New Delhi, August 27
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has come under fire for the repeated downgrading in the Warrant of Precedence of the armed forces officers in comparison to the civilian officers.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence in its latest report has taken a serious view of this practice being followed repeatedly since Independence, which has also been rankling the armed forces over the years. The committee has impressed upon the MoD to take immediate steps to improve the situation which it said was necessary for enhancing the social prestige and respect of the armed forces.

The three Services have been protesting over the years the repeated downgrading of their officers, specially the senior officers in the Warrant of Precedence of 1947 in comparison to the civilian officers.

As a result, a major-general who was equated with a joint secretary in the civilian authority in 1947, with both having 30 years of experience, is still being equated with him despite the fact that the post in the civilian sector is now achieved with just about 17 to 18 years of experience.

Besides, there are no laid down equations below this rank and most of the equivalence is based on ad hoc arrangements and the state-level Warrants of Precedence. This, the armed forces feel, have progressively been a detriment to the forces.

When seen in the backdrop of more attractive jobs also being available in the private sector the situation becomes all the more precarious. The armed forces are already facing an acute shortage of talented men and there are a large number of vacancies at every level.

The shortfall presently varies from 26 per cent in the Army to 28 per cent in the Navy to as much as 45 per cent in the Indian Air Force.

Reports point out that after the 1962 Indo-China war, the three Chiefs of Staff were put below the Cabinet Secretary and the Major- Generals and equivalent in other Services moved under the Director of Intelligence Bureau.

After the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the chiefs were put below the Attorney General and in 1968 Major-General and the equivalent were placed below the Deputy Comptroller and Auditor-General. After the 1971 war, the chiefs came below the Comptroller and Auditor-General and the Lt-Generals and equivalent below the Chief Secretaries in states.

The committee in its report said as a result of the repeated down-grading of the armed forces officers, their honour and prestige in the society has also been greatly affected. It also sought a detailed report on the Warrant of Precedence and other related matters from the ministry. While apparently hinting at changing the age structure of the armed forces the committee was of the view that terms and conditions of service of armed forces personnel and officers ought to be considered at their own merit and without comparisons.

The committee said it was of utmost importance that the social prestige and respect of the armed forces personnel be enhanced.