Govt fixs 15 yrs of service to become Colonels

In a major decision impacting the age profile of Army, Navy and Air Force commanding officers, government on Friday fixed 15 years of commissioned service for substantive promotion to the rank of Colonel instead of the existing 20 years.

"The government today fixed 15 years of commissioned service as the minimum qualifying service for substantive promotion to the rank of Colonel in the Army, Captain in the Navy and Group Captain in the Air Force. The decision of the government has been received at the Service headquarters," sources said here.

Until now, Lieutenant Colonels in the Army, Commanders in the Navy and Wing Commanders in the Air Force had to put in a cumulative qualifying service of 20 years after commissioning for promotion to substantive Colonel and equivalent ranks.

However, they became unit commanding officers even with just 16 years of service, as per the cadre management policies of the tri-services, but had to wait for another four years to be confirmed as substantive Colonels and to receive the salary of a Colonel.

In effect, it would mean that there would be no more "acting" ranks of Colonel, Captain and Group Captain in the services.