Indian Armed Forces ( OROP )

One Rank, one Pension (OROP), is same pension, for same rank and for the same length of

service, irrespective of the date of retirement.

The recent Modi government’s decision to give OROP (albeit, not all conditions met) has only a

revived a system of defence pension that Ms Indira Gandhi’s government had abolished

unilaterally in 1973.

In 2009, the Supreme Court, in the case of Union of India & Maj Gen SPS Vains & Others, had

ruled that "no defence personnel senior in rank could get a lower pension than his junior

irrespective of the date of retirement, and that similarly placed officers of the same rank should

be given the same pension irrespective of the date of retirement”

Short History

The demand for One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP) dates back to the 1980s. Nothing much

happened until the Congress promised OROP in its poll manifesto in 2004, but the UPA

government rejected the OROP demand in December 2008, resulting in Veterans returning over

22,000 gallantry, war and service medals to the President of India along with symbolically

signing a letter with their own blood in 2009. Under the Indian Ex-Servicemen’s Movement

(IESM) banner, Veterans have been taking delegations to the Ministry of Defence, writing letters

to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister, and holding peaceful and dignified rallies and

public demonstrations.

With continuing pressure from MP Shri Rajeev Chandrashekhar and IESM, the the Parliament

Standing Committee on Defence studied and accepted the concept and definition of OROP in

2013. OROP was featured in the UPA government’s budget in February 2014 and was reflected

in an executive order to that effect in the same month. After the BJP-NDA government came to

power, granting OROP was mentioned in the budget speech in July 2014, and the MoS for

Defence confirmed it in the Rajya Sabha in December 2014.

Why the delay?

The OROP existed until 1973. The glitch is that it requires a lot of money [Rs 8300 crores/year

and upwards]. For every pay increase to the existing forces, all past pensioners also have to get a

rise. As Indians live longer this means the government has to pay pensions to each person for

decades and at rates fast increasing. And more, when it is implemented for the military, the other

government employees, starting from the paramilitary, are also going to ask for it. Given that it

involves a few thousand crores, every government is dragging its foot.

OROP Policy

The implementation of OROP from 01 July 2014, with 2013 as the base year for calculation

Pensions will be re-fixed for all pensioners retiring in the same rank and with same length and

service as the “average of minimum and maximum pension” in 2013. Those drawing above the

average will be protected.( Demand to be pegged at maximum of scale)

Pensioners who retired voluntarily will not be covered (Primary contention . Demand to include

all pensioners)

Pension would be re-fixed every five years (Demanded was 2 years)

Arrears with respect to the implementation date of July 2014 would be paid to veterans in four

half-yearly installments while widows will get the full benefit at once.

Other Perspective:

Many of those who resist One Rank One Pension argue that, given the alignment in military and

civilian pensions, the scheme for the military may prompt similar calls from others which would

incur very high costs on exchequer.

Other issues to be solved in Indian Armed Forces : Need for change in SSC Policy

Short service commission (SSC) officers are being recruited for 14 years minimum. This

minimum limit was originally 5 years increased to 7, 10, 11 and then 14.

The original idea behind the Short Service Commission was: it kept the armed forces young,

gave men and women in their 20s an opportunity to experience military life, while allowing them

to have the satisfaction of serving our motherland in their youth and going on to pursue other

careers thereafter. Those SSC officers who sought it could seek a Permanent Commission, but

few got one and the vast majority were supposed to move on to other careers outside the Forces.

This is why the Short Service Commission was genuinely short - five years in your 20s added to

your experience without making a major dent in your life or career plans. Now that the minimum

service is 14 years, it is just abuse of the youth. Anything more than 7 years should be treated as

a career option. And a career cannot end abruptly after 10 or 14 years.