Centre announces 10% reservation for ex-Agniveers in BSF vacancies; details here 

The Union Home Ministry has announced a 10 per cent reservation for former Agniveers in Border Security Force (BSF) vacancies. The Home Ministry has also relaxed upper-age limit norms depending on the batch they are a part of, according to its recent Gazette notification issued under the relevant sections of the Border Security Force Act, 1968. 

The upper age limit has been relaxed by up to five years for candidates belonging to the maiden batch whereas the upper age bracket for those belonging to the subsequent batches has been relaxed by three years for these vacancies. Not only this but they will also be exempted from physical proficiency test. The notification read, “Ten per cent of the vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers.”

Before this, the Home Ministry had announced 10 per cent vacancies in Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles shall be reserved for Agniveers who are not absorbed in the defence forces. The upper age limit has been relaxed by up to five years for the first batch of former Agniveers and up to three years for the subsequent batches. 

The age limit for recruitment to CAPFs is 18-23 years old but any person who has been enrolled as an Agniveer at 17-22 years of age can be recruited into the CAPFs till 26 years of age. The decision is significant as it incentivises the choice of youths for a short career in the armed forces through a long-term and follow-up career in the Central para-military forces and Assam Rifles. Through this, around 73,000 vacancies in both forces. 

This announcement came after factoring in criticism that the Agniveer scheme provides for absorption of only 25 per cent of the Agniveers in the defence forces upon completion of their four-year stint whereas 75 per cent of them are demobilised. 

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