Military losing its shine
Time to recast Short Service Commission
by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd )
Article in the Tribune 15/08/11
My dear Chander,
Noted below is an article that appeared in the Tribune to-day. While the paper, due to constrains of space, has omitted some parts of the article, I am forwarding to you the full text.
With regards and best wishes.
Harwant
Full Text- click here
The Tribune: Military Losing its Shine
RM Lauds Role of Ex Servicemen
Defence Minister AK Antony today asked the armed forces to “uphold the trust of the nation”. A few cases of corruption in the armed forces have come to light recently and this has created “a somewhat negative impact on the image in the public eye”, he said while reminding them that it was the responsibility of each one of them to perform their tasks “with complete devotion, fairness, honesty and truthfulness”.
Lauding the role of ex-servicemen and underlining their welfare was a priority for the government, the Defence Minister said their pension related problems are being addressed and amenities are being expanded. Antony said: “I have appealed to all the states to provide more employment opportunities to ex-servicemen at all levels”.
RM Lauds role of Veterans
Showing posts with label SSC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SSC. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Shortage of Officers in Army: Is it likely to improve in the forseeable future?
Wednesday, May 05, 2010 Ministry of Defence 16:25 IST
The sanctioned strength of officers is 46614 in Army, 9,293 in Navy and 12,212 in Air Force. The present strength of officers in Army is 35,158 and around 11,500 posts are vacant.
One Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai is already functional. The Government has approved setting up of a second OTA at Gaya, Bihar. Necessary steps have been initiated to make the Academy functional.
A number of steps have been taken to attract the talented youth to join the Armed Forces. All officers including those in Short Service Commission (SSC) are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after 2, 6 and 13 years of reckonable service respectively. The tenure of SSC officers has been increased from 10 years to 14 years. A total number of 750 posts of Lt. Colonel have been upgraded to Colonel towards implementation of AV Singh Committee Report (Phase-I). Further, 1896 additional posts in the ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General and their equivalents in the other two Services have been upgraded towards implementation of AV Singh Committee Report (Phase-II). The implementation of recommendations of the VI Central Pay Commission with substantial improvement in the pay structure of officers of Armed Forces, is expected to make the Services more attractive.
The Armed Forces have also undertaken sustained image projection and publicity campaign to create awareness among the youth on the advantages of taking up a challenging and satisfying career. Awareness campaigns, participation in career fairs and exhibitions, advertisements in print and electronic media, motivational lectures in schools, colleges are also some of the other measures in this direction.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in written reply to Shri in Shadi Lal Batra Rajya Sabha today. PK / RAJ
Shortage of Officers in Army
Comments: Neither Implementation of AV Singh Committee recommendations nor Sixth Pay Commission enhanced pay scales are likely to improve the shortage of Officers in the Armed Forces in the foreseeable future. The main reasons are that the rank and honour is totally degraded and Officer status is being reduced and diminished progressively. This is aptly apparent from the number of Judicial Rulings in favour of the Military that are being flouted by the Bureaucrats and the Government with scant regard for the welfare of the Ex- Servicemen.
Only method to offset the shortage is to ensure all bureaucrats including IPS Officers being inducted do at least a 3- year stint in the Armed Forces before they are sent to their respective cadres.
The sanctioned strength of officers is 46614 in Army, 9,293 in Navy and 12,212 in Air Force. The present strength of officers in Army is 35,158 and around 11,500 posts are vacant.
One Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai is already functional. The Government has approved setting up of a second OTA at Gaya, Bihar. Necessary steps have been initiated to make the Academy functional.
A number of steps have been taken to attract the talented youth to join the Armed Forces. All officers including those in Short Service Commission (SSC) are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after 2, 6 and 13 years of reckonable service respectively. The tenure of SSC officers has been increased from 10 years to 14 years. A total number of 750 posts of Lt. Colonel have been upgraded to Colonel towards implementation of AV Singh Committee Report (Phase-I). Further, 1896 additional posts in the ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General and their equivalents in the other two Services have been upgraded towards implementation of AV Singh Committee Report (Phase-II). The implementation of recommendations of the VI Central Pay Commission with substantial improvement in the pay structure of officers of Armed Forces, is expected to make the Services more attractive.
The Armed Forces have also undertaken sustained image projection and publicity campaign to create awareness among the youth on the advantages of taking up a challenging and satisfying career. Awareness campaigns, participation in career fairs and exhibitions, advertisements in print and electronic media, motivational lectures in schools, colleges are also some of the other measures in this direction.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in written reply to Shri in Shadi Lal Batra Rajya Sabha today. PK / RAJ
Shortage of Officers in Army
Comments: Neither Implementation of AV Singh Committee recommendations nor Sixth Pay Commission enhanced pay scales are likely to improve the shortage of Officers in the Armed Forces in the foreseeable future. The main reasons are that the rank and honour is totally degraded and Officer status is being reduced and diminished progressively. This is aptly apparent from the number of Judicial Rulings in favour of the Military that are being flouted by the Bureaucrats and the Government with scant regard for the welfare of the Ex- Servicemen.
