By BrigRK Sharma
20 Jul , 2015
Resettling veterans is indeed a ‘Nation’s Social Responsibility’. A concerted and collective effort is needed for absorbing veterans. The priority should be to help soldiers obtain jobs in the government sector by exploiting reservations. This is to be followed by mapping the industrial needs, talking to them (Industry) and training individuals as per the requirement of the industry. The DGR will well utilise their funds in this manner than conduct courses which are cosmetic in nature and results, and used as a paid break by most. This can best be done by integral placement organisations in respective services.
We need to learn from the past and see that all armies care for their veterans. The trainees and disciplined manpower is to be taken as an asset on which a lot can be built upon.
Nations need young soldiers in their armed forces who can withstand prolonged deprivations that push the limits of extreme physical hardship. History is full of daredevil heroics by young soldiers. Since there are no runners up in war, daredevilry in young soldiers is necessary as one mellows with age. Soldiers hang their uniforms at a relatively young age. Notwithstanding the limited financial security provided by the various Pay Commissions, not-so-young soldiers pass into civil life full of energy and vigour and have a lot to give to the society at large. Their regimented approach to life brings discipline in to a workforce, which is so essential.
Around 60,000 soldiers hang up their uniforms every year. The Indian Army being the largest retires the maximum number of soldiers every year. The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy (IN) with their technically oriented soldiers retires personnel who have better exposure and acceptability vis-à-vis Army personnel from the General Duty (GD) stream. The government on its part has brought out a number of schemes for the resettlement of veterans. There is a need to earnestly implement these obviating possible impediments and this is possible.
Resources for resettling soldiers need to be intrinsic to the organisation. Not only this, by the time a soldier comes out of service, he should have the qualifications to adapt to civil jobs better and still be in demand by a large number of organisations. To achieve this, organisations themselves have to get involved deeply by not only counseling individuals but also training them for specific absorption. It is a national responsibility to ensure that ex–soldiers are well settled post retirement and thus the title ‘Resettling Soldiers: A Nation’s Social Responsibility’. It is a study that needs a planned, holistic approach.
There is a need to examine the resettlement of veterans in a holistic manner…
We need to learn from the past and see that all armies care for their veterans. The trainees and disciplined manpower is to be taken as an asset on which a lot can be built upon. During medieval times, armies on return from their excursions/crusades were demobilised and soldiers were provided for a decent living. After World War I, the demobilised Indian soldiers were given land for resettlement and generous grants. Alexander distributed all the captured wealth amongst his soldiers. England established the Polish Resettlement Corps in 1946 for resettling the Polish soldiers who fought for England and this Corps was decommissioned in 1949.
As we have our Directorate General – Resettlement (DGR), USA and UK also leave their arrangements for their veterans and in fact, they exercise a lot of care in ensuring reasonable resettlement opportunities for them. Incidentally, both follow a two-year cycle for resettling retiring soldiers. Post World War II, the British had established the DGR for demobilised Indian soldiers which, post-Independence, converted into DGTE under the Ministry of Labour.
However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) resurrected the DGR in somewhat present form. The DGR has a role cut out for itself. However, level of satisfaction has not been too high. Suffice it to say that service HQ had to resort to raising their own facilities for maintaining a direct touch with veterans who wish to adopt a second career. Definitely there is a need to examine the resettlement of veterans in a holistic manner so that maximum opportunities are availed of to re-settle maximum number of ex–soldiers.
Statistics of Retirees
India has a standing army of 1.2 million, the naval strength is approximately 100,000 and the IAF has 150,000. Thus a total of one and a half million soldiers defend the nation. The figures being projected are approximate and are based on very realistic experience since no authentic data is available in this regard. However, rational conclusions can be drawn. The enormity of the task at hand can be gauged from the following:
Approximate overall strength of forces — 1,500,000
Average length of service in defence — 20 Years
Yearly outgo (retiring/leaving service due to other reasons) — four to five per cent — which translates into 60,000 or so
Out of the retiring strength the following needs to be considered
Veterans unlikely to take up jobs — 20 per cent or 12,000
Requiring jobs (Resettlement) — 48,000 or so
Technical manpower with proven — 144,000 (30 per cent) Skills
50–60 per cent of technical manpower — 6,000-7,000 are absorbed by the industry or others
Help required for resettlement — About 40,000 every year
It would be unrealistic to imagine that all veterans will be absorbed.
