A trial by fire

Agniveer Vayu (air) cadets helped to operate the Indian Air Force’s missile systems that were extensively used. The Indian Navy, which had a carrier battle group on standby in the Arabian Sea, also had Agniveer sailors aboard.

All these cadets came from Agnipath, a unique experiment that could benefit the country but whose success hinges on both government clarity and acceptance by the armed forces, neither of which exists in full measure, Blueprint’s reporting, based on interviews with defence and government sources, Agniveer cadets, and military and paramilitary veterans, shows.

After the cabinet approved the policy in June 2022, a Ministry of Defence media statement described it as a “transformative reform” that would make India’s armed forces more youthful and technology-savvy. Since then, each year, batches, between the ages of 17.5 and 21, have enrolled into the three services for four-year tenures.

A regular entry into the armed forces (soldier and common officer) covers the 17.5-25 age range. India, like China, does not have mandatory military service for citizens unlike Singapore or Israel, among other countries.

The first batch of more than 43,000 Agniveer cadets is set to complete its service later this year. The army, the navy and the air force will release the merit and the exit lists soon. Only 25 per cent will remain, as mandated by the policy. The rest will be let go with a tax-exempted final settlement of ~11.71 lakh ($12,210) for each cadet. A selected cadet can opt out of a service if the person wishes, paving the way for a wait-listed candidate.

This is also where the defence ministry’s role in the process largely ends.

In July, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced a 50 per cent reservation for exiting cadets in two entry-level posts in a paramilitary unit and the Central armed police forces (CAPFs), which the ministry oversees. State governments, too, could absorb them in local law enforcement but such decisions are voluntary under India’s federal system.

The policy has been mired in controversy — protests, court cases over monetary compensation and political mudslinging.

Many interviewees spoke on the condition of anonymity, owing to the sensitivity of the subject. The Indian Army had not responded to questions by press time.

Of the first batch, within 40,000 cadets are in the army, and about 3,000 each in the navy and the air force. The army will retain almost 10,000, and the navy and the air force about 750 each. In theory, about 34,500 cadets, who will leave the services later this year, can join the paramilitary, the police, and public and private defence companies, and other workplaces.

But potential hirers face a question: How to use skillsets acquired in the armed forces in non-defence settings, including civilian work?

Some military veterans say the central government should issue clear guidelines on Agniveer rehabilitation that states and enterprises can be urged to follow. But government sources say the policy “should evolve organically” from within the armed forces. That has not happened yet.

Those selected for enrolment in the armed forces as regular cadre would be required to serve at least 15 more years and be governed by the existing terms and conditions of service of junior commissioned officers or other ranks in the Indian Army and their equivalent in the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force (but in non-combat roles in the air force). The selection would be the exclusive jurisdiction of the armed forces, according to a central government notification of 2022.

Enrolment is initiated online through a centralised system for the three services, and fitness tests are conducted at designated sites later. Age criteria aside, induction is open to male and female candidates with a minimum school education. For instance, a potential cadet must complete Grade 10 to apply for a general-duty soldier rank in the army. The policy envisages that the average age profile of the armed forces would be reduced by 4-5 years in the future.

While the methods are different in the army, the navy and the air force, the initial training of all Agniveer cadets lasts for a few months, followed by advanced training in particular fields, depending on their aptitude and the professional requirements of the three services, military sources said.

“They work like regulars for four years and undergo internal assessments before a merit list is drawn up,” a source said.

Advanced training is essential in the navy and the air force because they have more technical roles, and make greater use of technology. The army has its own technical and technology-related training. So far, the Agniveer programme has been mostly useful in meeting the army’s demand for personnel. India has the world’s second-largest standing army (1.4-1.5 million) after China (2 million). “The focus of this policy is to optimise the army for employment,” another source said.

The policy was announced by both civilian and military leaders. But some of the interviews revealed that their views may not be fully aligned today. The fixed four-year service term and the 25 per cent retention rate are policy areas where military planners seem to differ, and even within the services.

The requirements of the navy and the air force are quite different from those of the army, especially with the nature of warfare changing. The policy announcement itself was premised on the need to build a “tech-savvy armed forces”. 

