Delhi L-G Sandhu Mandates 20 Percent Job Reservation for Ex-Agniveers
NEW DELHI — Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday directed a 20 percent reservation for former Agniveers in Group ‘C’ government jobs across multiple administrative departments in the national capital.
The decision aims to utilize the discipline and military training of these retired short-service Army personnel to strengthen Delhi's civic, public safety, and environmental services. The 20 percent reservation quota is designed to optimally harness the discipline and military training of these young veterans.
The Lieutenant-Governor has set a strict deadline of June 30, 2026, for all concerned government departments to finalize the necessary administrative processes. The departments must implement all required amendments to their respective Recruitment Rules by this date to ensure the quota is legally and operationally established.
Under the new directive, the 20 percent reservation will apply to key operational roles in Delhi. These specific positions include police constables in the Delhi Police, firemen in the Delhi Fire Service, jail warders in the Prison Department, and forest guards and wildlife guards within the Department of Environment, Forest & Wildlife.
The decision was finalized during a high-level review meeting where Sandhu discussed the implementation strategy for extending these reservation benefits across various Delhi government departments and agencies. The meeting was attended by Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, and other senior administrative officers who gathered to review the strategy.
According to officials, recruiting former Agniveers—who complete four years of service in the armed forces—will help address critical staffing issues in the city. Sandhu had previously suggested that inducting these trained individuals could specifically resolve the manpower shortage in the Delhi Fire Service. This staffing boost is intended to help increase the number of active fire stations across the national capital and significantly improve emergency response times during crises.