Thus from the above analyses, it is inferred that approximately 20,000-25,000 veterans need help yearly which is a tremendous task and to this backlog, the numbers keep adding. This requires a structured approach for which organisational synergy is a must.
With over 158 trades in services and most applicable in the civil, then why is there a need to look at the subject de novo? Veterans from the IAF and the IN have better exposure than veterans from the Indian Army especially the General Duty component. Mature, experienced and disciplined manpower should find ready acceptance but still gaps exist.
An assured steady career transition to bureaucracy or CAPF will ensure acceptance of defence as a career by many more…
Our ex-soldiers are faced with the dilemma of changing careers because it involves adopting/changing skills for an entirely different environment. The ESM need to be kept occupied before they exhaust their energy. Consider the following:
Productive Years:
Retiring in late thirties for Other Ranks (OR), early/late forties for Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and early fifties by Officers leaves 25 to 30 years for ORs, 15 to 20 years for JCOs and five to ten years for Officers in terms of productive years. These years must be utilised fruitfully. Not keeping not-so-old but trained manpower unoccupied can lead to obvious problems of being picked up by unwanted elements or may even cause psychological problems. These are all imaginable. Alcoholism is the easiest and prophylactic active measures are a must besides drawing the maximum benefits in the interest of the society by utilising this mature manpower fruitfully.
Financial Security:
Military Pension gives reasonable financial security to ESM, it is still not adequate to raise the standard of living, keeping in view that the majority comes from rural areas and even humble backgrounds. Progress in life is endemic with all humans and added to this, further urbanisation, additional resources are a necessity making earning a livelihood a compulsion for all.
Family Liabilities:
Fulfilling family liabilities viz old parents, children’s education and construction of a house needs additional resources. Add to this the breaking up of the joint family system, ex-soldiers have to seek their own establishments. During service, a soldier moves every two to three years to a new location which unsettles the family. Post retirement, they all look for stability nearer home and organisations must take this into consideration.
The government has legislated reservations in all the departments and these vacancies can absorb 15,000 to 20,000 veterans or more every year.
Psychological Reasons:
An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Staying at home without work will germinate tensions in a family. Everyone needs space even a husband and wife. Children not used to their father being around leads to general adjustment problems. Their vast experience needs to be channelised for the society and the organisation must empower them to work till as long as they can.
Some weaknesses or problems that veterans face when they step into the civil stream are:
Subordination: Functioning in the armed forces requires a high degree of subordination at every level vis-à-vis in the civil. At every level soldiers look over their shoulders for orders and this is an organisational necessity. In the civil sector, there is greater autonomy and superiors take for granted many things which if not done, draws their angst. There is no guidance at every step. This orientation needs to be highlighted at the time of retirement since we know that once a task is understood and adopted by a soldier, delivery is better than his hard core civilian counter parts.
Adjustment Issues: Working under much younger superiors may lead to adjustment problems. Added to this, are the not-so-fixed working hours. While in service, the emphasis was on carrying out the task without giving much thought to economy whereas in the civil arena, profit in output is preponderant.
Personal administration becomes an individual’s responsibility whereas in service it was taken care of to a large extent.
Many states do not have specified reservations or very little for defence retirees…
Although most trades of defence are applicable, their intricate application keeps changing in the civil. Introduction of new equipment takes five years in defence because it follows a process of requisition, trial evaluation, order for manufacturing and reaching the users through a supply chain and training the users. This is not so in the civil arena. Changes are more dynamic due to faster and more economically orientation of results. A software company may change the software its uses overnight, if it so decides. Also, the workers keep getting exposure outside to keep upgrading their skills which is not so in defence where upgradation takes place only if the equipment/application is to be changed. To this added are the management jargons which keep changing dynamically. Soldiers do not get exposure to these and find it difficult to communicate in a highly dynamic environment.
Communication skills is an important factor which conveys something effectively pertaining to the job at hand. There is gap in this regard since soldiers during their service are not exposed to the civilian way. This orientation is important for speedy progress in a new environment. More important to understand is that a soldier is changing a career and he has to compete with civilian counterparts, who have grown in the same career without changing job skills. This issue needs deeper understanding in order to equip our veterans for transformation.
