Though exempted from Physical Standard Test and Physical Efficiency Test, the notification suggests that the ex-Agniveers will have to appear for written examinations like other regular candidates.
| Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR
Months before the first batch of Agniveers retires from service, the Union Home Ministry has decided to enhance reservation for ex-Agniveers in the Group C posts of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) from the existing 10% to 50%, a senior government official told The Hindu.
On Friday (December 19, 2025), the Ministry notified that 50% vacant constable posts in the Border Security Force (BSF) will be reserved for ex-Agniveers. Though exempted from Physical Standard Test and Physical Efficiency Test, the notification suggests that the ex-Agniveers will have to appear for written examinations like other regular candidates.
The official said that the recruitment rules for Group C posts of all CAPFs will be amended gradually in the coming days. This is a significant shift from Ministry’s earlier decision to implement 10% reservation for the temporary recruits of the armed forces in the CAPFs.
The recruitment policy announced in 2022 was met with violent protests and was one of the major issues during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Following protests, the Ministry announced that 10% of all vacancies in the CAPFs will be reserved for the armed forces recruits who have completed four years of service under the Agnipath scheme. It also announced five years age relaxation in recruitment for the first batch and three years age relaxation for subsequent batches. The first batch of Agniveers will be eligible for recruitment in the CAPFs in 2026.
On Friday, the Ministry notified the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, (Amendment) Rules, 2025, with new provisions. The amended Rules say, “By direct recruitment (including fifty per cent vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers in every recruitment year, ten per cent from ex-Servicemen and up to three per cent for absorption of annual vacancy amongst Combatised Constable (Tradesmen).”
“In the first phase, the recruitment shall be conducted by the Nodal Force for fifty per cent vacancies earmarked for ex-Agniveers” and “in the second phase, recruitment shall be conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for candidates other than ex-Agniveers for the remaining forty-seven per cent (including ten per cent ex-Servicemen) for the vacancies along with the unfilled vacancies of ex-Agniveers in a specific category in the first stage”, it said.
For absorption in the rank of constables from among the Combatised Constable (Tradesmen) of the BSF, the age criteria have been relaxed from existing 30 to 35 years, and the minimum service period has been increased from three to five years. The upper age limit for deputation to other forces has been increased from existing 52 years of age to 56 years.
The CAPFs comprise the Central industrial Security Force, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal and the Assam Rifles.
Published – December 20, 2025 12:12 am IST