Only method to offset the shortage is to ensure all bureaucrats including IPS Officers being inducted do at least a 3- year stint in the Armed Forces before they are sent to their respective cadres.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dantewada Massacre: Opposition to Induction of SSC Officers
Induction of SSC officers was bound to be opposed both by the political leadership and CPO. Political leadership has already politicised CPO to the extent that the officers have been rendered spineless. They do the bidding of their political masters without a whimper of protest. Politicians fear that SSC officers may not toe their line. Having served in an apolitical environment they may resist political pressures.
On the other hand, officer cadre in CPO resents induction of ex-service officers for the following reasons:
Due to their better training and experience, they make police officers feel inferior and ill-equipped. This sense of inadequacy results in petty groupism and jealousies.
SSC officers are liked by the rank and file due to their better man-management skills and empathy for subordinates.
SSC officers pose a threat to their advancement in career because of better professional proficiency, physical fitness and operational acumen.
Resistance to Side-stepping of Ex-servicemen
As regards side-stepping of ex-servicemen into CPO, resistance appears to be on the following grounds:
CPO are considered personal fiefdoms of political leaders and bureaucrats of MHA. Any policy that appears to be diluting their absolute control is perceived as an unacceptable threat.
Recruitment to CPO is a highly lucrative activity with political patronage playing an important role. Lateral induction would halt it totally.
Military training makes ex-servicemen averse to carrying out chores which are routine in CPO. Additionally, military culture imbibed by soldiers inhibits their use for partisan purposes.
Conclusion
Opposition from MHA was on expected lines. However, what came as a big shock was total indifference displayed by MoD as well. Inability of MoD to force MHA to accept induction into CPO is understandable. However, DCO are directly under MoD. It could have made a beginning and set an example by admitting ex-servicemen in DCO. But then, MoD has always been more interested in ‘keeping the armed forces in their place’ rather than looking after their welfare. It is incongruous that MoD wants other organisations (including private sector) to provide employment to ex-servicemen but refuses to accept them in organisations under its own direct control.
In view of the new threats emerging, there is an emergent need to improve the quality of CPO. Induction of ex-servicemen, both at officer and subordinate levels, with long experience of fighting terrorism and insurgency will prove to be of immense value to CPO. It will also bring in much-needed professionalism.
As is obvious, the scheme has been rejected to protect fiefdoms. As lateral induction is construed as a threat, the decision makers are not ready to consider it seriously. No reasons have been made public for its rejection. Selfishness has been the bane of Indian governance. Every proposal is evaluated on the basis of personal benefits accruing to the decision makers. National interests mean little. Subordination of personal interests to national interests requires rare vision and altruism. It is not a trait which is prevalent amongst India’s governing authorities. It is time political leaders and bureaucrats rise above narrow partisan outlook to prove their concern for national security. Proposal mooted by CPC must be implemented without dilution and delay.
Read the full article: LATERAL INDUCTION OF EX-SERVICEMEN
Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD (Retd)
On the other hand, officer cadre in CPO resents induction of ex-service officers for the following reasons:
Resistance to Side-stepping of Ex-servicemen
As regards side-stepping of ex-servicemen into CPO, resistance appears to be on the following grounds:
Conclusion
Opposition from MHA was on expected lines. However, what came as a big shock was total indifference displayed by MoD as well. Inability of MoD to force MHA to accept induction into CPO is understandable. However, DCO are directly under MoD. It could have made a beginning and set an example by admitting ex-servicemen in DCO. But then, MoD has always been more interested in ‘keeping the armed forces in their place’ rather than looking after their welfare. It is incongruous that MoD wants other organisations (including private sector) to provide employment to ex-servicemen but refuses to accept them in organisations under its own direct control.
In view of the new threats emerging, there is an emergent need to improve the quality of CPO. Induction of ex-servicemen, both at officer and subordinate levels, with long experience of fighting terrorism and insurgency will prove to be of immense value to CPO. It will also bring in much-needed professionalism.
As is obvious, the scheme has been rejected to protect fiefdoms. As lateral induction is construed as a threat, the decision makers are not ready to consider it seriously. No reasons have been made public for its rejection. Selfishness has been the bane of Indian governance. Every proposal is evaluated on the basis of personal benefits accruing to the decision makers. National interests mean little. Subordination of personal interests to national interests requires rare vision and altruism. It is not a trait which is prevalent amongst India’s governing authorities. It is time political leaders and bureaucrats rise above narrow partisan outlook to prove their concern for national security. Proposal mooted by CPC must be implemented without dilution and delay.
