The Directorate of Manpower Planning & Recruitment of the Indian Navy has officially opened the online application window for the Agniveer (Apprentice) 01/2027 and 02/2027 batches. Operating under the government’s Agnipath scheme, this specialised recruitment drive is tailored for unmarried male diploma holders seeking technical careers within the maritime forces. Eligible candidates have until June 29, 2026 (05:00 PM) to submit their forms through the official portal.

Core Eligibility Criteria for Agniveer Recruitment

To be considered for the selection process, applicants must meet specific marital, educational, and age-related baselines outlined in the official notification:

• Marital Status: Strictly open to unmarried Indian male candidates. Enrolled Agniveers are required to remain unmarried for the entirety of their four-year tenure.
• Educational Qualifications: Candidates must have passed their Matriculation (Class 10) examination with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate. Additionally, they must hold a three-year engineering diploma from an AICTE-recognized polytechnic institute, scoring at least 50% aggregate marks in a qualifying trade (such as Mechanical, Marine, Electrical, Electronics, or Automobile Engineering).
• Age Brackets: Candidates born between December 1, 2004, and October 31, 2009, are broadly eligible to apply for the initial entrance test. Batch-specific shortlisting for subsequent stages follows tighter bounds.

Selection Architecture and Exam Format

The recruitment process executes across two distinct stages to assess both technical competence and physical capability:

• Stage I: Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET)
  The initial shortlisting relies on a computer-based INET exam scheduled tentatively for August 2026. The exam is a 1-hour, 100-question bilingual test (Hindi and English) covering English & General Awareness, Science, Mathematics, and trade-specific Diploma topics. A negative marking of 0.25 marks applies to incorrect answers.
• Stage II: Physical and Medical Testing
  Candidates shortlisted from the INET merit list move to physical tests. Physical eligibility demands a minimum height of 157 cm alongside passing the Physical Fitness Test (PFT), which comprises:
• A 1.6 km run to be completed within 6 minutes and 30 seconds.
• 20 Squats (Uthak Baithak).
• 15 Push-ups.
• 15 Bent-knee sit-ups.

This stage concludes with a secondary written evaluation and a comprehensive recruitment medical examination.

Pay Structure and Career Pathway

Selected candidates will receive structured year-on-year salary packaging alongside a final terminal benefit:

Upon completing the four-year tenure, personnel receive a tax-exempt Seva Nidhi lump-sum accumulation of approximately INR 10.04 lakh (comprising personal contributions matched equally by the government). Up to 25 per cent of the performing cohort from each batch will be offered an opportunity to transition into the regular cadre as permanent sailors.

Step-by-Step Application Procedure

Aspiring candidates must navigate the online registration before the server window closes at 5:00 PM on June 29:

Note for Applicants

A brief correction window will open on July 6, allowing candidates to review and adjust data entry errors before exam slots lock permanently. Training for the 01/2027 batch commences in December 2026, while the 02/2027 batch reports in May 2027 at INS Chilka, Odisha.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2026 10:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).