Agniveers must be directly regularised, no conditions: Bhupinder Singh Hooda
Synopsis
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda has thrown down the gauntlet on Agnipath, demanding unconditional regularisation for Agniveers and calling the government's two-year extension offer an insult to six-year Army veterans. Coming as the Centre defends its revised scheme, the Congress broadside keeps soldier welfare and teachers' regularisation at the centre of Haryana's political battleground.
Key Takeaways
Bhupinder Singh Hooda demanded direct regularisation of Agniveers without any conditions on 5 November 2026 at his Rohtak residence.
He called the government's proposed two-year service extension an insult to soldiers who have already served for six years .
Congress has opposed the Agnipath scheme since its launch, a position Hooda said is shared by several retired senior Army officers.
Hooda demanded that every soldier receive a full service tenure , permanent employment, salary, allowances, and pension.
He also called for immediate regularisation of guest teachers in Haryana, citing High Court and Supreme Court directives under a Congress-era policy.
Hooda accused the BJP of breaking its 2014 promise to regularise guest teachers after securing votes from their families.
Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday, 5 November demanded the direct regularisation of Agniveers without attaching any conditions, calling the government's proposed two-year service extension an affront to the dignity of soldiers who have served the nation. Hooda made the remarks while responding to media queries at his Rohtak residence.
Hooda's Stand on the Agnipath Scheme
The two-time Chief Minister stated that the Indian National Congress (INC) has opposed the Agnipath scheme since its inception. He argued that the scheme serves neither the country's strategic interests nor the institutional interests of the Indian Army, a position he said has been echoed by several retired senior Army officers.
'Our clear stand is that this scheme is neither in the interest of the country nor in the interest of the Army. Even several former Army officers had openly spoken out against it. Now, the government has finally been forced to acknowledge this and, following widespread opposition, has announced the addition of some new provisions to the scheme,' Hooda said.
Why a Two-Year Extension Falls Short
Hooda challenged the logic of extending service by a mere two years before imposing fresh eligibility criteria for regularisation. He questioned what additional qualifications could possibly be expected from a young soldier who has already served for six years in the Army.
'What additional criteria can be required from a young person who has served in the Army for six years? Such a person is fully prepared to continue serving in the Army regularly. Then why are they not being recruited as regular soldiers, as was the practice earlier?' he said.
He maintained that every soldier enlisting in the Army deserves a full service tenure, permanent employment, complete salary, allowances, facilities, and pension — benefits that the Agnipath framework, in his view, systematically denies.
Guest Teachers Issue Raised
Responding to a separate query, Hooda also demanded the immediate regularisation of guest teachers in Haryana. He pointed out that the Congress-era policy on regularising contractual employees has been upheld by both the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court of India, which has also directed the regularisation of guest teachers under that very framework.
'This is the same BJP that, in 2014, secured votes from thousands of families of guest teachers by promising to regularise them. But after coming to power, the BJP forgot this promise, just like all its other promises,' Hooda said, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of repeatedly breaking commitments made to teachers.
Broader Political Context
Hooda's remarks come amid a renewed national debate over the future of the Agnipath scheme, which the government recently revised by announcing additional provisions following sustained political and civil-society opposition. Critics argue the modifications remain insufficient, while the Centre has defended the scheme as a transformative step in military modernisation. The Opposition's push for full regularisation reflects a wider contestation over soldier welfare, employment security, and the long-term health of the armed forces.
With Haryana's political landscape still unsettled following recent assembly elections, Hooda's statements signal Congress's intent to keep both Agnipath and teachers' regularisation as live electoral issues heading into the next phase of state politics.
Point of View
But it surfaces a real structural contradiction: the Agnipath model was designed partly to reduce pension liabilities, so full regularisation would directly undermine that fiscal rationale. What mainstream coverage often misses is the compounding effect — Agniveers who complete six years and are then assessed again face a double uncertainty that veterans of the old system never did, and that grievance is politically potent in Haryana's recruitment-heavy districts. The guest-teachers angle is not an afterthought; it stitches together two large vote blocs — soldier families and contractual teachers — into a single accountability narrative that Congress will likely press hard.
NationPress
5 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhupinder Singh Hooda's demand regarding Agniveers?
Hooda has demanded that Agniveers be directly regularised into the Army without any additional conditions or eligibility criteria. He argued that soldiers who have already served for six years are fully prepared for regular service and should not face fresh hurdles.
Why does Hooda oppose the two-year service extension for Agniveers?
Hooda called the two-year extension an insult to the dignity of Agniveers, arguing it is inadequate for soldiers who have served six years. He maintained they deserve full permanent employment, salary, allowances, facilities, and pension from the outset.
What is Congress's position on the Agnipath scheme?
The Congress has opposed the Agnipath scheme since its launch, arguing it is not in the interest of the country or the Army. Hooda said the government's decision to revise the scheme's provisions is itself an acknowledgement of its failure, following widespread opposition.
What did Hooda say about the regularisation of guest teachers in Haryana?
Hooda demanded immediate regularisation of guest teachers, noting that both the High Court and the Supreme Court have upheld the Congress-era policy on contractual employee regularisation and have directed the regularisation of guest teachers under it. He accused the BJP of breaking its 2014 promise to regularise guest teachers.
What is the Agnipath scheme and why is it controversial?
The Agnipath scheme is a government programme for short-term induction of youth into the armed forces, typically for a four-year tenure, with only a portion retained for further service. Critics, including several retired Army officers and Opposition leaders, have argued it undermines long-term soldier welfare, reduces pension benefits, and weakens the Army's institutional experience base.
