Clarification on the issue of ‘Ex-Servicemen’ status to boarded out recruits

The MoD has now clarified the issue in conjunction with the DoPT vide its fresh letter issued on 18 March 2013 wherein it has been ordained that all recruits boarded out on or after the issuance of the earlier MoD letter dated 01 Feb 2006 would be covered under the said definition.

The fresh letter by the MOD can be downloaded and accessed by clicking here

Though the subject has been clarified in the above terms, in my opinion, boarded out recruits in receipt of disability pension would ipso facto be included in the pre-existing definitions in force prior to 01 Feb 2006 too since unlike officer trainees, recruits are entitled to pay and disability pensionary benefits as applicable to regular Sepoys and are also under the purview of the Army Act and hence cannot treated differently than others. Even otherwise, the MoD clarification issued on 01 Feb 2006 did not contain any cut-off date for the applicability of the clarification which has now been superimposed through back-door.