Amidst concern in the armed forces over reported lowering of status of its officers vis-à-vis civilian staff, the Defence Ministry on Thursday said there was no down gradation or change in existing equivalence of the services ranks.
The clarification came after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had to intervene in the issue when a circular dated October 18 issued by his Ministry created a flutter in the armed forces. Services personnel were perturbed that their status was lowered as per this order. Parrikar held a meeting of senior officers of the Ministry and Services on Wednesday to address the concerns of the soldiers.
Moreover, Parrikar on Tuesday said he will remove any anomalies if any within seven days.
Mentioning this sequence of events, Defence Ministry officials said here on Thursday, there were reports in the media claiming that the Government has issued the new order lowering the status of military officers with respect to their civilian counterparts in the Armed Forces Headquarters.
These reports, quoting a letter dated October 18, 2016 issued by the Ministry, “are erroneously stating that the equivalence has been disturbed and status of Service officers has been downgrade,” a statement by the Defence Ministry said.
Maintaining that there was no down-gradation or any change in the existing equivalence of the Service ranks whatsoever, it said the existing functional equivalence as clarified in 1991 and further reiterated in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2005 has only been re-affirmed.
Officials also said the present reiteration of rank equivalence, is only for matters of assigning duties and functional responsibilities already existing in different offices of the respective Service Headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force having component of Service personnel besides civilian officers.
It has no bearing on civilian employees outside these offices of the Service Headquarters, the statement said.
There are nearly 500 civilian officers ranging from the rank of Principal Director, Director, Joint Director, Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary. The October 18 order as reported in the media said the status of Major General, Brigadier and Colonels was downgraded as compared to the civilian ranks as mentioned above.