Indian Railways offers 10 per cent reservation to spur Agniveers

The country’s largest employer, Indian Railways, has decided to offer 10-per cent horizontal reservation in level 1 and a 5-per cent quota in level 2 and above non-gazetted posts to Agniveers against the direct recruitment quota, sources said on Thursday.
This will be in the nature of horizontal reservation as in the case of PwBD, ex-servicemen and CCAAs. The Agniveers will also be given an exemption from the physical efficiency test, the sources said.
They will be given age relaxations — five years for the first batch of Agniveers and three years for the subsequent batches — over and above the existing age limit prescribed for different communities for level-1, level-2 and above non-gazetted posts.
The sources said the Railway Board has issued letters to all general managers, asking them to provide these relaxations and facilities in recruitment by railway recruiting agencies (railway recruitment boards and railway recruitment cells) for such posts to those Agniveers who have successfully completed four years in the armed forces.
Under the Agnipath scheme unveiled by the Centre last year for recruitment into the armed forces, after the completion of four years, 25 per cent of the youngsters will be absorbed in the forces but the remaining 75 per cent will be demobilised with an exit package.
Many central ministries as well as state governments and industry bodies have offered reservation in jobs to Agniveers.
The railways has now come up with its own plan to help them.
The Agniveers who have successfully completed the service period of four years can apply with documentary proof against the centralised employment notifications issued by the railway recruiting agencies for recruitment of staff from the open market against the two pay grades.