The armed forces are considering relaxing the marriage restriction under the Agnipath recruitment scheme, allowing Agniveers to marry while still serving, following a proposed extension of their tenure from four to six years.

However, the government is unlikely to address the demand for pension benefits for the families of Agniveers who die while performing their duties.

According to sources quoted by The Tribune, the Army, Navy and Indian Air Force have held discussions on lifting the existing restriction. Under the current rules, personnel recruited as Agniveers are prohibited from getting married throughout their four-year engagement in any of the three services.

The development follows the government's decision to extend the service tenure of Agniveers, who were originally scheduled to leave after completing four years, by another two years before their induction into the regular cadre. Chief of Defence Staff General N.S. Raja Subramani announced on Wednesday (November 4) that the first batch would receive the extension, with all personnel subsequently being absorbed as regular soldiers.

The proposed six-year engagement has prompted the armed forces to reconsider the marriage restriction, sources told the daily.

“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 was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

The official also pointed to the social difficulties arising from the existing provision. A large proportion of Agniveers come from rural backgrounds and enter the armed forces between the ages of 17 and 21. Being required to postpone marriage until the completion of six years of service could make it difficult for them to find suitable partners, particularly in villages where marriages generally take place at a younger age.

While a possible relaxation of the marriage rule is being considered, the question of financial security for the families of Agniveers killed in the line of duty remains unresolved. The report indicates that the government is not considering any changes to the existing pension provisions.

Unlike regular soldiers, whose wives or parents are entitled to family pension in the event of their death in service, the families of Agniveers killed while on duty are not covered by any such pension arrangement.

The armed forces had previously proposed introducing a lifelong “subsistence allowance” for the dependants of Agniveers who lose their lives on duty. The proposed assistance was intended to cover their parents and dependent siblings.

The absence of long-term financial and medical safeguards also extends to Agniveers who suffer disabilities during service.

At present, they are entitled to a one-time lump-sum compensation but do not receive a lifelong disability pension or guaranteed lifelong medical care.