Added to these are the adjustment problems. Veterans with limited financial security become a little arrogant and there have been occasions when they have taken leading role in perpetrating of strikes and agitations which no corporate likes. Also, this financial security makes an individual leave a job on the spur of a moment as he is no longer bound by Army Act/Rules. At times, corporate organisations feel insecure employing veterans even if they are better workers. Veterans must draw lessons from a Harvard study which concludes that bad hiring in corporate costs 24 times the basic component i.e. the cost of hiring, training, laying off (loss of revenue), re-hiring and training and may also result in loss of business/opportunity. Therefore, counseling of soldiers before retirement becomes very important. ‘A boss is a boss’ whether very young or elderly; male or female. Also, consistency in any job pays. Frequent job hopping is less paying and will bring in insecurity.
The government has legislated reservations in all the departments and these vacancies can absorb 15,000 to 20,000 veterans or more every year. Of late, some of these departments, in a bid to secure promotional avenues for their own cadres, prefer to induct veterans on deputations than going in for re-employment of ESM because employees on deputation revert to their parent organisation after completion of tenure and resultant vacancies can be filled by promotion of departmental officers.
Individuals should be informed of their impending retirement two years in advance or as early as possible…
A smart way to overcome this aspect will perhaps be that there should be a provision in the Recruitment Rules for segregated fixed percentage of posts served for each method of employment i.e. Deputation and Re-employment. This issue needs deep examination and it may even be worthwhile to suggest that vacancies for deputation and absorption are advertised percentage wise by the concerned. Imagine if defence is able to induct 15,000 ex-soldiers into various departments every year, what impact will it make on the working ethos and over a period of time a fare number would be able to guard interests of ex- soldiers.
Efforts should be made in inducting the SSCOs into civil services and the 1976 status be restored. A study report by Kamal Kumar, IPS (Retd) in 2009 had discounted the induction of SS Officers into IPS and similar could be the approach by others. In spite of ten per cent reservation in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) at Assistant Commandant level, none is taken. A political decision in this regard is necessary. Defence has been seeking the consideration of past service for seniority purposes which is not acceptable to the bureaucracy. A dispassionate examination of this will be of great help.
An assured steady career transition to bureaucracy or CAPF will ensure acceptance of defence as a career by many more. Dispensations provided in entrance exams in the 1970s must be restored. Ex-defence officers have done exceptionally well in civil services. Defence must consider seriously permitting even regular officers taking competitive exams for civil services and accordingly, AO 27/87 be amended. This will create more bonhomie between defence and bureaucracy over a period of time as also make the defence sector the first choice with incidental resettlement.
The underlying fact is that youth are always adventurous and at the time of need, many Sekhons, Batras, Shankhlas and Khetarpals (all PVCs), will come forward to coin the phrase “Yeh Dil Mange More”. The government has to be really liberal in this kind of transition and ensure that every individual’s career span is till he reaches the age of 60. Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) are always in demand by the corporate world and are never without a job. The problem is usually for Officers who superannuate or seek pre-mature retirement. Unless they are specialists, they must prepare during the last one or two years of service and to this end, even the services must keep them in the know about their future in service and help them in transition.
A structured approach will improve induction and once a trend is set, it will continue…
For JCOs and ORs, defence must look for more ‘in house’ opportunities and with some diligence, if not in the home town, at least a job can be provided in the home state. The Defence Security Corps (DSC) is the best transition absorbing 3,000 to 4,000 JCOs/OR or equivalent every year. They protect defence establishments only but their scope can be increased. The CISF is doing the same task and can be conveniently undertaken by them. A decision at the highest level needs to be pursued. Large projects within states may be undertaken. The force, overall, is in higher age group. Ways need to be found to have a sprinkling of youth and opportunities for them to progress in their careers. RIL have raised their own security and these men will progress in that stream. Similar concepts are being undertaken by others and over a period of time, this avenue may also partially dry up for soldiers, if we do not re-orientate their skills to suit the corporate world. Therefore, side stepping from the DSC to corporate after some experience will also pay dividends. It would be healthy if the yearly induction in the DSC is brought up to 10,000 yearly of which 2,000 to 3,000 side step to the corporate world.
