DEHRADUN, INDIA – The Uttarakhand government has formally put in place a 10% horizontal reservation for Agniveers who are leaving the Indian Armed Forces. The Personnel and Vigilance Department adopted new guidelines on Monday to make it easier for former Agniveers to get jobs in uniformed positions in several state government ministries.
The reserve is for direct hiring for Group “C” federal jobs, including jobs in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The new rules give former Agniveers a number of important benefits:
Exemption from the physical fitness exam: They won’t have to undergo the physical fitness test as part of the direct recruitment procedure anymore.
Age relaxation: They will be able to serve as Agniveers for as long as they like, up to the maximum age restriction.
The state cabinet approved the idea last month, and this decision was in line with a commitment made by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The chief minister said that the action is a “concrete step toward securing the future of retired Agniveers.” He stressed that it is the state’s duty to give recognition and job chances to the young men and women who have served their country.
The government has created a list of critical uniformed jobs where the reservation will apply. These are:
Police Officer (Civil/PAC)
Sub-Inspector (Police for Civilian)
PAC, or Platoon Commander
Firefighter and Fire Officer II
Jailor and Deputy Jailor
Forest Inspector and Forest Guard
Police officer in the Excise Department
Transport Department Enforcement Constable
Secretariat Guard in the Secretariat Administration
Dhami, the Chief Minister, said he was proud of the Agniveers and that “Our government is trying to find jobs for ex-servicemen and Agniveers in every way.”