Agniveers’ Tenure Extended To 6 Years: CDS Announces Major Agnipath Overhaul, 2-Year Extension For Those Not Retained

CDS General NS Raja Subramani announced the Agnipath revamp at a Cabinet briefing, with the first batch of Agniveers due to exit from November 21

PGurus Newsdesk

November 4, 2026

The Centre has extended Agniveers’ tenure from four to six years, offering the 75 per cent not retained an additional two-year engagement, the CDS announced

CDS said willing Agniveers will be considered for enrolment in the Armed Forces after the extended tenure

The Centre on Wednesday extended the service tenure of Agniveers from four to six years under a revised Agnipath framework, offering an additional two-year engagement to those who do not secure regular enrolment in the Armed Forces after their first four years.

Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani announced the decision at a Cabinet briefing, describing it as a significant change to the existing recruitment scheme.

Under the current provision, 25 per cent of Agniveers are enrolled into the regular forces on merit after four years, while the remaining 75 per cent are released. Under the revised framework, those not selected for regular service will be offered a further two-year engagement. At the end of the extended six-year tenure, those willing to continue will be considered for enrolment in the Armed Forces, subject to objective selection criteria, the CDS said.

General Subramani said the updated scheme has four major aspects, but the reports available so far set out only the extension, the 25 per cent merit-based retention and the enrolment of willing candidates after two more years.

The first batches are about to complete their tenure. The first batch of Agniveers will exit service on November 21. Around 2,100 Agniveers were inducted into the Indian Navy in that batch, and roughly 550, or nearly 25 per cent, have been absorbed under the retention policy. The remaining Agniveers had been scheduled to exit after four years but will now be offered the two-year extension.

The first batches in the Indian Air Force and the Army were also due to complete their four-year engagement by December 31. More than 18,000 Agniveers across the three services had been expected to leave by the end of the year. Following the announcement, those not retained will be offered the additional two years.

The Agnipath scheme was introduced by the Government of India in 2022 to change the recruitment process in the Armed Forces. Agniveers receive a customised monthly package of Rs 30,000 in the first year, rising to Rs 40,000 in the fourth year. Of this, 70 per cent is paid as monthly in-hand salary and 30 per cent goes into the Agniveer Corpus Fund, with an equivalent contribution from the government.

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