with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000/- which will go up to Rs 40,000/- in the fourth year. One-third of the wage will go into the Agniveer Corpus Fund, with an equal contribution by the government. At the end of four years, an accumulated amount of Rs 11.71 lakh would be paid to each Agniveer who is released from the contract.
In addition, a non-contributory life insurance cover of Rs 48 lakh is being provided for the duration of the engagement. The Union Education Ministry has launched a special bachelor’s degree programme for Agniveers through the medium of distance education from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
After four years, 25 percent of Agniveers will be retained and the balance will be released. Those released will get support from the government and other civilian establishments for their settlement, if they so desire. Individuals selected for permanent service would be required to serve for a further engagement period of a minimum of 15 years.
The Union Government has made it clear in several forums that it is open to changes in the Agnipath scheme if deemed necessary. The Department of Military Affairs (DMA), under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), had already called for and received feedback on the scheme from the three services. The process for identifying mid-course corrections is underway.
The Army, on its part, is planning to double the intake of Agniveers from the current 50,000 to 100,000 a year in order to address the shortage of soldiers that it is facing. There is also a possibility that the retention levels will increase from the existing norm of 25 percent to as high as 75 percent.
The central government has announced an increase in the quota for ex-Agniveers in CAPF constable posts, including BSF, from 10% to 50%. First-batch of ex-Agniveers will get a five year age relaxation. The subsequent batches will get a three-year relaxation. In the selection process, Agniveers will be exempt from undertaking physical efficiency tests. The first batch of Agniveers will become eligible for CAPF recruitment in 2026, with the new rules applicable.
Concluding Remarks
The key advantage of the Agnipath scheme is that it gives an opportunity to the Agniveers to serve their country without committing to a long-term career in the military. It also offers a competitive financial package after the four-year basic service, which can be used for further education or starting a business.
Despite these, the scheme has faced criticism for its potential impact on the post-service career prospects of Agniveers and the absence of pension benefits. It is a matter of great satisfaction that the insecurities have been set-aside, especially so in sensitive regions like Punjab. The willingness of the government to carry out a reassessment of the scheme and carry out modification to meet the aspirations of the youth is also a welcome step in the right direction.
Many veterans, including this columnist, have interacted with serving officers informally to get feedback on the applicability of the scheme. An overwhelming positive feedback is being received. On joining their units post the training period, Agniveers are found to be above average in basic parameters like drill, physical fitness, weapons handling and technical skills. They also maintain good turnout, discipline and high morale.
It can be said with a great degree of confidence that the Agnipath scheme, if applied with sensitivity, has the potential of emerging as a force multiplier in laying a strong foundation of Nation building. It would be best to welcome the scheme and facilitate its application in a positive environment and with an open mind.