The initial training period of Agniveer sailors, for instance, can last from four to six months. Although simulators are used during training, it takes time to understand the workings of naval ships, which is difficult to achieve in just four years. And, if only 750 cadets are selected from 3,000, does the programme really benefit the navy? Or, the air force? Such questions have surfaced from inside the armed forces. 

Veterans say someone who has to work on a highly specialised ship or aircraft needs a lot of training. Moving on isn’t an optimum use of either party’s time (the trainer and the trainee). Besides, with technology skills evolving, the training is not a one-time learning experience.

Government sources say the training is provided by the armed forces’ existing infrastructure, so resources are not wasted, and the exiting cadets, especially those with naval and air force training, have a better shot at jobs than others without it.

Some media reports earlier said the navy and the air force were mulling an increase in the number of selected cadets. But military and government sources both denied any official request has been made by the three services to hike the retention rates. 

 “What’s the long-term impact on military professionalism?” Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda (retired), former commander of the Indian Army’s Northern Command, said, adding that the 25 per cent retention ceiling isn’t pragmatic.

“Because ultimately, you need experienced soldiers and technicians in the military.”

Hooda also said so many people leaving the service each year would affect the armed forces’ ethos and work culture that are built on a strong sense of belonging.

The army’s Agniveer induction numbers are much higher than those of the other two services, but the exiting numbers are greater, too. Their resettlement might be tougher, sources said.

According to an estimate, which Blueprint was unable to independently verify, of the almost 40,000 cadets in the army’s first Agniveer batch, some 2,000 or fewer likely received full arms training. While Agniveer cadets in general develop an understanding of weapons, the so-called gunners are the ones with artillery training. Some cadets are posted to border areas for patrolling; others have been trained in maintaining advanced military hardware, logistics, supplies and account-keeping, as well as in support roles such as chefs and gardeners.

But postings along the border need specialist training, said Hooda, something that increases the workload of the army in operational areas.

The length of service is another concern. One defence source asked, “Even if the personnel requirement is met at different levels, what about the seniority that you would expect to reach after some time if you retire in 15 years?”

In its present form, the programme effectively cuts off service years in which someone could get promoted to, say, a supervisory role, the source explained, adding that regular employment in the forces would mean 30-33 years of service, on average, so a minimum of 15 years of service is needed.

Finding replacements at some levels would be difficult if there’s a constant churn. As it is, each year, some 60,000 regular personnel retire from the three services.

The Indian armed forces have more than one joining option. The short-service commission is a contractual engagement whereby people serve for an initial fixed term of 10 years, which can be extended by four years. A permanent commission, on the other hand, enables a person to serve until retirement or up to 40 years. An Agniveer cadet could serve for 15 years if confirmed, but the first four years of the programme don’t count for pension, similar to those who leave. 

In general, military personnel below officer rank do not qualify for lifelong pension unless they have served at least 15 years and commissioned officers at least 20 years.

Now, senior serving officers appear to have the task of making the Agnipath policy work — or get it reformed for structural reasons, some of the interviews suggest.

Agniveer cadets literally wear the name tag at work. The rank is distinct from other existing ranks in the Indian armed forces.

Many cadets join the programme right after school, without college education. Some come from poor families. Once enrolled, they undergo rigorous training at regiments or designated sites of the three services alongside regular recruits, most of whom also enrol young.

Agniveer cadets who joined after completing Grade 10 would be given an equivalent certificate of Grade 12 after four years of service, based on the skills acquired.

In the first year, Agniveer cadets earn a take-home salary of ~21,000 per month, which, on paper, is not too far from the entry-level permanent cadre salary, with similar food, lodging, uniform and other expenses provided by the services. But, as the years go by, the cadre is much better placed financially than the Agniveer cadet. The cadets get 30 days of annual leave, the cadre can get up to 90 days.

All leaves are cancelled, irrespective of recruitment or rank, during contingencies or conflicts such as last year’s Operation Sindoor.

