diff --git a/build/build-config.yml b/build/build-config.yml
index 8201faf8b7e..5c06a75f0b4 100644
--- a/build/build-config.yml
+++ b/build/build-config.yml
@@ -89,13 +89,13 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-accesscontrol"
         image-name: "egov-accesscontrol"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 # Core Services
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/audit-service"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/audit-service"
         image-name: "audit-service"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/audit-service/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "audit-service-db"
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/egov-common-masters"
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-enc-service"
         image-name: "egov-enc-service"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-enc-service/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-enc-service-db"
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-filestore"
         image-name: "egov-filestore"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-filestore/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-filestore-db"
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-idgen"
         image-name: "egov-idgen"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-idgen/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-idgen-db"
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-indexer"
         image-name: "egov-indexer"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-indexer/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-indexer-db"
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-localization"
         image-name: "egov-localization"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-localization/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-localization-db"
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-location"
         image-name: "egov-location"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-location/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-location-db"
 
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/boundary-service"
         image-name: "boundary-service"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/boundary-service/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "boundary-service-db"
 
@@ -174,13 +174,13 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-mdms-service"
         image-name: "egov-mdms-service"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/mdms-v2"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/mdms-v2"
         image-name: "mdms-v2"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/mdms-v2/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "mdms-v2-db"
 
@@ -188,19 +188,19 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-notification-mail"
         image-name: "egov-notification-mail"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/egov-notification-sms"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-notification-sms"
         image-name: "egov-notification-sms"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/egov-otp"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-otp"
         image-name: "egov-otp"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-otp/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-otp-db"
 
@@ -208,13 +208,13 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-persister"
         image-name: "egov-persister"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/egov-pg-service"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-pg-service"
         image-name: "egov-pg-service"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-pg-service/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-pg-service-db"
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user"
         image-name: "egov-user"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven-java8/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-java8-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-user-db"
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user-event"
         image-name: "egov-user-event"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user-event/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-user-event-db"
 
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-workflow-v2"
         image-name: "egov-workflow-v2"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-workflow-v2/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-workflow-v2-db"
 
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/user-otp"
         image-name: "user-otp"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/zuul"
     build:
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/gateway"
         image-name: "gateway"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/internal-gateway"
     build:
@@ -327,15 +327,15 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/internal-gateway-scg"
         image-name: "internal-gateway-scg"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
-        
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
+
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/egov-user-event"
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user-event"
         image-name: "egov-user-event"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-user-event/src/main/resources/db"
-        image-name: "egov-user-event-db"       
+        image-name: "egov-user-event-db"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/core-services/pdf-service"
     build:
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-url-shortening"
         image-name: "egov-url-shortening"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/egov-url-shortening/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "egov-url-shortening-db"
   
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "accelerators/inbox"
         image-name: "inbox"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
 
   - name: "builds/Digit-Core/accelerators/gateway-kubernetes-discovery"
     build:
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "accelerators/pgr-services"
         image-name: "pgr-services"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "accelerators/pgr-services/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "pgr-services-db"
 
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ config:
     build:
       - work-dir: "core-services/service-request"
         image-name: "service-request"
-        dockerfile: "build/maven/Dockerfile"
+        dockerfile: "build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile"
       - work-dir: "core-services/service-request/src/main/resources/db"
         image-name: "service-request-db"
 
