New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is working to change the definition of ‘ex-servicemen’ to include women officers of the Military Nursing Service (MNS). It has, in principle, decided to grant them the status of ex-servicemen after having resisted the move for nearly 10 years.
The decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Court directing the MoD to file a reply on the issue. The apex court’s order came on a central government petition challenging an Armed Forces Tribunal verdict in 2010, which had directed the government to treat military nurses at par with regular commissioned officers of the three services in terms of rank and entitlements.
The AFT judgement was on a petition filed by former MNS officer, Major General Usha Sikder, urging nursing officers be treated at par with all other officers. An Army order of April 2004 had stated that MNS officers were not at par with rest of the officers of the services, including doctors.
In her plea, Major General Sikdar had said she was “humiliated and insulted” during her visit to a naval hospital in Mumbai by the then Commanding Officer, Rear Admiral V.K. Singh, who she alleged “unceremoniously” denied her an “authorised” staff car with star plate and flag signifying her rank.
Soon after the AFT ruling in her favour, the government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging it.
28 issues raised by MNS officers
With the issue in a legal tangle, the MoD has now given an “in principle” go-ahead to granting the MNS officers the status of ex-servicemen, and also to the use of appointment plates in their official vehicles from the rank of Brigadier and above.
The demands were part of 28 issues raised by the MNS officers, but the ministry is set to resist some of the other issues.
To bring military nurses under the ex-servicemen purview, the current definition of ex-servicemen needs to be amended, Army sources told ThePrint.
They added that the MoD has had discussions with the Department of Training and Personnel (DoPT) to work on tweaking the definition so that military nurses can officially be granted the status of ex-servicemen.
“There is a technical issue with the definition of ex-servicemen and that is being sorted by the ministry,” a source said.
Sources said the technical difficulties also arose because of the fact that the MNS was constituted through the Indian Military Nursing Serving Ordinance, 1943, and not through an act.
Long overdue
Women are commissioned as officers in the MNS, which is under the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS). There are around 5,300 serving military nurses.
The move comes as a shot in the arm for the women officers of the service, as they have been fighting a long legal battle for the restoration of their overall status.
At present, military nurses are entitled to canteen facilities, pension, and Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) benefits. Once granted the status of ex-servicemen, they will be eligible to get ex-servicemen identity cards, re-employment avenues in state government and Defence PSUs. They will also have a better chance to get into army resettlement courses and some benefits in terms of admission of their children to colleges.
As per a government press release, MNS officers have played a pivotal role during four wars with Pakistan—in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999—and are presently serving with troops in the troubled states of Jammu and Kashmir & in the Northeast, and with combat troops deployed abroad in UN missions.
Also read: After Balakot, Pakistani & Indian air forces are now fighting war of uniform patches
Mns officers ko salute aur milna chaye aur utni respect milni chaye Jo others officers ko milti h m to yhi bolugi ki ye rule bi allow hojye
Congratulations MNS Officers…….
That’s very good nyce the court has taken correct judgement this job is very toughful and is second god to all needy patients and request to all nurse to give the nursing care to the military people because they are the future of our life
Court judgement will further increase the work less culture n patient care also
There sense of service is declining like anything. They all have forgotten there motto.. most if them are rude. They are partial in delivering duties. They are just enjoying the officer status.
Not grant for ex servicemen quota to mns. Due to she has recd highly salary and 60 yrs Continusly service. In civil nurse not given High salary same qualifications. Only ex servicemen quota to given only army soldiers not officers.
Congrats 2 all MNS………✌✌✌✌
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With hope now they treat well ORs & ORs families also……….
Excellent directions by the honourable supreme court.Now nobody needs to discuss bkas that will amount to contempt of court.Now,almost 70% of deliveries are conducted by MNS Officers with absolute perfection and gynae attends only 30%.As AMC Officers are supposed to be COs in future,they need to be put through SSB and almost 70% will fail in SSB.What generated this kind of step motherly treatment to MNS Officers is shocking.That funny person who misused his authority and denied flagcar to ADG MNS must be penalised and made to apologise in open court verbally and in writing too.This shows partiality,hooliganism,disrespect to law,misuse of authority and such people who take law into their hand must be penalised and EXEMPLARILY punished.
Great great,enviable credit to all MNS Officers for exposing such bad elements who think that they are impermeable to law.
Wrong and purposeful misinterpretation of existing laws is clear contempt of judiciary and can’t b tolerated.
A giant leap by all MNS Officers.God bless you all….Colonel v g nair
Congratulations to all MNS OFFICERS ?
It’s a good thing. They were not being treated equal by other serving officers ( specifically medical officers who think they have come from some other world) and as a result MNS officers had their resentment. Actually they should be treated equal and they should be given their dues. I have seen a lady officer of AFMC refusing to include them even for a social function. I was stunned to see that a lady can have such a constricted mentality against other ladies who works with them day and night. They all have been working and now they should be given their dues. Actually this problem is specifically there in India. The dignity of labour is not there. If you go to US, you may be doing any job and noone looks upon you. We need to come out of this mentality. Actually it had been because of medical officers of all the three arms that MNS officers are being given a sub standard treatment. If some officer from MNS has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier or Lt Gen, then she deserves all the perks and priveleges commensurate to her rank. It is much more difficult to get promotion in their field. They are a part of us and not separate. They should be included in each and every social occasion and then you will see the change. Any way finally a win for all the MNS officers and it’s a kind of reply by the court to all those medical officers who treat MNS officers as a second fiddle. Kudos to all the officers of MNS.
All ex service personnel daughter has to be given priority to join military nursing
Had a bitter experience with so called MNSs . They are more officer than nurses. If ex servicemen status is being given to them , give them arms ammunition training and duties too and post them on forward posts. So that they could have real feelings of ex servicemen. At present they are drawing much higher pay and allowances at the sacrifices made by soldiers. Do anyone has any example of a MNS gave supreme sacrifice ?
Shame on you
Give all respect, working environment, ranks (brigadier and above since commissioned as nursing staff) fulfilled all concern or issues. As an other rank my humble request to all nursing staff give equal service to our family also as usual as officer family. Since 9 years I ever seen you nursing staff sit in a huddle shape in the name of OR family.
Nursing staff in army is like god after injuring you will realise what type of dedication to their duty. Congratulations to all MNS officer
A waste of things
We have sacrifice d our youth our family only to be called as unsung heroes of the defence There are many officers who have acknowledged our sacrifice.God can not do injustice to us.we arehappy by .the umpteen blessings of our patients cannot go unanswered.At last Devine justice has prevailed.many of the mns officer’s have suffered kind courtesy some self-centred and selfish officers who were bent upon harassing us.