New Delhi, 6 Apr (PTI): The Union Home Ministry has decided to reserve 10 per cent general duty constables posts, out of the 1,29,929 sanctioned posts, in the Central Reserve Police Force for ex-Agniveers.
According to a notification issued by the ministry, out of the sanctioned posts, 4,667 are for women with a pay matrix of ₹ 21,700 to ₹ 69,100, and the retirement age will be 60 years.
Ten per cent vacancies will be reserved for ex-Agniveers for recruitment to the post of constable (general duty), the notification said.
Those who will seek the appointment will have to be aged between 18 and 23 years. There will be a five- year relaxation in age for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and three years for Other Backward Class candidates.
The upper age-limit will be relaxed by up to five years for candidates of the first batch of ex-Agniveers and three years relaxation will be given to candidates of subsequent batches of ex-Agniveers, according to the notification.
The required education qualification is matriculation or equivalent from a board or university recognised by the Centre or the state government or equivalent Army qualification in case of ex-Army personnel.
Physical and medical standards for recruitment to the post of constable (general duty) in CRPF will be applicable as per the scheme prescribed by the Centre from time-to-time.
The candidates must qualify physical efficiency test and written examination as prescribed for constables mentioned in the advertisement for recruitment. The ex-Agniveers will be exempted from Physical Efficiency Test (PET).
Last month, the Centre announced a 10 per cent reservation in jobs for former Agniveers in the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) along with upper-age relaxation and exemption from physical efficiency test.
On June 14, 2022, the government unveiled the ambitious Agnipath scheme for recruitment of youths aged between 17-and-a-half years and 21 years in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis. Those recruited under the scheme are known as Agniveers.
After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 per cent of the recruits from each batch will be offered regular service.
At that time, the home ministry had announced that 10 per cent vacancies in central paramilitary forces and Assam Rifles will be reserved for demobilised 75 per cent Agniveers.
It had also announced that the upper age limit will also be relaxed for the first batch of ex-Agniveers by up to five years and for the subsequent batches by three years. In addition, ex-Agniveers would be exempted from the physical proficiency test.
The specified age limit for recruitment to paramilitary forces is 18-23 years.
Those who join the armed forces even at the upper age limit of 21 years under the Agnipath scheme can be recruited by the paramilitary forces till the age of 30 after four years of service in the Army, the Air Force or the Navy in the case of the first batch and till 28 years for the subsequent batches.
The home ministry’s decision for the absorption of Agniveers into paramilitary forces is significant as it will help former Agniveers get employment opportunities till the age of retirement.
The paramilitary forces will also be benefitted as they will get a trained pool of personnel to fill up their vacancies.