Question of acceptance of other than commissioned officers as “Gazetted” has been resolved by issuing a suitable order by the Ministry of Defence. Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) in the three wings of Indian Armed Forces are gazetted officers, the Defence Ministry has clarified in an order. The clarification follows a long standing controversy over the issue.
Defence Ministry has instructed the three Services to issue identity cards prescribed for gazetted Officers to the JCOs immediately in the order. Thq order as quoted here – “Issue of blue Securitised Laminated Identity Cards (SLIC) to JCOs and equivalent officer having been accorded gazetted officer status by an Act of Parliament.”
“There exists no ambiguity at all in the status of JCOs/equivalent being Gazetted officers. As the letter referred at Para 1(d) stands withdrawn vide letter at Para 1 (e) above, thereby resolving the ambiguity, blue coloured SLICs may be issued immediately to JCO/equivalent in the three services,” the Headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff clarified in the written order of 2018.
Reversal of order The history behind
This is a reversal of an order issued in mid-June in which Defence Ministry observed that there was no case for accepting JCOs as Gazetted officers.
In the case for grant of Non-Productivity Linked Bonus (NPLB) to JCOs and equivalent, the Defence Ministry observed in an order dated June 14, “The matter has been examined in consultation with CAO division. It has also been seen that the CAO division has, with approval of Defence Secretary, not agreed to the contention that JCOs are Gazetted officers and should be issued blue SLICs.”
Due to this, the order stated that there does not appear to be enough justification to reconsider grant of Non PL Bonus to JCO and equivalent.
