Govt relaxes reservation rules for jobs to ex-servicemen

In what is welcome news for lakhs of ex-servicemen, the government has removed a major hurdle to their post-retirement employment and allowed them to avail of the benefit of reservation in all civil jobs they apply.
Upon discharge from the armed forces, an ex-serviceman normally applies for more than one job. However, in case of joining any civil employment due to early declaration of results or selection, the ex-serviceman is not entitled to the benefit of reservation for any subsequent job.
The issue that the rules were affecting the chances of ex-servicemen in getting suitable employment was brought to the notice of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which held a consultation in the matter with the department of ex-servicemen in the Defence Ministry.

"It has now been decided that if an ex-serviceman applies for various vacancies before joining any civil employment, he can avail of the benefit of reservation as an ex-serviceman for any subsequent employment," said a DoPT order.
However, to avail of this benefit, an ex-serviceman, as soon as he joins any civil employment, should submit a declaration or undertaking with the employer concerned about the date-wise details of application for various vacancies for which he has applied before joining the initial civil employment, it said.
This benefit would be available only in respect of vacancies which are filled on direct recruitment and wherever reservation applies to ex-servicemen, DoPT said, amending the government's 24-year-old instructions in this regard.

There are about 20 lakh ex-servicemen, according to the Defence Ministry.