New Delhi [India], May 18 (HBTV): The Haryana Government has decided to increase the reservation quota for Agniveers in police recruitment from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

The decision was taken during a State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday.

In its earlier meeting held on August 5, 2024, the Council of Ministers had approved several provisions for Agniveers, including 10 per cent horizontal reservation in direct recruitment to the posts of constable in the Police Department, mining guard in the Department of Mines and Geology, forest guard in the Department of Environment, Forest and Wildlife, and warder in the Prisons Department.

Recently, the Union Home Minister urged all states to raise the reservation for Agniveers in police recruitment to 20 per cent. In response, the Haryana Government decided to extend 20 per cent reservation for Agniveers in recruitment to the post of police constable.

According to official data, 1,830 Agniveers were selected from Haryana in 2022–23, approximately 2,215 in 2023–24, and 2,108 in 2024–25. The first batch of Agniveers is scheduled to be relieved from the defence forces in 2026–27.

Among other key provisions approved by the Council of Ministers on August 5, 2024, were 1 per cent horizontal reservation in Group B posts and 5 per cent in Group C posts for Agniveers. Additionally, a relaxation of three years in the upper age limit has been granted for Group B and C government posts. For the first batch of Agniveers, this age relaxation extends up to five years.

Agniveers have also been exempted from appearing in the Common Eligibility Test (CET) for Group C posts related to the skill specialisation obtained during their training. This exemption applies during application in response to recruitment advertisements issued by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC).

Further benefits for self-employment and entrepreneurship include an annual subsidy of INR 60,000 per person to industries employing Agniveers, provided the individual receives a monthly salary of more than INR 30,000. Other incentives include priority in obtaining gun licences, preference in deployment through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRNL), and interest-free loans of up to INR 5 lakh for those interested in starting a business or enterprise.

(ANI)