New Recruitment Policy for Soldier Boards : 2024

Kendriya sainik Board, State/rajya Sainik Board and ZSB is under the administrative control of respective Secretary/director/officer in charge. Recruitment policy for the respective posts have been revised and MoD has issued orders in this regard which is reproduced below –

Secretary-in-Charge of Sainik Welfare
State Govt/ UT Admn
Director/Secretary
(Rajya Sainik Boards/UTs)

GUIDELINES ON APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR, SAINIK WELFARE-CUM-SECRETARY,
RAJYA SAINIK BOARDS AND ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR, SAINIK WELFARE-CUM-ZILA 
SAINIK WELFARE OFFICERS (ZSWOs) IN STATE/UTs

1. Refer to Dept of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW), Ministry of Defence (MoD) letter No 22(5)/2013-D(Res-II) dt 13 Aug 2024 (copy enclosed).

2. Revised MoD Guidelines on appointment of Director, Sainik Welfare-cum­Secretary, Rajya Sainik Boards and Additional Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Zila Sainik Welfare Officers (ZSWOs) in States/UTs have been promulgated vide DESW, MoD ibid letter.

3. All States/UTs Administrations and concerned authorities are requested to adhere to the ibid MoD Guidelines 2024. It is also requested that the State/ UT Govt’s recruitment rules for appointment of Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Secretary, Rajya Sainik Boards and Additional Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Zila Sainik Welfare Officers (ZSWOs) be suitably amended in accordance with these revised MoD Guidelines.

(Shashvat Poornanand) Captain (IN)
Director (Policy)
for Secretary, KSB

Encls : As above.

The Director
Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO)
IHQ MoD (Army), Bldg No. 67,Maude LinesCavalry Road, Delhi Cantt — 10

The Capt (ESM/ INPA), DNV Ministry of Defence
Room No. W015, Ground Floor, West Wing, Nausena Bhawan Delhi Cantt, New Delhi — 10

The Gp Capt AV (IAFPC) Dte of Veterans, Air HQ SMC Building Subroto Park, New Delhi — 10

The Deputy Director (Emp-3) DGR, West Block — IV, Wing-5 RK Puram, New Delhi — 66

Central Organisation, ECHS
Thimayya Marg, Near Gopinath Circle Delhi Cantt – 10

F.No. 22(5)/2013-D(Res-II)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE

Sena Bhavan, New Delhi
Dated 13t^h August, 2024

The Chief Secretary
(All States Governments / UTs)

SUBJECT- GUIDELINES ON APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR. SAINIK  WELFARE CUM SECRETARY, RAJYA SAINIK BOARDS AND  ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR, SAINIK WELFARE – CUM – ZILA SAINIK WELFARE OFFICE (ZSW05) IN STATE/UTs

In supersession of all the previous letters on the subject, the Competent Authority has approved the following guidelines on appointment of Director, Sainik Welfare-cum­Secretary, Rajya Sainik Boards (RSBs) and Additional Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Zila Sainik Welfare Officers (ZSWOs) and pay fixation.

RSBs/ZSBs — Status. The Sainik Boards are to be declared as a department of the State Govt.! UT Admn and treat their employees as State Govt/ UT Admn employees. These personnel will be governed by the State Govts/ UT Admns rules in matter of recruitment, pay and allowances, leave, discipline, medical attendance, retirement, pension, gratuity etc. Therefore, no separate rules governing the conditions of service of the employees of these boards are being issued. Since Central Govt. shares the expenditure towards Pay & Allowances and the establishments cost of RSBs/ZSBs, in the ratio of 75% in respect of 12 Special Category States/UTs. viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand & Sikkim and in the ratio of 60% in respect of remaining States/UTs, the following guidelines may be followed in letter and spirit for appointment of officials in the Sainik Boards in order to have a standardized policy across the country. The central share (of 75% / 60% as applicable) being exclusively for the ESM employees is to be taken into consideration whilst appointing the officials and staff of RSBs / ZSBs.

Eligibility Criteria.            The eligibility criteria for selection and employment of
Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Secretary, Rajya Sainik Boards and Additional Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Zila Sainik Welfare Officers will be as follows: –

(a)         The candidates shall be an Ex-servicemen officer retired/ discharged from the Indian Armed Forces or widows/dependents of Ex-servicemen. All eligible ESM officers (in terms of DoPT definition of ESM), who are allowed to register themselves with the Placement agencies of the three Services and DGR or applied in response to advertisement by States/UTs for the purpose of re-settlement, shall be considered for inclusion in the panel of candidates. The candidates of following ranks shall be considered for the above posts: –

Director of Deptt of Sainik Welfare. In case suitable officers of the rank of Brigadier or equivalent are not available, officers of the rank of Colonel or equivalent of Navy and Air Force may be selected.

