NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has agreed in principle to grant the status of ex-servicemen to the women officers of the Military Nursing Service.
“MoD will soon submit its in-principle approval to the Supreme Court,” a source said. A case was filed in the Supreme Court by MNS personnel and its hearing was held on May 7, 2019. The Supreme Court told the Ministry of Defence to submit its reply in the next hearing in a closed envelope.
The MNS are the support women staff commissioned as officers in the medical stream of the armed forces and they come under the DG, Armed Forces Medical Services.
The MNS representatives had moved the Armed Forces Tribunal on 28 different issues. The main issue was them being granted the ex-servicemen status. The AFT had given a favourable decision to the MNS prersonnel, and it was challenged by the MoD in the Supreme Court in 2010.
The grant of ex-servicemen status to the MNS will enable the women to benefit from resettlement schemes, re-employment courses, exemptions such as from toll charges, and institutes such as the Defence Services Officers Institute. They already get the benefits of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme and pension.
The Army has also agreed in principle to allow “The officers of MNS of the rank of Brigadier and above to put their appointment stars on their vehicles”. A brigadier has one star and a major general two stars on their vehicle.