Author: Dr Ipsa Pattanayak
To become an Army Officer, one goes through UPSC CDS Exam (equivalent to Prelims for Civil Service) followed by a five days long Service Selection Board (SSB) interview. There is no interview in the country that comes close to this. Though the CDSE is relatively much easier to clear (in comparison to Civil Services Mains), but it is the SSB interview that makes the process very stringent. SSB boasts of the fact that it has rejected many renowned people like Amitabh Bachchan, Rahul Dravid and even APJ Abdul Kalam. Many service IFS/ IAS/ IPS Officers have also faced SSB rejections.
As per the internet, approximately 4-5 lakh Graduates appear for the ‘Combined Defence Services (CDS)’ exam conducted by UPSC (once in every six months). Out of these, around 6,000 to 7,500 candidates successfully clear the exam and proceed for SSB interview. Finally some 500 candidates get selected and join training academies.
A regular Army Officer’s service starts only on the Commissioning day at his final Academy (eg. IMA). He joins at the rank of Lieutenant/ Lt (two Stars on his shoulders). There he is placed on Pay Matrix 10 (Basic Pay: ₹56,100). After two years of service he becomes Captain/ Capt (three Stars on shoulder). He rises to Pay Matrix 10B (Basic Pay: ₹61,300). After six years of service he becomes Major/ Maj (an Ashoka on his shoulder). He is then placed at Pay Matrix 11 (Basic Pay: ₹69,400). After 13 years of service he becomes a Lieutenant Colonel/ Lt Col (an Ashoka & a Star on shoulder), provided he has passed two promotional exams called Part- B and Part – D. A Lt Col is placed at Pay Matrix 12A (Basic Pay: 1,21,200). This is the final rank for most of the officers due to very less number of vacancies ahead.
All Lt Cols face the promotion board called, Selection Board 3 (SB 3), generally between 15 and 18 years (depending on their arms/ branches), only if they have passed all mandatory training courses (varying between three to four), they are in desired medical standard and not under disciplinary action. On an average, only 25- 30% of Lt Col are declared FIT for the next rank, Colonel/ Col (one Ashoka & two Stars).
The Col are placed in Pay Matrix 13 (Basic Pay: ₹1,30,600) and they stay there for more than ten years.
Cols face another Selection Board, SB2, mostly between 24 and 26 years of service to be considered for the next rank, Brigadier/ Brig (one Ashoka & three Stars), that again, only 25-30% of Col become. Therefore only 10% of Officer Cadre become Brig that is placed at Pay Matrix 13A (₹1,39,600).
Further, after another five years (ie in total service of 28- 30) they are consider for SB1 for the rank of Major General/ Maj Gen (one Star & One Cross- Swords) that again, only 20% clear. So in total only 2% (at max) of Officers become Maj Gen who are placed at Pay Matrix 14 (Basic Pay: 1,44,200).
If age permits, all Maj Gen face Special Selection Board for becoming Lieutenant General/ Lt Gen (one Ashoka & one Cross Swords) that only 20% clear. Thus, only 0.5% of officers get to become Lt Gen, that in Pay Matrix is placed at HAG (Basic Pay: ₹1,82,200). Finally, one officer in every two years gets to become a General/ Gen, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). In case of Indian Airforce and Navy, the promotions after Lt Col equivalent ranks are both slower and narrower.
The Defence Services are also called the “Services” as they were the only central services at the time of British India. Similar concept for civil sectors were introduced later, so they got called as the “Civil Services”. The parity of Civil Services was at max put a notch lower than the “Services”, because of the valour, sacrifice and pride attached to the latter.
Even till 5th Pay Commission, the joining Pay of Services Officers were one increment higher than that of the Civil Services Officers. That is how, Defence Officers are not allowed to appear for Civil Services exam, during their service, as it used be considered as a demotion.
As it is easier to draw parallel between two uniformed Services with similar insignia for ranks, I shall take you through a comparison between Army Officers and IPS Officers.
Till Independence, every state used to have one Inspector General of Police (IGP) as the head of the state Police. Under him were few Deputy Inspector Generals/ DIGs, heads of Police Ranges/ Zones and under them were Superintendent of Police (SP) as head of Police District. The SP, used to wear the rank of a Capt (three Stars on shoulder) and many even used call him a “Police Capt”. So he was equated with an Army Capt and in formal precedence he used come after a Capt. Even today in UP and Bihar the head of District Police is still fondly called as “Kaptan” (कप्तान). IPS officers with considerable service used to become SP. Similarly, DIGs used be considered junior to Brig and IGs junior to Maj Gen. The only senior Police rank above IG was that of the Director IB (DIB).
IPS Cadre, because of their proximity to the political class, and may be because of the dependency of the latter on them, could over the years, ensure an extraordinary path of career growth for themselves which was comparable to that of the IAS Cadre.
Service of an IFS/ IAS/ IPS starts the day he join his training academy (not at completion of training as in case of Army Officers). Now, in states like J&K, an IPS Officer with 4-5 year service becomes SP and wears an Ashoka & a Star, similar to that of the Lt Col (who reaches there in 13 years). The SP behaves as a senior to all Army Officers below the rank of Lt Col, although they have put in double the service.
