Counting of former service of Defence Officers who have died/dies prior to making claim pre-commissioned service: PCDA Circular No. 44

Indian Military Veterans

Counting of former service in respect of Short Service Commissioned/ Emergency Commissioned Officers of Army/ Navy/ Air Force who have died/dies prior to making claim/filling form for counting of pre-commissioned service rendered in ranks towards commissioned service: PCDA Circular No. 44 dated 11.08.2022

Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions),
Prayagraj – 211014
Call Centre No.(Toll Free)-1800-180-5325 (Timing-9:30AM to 6:00PM

Registered Post

Important Circular No. 44

Date: 11.08.2022

To,
1. The Records Office…………….
2. The Pay Accounts Office……..
3. The Officer Records Office……
4. The PCDA(O)…………..

Subject:- Counting of former service in respect of Short Service Commissioned/ Emergency Commissioned Officers of Army/ Navy/ Air Force who have died/dies prior to making claim/filling form for counting of pre-commissioned service rendered in ranks towards commissioned service.

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As per AO 649/73, on the retirement of short service commissioned officer their pension claim was being initiated by the Records office concerned and forwarded to the Controller of Defence accounts (Pensions) duly completed in all respects accompanied by the last pay certificates, the pre- commissioned service documents and the option certificates of the officers. The officers themselves was not required to submit any separate claims for assessing the pre-commissioned service, which was assessed by the this office i.e. Office of the PCDA( P) while dealing with pension cases.

2 Instances have come to notice that there is no provision for counting of former pre-commissioned service (rendered in ranks) of Short Service Commissioned/Emergency Commissioned Officers who died/dies prior to exercising option/making claim/filing form for counting of pre-commissioned service and in the absence of such provision, the eligible next of kin of such deceased officer bears difficult to claim pensionary benefits.

3. Taking into consideration the difficulties faced by such aggrieved families, it has been decided that immediate necessary action may be taken for counting of pre-commissioned service (rendered in ranks) towards pensionary benefits as per GoI, MoD’s letter No. 1(7)/2015/D(Pen/Pol) dated 08.06.2022 in respect of such SSCOs/ECOs who have died/dies prior to making the claim/filling up the form for counting of their pre-commissioned service (rendered in ranks) towards commissioned service and release the pensionary benefits to the eligible NoK of such SSCOs/ECOs accordingly. For the purpose of counting of pre-commissioned service in above mentioned circumstances, a simple and speedy Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) may be also be adopted.

4. This circular has been uploaded on PCDA(P) website www.pcdapension.nic.in for dissemination across to all concerned.

File No. G-1/M/032/Vol-VI
Date: 11.08.2022

(Rajendra Kumar Gupta)
ACDA(P)