Mumbai/Nagpur, October 23, 2026: Maharashtra has begun placing the first batch of Navy Agniveers into state police service, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying 282 personnel from the state have been appointed as police constables. The government said the appointments were made after it received the initial list from the Centre.
The group includes 150 Seaman Deckside and 132 Seaman Engineside personnel. According to the report, appointment orders have already been issued to the selected candidates.
What the state government said
In a post on X, Fadnavis said the state cabinet had decided to provide reservation in government jobs for Agniveers and that rules were amended before approval was granted for the appointments. He also said the first list of 282 Navy Agniveers, all residents of Maharashtra, had been received from the central government.
He wrote that the personnel had been appointed as Police Constables and extended wishes to them for their new roles.
Cabinet decision and reservation policy
The appointments follow the Maharashtra cabinet’s decision of September 29, 2026, which approved 10 per cent horizontal reservation for Maharashtra-domiciled former Agniveers in Group-C uniformed posts. The covered services include the Maharashtra Police, State Reserve Police Force, fire services, coastal security, prisons, Home Guards, and related cadres.
As described in the report, eligible Agniveers are to be taken through direct recruitment without appearing for competitive examinations or repeating basic training. The policy also provides age relaxation and other concessions. Navy personnel are being prioritised for the state’s coastal security wing, and sanctioned-post limits may be relaxed as a special measure.
Fadnavis on coastal security and future intake
Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the first batch received from the Navy has been fully integrated into the coastal security wing. He said their training, including service on borders and in difficult terrain, would strengthen coastal security and be mutually beneficial.
He also said the state would extend similar opportunities to Agniveers from the Army and the Indian Air Force. “Moving forward, we will certainly provide opportunities for Agniveers from the Army and the Air Force to join our police force as well,” he said. The government, he added, has decided that any Agniveer wishing to transition into the Maharashtra Police will be inducted.
Link to the Agnipath scheme
The move is meant to address post-service employment under the Agnipath scheme, which the Centre launched in 2022. Under the scheme, recruits serve for four years, after which around 25 per cent are retained in the armed forces and the remaining 75 per cent are released. Maharashtra has said that among the first batch of Agniveers completing their tenure, about 2,496 are from the state.
The report also notes that the policy is in line with similar measures in other states, including Assam, which has 12 per cent reservation in certain constable-level posts, and Gujarat, where Agniveers can be directly recruited into the police with 20 per cent reservation.
