Sanjha Morcha

Army questions MoD official’s authority to decide JCO status

Had said they’re not covered under definition of officer

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 4

The Indian Army has given a strongly-worded reply to a letter written by an official of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) who had stated that Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) are “not gazetted officers”.The official, a Joint Secretary-cum-Chief Administrative Officer (JS & CAO) in the MoD, had said since “JCOs are not covered under the definition of officer”, they do not merit such a status while being posted in the Army Headquarters at South Block, New Delhi.The Army, in its reply to the JS & CAO, questioned his authority to decide on the status of JCOs. It has said: “The CAO officials have no competence or locus standi to comment/question the provisions of an Act of Parliament or the Defence Services Regulations.”In the letter, the Army, on a separate matter, has asked the CAO to stop issuing communications that do not form its charter. “Office of CAO is not mandated by government to deal with any personnel aspects involving combatants (the armed forces).”The JS & CAO is the cadre-controlling officer for Armed Forces Civilian Employees who number over 12,000. Sources point out that the civilian-employee cadre was set up for administrative management, not to issue policy letters on personnel matters of the forces.The Tribune had reported on February 26 how the JS & CAO had rejected the move to give “gazetted officer” status.On JCO issue, the Army in its latest letter pointed out that JCOs were accorded “Group-B” gazetted officer status. The Army Act, 1950, accords status of Group-B equivalent gazetted officers to JCOs. Section 151 of the Defence Service Regulations 1987 states JCOs are granted commission by the President.There are some 64,000 personnel of JCO rank or equivalent in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. The JCOs are promoted from among jawans. In the forces, they hold pivotal positions.In January, the issue relating to rank parity — wrong equation of forces with civilian staff — was settled after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman corrected the anomaly. The MoD had said: “The letter dated October 18, 2016, on the issue of equivalence between armed forces’ officers and Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHQ) officers is withdrawn.” The matter of JCO’s getting their status was not linked to this.