Compendium of Guidelines on Reservation for Ex-Servicemen Issued by DoPT

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued a consolidated Compendium of Guidelines on Reservation for Ex-Servicemen, bringing together all existing rules, notifications and office memoranda on the subject into a single reference document. The compendium is intended to ensure uniform implementation of reservation benefits for Ex-Servicemen across Central Government Ministries, Departments and recruiting agencies.

The guidelines apply to all Central Civil Services and posts, as well as posts up to the level of Assistant Commandant in Central Armed Police Forces and other notified para-military forces.

Who is Treated as an Ex-Serviceman

As per the compendium, an Ex-Serviceman is a person who has served in any rank, whether combatant or non-combatant, in the Regular Army, Navy or Air Force of the Indian Union and has been retired, released or discharged under specified conditions. This includes personnel who have retired with pension, those released on medical grounds attributable to military service and awarded disability pension, personnel discharged due to reduction in establishment, and those released after completing the prescribed period of engagement with gratuity.

The definition also covers Territorial Army personnel with qualifying service, Army Postal Service personnel retired with pension, gallantry award winners of the Armed Forces, and Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) released with gratuity. All SSCOs released with gratuity on or after 13 February 2020 are eligible for Ex-Servicemen status.

Posts and Services Covered

The reservation rules for Ex-Servicemen apply to all Central Civil Services and posts, including Group C and Group D posts. In para-military forces, the reservation is applicable to posts up to the level of Assistant Commandant. Para-military forces include the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Assam Rifles, Sashastra Seema Bal and the Railway Protection Force.

Extent and Nature of Reservation

The compendium reiterates that reservation for Ex-Servicemen is horizontal in nature. Ten per cent of vacancies in Group C posts, twenty per cent of vacancies in Group D posts, and ten per cent of vacancies up to Assistant Commandant level in para-military forces are reserved for Ex-Servicemen.

Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class Ex-Servicemen selected against Ex-Servicemen quota are adjusted against their respective community reservation. If suitable adjustment is not possible in a particular recruitment cycle, such adjustment is carried forward to the next available reserved vacancy of the respective category.

Carry Forward of Unfilled Vacancies

Where suitable Ex-Servicemen candidates are not available, unfilled reserved vacancies in Group C and Group D posts may be carried forward for up to two recruitment years, subject to the overall reservation ceiling of 50 per cent. If vacancies remain unfilled even after two years, the reservation lapses. In the case of Central Armed Police Forces, unfilled Ex-Servicemen vacancies may be filled by candidates from the non-Ex-Servicemen category.

Age Relaxation for Ex-Servicemen

The guidelines provide for age relaxation to Ex-Servicemen in Central Government recruitment. For Group B (Non-Gazetted), Group C and Group D posts, the period of military service is deducted from the actual age, with a relaxation of up to three years beyond the prescribed upper age limit.

For Group A and Group B (Gazetted) posts filled by direct recruitment otherwise than through an All India Competitive Examination, the upper age limit is relaxed by the length of military service plus three years. For posts filled through All India Competitive Examinations, eligible Ex-Servicemen may be granted age relaxation of up to five years, subject to prescribed conditions.

Relaxation in Educational Qualifications

The compendium allows relaxation in educational qualifications for Ex-Servicemen in certain cases, particularly for Group C and erstwhile Group D posts. Ex-Servicemen with at least three years of service may be exempted from minimum educational qualifications prescribed for certain Group D posts. Discretionary relaxation is also permitted for Group C posts where the prescribed qualification is middle school level or below.

Special provisions exist for long-serving matriculate Ex-Servicemen, enabling them to be considered for posts where graduation is prescribed, subject to conditions relating to work experience and suitability.

Priority in Appointment

For Group C and Group D posts filled by direct recruitment, Ex-Servicemen are divided into priority and non-priority categories in a 50:50 ratio. Priority is accorded to disabled Ex-Servicemen whose disability is attributable to military service, demobilised Armed Forces personnel, and Defence personnel transferred to reserve lists or inducted into the Territorial Army.

Other Important Provisions

Ex-Servicemen are exempt from payment of application and examination fees for Central Government recruitment. Reserved vacancies are required to be notified in advance to the Directorate General Resettlement and the concerned Rajya and Zila Sainik Boards. Each Ministry and Department is required to designate a Liaison Officer to monitor matters relating to reservation for Ex-Servicemen. Periodic returns on utilisation of reserved vacancies are also mandatory.

The compendium, issued on 25 December 2025, is expected to help ensure consistent interpretation and implementation of reservation rules for Ex-Servicemen across all Central Government establishments.

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