Haryana's ex-Agniveers to get horizontal reservation in direct recruitment to state services

Chandigarh, Aug 20 (PTI) The Naib Singh Saini government has decided to provide horizontal reservation to former Agniveers from Haryana in direct recruitment to various state services.

Following detailed deliberations, a policy has been formulated to provide reservations to former Agniveers in various state services. A letter in this matter has been issued by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday.

According to this policy, former Agniveers will get 1 per cent horizontal reservation in 'Group-B' posts related to skill expertise, and 5 per cent in 'Group-C' posts (excluding some specified categories).

In the home department, 20 per cent reservation will be given for the posts of police constables. Similarly, 10 per cent reservation has been fixed for the posts of forest guard in the Environment, Forest and Wildlife Department, warder in the Jail Department, and mining guard in the Mines and Geology Department.

"To ensure fair distribution among all social categories, reservations will be applied at fixed roster points. Selection will be purely on the basis of merit, and ex-Agniveers will be selected against reserved posts within their respective vertical categories.

"If suitable ex-Agniveers are not available, the vacant posts will be filled by eligible candidates of the concerned category," said the statement.

The government has also decided that during recruitment for the posts of police constable, forest guard, jail warder, and mining guard, ex-Agniveers will be exempted from the physical efficiency test since their physical fitness and military training are already certified.

In addition, ex-Agniveers are already exempted from the Common Eligibility Test (CET) for 'Group-C' recruitments. They will also be exempted from skill-related tests for which they have received training during their military service.

However, they will be required to appear in the written examination prescribed by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission for the advertised posts. This exemption will be applicable when they apply in response to advertisements issued by the Commission.

The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, 2022, provides for the recruitment of youths in the armed forces between the age bracket of 17-and-a-half years and 21 for only four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. The government extended the upper age limit to 23 years later that year. PTI SUN NSD NSD