The Agnipath scheme was launched by the Government of India in June 2022 as a new military recruitment model. Under this scheme, young Indians are recruited as "Agniveers" for a fixed 4-year service tenure in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. After 4 years, approximately 25% of Agniveers in each batch are retained in the regular armed forces based on performance and merit. The remaining 75% are released with a tax-free Seva Nidhi corpus of approximately Rs 11.71 lakh.

Agniveers contribute 30% of their monthly stipend to the Seva Nidhi fund, and the government contributes an equal matching amount. After completing 4 years of service, the released Agniveers receive a one-time tax-free Seva Nidhi corpus of approximately Rs 11.71 lakh (as per initial projections), along with a skill certificate and an exit package. The government has also promised priority in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) recruitment and state police forces for released Agniveers, and multiple states have announced reservations.

Physical standards vary by category: General Duty (GD) requires minimum height of 160 cm, chest 77–82 cm, weight 50 kg; Technical category requires 160 cm height; Clerk/SKT requires 162 cm height. Candidates must clear a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) including a 1.6 km run (qualifying time 5 minutes 40 seconds for Group 1), 10 beam (pull-ups), 9 balance, and 27 sit-ups. The PFT is the first stage of the recruitment rally and eliminates a large number of candidates.

The Indian Army recruits Agniveers in multiple categories: Agniveer General Duty (GD) requiring Class 10 pass with 45% aggregate; Agniveer Technical requiring Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and English; Agniveer Clerk/Store Keeper Technical (SKT) requiring Class 12 with 60% aggregate; and Agniveer Tradesman (10th/8th pass). Each category has different educational requirements, pay bands within the stipend structure, and roles in the Army.

Upon completion of the 4-year tenure, 25% of Agniveers are retained in the regular Army as permanent soldiers with full service benefits and pension. The remaining 75% can utilise their Seva Nidhi corpus for higher education, entrepreneurship, or employment. Multiple state governments have announced reservation in state police and home guard for ex-Agniveers. The Central government provides priority in CAPF recruitment, and the skill certificates can be used for employment in private sector security, logistics, and manufacturing sectors.