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A nodal department to help ex-agniveers find jobs, study, upskill
The central government has given the state department in the home ministry the responsibility of coordinating support for ex-agniveers—youth who complete their four-year service under the Agnipath military scheme, a statement said on Tuesday.
The decision, notified through an amendment to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, makes the department responsible for ensuring ex-agniveers get structured help in finding employment, pursuing education, or acquiring new skills to transition into civilian life.
Since the scheme was launched in 2022, around 46,000 young people have been recruited each year into the army, navy, and the air force. They serve for four years, after which only 25% are retained. The rest must return to civilian life.
While several ministries have offered training, recruitment drives, or skilling programmes, there was no single department in charge of tying all these efforts together.
'With this change, the department of states will now work with state governments, private companies, and other ministries to ensure that ex-agniveers are not left on their own,' said a government official.
It will also help bring better coordination and faster delivery of benefits, especially as the first batch of agniveers is due to complete service later this year, this official said on the condition of anonymity.
'The ministry has already informed industry bodies in a recent meeting. It wants to ensure ex-agniveers are smoothly guided into jobs or education,' the official added.
The Agnipath scheme had faced criticism over job uncertainty for those not selected for permanent roles. This new step is expected to ease those concerns and shows the government is getting serious about the next phase of the scheme.
