In a major policy shift aimed at bolstering the career prospects of former Agniveers, the Ministry of Home Affairs has dramatically increased their reservation quota for recruitment as constables in the Border Security Force. The reservation has been raised from 10 per cent to a substantial 50 per cent of vacancies.
Key Provisions of the New Recruitment Rules
The decision was formalized through a notification published in the Gazette on December 18, 2024. The new rules amend the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules of 2015. According to the official document, fifty per cent of all vacancies in the BSF will now be reserved for ex-Agniveers in every recruitment cycle.
Alongside this, the notification reserves ten per cent of vacancies for ex-servicemen and up to three per cent for the absorption of annual vacancies among combatised constables (tradesmen). The recruitment process will be conducted in two distinct phases.
Phased Recruitment and Age Relaxation Benefits
In the first phase, a designated Nodal Force will handle recruitment exclusively for the 50 per cent quota earmarked for former Agniveers. The second phase will be conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for all other candidates, covering the remaining 47 per cent of vacancies. This phase will also include any unfilled positions from the ex-Agniveer quota of the first stage.
A significant benefit introduced is the relaxation in the upper age limit. Candidates from the first batch of ex-Agniveers will be eligible for an age relaxation of up to five years. For former Agniveers from subsequent batches, the relaxation will be up to three years. The crucial date for determining age eligibility will be as advertised by the recruiting authorities.
Streamlined Process for Ex-Agniveers
The new rules also simplify the recruitment pathway for those who have served under the Agniveer scheme. Ex-Agniveers will be exempted from both the Physical Standard Test (PST) and the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) during the BSF constable selection process. However, they will still need to meet the physical and medical standards prescribed by the central government.
The notification clarifies that vacancies for female candidates will be calculated annually by the Director General of the BSF based on functional requirements. The amended rules, officially termed the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment (Amendment) Rules, 2025, came into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
This move is seen as a strategic effort to provide a robust second career option for youths who complete their short-service tenure under the Agnipath scheme. By absorbing them into a central armed police force like the BSF, the government aims to utilize their trained manpower to strengthen border security while addressing concerns about their post-service employment.
