Agniveer (Army / Navy / Air Force)
Four-year enrolment as an Agniveer (non-officer rank) in the Army, Navy or Air Force under the Agnipath scheme. Up to 25% of each batch is retained as regular soldiers, sailors or airmen; the rest leave with the Seva Nidhi package.
Eligibility
Unmarried Indian candidates. Army Agniveer GD requires Class 10 with 45%; Technical and Clerk roles require Class 12 with specified subjects. Navy MR requires Class 10 and SSR requires Class 12 with Maths and Physics. Agniveervayu Science requires Class 12 with Maths, Physics and English at 50%, or a diploma; Non-Science allows any stream. Women are eligible in the Navy, Air Force and Army Military Police.
Age limit: 17.5 to 22 years in the 2026 cycles (Army and Air Force raised the upper limit from 21 to 22); check each notification for the exact birth-date window
Exam pattern
Army Common Entrance Exam (CEE): online test of 50 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes for Agniveer GD (more for Technical and Clerk), with a 0.5-mark deduction per wrong answer, followed by a recruitment rally (1.6 km run, pull-ups, beam and ditch) and medicals. Navy: online Stage I test (English, Science, Maths and General Awareness, 1 mark each, 0.25 negative), then a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and medicals. Agniveervayu: online test (Science stream: English, Physics and Maths in 60 minutes; Non-Science: English and Reasoning & General Awareness in 45 minutes; +1/−0.25), followed by a PFT, adaptability tests and medicals.
Syllabus at a glance
Army GD covers General Knowledge, General Science, Maths and Logical Reasoning at Class 10 level; Technical trades add Class 12 Physics, Chemistry and Maths. Navy SSR covers Class 12 Maths, Physics and Chemistry, English and General Awareness, while MR is at Class 10 level. Agniveervayu Science is based on the Class 11–12 CBSE Physics and Maths syllabus plus English; Non-Science covers English, reasoning and general awareness.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Agniveervayu Intake 01/2028 online registration | Jan 2027 | expected |
| Agniveervayu Intake 01/2028 online exam | Mar 2027 | expected |
| Army Agniveer 2027–28 recruitment: online registration | Feb – Apr 2027 | expected |
| Navy Agniveer SSR/MR 01/2028 & 02/2028 notification and application | Mar – Apr 2027 | expected |
| Navy Agniveer Stage I computer-based test | May 2027 | expected |
| Army Agniveer Common Entrance Exam (CEE) | Jun 2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Indian Army Agniveer General Duty (GD) Guide – Arihant Experts
- Indian Air Force Agniveervayu Science / Non-Science Group Guide – Arihant Experts
- Indian Navy Agniveer SSR & MR Guide – Arihant Experts
- NCERT Physics and Mathematics, Classes 11–12
- Lucent's General Knowledge – Lucent Publications
How toppers play it
- For the Army CEE, negative marking (−0.5 per wrong answer) makes accuracy more important than attempts; aim for about 40 confident answers out of 50.
- Train for the 1.6 km run from day one: in the Army rally, run timing earns bonus marks (under 5 min 30 sec scores highest), and many written qualifiers fail here.
- In Agniveervayu Science, English is a separate scored section with its own cut-off; do not neglect it in favour of Physics and Maths.
- Apply to all three services if you are eligible: the cycles are staggered (Air Force Jan/Jul, Navy Mar–Apr, Army Feb–Apr), so one year gives several chances.
- Keep NCC certificates and sports certificates ready; they earn bonus marks in the Army merit list.