Agniveers to get 20 pc reservation in UP police force
Move aims to provide meaningful post-service opportunities to Agniveers, who have completed their 4-year term under Agnipath scheme, says UP finance minister
Lucknow, Jun 3 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday said it will provide 20 per cent reservation to Agniveers in direct recruitment to several positions in the state police force.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the move aims to provide meaningful post-service opportunities to Agniveers, who have completed their four-year term under the Agnipath scheme.
"This is a significant decision. The reservation will be applicable across categories -- general, SC, ST and OBC. If an Agniveer belongs to the SC category, the reservation will apply within SC; if OBC, then within OBC," he explained.
Special age relaxation of up to three years will also be provided to Agniveers applying for these posts, he added.
There are four categories -- police constable, PAC constable, mounted police and fireman -- for which recruitment will be done. The first batch of recruits under this system will come out in 2026, Khanna said.
"Several states and central forces have already taken the initiative to provide reservation to Agniveers. States like Haryana and Odisha have offered 10 per cent reservation to former Agniveers. The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has now approved 20 per cent horizontal reservation, which is a bold and generous initiative," Khanna said.
This not only recognises their service but ensures that they continue contributing to the nation's security infrastructure after their military stint, he said.
Later in the evening, Chief Minister Adityanath took to X to laud the initiative.
"Our Agniveers, determined to serve Mother India, are an invaluable treasure of the nation," the chief minister said in Hindi.
"For their respectable adjustment after four years of service, the UP government has decided to provide 20 per cent horizontal reservation to former Agniveers in the state police recruitment and three-year relaxation in the age limit," he said.
Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to provide 20 per cent reservation to Agniveers.
"This reservation will be applicable in the direct recruitment of Police Constable, PAC, Horse Mounted Constable and Fireman," he said.
"Trained, disciplined and dedicated former Agniveers will now participate in achieving... 'Safe Uttar Pradesh - Prosperous Uttar Pradesh'," he added.
The Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the Army, Navy and Air Force with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. PTI