Agniveers serve four years in the Army, Navy or Air Force, with entry age 17½ to 21 and in-hand pay rising from about ₹21,000 to ₹28,000. On completing the term they receive a tax-free Seva Nidhi package of about ₹11.71 lakh, and around 25% are retained for a permanent career. This guide explains the eligibility, year-by-year salary and what really happens after four years.
By Saurabh Kamal, Recruitment Policy Editor. Published 15 June 2026. Last verified 15 June 2026 against the Agnipath scheme terms and current defence recruitment notices.
In short
- Agniveers serve for 4 years in the Army, Navy or Air Force, with entry age 17½ to 21.
- In-hand pay runs from about ₹21,000 in year one to ₹28,000 in year four, with free food, kit, lodging and medical care.
- On completing four years you receive the Seva Nidhi package of about ₹11.71 lakh, tax-free.
- Around 25% of each batch is retained for a full 15-year career; the rest leave with priority for CAPF, state police and private jobs.
If you are weighing a defence career after Class 10 or 12, the Agnipath scheme is now the main entry route for soldiers, sailors and airmen. It is also the most misunderstood — the pay, the four-year limit, and what actually happens afterwards all get muddled. This guide lays out the eligibility, the year-by-year money, and the genuine options an Agniveer has when the four years end.
What is the Agnipath scheme?
Agnipath is the recruitment model the government uses to enlist soldiers (Army), sailors (Navy) and airmen (Air Force) for a fixed four-year term. Those recruited under it are called Agniveers. The idea is a younger, fitter force, with a quarter of each batch absorbed into a permanent career and the rest leaving with a financial corpus and hiring preference. Women are eligible for certain roles across all three services.
Agniveer eligibility 2026
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 17 years 6 months to 21 years |
| Education | Class 10 or Class 12 depending on the entry (e.g. Agniveer GD, Technical, Vayu, SSR/MR) |
| Nationality | Indian citizen (and notified categories) |
| Physical | Service-wise height, chest, running and medical standards |
| Gender | Men, and women in specified roles |
The exact education and physical standard depends on which entry you apply for — the Army's General Duty, Technical and Clerk streams, the Air Force's Agniveer Vayu, and the Navy's SSR/MR each set their own bar. Always read the specific notification.
Agniveer salary — year by year
The pay rises each year of the four-year term, and a portion is set aside towards the exit corpus:
| Year | Monthly package | Approx. in-hand |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ₹30,000 | ~₹21,000 |
| Year 2 | ₹33,000 | ~₹23,100 |
| Year 3 | ₹36,500 | ~₹25,580 |
| Year 4 | ₹40,000 | ~₹28,000 |
On top of the in-hand pay, Agniveers get free food, uniform and kit, accommodation, travel and medical care, plus risk and hardship allowances as applicable. A part of the package and a matching government contribution build the Seva Nidhi corpus. If you are comparing this with the officer route, the officer entries such as NDA and CDS are compared here.
What happens after 4 years?
This is the part that matters most. When the four-year tenure ends:
- You receive the Seva Nidhi package of about ₹11.71 lakh, fully tax-free — a mix of your own monthly contribution and the government's matching share, with interest.
- Up to about 25% of each batch is selected for permanent enrolment — a full 15-year career on regular terms — based on performance, merit and service need.
- Those not retained get a service certificate, priority in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles, preference in many state police recruitments, and a stated hiring preference in many private companies. Several state governments have also announced priority in their own jobs.
So the honest picture is: four years of paid service and discipline, a tax-free corpus to start the next phase, a one-in-four shot at a permanent military career, and a recognised edge in police and private hiring afterwards. To apply, start with the Army's current Agniveer entrance or the Air Force's Agniveer Vayu intake, and browse open defence and police recruitments for the latest cycles.
Agniveer 2026: हिंदी सारांश
अग्निपथ योजना के तहत अग्निवीर थल सेना, नौसेना व वायुसेना में 4 वर्ष के लिए भर्ती होते हैं; आयु 17½ से 21 वर्ष। वेतन पहले वर्ष लगभग ₹21,000 इन-हैंड से बढ़कर चौथे वर्ष लगभग ₹28,000 हो जाता है, साथ ही मुफ्त भोजन, वर्दी, आवास व चिकित्सा। चार वर्ष पूरे होने पर लगभग ₹11.71 लाख का सेवा निधि पैकेज (कर-मुक्त) मिलता है। प्रत्येक बैच के लगभग 25% अग्निवीरों को स्थायी सेवा के लिए चुना जाता है; शेष को सेवा प्रमाण-पत्र, CAPF व राज्य पुलिस में प्राथमिकता तथा निजी क्षेत्र में वरीयता मिलती है। महिलाएं निर्धारित पदों पर पात्र हैं। सटीक शैक्षिक व शारीरिक मानक संबंधित अधिसूचना में देखें।