An Agniveer army cadet, who is posted near the western border, said his working hours are long and sometimes uneven, which, he added, could be because he is the junior- most in age or rank there. The cadet, who joined the programme in 2022, said he supports his family financially, which means having to save as much as possible from his salary. 

The policy gives risk and hardship allowances to the cadets, as applicable in the services.

Since the start of the programme, at least 24 cadet deaths, owing to different factors, including by alleged suicide, have been reported in the media. No cumulative number has been released.

According to the official guidelines of the army, death categories are Z for combat or terrorist attacks; Y attributable to service or accidents, even during training; and X natural causes. Monetary compensation for deaths on duty under Y and Z, are a

non-contributory insurance of Rs 48 lakh, an ex gratia payment of Rs 44 lakh, and full pay for the unserved period of up to four years. Standard military protocols are followed for cadet funerals, barring deaths by suicide or self-inflicted injuries.

The cadet said he knew life in the military was tough, and signed up for it, but he had hoped the government would address concerns raised by the cadets earlier.

“There has been no change.”

He said he wanted the retention cap to be raised. But with no official word on this, and as the four years draw to a close, he and others from the first batch have started to mentally prepare themselves for the road ahead.   

“As everyone knows, only 25 per cent can be retained, so naturally there is a sense of competition among us,” he said. “We want to stay but we are also aware that most of our batchmates will eventually have to leave.”

He expressed anxiety about the future: “I don’t know for certain what work I will do if I am not retained.”

An Agniveer sailor, who joined the programme in 2023 and has served on a naval ship in the Arabian Sea for three months, said he received an initial basic training on INS Chilka, the Indian Navy’s training platform for new sailors and Agniveer cadets located on the shores of a lake in Odisha. After that, he underwent advanced training before his deployment.

“I still have one year of service left. I have not made up my mind about whether I will continue,” he said, adding that parts of his experience were memorable. 

He spoke of the same competitiveness among his peers as the army cadet did before him. “We all know that there is a cap on how many can be absorbed, so naturally everyone is conscious of their performance and where they stand.”

An Agniveer Vayu cadet, who has been posted in the southwestern region after completing her initial training, said learning and adapting to changes during the training are important parts of the induction. She joined last year.

“You come into the service with the understanding that you have four years to learn and prove yourself,” she said, adding that the cadets have limited time to acquire military skills, become familiar with the units they are posted in and gain operational experience.

Another Vayu cadet, who joined in 2022 and is serving in the western region, said his initial training lasted six months before the advanced and on-the-job training began.

“By the time we work in the units, we already have considerable training. But the differences in income and benefits are two things that are important for the mental well-being of soldiers. We are not given additional emoluments that normal soldiers get, and we are entitled to only 30 days of leave,” he said.

“Normal soldiers go on leave for an average 60 to 90 days. When you notice that difference while doing similar work, it does affect you.” 

Under the terms and conditions of service, Agniveer cadets and those exiting  are not eligible for pension or gratuity, neither the contributory health programme for military veterans or the defence ministry-run welfare retail network that provides consumer goods at concessional, tax-exempted rates. Former cadets do not qualify for veteran status. These were notified at the start of the programme in June 2022.

The cadet said even though he lives in service accommodation, and gets food and clothing, the occasional weekend outings or hometown trips can cost him almost his full salary.

“Compared to the risks and the working hours, it’s peanuts,” he said of his take-home salary, which is Rs 28,000 in the fourth year of the programme.

The salary changes incrementally each year for four years.

He said, in his current role, he is unable to take the Army Cadet College (ACC) test that enables serving soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen from regular ranks to become commissioned officers in the Indian Army by attending the military school in Dehradun.

Agniveer cadets cannot apply to the ACC while serving their contractual four years but they can after being confirmed.

He said he is unlikely to stay on even if he makes the merit list this year.

According to the Indian Army’s terms and conditions of service for Agniveer cadets, leave, uniform, pay and allowances during the four years go by Central government orders. 

The cadets are also “liable to be assigned any duty in organisational interest, as decided from time to time” by the forces.

Major General Ranjan Mahajan (retired) wrote in a paper published by a New Delhi-based defence think tank that “fierce competition for the 25 per cent retention pool” might not sit easy with the team spirit and morale of the armed forces.