Read the full article: LATERAL INDUCTION OF EX-SERVICEMEN
Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD (Retd)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Short service officers short circuited by MoD and DGAFMS
Key file missing, MoD blames DGAFMS
Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30
Even as former short service commissioned (SSC) officers continue to be hassled over availing treatment at military hospitals, the Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has claimed that the Defence Ministry’s file containing relevant orders issued by the President has been “lost”.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in response to a query under the RTI Act, has held the DGAFMS responsible for the loss, as it was the custodian of the file.
Earlier, the DGAFMS had responded to queries by ex-servicemen by claiming that the file was with the MoD. When the Ministry wrote to the DGAFMS pointing out that the file was with it, medical directorate then claimed that it was lost.
In 1996, the government had extended outdoor medical facilities in military hospitals to all “ex-servicemen”. These were earlier available only to “ex-service pensioners” and the relevant clause introduced in 1983 was amended after the presidential sanction was accorded for the same.
Letters on the subject were later issued by the Adjutant General’s branch, explicitly including emergency commissioned and SSC officers under the ambit of military medical facilities. Requests by the Director General Medical Services (Army) to rescind these medical facilities were also turned down by the MoD in 1997 and 1998.
Last year, the DGAFMS suo-moto started refusing medical care to elderly veterans on the pretext that they were not entitled to the facility. The DGAFMS also claimed that its concurrence was not taken before granting facilities to non-pensioner ex-servicemen. The DGMS (Army) even wrote to all Army Commands asking them not to comply with letters of the MOD and the Army Headquarters.
Irked by the conduct of the DGAFMS, many ex-servicemen sought a copy of the file notings leading to the Presidential sanction in which the complete concurrence of the then DGAFMS was taken. The DGAFMS, thereafter, took the pretext that the said file was lost.
Medical Benefits for SSC Officers
Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30
Even as former short service commissioned (SSC) officers continue to be hassled over availing treatment at military hospitals, the Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has claimed that the Defence Ministry’s file containing relevant orders issued by the President has been “lost”.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in response to a query under the RTI Act, has held the DGAFMS responsible for the loss, as it was the custodian of the file.
Earlier, the DGAFMS had responded to queries by ex-servicemen by claiming that the file was with the MoD. When the Ministry wrote to the DGAFMS pointing out that the file was with it, medical directorate then claimed that it was lost.
In 1996, the government had extended outdoor medical facilities in military hospitals to all “ex-servicemen”. These were earlier available only to “ex-service pensioners” and the relevant clause introduced in 1983 was amended after the presidential sanction was accorded for the same.
Letters on the subject were later issued by the Adjutant General’s branch, explicitly including emergency commissioned and SSC officers under the ambit of military medical facilities. Requests by the Director General Medical Services (Army) to rescind these medical facilities were also turned down by the MoD in 1997 and 1998.
Last year, the DGAFMS suo-moto started refusing medical care to elderly veterans on the pretext that they were not entitled to the facility. The DGAFMS also claimed that its concurrence was not taken before granting facilities to non-pensioner ex-servicemen. The DGMS (Army) even wrote to all Army Commands asking them not to comply with letters of the MOD and the Army Headquarters.
Irked by the conduct of the DGAFMS, many ex-servicemen sought a copy of the file notings leading to the Presidential sanction in which the complete concurrence of the then DGAFMS was taken. The DGAFMS, thereafter, took the pretext that the said file was lost.
Medical Benefits for SSC Officers
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Women officers in Indian Defence Forces
August 29th, 2007
Steps have been taken by the three Services to attract more women to join Armed Forces. All officers including Women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lt Col after 2, 6 and 13 years of reckonable service respectively. Government has also issued orders extending the tenure of SSC officers including women officers from 10 years to 14 years. The number of posts Arm/Service/Branch tenable by women officers are being constantly reviewed.
While women officers are treated at par with similarly placed male counterparts in terms of recruitment, training, tenure of service, promotion etc, they are, however, not eligible for Permanent Commission except Medical, Nursing and Dental Services. Writ petitions have been filed by three women officers of Air Force against non-grant of Permanent Commission, extension of Commission. The matter is subjudice. Similarly, one retired women officer of Navy has lodged a complaint for the same.
The number of women officer who left the three service during the last three years is 141, 37 and 111 in Army, Navy and Air Force respectively. The number of serving women officers in the three Services of Defence Forces and their percentage to the total strength are a) Army has 945 women, 2.67% b) Air Force has 739 women, 7% and c) Navy has 236, 2.94%.
