Mainstreaming Ex-Agniveers: Analyzing Assam’s Policy for Post-Service Socio-Economic Integration

However, the implementation of such quotas raises broader questions regarding the federal structure and the balance between merit-based recruitment and affirmative action. While the state government has the prerogative to design welfare schemes for its domicile population, the long-term sustainability of such reservations depends on the availability of vacancies and the integration of these personnel into the existing administrative hierarchy. Furthermore, this policy highlights the necessity for states to develop robust institutional frameworks that bridge the gap between military service and civilian employment, ensuring that the 'Agnipath' model does not lead to long-term structural unemployment among the youth. UPSC Relevance: This topic is highly relevant for GS Paper II under 'Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections' and 'Government policies and interventions.' Aspirants can use this as a case study in Mains answers regarding the rehabilitation of military personnel, the role of state governments in employment generation, and the challenges of integrating short-term service models into the broader civil service framework.