diff --git a/build/maven-java8-jdk21/Dockerfile b/build/maven-java8-jdk21/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..36b7cd8ddc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/maven-java8-jdk21/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# JDK 8→21 hybrid: compile with JDK 8, run on JDK 21.
+# Use this for services on Spring Boot 1.5/2.x that cannot be recompiled
+# for JDK 17+ but benefit from JDK 21's cgroup v2 fix and memory improvements.
+#
+# JDK 21 fixes cgroup v2 CPU detection (JDK-8281181), auto-sizes heap/threads
+# from container limits, and runs Java 8 bytecode natively.
+#
+# Spring Boot 1.5 needs two runtime patches for JDK 21:
+#   1. JAXB API + runtime (removed from JDK 11)
+#   2. --add-opens flags for internal JDK module access
+
+# ──────────────── BUILD STAGE ────────────────
+FROM egovio/maven:3.9.6-amazoncorretto-8-debian AS build
+ARG WORK_DIR
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY ${WORK_DIR}/pom.xml       ./pom.xml
+COPY build/maven-java8-jdk21/start.sh ./start.sh
+COPY ${WORK_DIR}/src           ./src
+
+RUN mvn -B -f pom.xml package -DskipTests
+
+# ──────────── JAXB PATCH STAGE ─────────────
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21-jdk-alpine AS patcher
+RUN apk add --no-cache curl
+WORKDIR /patch
+
+COPY --from=build /app/target/*.jar ./app.jar
+
+# Download JAXB API + implementation (removed from JDK 11+)
+RUN curl -sL -o jaxb-api.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/javax/xml/bind/jaxb-api/2.3.1/jaxb-api-2.3.1.jar && \
+    curl -sL -o javax.activation.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/javax/activation/javax.activation-api/1.2.0/javax.activation-api-1.2.0.jar && \
+    curl -sL -o jaxb-runtime.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/glassfish/jaxb/jaxb-runtime/2.3.9/jaxb-runtime-2.3.9.jar && \
+    curl -sL -o txw2.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/glassfish/jaxb/txw2/2.3.9/txw2-2.3.9.jar && \
+    curl -sL -o istack-commons-runtime.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/sun/istack/istack-commons-runtime/3.0.12/istack-commons-runtime-3.0.12.jar && \
+    curl -sL -o stax-ex.jar https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/jvnet/staxex/stax-ex/1.8.1/stax-ex-1.8.1.jar
+
+# Inject JAXB jars into the fat JAR (jar uf0 preserves STORED entries)
+RUN mkdir -p BOOT-INF/lib && \
+    cp jaxb-api.jar javax.activation.jar jaxb-runtime.jar txw2.jar \
+       istack-commons-runtime.jar stax-ex.jar BOOT-INF/lib/ && \
+    jar uf0 app.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/jaxb-api.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/javax.activation.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/jaxb-runtime.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/txw2.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/istack-commons-runtime.jar \
+      BOOT-INF/lib/stax-ex.jar
+
+# ─────────────── RUNTIME STAGE ───────────────
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21-jre-alpine
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache dos2unix
+
+WORKDIR /opt/egov
+
+COPY --from=patcher /patch/app.jar /opt/egov/app.jar
+COPY --from=build /app/start.sh /opt/egov/start.sh
+
+# CDS pre-dump: generate classlist then shared archive for faster startup.
+RUN timeout 30 java \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.lang.reflect=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      -XX:DumpLoadedClassList=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
+RUN java \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.lang.reflect=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      --add-opens java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED \
+      -Xshare:dump \
+      -XX:SharedClassListFile=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
+
+RUN dos2unix /opt/egov/start.sh && chmod +x /opt/egov/start.sh
+
+CMD ["/opt/egov/start.sh"]
diff --git a/build/maven-java8-jdk21/start.sh b/build/maven-java8-jdk21/start.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..112e447e632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/maven-java8-jdk21/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# JDK 21 auto-sizes heap from cgroup limits — no default -Xms/-Xmx needed.
+# Set JAVA_OPTS or JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS via container environment if tuning is required.
+
+# CDS: use shared archive if it exists (pre-baked at image build time)
+CDS_OPTS=""
+if [ -f /opt/egov/app-cds.jsa ]; then
+    CDS_OPTS="-XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa"
+fi
+
+# Spring Boot 1.5 uses internal JDK APIs via reflection.
+# These --add-opens flags are required for JDK 21 compatibility.
+ADD_OPENS="--add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED"
+ADD_OPENS="$ADD_OPENS --add-opens java.base/java.lang.reflect=ALL-UNNAMED"
+ADD_OPENS="$ADD_OPENS --add-opens java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED"
+
+if [ x"${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != x ] && [ "${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != "false" ]; then
+    java_debug_args="-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=${JAVA_DEBUG_PORT:-5005}"
+fi
+
+exec java ${java_debug_args} ${ADD_OPENS} ${JAVA_OPTS} ${CDS_OPTS} ${JAVA_ARGS} -jar /opt/egov/app.jar
diff --git a/build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile b/build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..699f0f06e20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/maven-jdk21/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# JDK 21 runtime variant of build/maven/Dockerfile.
+# Use this for services on Spring Boot 3.x compiled with Java 17+.
+# Services on Spring Boot 1.5/2.x must continue using build/maven/Dockerfile.
+#
+# JDK 21 fixes cgroup v2 CPU detection (JDK-8281181), auto-sizes heap/threads
+# from container limits, and runs Java 17 bytecode natively (no recompilation).
+
+FROM egovio/maven:3.9.6-amazoncorretto-17 AS build
+ARG WORK_DIR
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Copy project files
+COPY ${WORK_DIR}/pom.xml ./pom.xml
+COPY build/maven-jdk21/start.sh ./start.sh
+COPY ${WORK_DIR}/src ./src
+
+# Build the project
+RUN mvn -B -f /app/pom.xml package
+
+# Runtime image — JDK 21 on Alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21-jre-alpine
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache dos2unix
+
+WORKDIR /opt/egov
+
+# Copy artifacts from the build stage
+COPY --from=build /app/target/*.jar /opt/egov/app.jar
+COPY --from=build /app/start.sh /opt/egov/start.sh
+
+# CDS pre-dump: generate classlist then shared archive for faster startup.
+# The app will attempt to start (no DB/Kafka available) — timeout kills it
+# after 30s, which is enough to load all classes for the classlist.
+RUN timeout 30 java -XX:DumpLoadedClassList=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
+RUN java -Xshare:dump \
+      -XX:SharedClassListFile=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
+
+# Ensure the start script has correct line endings and is executable
+RUN dos2unix /opt/egov/start.sh && chmod +x /opt/egov/start.sh
+
+CMD ["/opt/egov/start.sh"]
diff --git a/build/maven-jdk21/start.sh b/build/maven-jdk21/start.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d8fcc20d31a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/maven-jdk21/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# JDK 21 auto-sizes heap from cgroup limits — no default -Xms/-Xmx needed.
+# Set JAVA_OPTS or JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS via container environment if tuning is required.
+
+# CDS: use shared archive if it exists (pre-baked at image build time)
+CDS_OPTS=""
+if [ -f /opt/egov/app-cds.jsa ]; then
+    CDS_OPTS="-XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa"
+fi
+
+if [ x"${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != x ] && [ "${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != "false" ]; then
+    java_debug_args="-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=${JAVA_DEBUG_PORT:-5005}"
+fi
+
+exec java ${java_debug_args} ${JAVA_OPTS} ${CDS_OPTS} ${JAVA_ARGS} -jar /opt/egov/app.jar
diff --git a/build/maven/Dockerfile b/build/maven/Dockerfile
index b68795aed18..bc8f4cc7b3f 100644
--- a/build/maven/Dockerfile
+++ b/build/maven/Dockerfile
@@ -10,18 +10,29 @@ COPY ${WORK_DIR}/src ./src
 # Build the project
 RUN mvn -B -f /app/pom.xml package
 