By 9 years of service, IPS Officers of such states, start wearing insignia of Colonel and call themselves Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). They equate themselves with Army Colonels (that only 30% offrs become, that too in 16th- 18th year of service).
By 14 years of service, IPS Officers start wearing insignia of Brigadiers (that only 10% Army Officers become and that too in 24th year of service). Then they feel all Army Officers below the rank of Brig are junior to them.
Similarly, by 19 years of service, IPS Officers start wearing the insignia of Maj Gen (that only 2% Army Officers become, that too after 28 years of service) and call themselves IGP. Also start getting the associated pay.
You would know, each one of the State Services Police Officers like JKPS, who joins one scale down as Deputy SP (Dy SP/ DSP) at least rises till the rank of DIG and wears the insignia of Brig that only 10% of Indian Army Officers commissioned by the President of India get to reach.
One, in his tender age, decides to joins Army, not for Pay and Perks but mostly for the glamour, glory, self-esteem and honour attached to the profession of arm.
The way the officer cadre of Armed forces is systematically degraded pains every Commissioned Officer. It was told an Officer commissioned by the President of India is above the Group- A gazetted officers. Now every Group B services holder is overtaking the majority (70%) of the Commissioned Officers.
There was a “Warrant of Precedence” for equating officials across the institutions and services in the country, surprisingly the internet version of the document, stops at Maj General level and further details till Lt level has been omitted.
There is strong sense of betrayal, anger, helplessness and insecurity among officers as their honour and self-esteem is not protected. The officer feels he is punished and defamed slowly and steadily, just because he chose to become an officer in Indian Army. Once overlooked for a promotion at any stage, his esteem within the organization also starts reducing, as a “superceded officer”. So a large chunk of the Army officers, despite all their talent, unmatched capability, years of training and immense experience are struggling to remain relevant, find a purpose, digest the daily subtle doses of insult as so called ‘superceded officer’.
Those who still have their results to come and have still not faced SB3, slog hard to impress their immediate three superiors so as to grab one berth of Colonel to justify their years of hardwork, practice of negligence towards loved ones, sacrifices of self/ family and to remain honourable within service among the lot of ‘yet to be superceded’.
Lack of career growth and narrow scope of promotions, has brought in selfish careerism, ‘zero error syndrome’, sycophancy and spinelessness among Indian Military leaders, as even one not- so- great Annual Confidential Report (ACR) by immediate superiors can bring an end to his career. The carefree, happy- go- lucky fun of service as a ‘Services Officer’ has gone missing.
To address the issue to some extent, the defence forces tried to expedite the promotions. As a result promotion till the rank of Lt Col in Indian Army became one of the fastest in the world hence bringing disparity in international forums, especially in UN, joint military exercises, foreign courses etc. Despite all this, the ‘Services’ officers are still long way far from the assured growth of ‘Civil Services’ officers.
One strongly believes the solution is not in further expediting promotion of Services officers, as proposed by a section. The actual solution lies in bringing the unreal and irrational promotion back to a realistic system.
Where there used to be an SP traffic today there is an ADG/ DG traffic. When there used to be one SP Home Guard, today there is DG Home Guards. Similarly, there are DG Fire Services, DG Police Housing, DG Police Grievances, DG Police Stationary, and so on. A state that used to have only one IGP today has several DGPs to accomodate every IPS Officer of a batch to become DGP. This demonstration of dominance beyond logic needs to stop.
Here is a five- point solution to uplift the morale of the Services Officers:-
Point I:-
Ensure that no service personnel of any service in this country get to wear/ display the insignias or symbols associated with Military Ranks before serving at least the same length of service required by a military officer to earn the said rank. So no Police/ CAPF/ Custom/ Revenue/ Forest officer should start wearing ranks similar to that of Capt before 2 years, Major before 6 years, Lt Col before 13 years, Col before 16 years, Brig before 24 years and Maj Gen before 28 years.
Point II:-
Rank and appointments held by Civil Srvices officers need to be de-linked. For example if a District Police Chief is of less than 13 years of service he should wear ranks of a Maj (one Ashoka), if between 13 and 16 years of service he should wear ranks of a Lt Col (one Ashoka & one Star) and if between 16 & 24 yr of service he should wear ranks of a Col (one Ashoka & two Stars).
Point III:-
Pay needs to grow gradually and regularly with increase in service for all central services officers including Defence.
Point- IV:-
The officers whom SB3 couldn’t accomodate as Colonels should be accomodated in CAPF/ Other Central services in stature similar to Colonel or allowed to leave Services with a handsome ‘Golden- Handshake’.
Point- V:-
The revised ‘Warrant of Precedence’ be released drawing Precedence and Equivalence starting from the President of India to a Sepoy in Army. The same needs to be publicly circulated and followed in letter and spirit.
Hope one day, people in power shall realise how important is the honour and self-esteem of officers (especially Lt Col and below) of the Services, and thereby, overcoming the mutual-differences/ egos between ministries (especially Home and Defence) shall restore honour in the profession of arms to rejuvenate the Services.
Jai Hind