A young recruit joins as an Agniveer between the ages of 17 and 21. If the service period extends to six years, finding suitable marriage prospects could become difficult, particularly in rural areas where marriages are often arranged at a younger age

Another tweak to the Agnipath scheme is on the cards, with Agniveers likely to be allowed to marry during their term of engagement with the armed forces. However, there is no change on the pending demand of granting a pension to families of soldiers who die in the line of duty.

Sources confirmed to The Tribune the three armed forces had discussed the issue of marriage of Agniveers. At present, the policy bars an Agniveer from marrying during the mandated four-year term in the Army, Navy or Indian Air Force. The development comes a day after the government announced that Agniveers, who were to exit on completion of their four-year term, would be retained for an additional two years before being absorbed as regular soldiers.

With Agniveers set to remain in service for a longer period, the existing no-marriage clause would need to be revisited.

“A relaxation is expected as the service rules are framed by the armed forces and can be amended to permit marriage during service,” an official said.

The clause barring an Agniveer from marrying has created social issues, the official said. Most soldiers come from rural areas. A young recruit joins as an Agniveer between the ages of 17 and 21. If the service period extends to six years, finding suitable marriage prospects could become difficult, particularly in rural areas where marriages are often arranged at a younger age.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen NS Raja Subramani on Wednesday announced a two-year extension in service for the first batch of Agniveers and said all of them would subsequently be absorbed into the regular cadre.

However, no change in pension rules is expected. The present rules do not have the provision of pension for the family of Agniveers dying in the line of duty. In case a regular soldier gets killed in action, his family — wife or parents — gets pension for life.

In the past, the armed forces had proposed a lifelong “subsistence allowance” for the dependants of an Agniveer who dies in the line of duty, including parents and dependent siblings.

In December 2023, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence chaired by BJP MP Jual Oram recommended that families of Agniveers, who die in the line of duty be provided the same benefits as given to the families of regular soldiers.

The other pending issue is lifelong medical treatment in case of disability. At present, an Agniveer receives a lump-sum compensation package but is not entitled to a lifelong disability pension.