State to create 1,000 posts for ex-Agniveers

The idea is to make sure the skills and physical capabilities acquired by Agniveers during their military service are utilised in government and semi-government employment, officials said

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Thursday approved the creation of 1,000 supernumerary posts in government and semi-government establishments to facilitate the appointment of former Agniveers, who are set to complete their four-year stint under the centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme.

State to create 1,000 posts for ex-Agniveers

The idea is to make sure the skills and physical capabilities acquired by Agniveers during their military service are utilised in government and semi-government employment, officials said.

The government has constituted a high-level committee of secretaries to determine a department-wise and cadre-wise allocation of these posts and decide on the appointment process. The committee will be headed by chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal.

A supernumerary post is a special position created in addition to an organisation’s sanctioned strength, typically to accommodate an employee when no regular vacancy is available.

The decision comes ahead of the release of the first batch of Agniveers following their four-year engagement. With the centre yet to notify the induction rules, the process of framing service recruitment rules and a broader policy for their regular appointment is expected to take time. The state government has therefore opted to create supernumerary posts as an immediate employment measure.

The posts will be created across departments including home, state excise, forest and urban development, among others. The former Agniveers can be appointed to positions such as police constables and police drivers in the police force and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), prison guards, firemen, home guard instructors and forest guards.

Under the Agnipath policy adopted by the central government on June 14, 2022, 25% of Agniveers will be retained in the armed forces on a permanent basis based on their performance, discipline and skills, while the remaining 75% will be released after their four-year tenure.

The chief secretary-led committee will determine the number of supernumerary posts for each department and cadre, draft an appointment procedure and recommend a process to absorb them into regular service,” said a senior official.

The first batch of 2,600 Agniveers inducted into the Indian Navy began training in November 2022, with 75% of them scheduled to complete their four-year tenure and be released by November 2026.