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Agniveer Salary: Monthly Package, In-Hand Pay, Seva Nidhi and Allowances (Army, Navy, Air Force)

The Agniveer pay table, Seva Nidhi, allowances and insurance, checked against Navy, Air Force, Army and PIB documents.

6 min read Last reviewed Reviewed by GS India Defence Academy faculty

An Agniveer’s customised package is ₹30,000 a month in year 1, rising to ₹40,000 in year 4, and 70% of it is paid in hand. The other 30% goes into the Seva Nidhi corpus, which the Government matches. After four years the Navy and Air Force state ₹10.04 lakh excluding interest, the Government’s 2022 announcement puts the Seva Nidhi at about ₹11.71 lakh including interest, and there is no pension or gratuity.

What is the year-wise Agniveer salary?

YearMonthly packageIn hand (70%)To the Seva Nidhi corpus (30%)Government’s matching contribution
1st year₹30,000₹21,000₹9,000₹9,000
2nd year₹33,000₹23,100₹9,900₹9,900
3rd year₹36,500₹25,550₹10,950₹10,950
4th year₹40,000₹28,000₹12,000₹12,000

The Navy’s pay page and the Air Force’s pay page publish this table in identical form. The Army’s Agnipath rally notice gives the same package for the Army, and the notices do not set a different package for a trade or for a Class 8 Tradesman. Service counts from the date of enrolment, and the four years include the training period, as the Navy’s duration page states.

On top of the package, Agniveers get Risk and Hardship allowance, Dress allowance and Travel allowance, and the Army’s notice adds Ration. The Army notice also says the package is composite, so there is no Dearness Allowance or Military Service Pay.

What is the Seva Nidhi, and why do two figures appear?

Each month 30% of the package is deducted and added to a corpus, and the Government pays in an equal amount. Over four years each side puts in ₹5.02 lakh. The documents then describe the exit amount in two ways, and both are official.

DocumentWhat it says
Navy and Air Force pay pagesExit after four years: ₹10.04 lakh as the Seva Nidhi package, described as the absolute amount excluding interest.
Army rally notice, 2022-23The corpus of ₹5.02 lakh is matched by the Government, an amount of ₹10.04 lakh, and accrued interest is given to the Agniveer.
PIB Cabinet release, 14 June 2022₹11.71 lakh as the Seva Nidhi package, including the interest accumulated at the applicable rates.
Army Agnipath brochureA corpus of approximately ₹11.71 lakh after four years, exempt from income tax.

So the figures do not conflict. ₹10.04 lakh is the contributions, and ₹11.71 lakh is the figure the Government used when interest is added. None of these documents fixes the interest rate, so the amount you receive will depend on it. The Seva Nidhi is exempt from income tax.

Three more rules from the Army notice. An Agniveer who leaves early on request receives only the corpus built up so far with interest, with no Government contribution. An Agniveer who is selected for the regular cadre receives a Seva Nidhi of only their own contribution with interest. And on exit, Agniveers are offered two options for receiving the Seva Nidhi, aimed at supporting self-employment loans or immediate expenses.

What insurance and compensation are included?

  • A non-contributory life insurance cover of ₹48 lakh for the four years.
  • On death during bonafide duty, as categorised in the Navy and Air Force pages: insurance of ₹48 lakh, a one-time ex-gratia of ₹44 lakh, full pay for the unserved portion up to four years including the Seva Nidhi component, and the balance in the corpus with interest.
  • On disability attributable to service, a one-time ex-gratia of ₹44 lakh, ₹25 lakh or ₹15 lakh, depending on the disability band, plus pay for the unserved period.
  • No gratuity and no pension, and no Provident Fund contribution. Agniveers are also not eligible for ex-servicemen status.

Annual leave is up to 30 days a year in the Army and Air Force notices. In the Air Force, Agniveers are entitled to medical facilities at service hospitals and CSD provisions for the engagement period.

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What happens to the money after four years?

Up to 25% of each batch can be enrolled in the regular cadre on merit; the rest leave with the Seva Nidhi, a skill certificate and the reservations described in our guide on what happens after Agniveer.

What does each year add up to?

The notices give monthly figures. Multiplying by twelve gives the yearly picture. This is our arithmetic on the official table, not a figure from a notice, and it leaves out allowances.

YearPackage for the yearIn hand for the yearCorpus contribution for the year (one side)
1st₹3,60,000₹2,52,000₹1,08,000
2nd₹3,96,000₹2,77,200₹1,18,800
3rd₹4,38,000₹3,06,600₹1,31,400
4th₹4,80,000₹3,36,000₹1,44,000
Four years₹16,74,000₹11,71,800₹5,02,200

The corpus total of about ₹5.02 lakh matches the notices. Note that the in-hand total over four years happens to be close to the ₹11.71 lakh quoted for the Seva Nidhi, but the two are different things: one is salary received month by month, the other is a lump sum at exit.

A family planning a budget should also remember that rations, clothing and accommodation are provided in the Air Force’s notice, and that the notices list Risk and Hardship, Dress and Travel allowances on top of the package. The exact amounts depend on the posting and are not in the pay tables.

Agniveer salary: common questions

FAQs

Questions parents ask us.

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What is the Agniveer salary per month?

₹30,000 in year 1, ₹33,000 in year 2, ₹36,500 in year 3 and ₹40,000 in year 4 as a customised package, with Risk and Hardship, Dress and Travel allowances in addition.

What is the Agniveer in-hand salary?

70% of the package: ₹21,000, ₹23,100, ₹25,550 and ₹28,000 a month over the four years.

How much is the Seva Nidhi after four years?

The Navy and Air Force state ₹10.04 lakh excluding interest. The Government's 2022 release gives ₹11.71 lakh including interest at the applicable rates. The Seva Nidhi is exempt from income tax.

Do Agniveers get a pension?

No. The Navy, Air Force and Army documents state there is no entitlement to gratuity or pension for Agniveers.

Is the salary the same in the Army, Navy and Air Force?

Yes, the package in all three services is the same table, from ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 a month.

Is there a different salary for Class 8 Tradesman?

The notices give one package for Agniveers and do not list a lower figure by trade.

Sources

Our Agniveer, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard coaching in Dehradun page describes the batch. You may also like how to prepare for Agniveer.

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