On July 27, 2026, the SSB, the guarding force along the Nepal and Bhutan borders, notified new recruitment rules for ‘Constable (General Duty)’ posts.
After the Border Security Force (BSF), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has notified that 50% vacancies in the rank of Constables will be reserved for ex-Agniveers.
Although recruitment to the Army does not include caste-based reservations, the SSB stated that the existing quota for various categories, including Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) would be applicable.
On Monday (July 27, 2026), the SSB, the guarding force along the Nepal and Bhutan borders, notified new recruitment rules for ‘Constable (General Duty)’ posts.
So far, the BSF and SSB have notified 50% reservation for ex-Agniveers. The other Central forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Assam Rifles are yet to notify changes in their recruitment policies.
The first batch of Agniveers will be retired by the end of 2026.
Under the revised framework, half of all vacancies in a recruitment year in the SSB will continue to be filled through direct recruitment. Within this quota, specific reservations have been maintained for ex-servicemen (10%), remustered personnel (2.5%), and sportspersons (5%). If suitable candidates are not available under these categories, the vacancies may be filled via deputation or re-employment, and ultimately through direct recruitment.
The most notable change is that the remaining 50% of vacancies will be reserved exclusively for ex-Agniveers. To implement this, recruitment will take place in two phases. In the first phase, a designated nodal force will conduct a special recruitment drive to fill the vacancies earmarked for ex-Agniveers, in line with directions issued by the Central government.
If any of the seats meant for ex-Agniveers remain vacant after the first phase, they will not be left unfilled. Instead, in the second phase, they will be added to the remaining vacancies and filled through an Open Competitive Examination conducted under the existing recruitment provisions. This ensures that all available positions are ultimately filled while maintaining opportunities for ex-Agniveers.
On July 21, 2026, the Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha that the government had created a new category of ‘Ex-Agniveer’ in the recruitments to the post of Constable (General Duty)/ Rifleman in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles, reserving 50% of vacancies for ex-Agniveers, and exempting them from physical tests and written exams.
The Agnipath recruitment policy announced in 2022 met with violent protests and was among the major issues that drew attention during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Following the protests, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced that 10% of all vacancies in the CAPFs would be reserved for armed forces recruits who had completed four years of service under the Agnipath scheme. The government also announced age relaxation of five years in the recruitment of the first batch of Agniveers, and of three years for subsequent batches.
Published – July 28, 2026 11:02 pm IST
