As per latest policy guidelines of DOP&T, exservicemen can be categorised in various groups on the basis of their date of release from Armed Forces of India and other aspects. Various set of rules and benefits/restrictions are applicable on the basis of this categorisation. So, we must know these categories of Exservicemen. The broad categories of Exservicemen are :
(i) Those released on or before 30.06.68: – Any person who had served in any rank (whether as Combatant or not) in the Armed Forces of the Union and has been released there from otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.
(ii) Those released between 01.07.68 and 30.06.79 (both days inclusive): – Any person who had served in any rank (whether as Combatant or not) in the Armed Forces of the Union for a continuous period of not less than six months after attestation and released there from otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.
(iii) Those released between 01.07.79 and 30.06.87 (both days inclusive): – Any person who had served in any rank (whether as Combatant or not) in the Armed Forces of the Union for a continuous period of not less than six months after attestation if discharged for reasons other than at their own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency and not less than five years of service if discharged at own request.
(iv) Those released on or after 01.07.87: – Any person who had served in any rank (whether as Combatant or not) in the Armed Forces of the Indian Union and was released/ retired with any kind of pension from Defence Budget or released on completion of specific terms of engagement with gratuity otherwise than at his own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.
(v) The personnel of Territorial Army (TA) of the following categories:- viz., pension holders for continuous embodied service; persons with disability attributable to military service; and gallantry award winners retired on or after 15.11.86.
(vi) The personnel of the Army Postal Service (APS):- Are a part of the regular Army and retired from such service, (i.e., directly from the Army Postal Service itself without reversion to P&T Department) with a pension or who have been released from such service on medical grounds, attributable to military service or circumstances beyond their control and awarded medical or other disability pension are also covered within the definition of Ex-Servicemen with effect from 19.07.89.
(vii) Recruits who were boarded out/released on medical grounds and granted medical / disability pension will be covered with in the definition of Ex-Servicemen.
Points to nbe noted : The persons discharged before July 87 under Army Rule 13 (3) iii (v) for the reason “service no longer required” will not be eligible for the status of Ex-Servicemen. Individuals discharged on or after July 87 under Army Rule 13 (3) iii (v) for the reason “service no longer required” will however qualify for the status of Ex-Servicemen, if they are in receipt of pension.
** The eligibility of the person to the status of Ex-Servicemen will be governed by the definition in vogue at the time of his discharge and will not be affected by the changes in the definition subsequent to his discharge.
How to get information through RTI related to exservicemen through RTI from Veterans organisation/defence authority of MoD :-
Applicant may apply through online RTI portal or offline application on a plain paper duly disclosed his identity and must enclose a copy of Adhar card/ PAN Card / PPO/Discharge Book for security purpose of defence establishment. for online application , no need to provide any ID proof.
(2) Every application for obtaining information shall be accompanied by application fee of Rupees Ten by cash or by Demand Draft or Bankers cheque payable in the Government Head of Account.
(3) Where a decision is taken to provide the information further fee representing the cost of providing the information shall be charged by way of cash or by Demand Draft or Bankers cheque as under:
Rupees Two for each page (in A-4 or A-3 size page) created or copied actual charge or cost price of a copy in larger size paper actual cost or price for samples or models and for inspection of records, no fee for the first hour and a fee of Rupees five for each fifteen minutes (or fraction thereof) thereafter.
(4) For providing information in the printed or in any electronic format the fee shall be charged at the following rates
for information provided in diskette or floppy – Rupees fifty per diskette or floppy for information provided in printed form at the price fixed for publication
(5) On receipt of a request as expeditiously as possible and in any case within thirty days, the information will be provided or rejection will be intimated.
Information source : Handbook of Exservicemen issued by DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN’S WELFARE