Government jobs for soldiers need to be exploited the most. Wherever the induction is through entrance exams, soldiers must be prepared and counseled. At present, there is no structured approach to this aspect. Post VI CPC, reservations have not been revised. Even though Group ‘D’ has been abolished, reservations followed are still as per earlier norms. This causes status problems. In the year 2010-2011, large inductions were made into Railways in Group ‘D’. However, many JCOs and NCOs who joined left due to status problem. But those who continued are drawing good salaries with all the perks and have also been, by and large, adjusted closer home. An overall re-adjustment by DOPT on this issue is the need of the hour. The present reservations are:
Up to the post of Assistant Commandant in CAPF – 10 per cent
Group ‘C’ – 10 per cent for Central Govt. and 14.5 per cent in PSUs/Banks
Group ‘D’ – 20 per cent for Central Govt. and 24.5 per cent PSUs/Banks
Gaps in expertise can be bridged by due training and orientation…
Reservations for SC/ST/OBC are within the above reservations. Also there are age and educational qualifications relaxations for induction. There is a need to understand this aspect and create a separate cell in the Ministry of Defence to monitor these inductions. The issues needing attention are:
Dissemination of timely information i.e. at least two years prior to retirement.
There are times when departments release vacancies in bits and reservations are in fractions and so they cannot be implemented and these are done deliberately.
Age relaxation for banks is capped at 50 years and many lose out because of this. If individuals are released earlier, they can take advantage of this but this can only be done by cooperation between the monitoring cell and the records. Hopefully, with the automation of records, this aspect will be attended to.
Although there are relaxations in education i.e. with 15 years of service a matriculate is considered for jobs tenable by a graduate but for an entrance exam, knowledge is necessary which is possible only through a structured education programme.
Units need to make their retiring soldiers aware of the relaxations in age, qualification and opportunities.
Many states do not have specified reservations or very little for defence retirees. The issue must be taken up with the State Governments. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Seemandhra, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Meghalaya, Orissa, Sikkim and Andaman and Nicobar.
A good example is of AFV drivers who, with some training, can operate equipment used in infrastructure development. Graduating from an operator to a supervisor will not take much time or may even lead to entrepreneurship in due course.
In the private sector mostly security jobs are available. However, if trade skills are re-oriented towards applicability in the industry, induction will be higher. Here a question of age factor comes. In the civil sector, a person grows in that particular trade only whereas a soldier may have done jobs other than his trade. There will be gaps in expertise which can be bridged by due training and orientation while still in service. This is indentified industry wise and area wise so that jobs offered are closer home. Also, emphasis is given by PSUs and the corporate for ITI certification. If due diligence is done by the Directorates this recognition is not difficult to get. Maximum sufferers are the GD stream soldiers. Ashok Leyland had offered to train and absorb veterans on contractual basis. The scheme could not fructify as the company suffered losses and production went down. However, with ‘Make in India’ becoming the mantra, huge investments are being made in defence sector. It is a good opportunity to train retiring soldiers for absorption since they understand usage of equipment in practical terms. It is time that necessary sub trades are developed and men trained for absorption.
For the road ahead, a concerted policy with full participation by services is necessary. Taking a cue from the USA, where 1.5 lakh soldiers retire, and England who have given us most of the systems, we may work on a two-year cycle for resettlement. Some may say that it will impinge on the availability of manpower. The issue can be overcome by making up strength in field areas from units in peace and in case of war or emergency, all things are obviously put on hold. There are dispensations given vide the GOI, Min of Pers Public Grievances and Pension (DOP&T) Memo No 150112/8/82-Estt of February 12, 1986, in educational qualifications but there is no compromise on entrance exams for many departments.
Measures Recommended
Individuals should be informed of their impending retirement two years in advance or as early as possible. This is the time counseling will help them in selecting a line with options. This counseling needs to be structured by experts on the lines being done for young students suggesting a line to be adopted. Help of DIPR or own officers with experience in SSBs or even better, HR Experts in the civil can be consulted with professional help.
Individuals are issued literature to study as ‘own time work’. There are commonalities in the syllabi which generally include:
General intelligence and reasoning.
General awareness.
Numerical aptitude.
English comprehension.
In-service classes may also be conducted. AEC staff is capable of doing it and must be utilised.
A large number of books are available. A structured approach will improve induction and once a trend is set, it will continue.