• for Post o Addl Director. DSW/ ZSWO. An ESM officer of the rank of Colonel/ Lieutenant Colonel or of equivalent ranks from Navy or Air Force be selected as Additional Director /Zila Sainik Welfare Officer. In case suitable officers of the rank of Colonel/ Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent are not available, officers of the rank of Major or equivalent in Navy and Air Force may be selected.
• In the event of non-availability of suitable officer as per sub-sub Para (i) & (ii) above, dispensation shall be sought from Deptt. of ESM Welfare, MoD through KSB.
• The candidates should have had a clean record of previous service and good character.
• The age of the candidate shall not be more than 59 years on the crucial date for the post of Zila Sainik Welfare Officer (ZSWOs) and not more than 60 years on the crucial date for the post of Director, Sainik Welfare-cum-Secretary Rajya Sainik Board.
• The tenure of Director, Sainik Welfare — cum – Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board/ ZSWO will be for a period of five years or 65 years of age whichever is earlier, subject to the satisfactory performance of the concerned Officer.
• ls’ January of any vacancy year will be the crucial date for reckoning the eligibility of the applicants for all the posts covered under these guidelines.
• The candidates should not have availed any other ESM resettlement or employment benefit from DGR or ECHS or RSB/ZSB or any other Govt employment (under ESM quota). An Undertaking to this effect is to be submitted by the candidates (format placed at Appendix A).
• A widow/ dependent of ESM may be considered for these posts in case of non-availability of an ESM officer. They should however meet the following additional criteria to be eligible for the posts: –

(i)                       For post of Director, DSW/ RSB.

(aa) Age. Minimum 55 years as on crucial date.

(ab) Educational Qualification. Post-graduate from a University recognised by Central/ State Govt.

(ac) Experience. Should have undertaken duties in a post of not less than Director/ equivalent in a Central/ State Govt Organisation/ PSU and last drawn pay should have been equivalent to at least Pay Level 13 of ^7th Central Pay Commission (CPC).

• For post of ZSWO. (aa) • Age. Minimum 50 years as on crucial date.

(ab) Educational Qualification. Graduate from a University recognised by Central/ State Govt.

(ac) experience. Should have undertaken duties in a post of not less than Joint Director/ equivalent in a Central/ State Govt Organisation/ PSUs and last drawn pay should have been equivalent to at least Pay Level 12 as per 7th CPC.

• Preference may be given to widows/ dependents who have experience in Defence organisations.

4. Panel of Officers. The procedure for drawing up the panel of officers for

appointment of Rajya/ Zila Sainik Boards (State/ District Sainik Welfare Officers) shall be as follows: –

• The request for panel for the vacancies shall be forwarded by the State Government / Union Territory to the Secretary, Kendriya Sainik Board three months prior to the post falling vacant. The State Government / Union Territory shall also suitably advertise/ publicise the posts.
• The Secretary, KSB will draw up a panel of officers from eligible ESM/ serving officers of Regular Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) (retiring within one year of last date of application as specified in State Govt Advertisement). The names of applicants are to be obtained from the Placement Cell/Agency of the Army, Navy and Air Force and DGR.
• States/ UTs may also forward names of locally available officers received against the advertisements published by them to Secretary, Kendriya Sainik Board.
• KSB Sectt will get the panel of officers scrutinized by Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR) and Central Organisation Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). Post scrutiny, a final list of names who meet all eligibility criteria will be drawn up by KSB Sectt and forwarded to the concerned State Govt./UT for further action. This process should be completed within six weeks from receipt of request from the State/UT.

5.        Composition of Selection Board

(a)       Director. Deptt of Sainik Welfare – cum – Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board.

The composition of Selection Board for post of Director, Rajya Sainik Board shall be as follows:

• Chairman of the Selection Committee shall be the Chief/ Principal Secretary of the State Govt/ UT.
• State Govt/ UT shall nominate at least three members.
• Representative of the Deptt of ESW, Min of Defence
• Secretary, Kendriya Sainik Board or his representative.
• Director, Deptt of Sainik Welfare shall be Member Secretary.

