The order changing military officers’ equations vis-à-vis civilian officials has been rescinded. Further heartburn needs to be prevented.
Another shot has been fired in the Ministry of Defence’s longest running conflict. Except that the shot was not fired from a gun, or any weapon system in the armoury. It was, in fact, a pen that altered the contours of this conflict once again. The duellists are not arranged along any border, or on either of the two lines that are perpetually in conflict. The duellists are, as they have been for the past almost 60 years, occupying office space separated by mere metres within the Ministry of Defence.
After almost a year of heartburn, armed forces officers heaved a sigh of relief and experienced a sense justification when the MoD rescinded its previous order of changing their equations vis-a-vis civilian officials.
The previous order caused considerable consternation, heartburn, heaps of data usage on social media, and a sense of being let down. It was, in a nutshell, a re-structuring of the prevailing order within MoD. And the prevailing order had armed forces officers enjoying parity with their civilian counterparts based on the rank held. A colonel, for example, was equated with a director from the civil services.
This arrangement was changed in 2016, and which caused an eruption of ire within the armed forces. In any other system, or ministry, it would seem an infantile matter, but not when it comes to the MoD. That is solely because there is a long history to this turf battle, and which goes back decades, to an innocuous post, the termination of which is long considered to the first shot fired in this conflict in perpetuity. The turf being battled over is not, of course, quantifiable in terms of space or size, for it occupies only the contours of institutional minds.
The first shot
In its early days, the Ministry of Defence had an appointment called Camp Commandant held by an armed forces officer, a Lt. Colonel or equivalent. Like all such commanders of camps, the responsibilities were greater in proportion to the rank held, or it seems now to those elevated, but disproportionately under-utilised.
With the deft use of a pen, the MoD terminated this appointment, letting loose a conflict which hasn’t ceased to this day. The last shot has yet not been fired in this tussle.
Struggle for supremacy
Over the years, this struggle for supremacy has entered new arenas, taken other routes, and metastasised to include debates over pay, perks, and privileges. And this has happened because of the peculiar composition, and nature, of an Indian ingenuity called the Pay Commission. Every decade this body is announced, meets regularly, travels the country, accepts proposals, views presentations, and then announces an award that will be applicable to every government employee’s pocket. Every decade, without a break from the past, associations and unions appear to express their angst with the proposals, and thus negotiate a better deal.
The armed forces are no innocents in this game, but actually masters in using information warfare to buttress, highlight, and underline their plight. It is the same grouse every time, and it stems from comparing who gets what, in which rank, and after how many years of service. The rules of the game are stacked against the armed forces, and this is taken as the continuing slight that the ‘civilians’ inflict on them.
The Camp Commandant of yore would have been able to handle this matter, if it existed then. But there is none now, and this matter vexes the military minds every decade, and in between too.
There is an often-used, but largely unheard of, Indian document called the Warrant of Precedence. As all things government are run on the basis of who stands ahead in the line, this is the document that decides the list as it were.
Over the years, the Warrant of Precedence has been altered, or so it is believed within the armed forces. As a result of which various military ranks are continually getting devalued. As a consequence, the armed forces are the real losers when it comes to pay commission awards, as they are not adequately compensated for the risks taken and the years served.
This, at least, is the prevailing perception, across the board within the three services, when it comes to being equated with civilian employees.
The solution
The long-term solution to this constant sniping at protocol, precedence, pay, and perceptions, is to institutionalise a separate pay commission for the armed forces, membership of which can also draw from the uniformed fraternity.
At same time, rank equivalence must be instituted on the basis of years of service. There is no other way of equating two completely different sets of officers who perforce share work space.
Parity in the mind is the most important battle being fought within MoD, and this good step needs to be cemented to prevent future mishaps.
Manvendra Singh is Editor, Defence and Security Alert magazine & a BJP MLA from Rajasthan.
Every representation made by armed forces personnel in AFT which is equivalent to High Courts in respect of disparity and NFU has been won. However still the Babu party use delay tactics by challenging verdicts in SC. Thereby adding to the number of pending cases.
If Civil service is the toughest exam let’s then go down to facts and figures Babu party. Please bring out ratio of rejected to selected candidates in SSB and civil service. Einstein you’ll know your bubble. Incase of SSB the rejection ratio is much much more higher. And for general public info, the MSP gets stopped after achieving the rank of AVM/ Lt General since it is considered that they here onward will never get anymore field assignment.
This Babu party talking about peace posting is ridiculous. Posted in Guwahati try consider it as field posting and draws a hardship allowance equal to almost 30 percent of their basic pay. Whereas for armed forces they have made it peace posting. And now here giving lectures on how all stations are peace except JK and NE. The hardship allowance they draw sitting in a city like Guwahati is more than what soldiers get standing in Siachen.