In-service classes may also be conducted. AEC staff is capable of doing it and must be utilised. Even outsourcing may be done. Very little additional funds will be required. Alternatively, DGR resources may be utilised. A detailed exposure to interviewing techniques would be in order.
Individuals need to be encouraged to undertake exams while in service and those selected be discharged early. A suggested timeframe for a soldier is:
Combat training and training in own trade — 2 years
Soldiering — 16-18 years
Tapering down for transition— 2 years
Total — 20-22 years
A steady induction will keep improving over a period of time and even if does not succeed in securing a government job for all, it puts a person in a better position to face interviews in the private sector. Those who do not make it, a skill-wise transition should be considered. All the 156 skills described by the DGE&T can be subscribed with due orientation while in service. The issue needs discussions with National Skill Development Council (NSDC) to work out modalities. GD soldier skills have not been recognised though technical skills have been. However, a closer look will indicate that there are many skills with them (GD Personnel) which if modified can get them absorbed in the civil sector. A good example is of AFV drivers who, with some training, can operate equipment used in infrastructure development. Graduating from an operator to a supervisor will not take much time or may even lead to entrepreneurship in due course. Many other issues can be identified for implementation. Accordingly, ‘Work Content Skills’ and ‘Functional Skills’ may be developed.
For officers also, the above approach with modifications will help. However, with the concept of regular cadre and support cadre (1:1.1) being adopted, there will be larger wastages. These cadres need to be managed better with MS Branch following a more liberal release policy. The following is recommended:
Sideway induction of SS Officers is based on five-year contractual service whereas now they serve for 10 – 14 years. The DOP&T need to amend their induction QRs in this regard. An attractive departure content (already under consideration) which includes monetary as well as educational needs propagation.
AO 27/87 vide which officers can side step during last five years of service be modified and officers be permitted sideway induction based on qualification/choice after 15-20 years of service. This is where the MS Branch requires a bigger heart. Advantages that may accrue are:
Reasonably young officers can pursue alternative careers.
Will help implementing the peel factor advocated by AVS Committee and will bring down the age of Commanders at all levels.
There will be avenues for permanent secondment and may even help in protocol problems.
For the above preparatory, opportunities are necessary. There may be some aberrations which be taken in its stride. Empowering officers will necessitate the following:
Resettling veterans is indeed a ‘Nation’s Social Responsibility’. A concerted and collective effort is needed for absorbing veterans.
Preparation of a Curriculum Vitae (CV) is important. It is seen that even very senior officers are not able to express their virtues, which are recognised in the civil street. The issue needs to be tackled separately however, suffice it to say that a CV should reflect what an individual can contribute towards the job and not expect the perspective employer to exploit what he can from a veteran.
Inform them well in time about their career prospects and opportunities available elsewhere. A structured mechanism by the AG and the MS Branch may be involved. The present practice of having a seminar during the last month of service only helps in timely retirement documentation but is not at all adequate for career transition.
Expose them to the corporate world and help them leave early if the opportunity arrives.
Be liberal in granting early permission for corporate jobs if the previous appointment is not a sensitive one.
Resettling veterans is indeed a ‘Nation’s Social Responsibility’. A concerted and collective effort is needed for absorbing veterans. The priority should be to help soldiers obtain jobs in the government sector by exploiting reservations. This is to be followed by mapping the industrial needs, talking to them (industry) and training individuals as per the requirement of the industry. The DGR will well utilise their funds in this manner than conduct courses which are cosmetic in nature and results, and used as a paid break by most. This can best be done by integral placement organisations in respective services.
A synergised approach will yield better results. The Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO) with its pan India presence can do this the best and needs to be encouraged. Welfare funds spent on this and on professionals with patience will yield results. Expecting overnight results would be preposterous. A lot can be achieved by diligence and concerted approach than by being impulsive. A data of well-settled veterans will be of great help and will keep the maximum number of retirees connected. There will be gaps in expertise which can be bridged by due training and orientation. This must be identified industry-wise and area-wise so that jobs are available closer to home. Also, emphasis is given by PSUs and the Corporate for ITI certification. If due diligence is done by the Directorates, this recognition is not difficult to get suffer the GD stream. With billions being spent on defence modernisation synergised by the ‘Make in India’ slogan, no better opportunities will be the anvil. Let us make the best of it.
© Copyright 2015 Indian Defence Review
No comments:
Post a Comment