-# Runtime image – using a multi-arch base image
-FROM egovio/amazoncorretto:17-alpine
+# Runtime image – JDK 21 fixes cgroup v2 CPU detection (JDK-8281181),
+# auto-sizes heap/threads from container limits, and runs Java 17 bytecode natively.
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21-jre-alpine
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache dos2unix
 
 WORKDIR /opt/egov
 
 # Copy artifacts from the build stage
-COPY --from=build /app/target/*.jar /app/start.sh /opt/egov/
+COPY --from=build /app/target/*.jar /opt/egov/app.jar
+COPY --from=build /app/start.sh /opt/egov/start.sh
+
+# CDS pre-dump: generate classlist then shared archive for faster startup.
+# The app will attempt to start (no DB/Kafka available) — timeout kills it
+# after 30s, which is enough to load all classes for the classlist.
+RUN timeout 30 java -XX:DumpLoadedClassList=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
+RUN java -Xshare:dump \
+      -XX:SharedClassListFile=/opt/egov/app.classlist \
+      -XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa \
+      -jar /opt/egov/app.jar 2>/dev/null; true
 
 # Ensure the start script has correct line endings and is executable
 RUN dos2unix /opt/egov/start.sh && chmod +x /opt/egov/start.sh
 
-# Verify architecture inside the container
-RUN uname -m
-
 CMD ["/opt/egov/start.sh"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/maven/start.sh b/build/maven/start.sh
index 08bdd8de28e..d8fcc20d31a 100644
--- a/build/maven/start.sh
+++ b/build/maven/start.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-if [[ -z "${JAVA_OPTS}" ]];then
-    export JAVA_OPTS="-Xmx64m -Xms64m"
+# JDK 21 auto-sizes heap from cgroup limits — no default -Xms/-Xmx needed.
+# Set JAVA_OPTS or JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS via container environment if tuning is required.
+
+# CDS: use shared archive if it exists (pre-baked at image build time)
+CDS_OPTS=""
+if [ -f /opt/egov/app-cds.jsa ]; then
+    CDS_OPTS="-XX:SharedArchiveFile=/opt/egov/app-cds.jsa"
 fi
 
 if [ x"${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != x ] && [ "${JAVA_ENABLE_DEBUG}" != "false" ]; then
     java_debug_args="-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=${JAVA_DEBUG_PORT:-5005}"
 fi
 
-exec java ${java_debug_args} ${JAVA_OPTS} ${JAVA_ARGS}  -jar /opt/egov/*.jar
\ No newline at end of file
+exec java ${java_debug_args} ${JAVA_OPTS} ${CDS_OPTS} ${JAVA_ARGS} -jar /opt/egov/app.jar