Another issue is assessment. Historically, the permanent cadre have been assessed through standard yearly confidential reports and periodic proficiency tests — no intense checks until they reach the rank of a non-commissioned officer that takes at least seven or eight years. But Agniveer cadets, because of the 25 per cent cut-off mandate, are evaluated frequently through their four-year tenure, which also adds to the administrative workload of field commanders.

The systemic differences between regular recruits and Agniveer cadets could lead to a sense of alienation, a military source said.

When referring to exiting cadets, the policy announcement, after the cabinet nod, had listed “the availability of well-disciplined and skilled youth with military ethos in civil society” among the advantages of Agnipath.

By the end of the year, more than 32,250 cadets will face a question at the heart of the programme: What happens to those who don’t make it?

The home ministry’s 50 per cent reservation of vacancies are for the post of general-duty constable or rifleman/riflewoman in the CAPFs and the Assam Rifles paramilitary force, respectively. Both are basic ranks with ground-based responsibilities that include public security, border patrol, counterinsurgency, law enforcement and VIP protection.

Apart from a relaxation in the age limit, former cadets selected for this position need not take the written exam and two physical tests — concessions that would make it easier for them to get a job that they otherwise would have to compete for. But conversely, they might feel, or be seen as, overqualified after spending four years in the military. How the concessions help will also depend on which CAPF a former Agniveer cadet is being recruited to.

More importantly, the job requirements are different, interviewees said.  

A reservation of vacancies does not automatically translate to 50 per cent jobs. That will rely on actual openings and reservations. For instance, while the armed forces follow an “all-India,

all-class” approach when enrolling Agniveer cadets, the CAPFs and Assam Rifles will have to comply with the caste-based reservation system. In addition, a former cadet will be eligible for the job only if the reservation category matches, and meets the overall intra-quota percentages.

Fourteen years before Agnipath, a government committee set up to study the lateral entry of retired soldiers into the CAPFs had turned down such recommendations by a group of ministers, citing the perceived incompatibility of training, and the distinct ethos of the military and police forces.

Former Agniveer cadets who join the CAPFs “would come from an organisation that has a much bigger role and a much more important role, and they might find it difficult to adjust”, S K Sood, former additional director general, Border Security Force (BSF), said.

The CAPFs comprise the BSF, along with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force, the Central Reserve Police Force, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the National Security Guard. Assam Rifles is administratively under the home ministry but operationally controlled by the Indian Army.

The BSF patrols the country’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh; SSB with Nepal and Bhutan: and the ITBP is mostly present along the China border.

A “psychological reorientation” for guarding borders, especially in the BSF, would be important, Sood said. “Induct them but emphasise this aspect during the training.”

Going by his opinion, former Agniveer cadets might be expected to undergo re-training or limited training in some CAPFs, although those who have been in combat situations or on the army’s border duty would have substantial prior knowledge.

“My only fear is that once you are trained in a particular set-up, you are like a tree which cannot be replanted elsewhere,” Sanjeev Raina, former additional director general, ITBP, said of organisational allegiances, adding that the picture will become clearer after some batches of former Agniveer cadets join the CAPFs. 

Several states have announced separate job reservations, from 10 to 30 per cent, for exiting Agniveer cadets, in local police forces. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary told the state assembly in February, when he was the state’s home minister, that his government would give preference in recruitment to Agniveer cadets who wish to work in the state police.

Four years ago, Bihar was the epicentre of protests after the Agnipath policy was announced, with agitators setting fire to train coaches in more than 15 districts. Some of the fears — short-term military recruitment potentially replacing permanent jobs and pensions — remain today.

In January, the Maharashtra government formed a study group, headed by Colonel Deepak Thonge (retired), to recommend Agniveer rehabilitation in the state’s public and private sectors. The state’s 2,839 cadets from the first batch will complete their service tenure in the months ahead. In late September, the state announced it would absorb former cadets into its police forces without exams or training.

