Congress on Friday demanded the scrapping of the Agnipath recruitment scheme, alleging that it weakens national security, disrupts military training and leaves young recruits without the job security and benefits available to regular soldiers.
Chaudhary further announced the launch of “Jai Jawan Part Two”, renewing the Congress’s campaign against the Agnipath scheme. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched the “Jai Jawan” campaign in 2024, demanding the scrapping of the Agnipath scheme and the restoration of regular army recruitment.
The Modi government introduced it in haste, without adequate consideration,” Congress leader Colonel (Retd.) Rohit Chaudhary said. “This was a major scheme that threatened to weaken our national security. Chaudhary questioned why the government was extending the service period instead of regularising all Agniveers. We need a regular army. He alleged that the short tenure had disrupted cadre management and limited opportunities for further training, especially for technical roles in the armed forces.
Introduced in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme recruits personnel below officer rank for four years, with 25% of each batch eligible for retention in regular service. On November 4, the Union Cabinet approved an additional two-year engagement period for the remaining 75% of the recruited pool, after which they can be considered for regular enrolment subject to their willingness and meeting selection criteria. Referring to the Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani’s assessment that recruits had performed well, he asked, “If all of them performed so well, why are only 25% being made regular soldiers today? Why should the remaining 75 % have to wait? Earlier reporting noted: Scrap Agnipath scheme, give permanent posting to Aginveers: Congress The Congress on Friday (November 6, 2026) renewed its demand for scrapping the Agnipath scheme, alleging that it had weakened the country’s security and left the armed forces facing a shortage of over two lakh soldiers.
The move came weeks before more than 18,300 Agniveers from the first batch were due to complete their four-year tenure by December 31. Earlier reporting noted: The recent changes were announced just over three weeks before about 18,300 Agniveers are due to complete their tenure and exit the armed forces by December 31.
Arguing that the scheme could undermine operational preparedness, Chaudhary said, “We do not need a contractual army to guard these borders. “Over four years, we are unable to provide these recruits with the proper training required under the army’s established system,” he said. “When you do not even know whether a person will remain in service after four years, the entire training system is disrupted,” said Colonel Sudhir from the Congress’s ex-servicemen department. The Congress leader said the revised service tenure for Agniveers was an acknowledgement by the BJP-led government of the scheme’s failure. “It [BJP] has effectively admitted that the Agnipath scheme was an unlawful, ill-conceived, unwarranted, anti-national, anti-military and anti-youth decision that needed to be rejected,” he said.
Earlier reporting noted: The Congress demands came two days after the Union Cabinet approved changes to the scheme , including a two-year extension for Agniveers completing their initial four-year tenure and the possibility of permanent recruitment thereafter on meeting the eligibility criteria.