Women officers in Indian Defence Forces
Related reading
Indian Army violating guidelines on harassment: Army Act 1950 lacks specific provisions to deal with sexual abuse cases at workplace
Steps have been taken by the three Services to attract more women to join Armed Forces. All officers including Women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lt Col after 2, 6 and 13 years of reckonable service respectively. Government has also issued orders extending the tenure of SSC officers including women officers from 10 years to 14 years. The number of posts Arm/Service/Branch tenable by women officers are being constantly reviewed.
While women officers are treated at par with similarly placed male counterparts in terms of recruitment, training, tenure of service, promotion etc, they are, however, not eligible for Permanent Commission except Medical, Nursing and Dental Services. Writ petitions have been filed by three women officers of Air Force against non-grant of Permanent Commission, extension of Commission. The matter is subjudice. Similarly, one retired women officer of Navy has lodged a complaint for the same.
The number of women officer who left the three service during the last three years is 141, 37 and 111 in Army, Navy and Air Force respectively. The number of serving women officers in the three Services of Defence Forces and their percentage to the total strength are a) Army has 945 women, 2.67% b) Air Force has 739 women, 7% and c) Navy has 236, 2.94%.
Women officers in Indian Defence Forces
Related reading
Indian Army violating guidelines on harassment: Army Act 1950 lacks specific provisions to deal with sexual abuse cases at workplace
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Armed Forces faces shortage of nearly 15,000 officers
July 15th, 2009
NEW DELHI - The Indian Armed Forces is facing an acute shortage of nearly 15000 officers, specially at the level of captain, major and Lt Colonel who actually lead the soldiers in the field.
Defense Minister A. K. Antony in a written reply to Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi and Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania in the Rajya Sabha today disclosed that, the Army is in need of 11,387officers, Navy required 1512 and the Air Force needs 1400 officers.
Antony also informed members that during the last five years, 4300 officers of Army, 1177 officers of Air Force and 1096 officers of Navy had sought premature retirement or had resigned for various reasons. Antony said the Ministry is taking various steps to motivate personnel to continue in service and to also attract talented youths to join the Armed Forces.
All officers, including those in Short Service Commission (SSC) are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after 2, 6 and 13 years of service respectively. The tenure of SSC officers has also been increased from 10 years to 14 years Antony informed the house.
A total of 750 posts of Lt. Colonel have been upgraded to Colonel towards implementation of A.V. Singh Committee Report (Phase-I).
Further, 1896 additional posts in the ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General and their equivalent in the other two Services have been upgraded towards implementation of A.V. Singh Committee Report (Phase-II).
The implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission with substantial improvements, in the pay structure of officers of Armed Forces will also go a long way in making the services more attractive, Antony said. (ANI)
Armed forces faces shortage of nearly 15000 officers
Inference: Are we heading for a top heavy inflated Army deflated of Junior Officers who lead men in battle? The bureaucrats scheme of degrading the command and control structure of the Armed Forces is truly bearing fruits by implementation of AV Singh Committee recommendations.
NEW DELHI - The Indian Armed Forces is facing an acute shortage of nearly 15000 officers, specially at the level of captain, major and Lt Colonel who actually lead the soldiers in the field.
Defense Minister A. K. Antony in a written reply to Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi and Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania in the Rajya Sabha today disclosed that, the Army is in need of 11,387officers, Navy required 1512 and the Air Force needs 1400 officers.
Antony also informed members that during the last five years, 4300 officers of Army, 1177 officers of Air Force and 1096 officers of Navy had sought premature retirement or had resigned for various reasons. Antony said the Ministry is taking various steps to motivate personnel to continue in service and to also attract talented youths to join the Armed Forces.
All officers, including those in Short Service Commission (SSC) are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after 2, 6 and 13 years of service respectively. The tenure of SSC officers has also been increased from 10 years to 14 years Antony informed the house.
A total of 750 posts of Lt. Colonel have been upgraded to Colonel towards implementation of A.V. Singh Committee Report (Phase-I).
Further, 1896 additional posts in the ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General and their equivalent in the other two Services have been upgraded towards implementation of A.V. Singh Committee Report (Phase-II).
The implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission with substantial improvements, in the pay structure of officers of Armed Forces will also go a long way in making the services more attractive, Antony said. (ANI)
Armed forces faces shortage of nearly 15000 officers
Inference: Are we heading for a top heavy inflated Army deflated of Junior Officers who lead men in battle? The bureaucrats scheme of degrading the command and control structure of the Armed Forces is truly bearing fruits by implementation of AV Singh Committee recommendations.
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