The Indian Navy has released the premier recruitment notification for the Agniveer (SSR) and Agniveer (MR) 02/2026 Batch, inviting applications from unmarried male and unmarried female citizens of India for over 4,200 vacancies. Enlistment under the Agnipath defence scheme provides youth an unparalleled four-year engagement on state-of-the-art guided-missile destroyers, frigates, submarines, and naval aviation squadrons, with 25% of top-performing recruits absorbed into the permanent regular cadre as Sailors.
This technical recruitment document provides naval aspirants with detailed educational criteria, branch-wise responsibilities, computer-based INET syllabus structures, rigorous physical fitness benchmarks, Seva Nidhi financial security provisions, and step-by-step portal submission procedures.
Indian Navy Agniveer 02/2026: Fast Facts & Key Parameters
| Recruitment Feature | Official Navy Specifications |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Armed Force | Indian Navy (Ministry of Defence, Govt of India) |
| Entry Schemes | Agniveer Senior Secondary Recruit (SSR) & Matric Recruit (MR) |
| Total Enlistment Capacity | 4,200+ Vacancies (Male & Female Candidates) |
| Age Window | 17.5 to 21 Years (Born between 01 Nov 2005 and 30 Apr 2009) |
| Marital Status | Strictly Unmarried throughout the entire 4-year tenure |
| Four-Year Financial Corpus | ₹10.04 Lakhs Tax-Free Seva Nidhi Package on Discharge |
| Selection Protocol | Stage-I (INET CBT) → Stage-II (PFT, Written & Initial Medical) → Final Medical at INS Chilka |
| Official Portal | agniveernavy.cdac.in |
Branch-Wise Roles and Academic Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must verify their educational credentials against specific branch prerequisites prior to registration:
- Agniveer (SSR – Senior Secondary Recruit):
- Academic Requirement: Passed 10+2 (Intermediate) examination with Mathematics and Physics as compulsory subjects, alongside at least one optional subject among Chemistry, Biology, or Computer Science from a recognized Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) board.
- Operational Duties: Agniveer SSR sailors operate specialized warfare equipment, radar surveillance systems, sonar anti-submarine gear, naval aviation flight decks, communication arrays, electronic navigation consoles, and onboard missile launching mechanisms across front-line warships.
- Agniveer (MR – Matric Recruit):
- Academic Requirement: Passed Matriculation (Class 10th) examination from any authorized educational board.
- Trade Classifications:
- Chef: Formulation of nutritional and culinary meals for ship crew, inventory accounting of provisions, and operating modern automated galley equipment.
- Steward: Mess management, officer wardroom service, accounting of ration stores, and ceremonial dining hosting during naval fleet port calls.
- Sanitary Hygienist: Disinfection protocols, environmental sanitation, shipboard bio-waste management, and maintenance of health standards on warships.
Selection Architecture: INET Examination & Testing Modules
The recruitment of Agniveers is structured into a rigorous three-tiered merit-based screening pipeline:
| Branch Entry | Question Subjects | Questions & Marks | Test Duration | Negative Deduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agniveer SSR | English, Science, Mathematics, General Awareness | 100 Questions (100 Marks) | 60 Minutes | 0.25 Marks per Wrong Answer |
| Agniveer MR | Science & Mathematics, General Awareness | 50 Questions (50 Marks) | 30 Minutes | 0.25 Marks per Wrong Answer |
Candidates qualifying Stage-I INET are issued call-up letters for Stage-II testing at designated naval recruitment command centres across India.
Physical Fitness Test (PFT) & Medical Benchmarks
Physical readiness is paramount for survival in maritime environments. All applicants must meet the following mandatory fitness standards during Stage-II trials:
| Physical Fitness Test Event | Male Candidates Benchmark | Female Candidates Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Km Running Race | Completed within 06 Minutes 30 Seconds | Completed within 08 Minutes 00 Seconds |
| Squats (Uthak Baithak) | 20 Continuous Repetitions | 15 Continuous Repetitions |
| Push-ups (Standard Form) | 15 Repetitions | Not Applicable |
| Bent-Knee Sit-ups | Not Applicable | 10 Continuous Repetitions |
| Minimum Stature (Height) | 157 cm (Relaxable for tribal hill regions) | 152 cm |
Agniveer Seva Nidhi Pay Package & Post-Service Benefits
Agniveers are entitled to an escalating monthly remuneration package complemented by uniform allowances, risk hardship allowances, and free rations:
- 1st Year: Monthly gross pay of ₹30,000 (In-hand ₹21,000 + ₹9,000 deposited into Seva Nidhi Corpus).
- 2nd Year: Monthly gross pay of ₹33,000 (In-hand ₹23,100 + ₹9,900 deposited into Seva Nidhi Corpus).
- 3rd Year: Monthly gross pay of ₹36,500 (In-hand ₹25,550 + ₹10,950 deposited into Seva Nidhi Corpus).
- 4th Year: Monthly gross pay of ₹40,000 (In-hand ₹28,000 + ₹12,000 deposited into Seva Nidhi Corpus).
- Seva Nidhi Exit Corpus: The central government contributes an exact equal matching amount (₹5.02 Lakhs) to the recruit’s deducted corpus. Upon completion of four years, the sailor receives approximately ₹10.04 Lakhs tax-free, with accrued interest.
- Life Insurance & Disability Coverage: Non-contributory life insurance cover of ₹48 Lakhs provided during service tenure.
Step-by-Step Portal Application Process via CDAC Portal
- Access the official recruitment portal at
agniveernavy.cdac.in. - Register using a valid email address and mobile number authenticated via OTP verification.
- Log in and input demographic details, matriculation certificate records, and 10+2 marks breakdown.
- Select examination cities for INET Stage-I across three regional choices.
- Upload clear passport photographs with a light blue background holding a black slate displaying candidate name and date of photograph taken in white chalk.
- Upload scanned signatures and state domicile certificates.
- Submit the examination examination fee (₹550 + 18% GST) through the integrated payment gateway.
- Retain the printed application confirmation sheet and admit card download token.
Frequently Asked Questions on Navy Agniveer 2026
Q1: Are female candidates eligible for both SSR and MR branches?
Yes. The Indian Navy enlists both unmarried male and unmarried female candidates in both SSR and MR trades.
Q2: Where does basic naval training take place?
Candidates who clear the Stage-III final medical examination undergo intense basic military and seamanship training at the premier naval training establishment INS Chilka in Odisha.
Q3: How many Agniveers are retained in the permanent cadre?
Up to 25% of each Agniveer batch are enrolled directly into the regular cadre of the Indian Navy as permanent sailors based on objective merit, professional competence, and naval operational appraisals.
Ram Avtar is the Founder and Lead Career Analyst at Govt Results Alert. With over 6 years of experience analyzing Government Recruitment Notifications, SSC, Banking, and Railway examination patterns, he leads our fact-checking team to deliver authentic, timely, and verified job alerts directly from official government gazettes.
