Defence ministry denies change in rank, status of men in uniform

The defence ministry on Thursday sought to put a lid on the controversy related to so-called downgrading of ranks of military officers in service headquarters as against civilians working in the same establishments.

The ministry clarified that lowering of the rank equivalence is linked only to ‘functional responsibility in the service headquarters’, affecting about 100 military officers. “There is no change in the rank structure or the status of the armed forces personnel,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The clarification comes in the wake of strong protest from the military – serving and retired – who interpreted the order as yet another effort by the government to lower the status of the men in uniform. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he would look into the issue. Subsequently, he had a meeting with the armed forces officers and defence ministry bureaucrats in order to clear the air on the controversy.

“The order only means a Major General in the Army (or equivalent in the Navy and Air Force) will send a file to a civilian officer of the rank of Principal Director in service headquarters. The functional responsibility is generally defined by the financial authority that comes with the post,” said a source.