One Rank One Pay Implementation of
the Pension of Defence Forces Officers.
“The soldiers of the same rank and the
same length of service receive the same pension, irrespective of retirement
date”
The rank structure in the Army identifies an officer based
on the nature of responsibilities entrusted to him. The structure is pyramidal in nature. This
pyramidal structure starts from the
level of a Battalion Commander on
wards. There is no pyramidal structure before that. The implementation of OROP
for granting same pay for the same rank for the same year of service works out
perfectly in respect of officers starting
from the responsibilities of a Battalion Commander on wards.
However it is not the same in the case of Majors and Lt.
Cols. since both perform the responsibilities of a company commander. The
difference is only in the working experience. The Major has a working
experience between six to thirteen years of service, where as a Lt. Col. has
the working experience of above thirteen year service. The transition from a
major to a Lt. Col. therefore is purely based on the year of service i. e.
experience. The Major is in the pay scale of PB3 and has a service
experience from six to thirteen years . After the completion of thirteen years of
service all Majors are placed in the scale of PB 4. and they are identified by giving them the rank of
Lt. Col. This transition is 100 percent
and automatic in nature and therefore
the same rule should also be applied to all the retired Majors having more than
thirteen years of service keeping in view of the rule of same pension for the
same length of service irrespective of retirement date. They should
automatically be given the rank of a Lt.
Col. and their pension be worked out based on the scale in PB 4. This would
clear all the anomalies that have arisen in the pension structure of the
officers of the defence forces.