New government order reduces military status
October 25, 2016 10:25
A circular issued by the defence ministry last week has downgraded officers in the army, navy and the air force in comparison to their civilian counterparts, annoying the military.
Dated October 18, the order on "Equivalence between armed forces officers and AFHQ (armed forces headquarters) civil service officers" takes the military officers down a notch.
A civilian principal director, who was equivalent to a brigadier, has been equated to a two-star general, a director-ranked officer to a brigadier and a joint director to a colonel, triggering widespread resentment in military circles.
Until now, a colonel was equivalent to a director and a lieutenant colonel to a joint director.
By this equation, a captain is equivalent to a civilian Group B section officer. This isnt mischief, but mischief-plus by bureaucrats, said an army officer on condition of anonymity.
The letter has stoked a controversy at a time when the armed forces and the ministry have divergent views on the Seventh Pay Commission report and the OROP.
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