Lok Sabha Question No. 897 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-24
Subject: Vacant Posts in Defence Forces
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN, KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, JITENDRA CHAUDHURY, KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF DEFENCE**

**DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE**

**LOK  SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.897**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24** **TH** **JULY, 2015**

**VACANT POSTS IN DEFENCE FORCES**

897.  	SHRI  MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL “NISHANK”:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE    j{kk ea=h

be pleased to state:

(a)	whether  various posts of officers and soldiers in combat and non-combat category in all the three wings of the Defence Forces are lying vacant;

(b)	if so, the details thereof,  service, category and rank-wise along with the reasons therefor and the steps taken / being taken for filling up these vacancies at the earliest;

(c)	the number of officers who have taken voluntary retirement from the Defence Forces during each of the last three years and the current year;

(d)	whether the Defence Forces are equipped with sufficient arms, ammunition and other latest military equipment for meeting any eventuality, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e)	the other steps taken / being taken by the Government for strengthening and monitoring the preparedness of the Defence Forces of the country?

#### A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF DEFENCE                                   (SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR)

j{kk ea=h    			           ¼Jh euksgj ijhZdj½

**(a) to (e):** **A statement is attached.**

***********

**STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 897 FOR ANSWER ON 24.7.2015**

**(a) & (b):** **Details of vacant posts of officers and soldiers in the Armed Forces (excluding Medical and Dental Branch), rank wise are as under:**

| **Army**                       |                                  | **Navy**  **(As on 1.7.2015)**   |             | **Air Force**   |              |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------|-----------------|--------------|
| **Officers**                   | **Other Ranks**                  | **Officers**                     | **Sailors** | **Officers**    | **Airmen**   |
| **9642**  **(As on 1.1.2015)** | **23909***  **(As on 1.4.2015)** | **1779**                         | **11653**** | **Nil**         | **6664****** |

***against this vacancy in the Army 68,331 recruits are under training.**

****against this vacancy in the Navy 2247 recruits are under training.**

*****against this vacancy in the Air Force 6152 recruits are under training.**

**Some of the major reasons for shortage in Armed Forces include increase in authorized strength due to new accretions in force level from time to time, availability of attractive alternative career avenues, stringent selection criteria, and difficult service conditions coupled with perceived high degree of risk.**

**Government has taken a number of measures to encourage the youth to join the Armed Forces, including sustained image projection, participation in career fairs and exhibitions, media campaign etc.  Further, Government has taken various steps to make armed forces jobs attractive.  These include implementation of recommendations of the VI Central Pay Commission with improved pay structure, additional family accommodation through Married Accommodation Project (MAP) and improvement in promotion prospects in the Armed Forces.**

**(c)	Number of officers who have taken premature retirement from the Defence Forces during each of the last three years and the current year are as under:**

| **Year**   | **Army**                      | **Navy**                      | **Air Force**                 |
|------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| **2012**   | **275**                       | **132**                       | **157**                       |
| **2013**   | **221**                       | **96**                        | **131**                       |
| **2014**   | **120**                       | **91**                        | **108**                       |
| **2015**   | **28**  **(As on 15.7.2015)** | **24**  **(As on 16.7.2015)** | **45**  **(As on 16.7.2015)** |

**(d) & (e):** **The Indian Defence Forces are suitably equipped, trained and organized to face the operational challenges and carry out their mandated task.  Operational preparedness of the Armed Forces is reviewed from time to time based on the threat perception.  Further, development of the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces to tackle the entire spectrum of security challenges is an ongoing process.**

***********