The armed forces are poised to recommend that the government raise the age limit for Agnipath recruits to 23 and retain at least 50% of them after four years of service, according to senior military officials familiar with the matter.
These officials said the proposed modifications are intended to enhance “combat effectiveness.” The Agnipath scheme, introduced two years ago, has faced significant criticism, particularly from aspirants in northern states, and is believed to have contributed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) losing some votes in the recent national election.
The first proposed change is to increase the upper age limit from 21 to 23 to allow graduates to be groomed for technical roles within the three services, said one official. The second proposed change is to increase the retention rate of Agniveers from the current 25% to at least 50%, addressing concerns about potential manpower shortages in specialized areas.
“These changes are essential to bolster combat effectiveness,” said the first official. “The three services used to induct graduates in significant numbers under the legacy recruitment system. Raising the age limit by two years would enable graduates to apply.”
Currently, only individuals aged between 17 and a half and 21 are eligible for the Agnipath scheme, which recruits soldiers for a four-year term, with a provision to retain 25% of them for an additional 15 years. Under the legacy system, applicants aged between 17 and a half and 23 could apply for technical positions, although the upper age limit for general duty was 21.
Soldiers recruited under the legacy system serve for approximately 20 years before retiring in their late 30s with pensions and other benefits, which Agniveers released after four years do not receive.
A low retention rate can result in manpower shortages in critical streams, noted a third official. “If X number of Agniveers are assigned to a particular technical stream and none of them are among the 25% retained, it will create a significant void in those areas. Increasing the retention rate is necessary to prevent this. The scheme must address better management of trained manpower,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the scheme intensified on Thursday after former navy chief Admiral KB Singh criticized the recruitment model, stating it would “degrade the combat effectiveness” of the military. “The only motivation driving Agnipath is reducing the pension bill. The fact that this scheme will degrade combat effectiveness is known to all who understand national security,” Singh wrote on X, responding to a post by another former navy chief, Admiral Arun Prakash.
Singh’s comments are notable because he was involved in discussions on the Agnipath proposal before retiring in November 2021, months before the scheme was announced in June 2022.
Earlier this week, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi released a video featuring the father of an Agniveer who claimed the family had not received compensation from the Centre after his son was killed in a landmine explosion in Naushera, Jammu & Kashmir, in January.
