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Friday, September 11, 2015

OROP: Can we monetise every act of service?

Central Armed Police Forces, paramilitary forces, doctors, teachers, miners in no way serve the nation less than the armed forces

 Defence personnel get various service benefits that are not provided to their civilian counterparts; moreover, their rank and promotion are largely decided internally, and armed forces are a voluntary service organisation. 
The government of India has finally decided to implement OROP (One Rank, One Pension). Most defence personnel are reported to be satisfied with the decision. However, my view of the Indian armed forces has changed substantially during the course of the agitations that preceded the government declaration. So, what exactly is the basis of the demands of the personnel of Indian armed forces?

Now, there are two major contentions that emerge. First, are the defence personnel paid adequately? Indeed, adequate pay and benefits are necessary to keep defence forces motivated and for defence career to remain attractive to the Indian youth. The second argument is that the rank and promotion of defence personnel is not in line with civil personnel. In other words, defence personnel feel that they are short-changed in the larger government system.

The first question, clearly, is not simple to answer. However, let us start with pay comparison of armed forces personnel relative to other government services staff (see table).



Armed force personnel are already provided separate military service pay, field area allowance, counter insurgency allowance, high altitude/uncongenial climate allowance, Siachen Glacier allowance, flying pay, parachute pay, special forces pay, etc.

In addition, defence personnel get various benefits that are not accorded to their civilian counterparts, such as dedicated army hospitals, army schools, army colleges, subsidised food and beverages, etc. Also, defence personnel’s children have a quota or are given preferential treatment in admission to various institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalayas, army schools, Army Institute of Law, Symbiosis Institute of Management, Army Institute of Management and many more. Thus, the first argument that armed forces personnel are not paid adequately is really not tenable.

Second, defence personnel contend that OROP is their right because everyone at the same rank should get the same pension. This is also not a tenable argument. Over the last few decades, we have witnessed the time to rank has changed substantially. For instance, in the 1980s, the time-scale of service required to attain the rank of a full colonel or to pick up a colonel-equivalent rank was over 20 years, which has, in recent times, reduced to 15 years.

Therefore, the relationship between rank and years of service itself has changed over the last few decades.

In addition, the rank and promotion of armed forces is largely decided internally. Annual confidential reports are considered and evaluated in a timely manner by an initiating officer (usually immediate superior: IO), then a reviewing officer (usually superior to IO: RO) and then a senior reviewing officer (usually superior to RO). These annual confidential reports and qualified training courses generally form the basis of promotion. Clearly, armed forces have a very well designed promotion policy.

Therefore, the promotion and ranks of Indian defence forces are laid out and decided internally; the government of India cannot be blamed for discrepancies (if any). It is almost for certain that the government is not responsible for financial compensation for any discrepancies.
Above all, what message is being sent out to the youth of the country by those protesting? The communication is loud and clear: I served in Indian armed forces to earn money, and because I sometimes served in perilous conditions, I must be paid more. If this is the message, then why are the others, including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)—Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)—and paramilitary forces such as Assam Rifles, Special Frontier Force and Indian Coast Guard, not provided pension and OROP.

The BSF guards most of our borders and not the Indian Army. The CRPF personnel have more field deployment compared to army personnel. What about doctors? Do you realise that a typical junior resident (first-year post-graduate student of medicine) probably works for unimaginable hours and sometimes for several days at stretch? What about the constabulary of the state police forces? The cutting-edge level of state police forces work long and perilous hours each day. What about our teachers? What about miners? I think if we start monetising every act of service, then there will never be any resolution to this quandary. Are we trying to say that the CAPF, paramilitary forces, doctors, teachers, miners serve the nation less than the armed forces? More importantly, are they less patriotic?

One must also understand that Indian armed forces are a voluntary service organisation. We do not have compulsory draft into armed forces. Over the years, the personnel of Indian armed forces have been complaining that the society does not respect them as much as it used to in earlier times. Post the OROP agitations, the respect for them has not increased.


The author is professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He earlier served as a consultant with the Indian Army and the ministry of home affairs. Views are personal

6 comments:

  1. Serve in forces than you will really where the shoe pinches. Other side of fence is being announced as much greener, is absolutely wrong. Bureaucracy is even being pald for not performing that duty or post. Do not misguide. Little knowledge about services persons must refrain from such actions.

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  2. Pay and Allowances cannot be compared with civilians as their working hours are only 8 hours 5 days a week whereas working hours for Armed Forces 24 hrs x 7 days. It means armoured forces personnel are working for 168 hours against civilians working for 40 hours a week. Why they wasting their energy to compared with armed forces personnel. Why don't they get enrolled and get these benefits.They cannot live away from their famlies and peace stations.

