MHA announces 10 per cent reservation in CISF for Former Agniveers

The 10 percent reservation for former Agniveers in vacancies in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Union home ministry has announced a week after it notified a similar quota for them in the BSF.

The announcement was made through a notification after amending the rules made under the Central Industrial Security Force Act, of 1968, (50 of 1968).

‘The upper age limit shall be relaxable up to five years for candidates of the first batch of former Agniveers and up to three years for candidates of other batches, and will also be exempted from the physical efficiency test’  said the ministry.

The Centre had on June 14 last year unveiled the ambitious Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youths aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 in the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis. Those recruited under the scheme are known as Agniveers.

After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 percent of the recruits from each batch will be offered regular service. Those who join the armed forces even at the upper age limit of 21 years under the Agnipath scheme can be recruited by the CISF till the age of 30 after four years of service in the Army, the Air Force,e or the Navy in the case of the first batch and till 28 years for the subsequent batches.

The home ministry’s decision for the absorption of Agniveers into paramilitary forces is significant as it will help the former Agniveers get employment opportunities till the age of retirement.