DMA plans to implement proposal to increase retirement age of officers by April next year

New Delhi [India], November 19 The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is planning to implement the proposal to increase the retirement age for officers by one to three years by April next year.

"There has been a very positive response to the age extension proposal as all officers would be getting to serve one to three years extra which would bring them closer to 60 years of age when their civilian counterparts superannuate," government sources told .

"The plan is now to implement the proposal from the beginning of the next financial year in April," they said.

Earlier, officers would retire and serve till 58 years of age under the reemployment scheme.

After the age extension, the defence forces would also shut down the reemployment scheme for officers who would retire from regular service and reemployed again for a few years getting the salary of a low-rank officer.

As part of the new reforms initiated by Chief of Defence Staff, the retirement age of officers and jawans from technical branches would be increased. As part of the initiatives, it is envisaged to increase the retirement age of Colonels and equivalents in the Air Force and Navy would be increased to 57 from the existing 54.

Brigadiers and their equivalents are now proposed to retire at the age of 58 from the existing 56 and they would get two additional years. Major Generals would retire at the age of 59 from existing 58. The retirement age of Lieutenant Generals would remain at 60 only and has not been touched.

The retirement age for junior commissioned officers and jawans in logistics, technical and medical branch is planned to be hiked to 57 years and this would include the EME, ASC and AOC branches of the Indian Army.

Gen Rawat would also be bringing in more proposals to support these initiatives and provide better avenues for officers who are boarded out due to lesser vacancies and service restrictions.

( With inputs from ANI )