Agniveer salary 2026: year-wise package, in hand, and the Seva Nidhi
The four-year package, why in-hand is 70% of it, what the Seva Nidhi comes to, the allowances, and what happens after year four.
An Agniveer under the Agnipath scheme is paid a customised package of ₹30,000 a month in the first year, rising to ₹33,000, ₹36,500 and ₹40,000 in years two to four. 30% is deducted every month into the Seva Nidhi corpus and the government contributes an equal amount, so in-hand pay is ₹21,000, ₹23,100, ₹25,550 and ₹28,000. At the end of four years the Seva Nidhi — about ₹10.04 lakh of contributions plus interest, currently quoted at around ₹11.7 lakh — is paid out exempt from income tax. There is no pension or gratuity; risk, hardship, dress and travel allowances are paid on the same terms as regular soldiers where applicable.
- Package: ₹30,000 → 33,000 → 36,500 → 40,000 a month over four years
- In hand: 70% — ₹21,000, 23,100, 25,550, 28,000
- Seva Nidhi: 30% deducted, matched rupee for rupee by government, about ₹11.7 lakh with interest at exit, tax-free
- No pension, no gratuity; ₹48 lakh life cover and disability compensation
- After 4 years: up to 25% retained as regular soldiers; the rest exit with Seva Nidhi and a skill certificate
Agniveer salary year by year
| Year | Monthly package | In hand (70%) | To Seva Nidhi (30%) | Government match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹30,000 | ₹21,000 | ₹9,000 | ₹9,000 |
| 2 | ₹33,000 | ₹23,100 | ₹9,900 | ₹9,900 |
| 3 | ₹36,500 | ₹25,550 | ₹10,950 | ₹10,950 |
| 4 | ₹40,000 | ₹28,000 | ₹12,000 | ₹12,000 |
| Four-year total | ₹16,74,000 | ₹11,71,800 | ₹5,02,200 | ₹5,02,200 |
The Seva Nidhi therefore holds ₹10,04,400 of contributions before interest; the Ministry of Defence’s illustrations put the payout at roughly ₹11.7 lakh. The package is not linked to DA or the pay commission, and there is no HRA because Agniveers live in unit lines.
Allowances and benefits
- Risk and hardship, dress and travel allowances as applicable to the posting, on the terms for regular personnel.
- Non-contributory life insurance cover of ₹48 lakh; ₹1 crore ex-gratia and full Seva Nidhi with the balance of remaining service paid in case of death on duty; disability compensation of ₹44, 25 or 15 lakh by percentage.
- 30 days of annual leave, sick leave on medical advice, and medical cover in service hospitals.
After four years
Up to 25% of each batch is enrolled as regular cadre on the regular pay scale and pension terms; the rest leave with the Seva Nidhi, an Agniveer skill certificate and a Class 12 equivalence where applicable, plus reservation of 10% of vacancies in the CAPFs and Assam Rifles and priority in several state police recruitments.
Check it against your own numbers
Put the gross from the table into the salary calculator to see the effect of a different state, a higher basic or the old tax regime; the income tax calculator shows the slab position for the year, and the TDS chart explains what the employer deducts under Section 192. Every other post in this series is on the salaries hub, and private-sector CTCs are priced on the LPA to in-hand page.
Similar posts and what they pay
Common questions
₹21,000 a month in the first year, ₹23,100 in the second, ₹25,550 in the third and ₹28,000 in the fourth: 70 percent of the package, the rest going to the Seva Nidhi.
About ₹11.7 lakh from the Seva Nidhi, tax-free: ₹5.02 lakh of their own contributions, an equal government contribution, and interest. Those selected into the regular cadre continue on the regular scale instead.
The monthly pay is taxable like any salary but falls below the basic exemption, so no tax is deducted. The Seva Nidhi payout is exempt under Section 10(12C).
No. The scheme replaces pension with the Seva Nidhi lump sum. The 25 percent retained as regular soldiers become eligible for the regular terms from that point.
The same package: ₹30,000 to 40,000 over four years with 30 percent to Seva Nidhi, across Army, Navy and Air Force.
- Ministry of Defence — Agnipath scheme details (PIB)
- Indian Army — Agniveer recruitment notification, terms and conditions
Pay level, basic and allowance rates verified against the cited notifications and 7th CPC orders on 27 September 2026; in-hand figures are computed, not quoted, and exclude post-specific allowances unless stated.