JOIN USThe new policy for Major Generals and Lieutenant Generals categorised them into either staff or command streams based on their merit, Army sources said here on Wednesday. Under the policy, which had come into effect from January 1 this year, officers under the staff stream will perform only administrative tasks while the command stream officers will get to lead troops in field formations.
The change in the promotion policy came in the backdrop of Ajai Vikram Singh Committee (AVSC) report which was implemented in December last year thereby creating 75 additional Maj Gen and 20 Lt Gen posts.
Officers in the respective streams would, however, get no opportunity to change streams while moving up the career ladder. Also, the promoted officer would be allotted a stream on a pro-rata basis keeping in view the availability of staff and posts at any given point of time.
This, in effect, would mean that once a Maj Gen or a Lt Gen was placed in staff stream, he would not get the opportunity to command an operational formation. “The new policy has been in discussion at the Army Commanders’ Conferences for the last two years and came into effect from January 1 this year,” sources said.
The army haeadquarters said that there was no opposition from senior ranks. It said as per the new policy, first mooted by Gen K Sundarji when he was army chief in late 1980s, a Maj Gen, once selected into staff stream, would take up posts such as Chief of Staff of a Corps or a Command Hqrs, or head an Area Hqrs, which are administrative posts. On the other hand, a Major General from the Command stream would head operational formations such as a Division and once promoted as Lt Gen, would command a Corps and get the opportunity to become Army Commander and Vice Chief.
PTI