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  3. To get into armed forces one had to pass physical test, tough medical examination, written test and for officers cadre, Combined Defence Services examination, then Services Selection Boards followed by Mereit List as per categorywise vacancies. These tests are open to all India categories without any caste reservations,. To meet QR there are 13 characters, which are found in very limited candidates. I on behalf of Govt invite every citizen of India, to compete these tests/examinations and get into armed forces to get all facilities enjoyed by armed forces.

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  4. Prof has half baked knowledge. 1)Pay of forces cannot be equated with peace time civ working in AC 2)Forces require unique leadership .where his men happily embrace death for accomplishment of task 3) There is no retake .do or die 4) on failure's of cops & babu's eben civil disturbances are controlled by forces & not vice versa. 5) you pay higher for better skills & quality of leadership.6):in 1973 pension was of forces as 70 % & babu's 30%.Restore same 7) initially princes & children from elite families use to join not for money but for honour. Now there is sharpbdecline. Even officer children are not coming. So war will show its effect 8) if it is so lucrative then why your children are not joining.9) think you have a son & he is killed on border & your daughter in law & her children do not get even basic ammenties than will u same 10) do not be paid media else you will become slave of enemy again. China has already encircled u & is next door to your house.

    Col Lamba

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  5. THOSE STALWARTS ASKING OROP FOR CIV OR SUPPORTING THEM KINDLY READ & THEN SAY

    1] WOULD LIKE TO STEP DOWN FROM SERVICE FROM 60 YEARS E TO 35 YEARS AS IN ARMY ,,
    2] WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHED NFU STATUS AS IT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ARMY
    3] WOULD LIKE TO SERVE FOR 24X7 AS IN ARMY & ,,, NO OVERTIME
    4[ WOULD YOU LIKE TO FOREGO ALL RAILWAY FREE PASSES & FREEBEES
    5[ WOULD YOU LIKE TO SERVE IN DIFFICULT AREAS.. LIKE SNOW BOUND,JUNGLES,DESERTS EXTRA WITHOUT LIGHT & HOUSE ALTHOUGH MSP WILL BE PAID TO YOU
    6[ WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK UNDER ENEMY FIRE 24X7
    7[ YOUR ONE DAY STRIKE COST TO GOVT IS 25000 CRORES , SO GOVT SHOULD RECOVER THIS LOSS AS FORCES CANNOT GO ON STRIKE SO SHOULD BE,
    8] govt has infused 500000 crores to off set NPA of banks , Result of non performer babus & bankers, that does not pinch to you but pension of old warriors & widow pinches you . WE PUNISH FOR LOSS,, WOULD YOU LIKE IN SUCH CASES BANKERS &BABUS BE PUNISHED
    9] THEIR WILL BE NO AID TO CIVIL POWER .. PAY FOR YOUR DEEDS & FAILURES. ARMY DOES NOT ASK FOR SUCH AIDS
    10] ] LET ALL OF US ACCEPT 1973 STATUS.. 70 % PENSION TO FORCES & 30 % FOR CIV
    11] INITIALLY PRINCES & CHILDRE FROM ELLITE FAMILIES USE TO COME TO ARMY , SO ELLITE MUST BE FORCED TO JOIN AGAIN

    gentleman DO not only be off the track but avoid behaving like anti national element
    OROP HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY 2 GOVT & SC
    1[ who are you to insult 2 govt + parliament + special committee + direction of supreme court who have accepted OROP & have decided to pay
    2]right promise & work of PM seems to be weakness to you,, so u are against PM too.
    3] learn from Subash ji,, who said u give blood i will give freedom
    we gave blood & now you are enjoying freedom ,, at least do not be thankless

    COL LAMBA

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  6. The author primarily makes the point that OROP is being unfairly demanded to compensate for laying down lives or undergoing other privations, which are equally being suffered by other segments of society. That a professor of IIM thinks that is the reason for the OROP demand is strong proof that the movement has failed to project the real, and only reason, to the public. At this juncture, the ONLY reason is that Sri Modi has sold us OROP and taken payment in advance in terms or votes. So, he will have to deliver goods for which payment has been collected already. Period.
    So, what was the rational for OROP before Modi? It was something that because we want a younger profile of army, we force most people to retire about 10-25 years earlier than in other government services. Hence, OROP is one way to compensate them for this specific lacuna, and is NOT for services rendered. The movement has failed miserably to convey this to even the elite sections of society. If even an IIM professor is ignorant, we are to blame for it.
    He needs to be told something about a parliamentary committee headed by a UP politician, bearing the name of Koshiari. Will be good to read the Koshiari committee report and the cabinet notings on it.
    So, Sir, OROP is approved by the political instruments of India.
    As for his lament about the army wanting to 'monetise for everything', I'd like to be informed when IIM professors stop accepting money for teaching the students.
    As for the respect of service personnel decreasing in the eyes of the Indian public post the OROP agitation, we have stopped to care. By now, we know India citizens only too well.

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