Indian Railways Introduces Reservation for Agniveers and Retired Army Personnel

Indian Railways has launched a new initiative to provide job reservations for Agniveers and retired Army personnel, enhancing their employment opportunities. This initiative includes a framework of cooperation with the Indian Army, allowing for a reservation of 10 to 20 percent in various recruitment levels. Additionally, over 5,000 Pointsmen positions will be filled by retired personnel on a contract basis. As the first batch of Agniveers prepares for retirement, plans are in place to reintegrate them into service, with several states already announcing their support. Read on to learn more about this significant development.

By Ambika Singh Mar 2, 2026, 10:57 IST

Indian Railways' New Initiative for Agniveers

Agniveer Initiative: The Indian Railways has announced a significant initiative aimed at supporting Agniveers and retired personnel from the Indian Army. This new policy will provide reservations for these individuals in railway recruitment processes. The groundwork for this initiative has been laid through a collaboration known as the Framework of Cooperation between the Indian Railways and the Indian Army.

This framework aims to establish a system that facilitates the recruitment of retired Agniveers and ex-servicemen into the Indian Railways, thereby enhancing their chances of re-employment.

Reservation Details:
Let's explore the specifics of the reservation system for Agniveers and retired Army personnel in Indian Railways recruitment.

Reservation Percentages:
Indian Railways will allocate a reservation of 10 to 20 percent for retired Agniveers and ex-Army personnel across all Level 1 and Level 2 recruitment and higher. Below are the details of the reservations based on the recruitment levels:

Level-1 Recruitment:
20% reservation for veterans and 10% for former Agniveers.

Level-2 and Above Recruitment:
10% reservation for veterans and 5% for former Agniveers.

Recruitment of Pointsmen:
Indian Railways plans to recruit over 5,000 Pointsmen shortly. Notably, all these positions will be filled by retired Agniveers and ex-army personnel, although the recruitment will be on a contract basis. This agreement has been established across nine zones of the Indian Railways in collaboration with the Indian Army.

Retirement of the First Batch of Agniveers:
The inaugural batch of soldiers enlisted under the Agnipath Seva Yojana (Fire Warriors) will complete their service and retire at the end of this year, 2026. Launched in 2022, the Agnipath Seva Yojana allows Agniveers to serve for a duration of four years. Consequently, plans are being developed to reintegrate these retired Agniveers into various services, with several states and departments already announcing reservations for them.