72 officers recalled from civil departments: ISPR

A spokesman of ISPR on Friday clarified news item, which has been appearing in a section of the press regarding reversion of military personnel from civil departments.
The spokesman said that the decision about reversion of Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Jawans posted in various civil departments had been taken at General Headquarters and all concerned departments were asked to formulate a reversion plan so that their routine functioning was not affected by abrupt pulling out of Army personnel.
The departments were asked to forward their plans of reversion by March 20. The recommendations of these departments have been received and as many as 72 officers including six Major Generals and eight Brigadiers have been recalled from various departments.
These officers will report back by May 1, 2008. Similarly, Junior Commissioned Officers, Non Commissioned Officers and Jawans have also been called back, and their reversion process has commenced.
In the second phase, 46 officers and remaining Junior Commissioned Officers, Non Commissioned Officers and Jawans will return by mid August, 2008 as at present, these personnel are not being spared by respective civil departments due to non availability of their relieve.
With regards to the procedure for re-employment of retired officers in civil departments, the spokesman said that the retired officers or officers retiring from service are eligible for re-employment on contract for 3 to 5 years, renewable period upto the age of 60 years, to a maximum of 10 percent of annual vacancies in various groups and cadres.
This re-employment is made through a Defence Services Officers Selection Board (DSOSB), which is chaired by the Interior Minister and members include Secretaries Establishment and Defence.
As per the procedure in vogue, civil departments intimate number of existing vacancies available to the Ministry of Defence, in return Ministry of Defence proposes a panel of officers for each appointment.
On selection of the officer by the DSOSB, the officer obtains NOC from GHQ and is re-employed by the concerned department on contract basis. Presently 32 officers who are serving in various civil departments would retire this year or next year. Concerned departments, however, have recommended their re-employment on retirement.
The Departments and Ministries have been asked to seek NOC for re-employment of these officers against 10 percent quota or open vacancy through Ministry of Defence as per procedure in vogue. Ministry of Defence may refer all such cases for re-employment to Establishment Division for confirmation or otherwise under Rules of Business.
However, GHQ henceforth, will not entertain any individual request for retention or induction of officers in uniform in any civil department, the spokesman concluded.