(b)       Additional Director, Zila Sainik Welfare Office-cum-Secretary. Zila Sainik Board

The composition of Selection Board for Additional Director, Zila Sainik Board shall be as follows: –

• Chairman of the Selection Committee shall be the Chief/ Principal
  Secretary of the State Govt/ UT.
• State Govt/ UT shall nominate at least three members.
• Representative of the Deptt of ESW, Min of Defence.
• Secretary, Kendriya Sainik Board or his representative.
• Director, Deptt of Sainik Welfare shall be Member Secretary.

6.       filling up of the Vacancies. State Govt/ UT Admns must ensure that the vacancies are filled in earliest possible time frame and no post is left vacant. Towards this, the selection process should start well before due date of change of Directors/ ZSWOs. The Secy, KSB shall coordinate with the respective State Govt/ UT for timely filling up of the vacancies.

7.       Designation and Status of Director, RSB and ZSWO. The Designation of ESM Officers appointed as per these Guidelines will be Director, Sainik Welfare (DSW) of State/UT (also ex-officio Secretary, RSB) and Additional Director cum Zila Sainik Welfare Officer (ZSWO) of Zila Sainik Welfare Office (also ex-officio, Secretary, ZSB). The status of ESM officers appointed as Director of Deptt of Sainik Welfare and Addl Director of Zila Sainik Board (Addl Director of district Sainik Welfare Office) shall be as follows: –

• Director, Sainik Welfare / Secretary. Raint Sainik Board. The Director
  should be a Class I Gazetted Officer with the status of Head of an independent department enjoying administrative and financial powers of similar Heads of other Deptts in State Govt and functioning directly under the Secretary-in-Charge holding the charge of the Department of Sainik Welfare in the State/ UT Admns. He/she should also be accorded a status of ex-officio Addl Secy/ Jt Secy/ Dy Secy, commensurate with the size and responsibilities of the Department (eg number of ZSWOs under him/her).
• Addl Director cum Zila Sainik_ Welfare Officer/ Secretary, Zila Sainik
  Board. The Additional Director cum ZSWO should be Class-I Gazetted Officer with a status of Head of Office with similar administrative and financial powers as enjoyed by the other Head of offices in the District administration and function directly under the Director, Sainik Welfare of the State/UT. He/she would report to the Chairman ZSB (District Collector).

8.     ESM Staffing in RSB/ ZSB. States/UTs should appoint eligible ESM JC0s/ORs and equivalent of Navy and Air Force or their widows/ dependents in various Staff level posts in the Deptt of Sainik Welfare (RSBs/ZSBs). However, due consideration is to be given to ensure vacant posts are filled on time.

9.     Pay iind Allowances. The pay and allowances of ESM re-employed in RSB/ZSBs should be based on latest CCS Rules (normally computed from last pay drawn minus pension) as applicable unless the remuneration/ pay level provided by the State Govt exceeds the remuneration under CCS Rules in which case the most beneficial remuneration may be given. 75% of the cost of pay and allowances in 12 Special Category States/UTs (as per Para 2 above) and 60% of cost of pay and allowances in remaining States/UTs, will be borne by the Central Govt subject to the RSB/ ZSB employees being ESM and within sanctioned strength.

10. Appointment of Women ESM in RSBs/ ZSBs. The States/UTs are to consider appointment of women ESM officers in at least 10% of ZSWO posts. Additionally, it should be an endeavour to appoint women staff in RSBs/ZSBs to facilitate better interaction and understanding of issues vis-a-vis widows and female dependents of ESM. The woman staff so employed should also be an eligible ESM/ widow of ESM/ a female dependent of ESM.

Yours faithfully

(Vinay Pratap Singh)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

E-mail: us-res2@desw.gov.in
Tel: 011-23012675

Encls:  Appendix ‘A’ – Certificate of Undertaking for Appointment in RSB/ZSB.

Copy for information and necessary action to: –

1. IHQ MoD (Army), Adjutant General Branch, ADG (MP), South Block, Delhi.
2. IHQ MoD (Navy)/COP, CPS, C Wing, Sena Bhavan, New Delhi-11
3. H-IQ MoD (Air Force)/ Air Officer In-Charge Personnel, Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi -11
4. Dte. General Resettlement, West Block 4, RK Puram, New Delhi – 66
5. CO, ECHS, Maude Lines, Delhi Carat – 10
6. Secretary, KSB
7. Director, DSW-cum-Secretary, RSBs – All States / UTs

Copy also to: – Sr. PPS to Secy, ESW PPS to

You malso read the original copy of the letter here –