JOIN USAmending a 29-year-old rule for the benefit of ex-servicemen, the government has decided that former soldiers can avail reservation more than once while applying for civil employment.
At present, ex-servicemen can avail the quota in direct recruitment only once after they retire from the military.
“It has now been decided that if an ex-serviceman applies for various vacancies before joining any civil employment, he can avail of the benefit of reservation as an ex-serviceman for any subsequent employment,” a government order issued on Thursday said.
However, soon after joining a line of service, an ex-servicemen must submit to an employer a self declaration or undertaking revealing details of his or her applications for various vacancies.
A 10 per cent quota is available for ex-servicemen for Group C posts and 20 per cent for Group D posts in all central civil services. Benefit of reservation is also extended to 10 per cent for vacancies in posts up to assistant commandant in the paramilitary.
In May 1985, the government had notified that once an ex-serviceman becomes a civil servant after availing his benefits for re-employment, his status as a former soldier for the purpose of re-employment in the government would cease.
For other government jobs, an ex-servicemen who has availed reservation will not be able to seek added benefits and will be treated like any other employee. He will get benefits like relaxation of age as admissible to other employees only. It was clarified in 1989 that ex-servicemen recruited on casual or ad-hoc basis could avail quota benefits for future employment with the government.
With the government receiving representations and persistent demands from various ex-servicemen organisations, it had decided to revisit the rules and issue a fresh order on the eve of Independence Day.
It was argued that an ex-serviceman normally applies for more than one vacancy at the time of his release from the armed forces. But in case he joins civil employment due to early declaration of results, he is not entitled for the benefit of reservation for subsequent employment.
Finding that these instructions affect the chances of ex-servicemen in the case of direct recruitment for subsequent suitable employment, the Department of Personnel and Training consulted the Defence Ministry and made the changes in rules after deliberations with stakeholders.