Uttarakhand: Ex-Agniveers to get 10% reservation in police, forest and fire departments

Uttarakhand has issued rules to provide reservation to retired Agniveers for direct recruitment to Group C services.

The Department of Personnel and Vigilance has issued the Horizontal Reservation Rules, 2025, which will provide reservation in uniformed posts like Police Constable (Civilian/PAC), Sub Inspector, Platoon Commander PAC, Fireman, Fire Officer II, Prisoner, Deputy Jailor, Forest Guard, Forest Inspector, Excise Constable, Enforcement Constable and Secretariat Guard.

Unveiling these rules, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that former Agniveers are the pride of the state, and it was the state’s responsibility to give them respect and employment opportunities. This decision will secure the future of retired Agniveers, he added.

The new rules grant 10 per cent horizontal reservation for ex-Agniveers in direct recruitment to Group 'C' uniformed posts under state services, with immediate effect. This move is set to benefit former Agniveers, or personnel discharged after four years of service as part of the Indian Armed Forces’ Agnipath scheme.

The notification, published on September 1, 2025 and signed by state officials, reflects the government’s intent to integrate ex-military personnel into the state’s formal workforce, particularly in uniformed roles.

According to the rules, ex-Agniveers—defined as those who are permanent residents of Uttarakhand and have retired as Agniveers from the Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force—will be eligible for a 10 per cent horizontal reservation in Group 'C' posts requiring uniforms. This covers jobs both ‘within and outside the purview of the Commission,’ which refers to recruitments made by the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission and Subordinate Services Selection Commission, as well as other direct recruitment processes. The rules will apply to vacancies in several key government departments, including the Home, Forest, Excise, Transport, and Secretariat Administration Departments.

The policy notably excludes dependents of ex-servicemen appointed on compassionate grounds as per the Employment Rules of 2018, ensuring that these reservations are specifically meant for Agniveers ex-servicemen.

The rules offer significant relief and waivers for Ex-Agniveers in the recruitment process. These include:

Exemption from Physical Efficiency Test: Ex-Agniveers will not be required to undergo the physical efficiency test, a standard part of direct recruitment to uniformed posts such as police constable, forest guard, and jail warder. This exemption recognises their prior military service and training, streamlining their transition into state jobs.

Relaxation in Age Limit: Ex-Agniveers will be granted relaxation in the upper age limit for recruitment, equivalent to their tenure in the armed forces as Agniveers. For example, four years of service will yield a four-year relaxation beyond the normal age ceiling for direct recruitment. This measure is designed to offset the age disadvantage many ex-military personnel might face after fulfilling their contractual service.

To access these benefits, candidates must fulfil several eligibility requirements:

Must be a native or permanent resident of Uttarakhand.

Must have served as an Agniveer and received a proper discharge certificate from the armed forces.

Credentials and documents must be verified by the District Sainik Welfare Officer of the district concerned, who will certify the applicant for placement in the reserved quota.

Registration in the office of the competent authority (District Sainik Welfare Officer) is mandatory before applying for state government jobs under the reserved category.

The departments and posts covered include:

Home Department: Police Constable (Civil, PAC), Sub Inspector, Platoon Commander, Fireman, Fire Station Second Officer, Jail Warder, Deputy Jailer.

Forest Department: Forest Guard, Forester.

Excise Department: Excise Constable.

Transport Department: Enforcement Soldier.

Secretariat Administration: Secretariat Guard.

This horizontal reservation is expected to facilitate the seamless absorption of Agniveer veterans into state services, providing job security and social mobility for hundreds of former soldiers each year. It also aligns Uttarakhand with central government efforts to support the post-service livelihoods of Agniveers, a key sociopolitical issue since the Agnipath recruitment scheme was launched nationally in 2022.

The new rules are expected to boost morale among serving Agniveers and bolster recruitment to the voluntary four-year service scheme by assuring a structured post-military career path.