Speaking of the transition from military service to policing, a senior police officer in Madhya Pradesh said many veterans have successfully worked with the state police in the past. Training on civil and criminal law will be needed when the Agniveer cadets join the police.

Captain Sarabjeet Singh Parmar (retired), a former naval officer, said military training cannot simply be transferred to law enforcement duties: “A degree of reorientation is required.”

In his paper on the Agniveer programme, Mahajan, who retired from the Indian Army the year the policy was launched, has identified career progression as a major concern for 75 per cent of the cadets. He wrote that quotas announced by the Central and state governments and the private sector do not, by themselves, remove the uncertainty over employment.

Parmar described the coming months as “a litmus test” for the Central and the state governments: “How do you absorb them?”

Other veterans say the idea behind the programme was to have a younger-age profile, especially in the army, which has become top-heavy with a large middle rung. The programme could have worked out better and “found a niche of its own”. It still can if the Central government directs the states or companies on how they should use the skillsets of those who have been trained but not retained. An Agniveer cadet will be agile, more experienced and highly skilled to work in other organisations, including the CAPFs.

“This is not a military issue; the states should not have a decision dilemma” about employing them, they said.

“If the first lot is absorbed, the programme will stabilise.” Exiting Agniveer cadets are likely to get reemployed in aviation companies and shipyards, as well as workplaces where, for instance, certification of equipment is done or specialised vehicles are tested. They will find jobs in defence manufacturing, research and academics, according to military sources.

In March, a report of the parliamentary standing committee on defence said India faces security challenges that are “diverse and intricate”. Recognising this, the Indian Army has designated 2022-32 as its decade of transformation. The committee said the army’s personnel shortage would be met progressively through the Agniveer programme until optimised.

Over the past four years, the central government has capped the number of such posts at 175,000.

Hooda said restructuring from within might help to tackle the shortage. The initial exits (in annual batches) will occur when the army is already trying to cope with recruitment gaps from the pandemic years and the growing demand for personnel.

“What will happen to the military over time, with experienced personnel leaving in large numbers?”

Parmar said the Agnipath policy will not address the personnel shortfall because “you are going to lose them every four years”. Potential cadets would be discouraged, he said, if suitable jobs are not available even after four years of military training.

The programme, as it exists today, isn’t seen as contributing to the strategic reserve force. Regular soldiers are legally obliged to report to duty even after retirement in case of a contingency. But that provision does not extend to former Agniveer cadets although the policy’s stated intention is to also bolster civil defence in moments of national crisis.

Many veterans say for the policy to truly benefit the armed forces, a larger percentage of cadets should be retained.

“That to me is the one fundamental thing the government needs to do,” Hooda said.

Although the 2022 announcement did not mention economic goals of the policy, analysts have previously said the Agniveer programme might help reduce defence pensions in the long term. The ministry’s allocation for defence pensions is Rs 1.71 trillion in the current (2026–27) financial year. 

Even so, the economic argument cannot be heard in isolation. 

The programme’s frequent recruitment rallies and dual-training cycles will draw financial resources. The anticipated long-term savings of the defence ministry would have to be measured against both increased short-term expenditure and the armed forces’ modernisation, according to Mahajan’s paper.

He estimated that over a 12-year period (from 2022), some 300,000-350,000 Agniveer cadets would be within their initial four-year service period, when additional training infrastructure, personnel and logistical support would have to be made available.

And, even after that 75 per cent of the cadets would be expected to leave year after year, from the end of this year.

Mahajan told Blueprint that reducing the pension bill is not the government’s policy goal. “It is an outcome.” He said if the recruitment drives continue until 2036-37, pension savings would start to reflect on the exchequer by 2030 or so.

So far, estimates on saved pensions are based on hypothetical calculations, not actual figures.

But taken together, all the concerns question the sustainability of the programme in its present form.

The greater issue centres on the cadets themselves: Should they work on the foundations of a military career in a relatively short service while simultaneously (and confusingly) preparing for a civilian life. Not knowing whether they can stay in service or not.

Some veterans say it might not be wise to roll back the programme entirely. Even so, its future will be influenced by how the first batch does, inside — and mostly outside the armed forces.