What about other ranks in diffence only conveyed the official officers problems and salvoed now they make fest who looks the PBOR matter now days 80% of newly requirted sepoys are graduates minimum metric for NDA 10+2 only required, why don’t MOD observations in such type matter and shot out them it is shameless .
Dear rajpal nda is a 10+2 entry, wherever cadet is trained and he studies graduation… so as per you a newly commissioned officer and a newly recruited jawan both are having same qualification
Why these order of preceedence is not applicable for JCO. For an example. An AE of MES was 4600 equilent to Subedar but after completing 3 yrs of service as
AE he upgraded to 5600 where as subedar is placed in grade pay of 4800 even after getting his promotion as sub major. But these anomolies are not projected by service officers also. They are only worried about their stadus not of their subordinates.
We know that deals with the manpower is the toughest job compare to other fields and those who have the qualities of super leaders are only worth of handling it. However, over a long period, it is experienced that military officers themselves have dug grave by overlooking their men and interestingly proved only their values to the government. Subsequdntly, the government itself assessed the reality on the ground. Despite existence of military
Officers as the guardian of PBOR, it is a shameful matter that ex-soldiers have got to file the petitions regarding MSP and other grievances at various levels. Army is the only such an organisation which is run based on leadership of loyalty and integrity which makes the discipline. Nowadays, air of each and every events of defence is blowing everywhere.
These buggers talk only about officers. Who will think of men then? An army sepoy or an air force aircraftsman joins same status as of an LDC (now JSA) but even after putting 20 Years of service gets greade pay of 2800 where as that LDC reaches to grade pay 4600/-. Do these officer have right to ask priviledge when their subordinates are suffering? Everybody is fighting for themshelves but how will poor ORs get the justice. No choice but to suffer.
Will someone justify why a hefty MSP is being paid to the armed forces officers who are posted in Headquarters for long years while doing babu’s job? Will someone tell me how many officer or rank above Lt Cool have lost their lives in battle field in last 45 years? Please not so much emotional blackmailing. Over the years thousands of policemen and para Military men have lost their lives in war against terrorism but what they get in return? Abuse only.
This us the problem created by officers themself In service the play with their junior ranks The privelidge and other facaliuties which junior are suposed to get ate ignored
What is the order of precedence for JCO. This matter too must be cleared.
Well the fault lies with us in the armed forces. In the past we never took interest I educating the it’s members about the finances. In seventies the slogan was we don’t discuss politics, woman and money . It resulted in that the officers were happy to see what was remitted to their bank.In 80s the slogan was we should not compare ourselves with civil services. It all resulted the civil services including the babus of MOD took advantages and kept on pushing down us. Otherwise how could a 2LT in 1970 who got one increment more than a civil servant at the time of first appointment could be pushed much behind when he completed 20 years of service than a civil servant. Yesterday only there was a news article where in Uttarakhand A forest ranger a class three service gets 8700 as a grade pay ( pre 7CPC) on completion of 26 years ie third ACP equal to a colonel got. Incidently only 45 to 50% officers could reach this select rank. Others get it on completion of 26 yrs. A Colonel on getting commission is a class one officer . So this is the disparity. The defence forces have been cheated by the babus
and politicians every time and taken advantage of restriction on the fundamental rights of theirs ( defenceforces). Any other service members would have revolted by now on the such treatment meted out to them.
Because Civil Servants break the toughest exam called the Civil Service. They have to face hardships on daily basis. Barring J&K and some pockets of north east, the almost all postings are in peace.
Whenever there is riot… Whenever there is a natural calamity… Whenever something happens in your so called peace areas… army is deployed.. how can you call it a peace posting… no doubt civil is one of the toughest exam to pass.. but the capability of mugging up books is not an yardstick to judge the toughness of exam or a service… for a 17 yr old the nda exam follwed by psychology test is more tough than civils for a 28 yrs old man… after qualifying the exams the 17 yr old boy undergoes hard training and gets posted to toughest terrains whereas the man who clears civils undergoes a normal training in ac rooms… then sits in ac rooms and than comments on the working on armed forces… can’t you see the irony… think before you speak
1. You are rt. The facts are different,as given below.
2. Many of them have failed in their first attempt to clear NDA exams / SSB and few of them are the ones who left NDA trg in between because of their failure to sustain the physical and psychological pressures. If need be a study can be carried out on the matter. Moreover, for babus entire country is peace posting, that is why they need monthly risk allowance of about Rs. 51000/-, as an incentive, to be posted at places like Gowahati (A state capital), whereas officers and men of the services don’t deserve any parity in the same, even when they are not just posted but also fighting the enemy of the country at the world’s highest battlefield, ie. Saichen Glacier.