Armed forces get more senior posts

The government sanctioned an additional 1,896 officer-level posts for the armed forces to reduce stagnation and improve promotional opportunities in the middle and upper echelons of the military.

The government on Friday sanctioned an additional 1,896 officer-level posts for the armed forces to reduce stagnation and improve promotional opportunities in the middle and upper echelons of the military.

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The approval came at a cabinet meeting in New Delhi on Friday presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Of the additional posts, the Indian Army will get 1,051 ranging from colonel to lieutenant general, the Indian Navy will get 342 posts and the Indian Air Force 503 posts in equivalent ranks, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters here.

The additional posts had been recommended in the second part of the report of a high level committee that had been set up to examine the promotional structure of the armed forces and recommend corrective measures.

The first part of the report relating to officers from the rank of lieutenant to lieutenant colonel and their equivalent in the other two forces has already been implemented.