Generals put in command, staff streams

Aug. 19: The Indian Army has introduced a new policy for promotion to the ranks of major-general and lieutenant-general from January 1 this year. The generals will be categorised into staff and command streams on promotion, and Army sources say this will ease the intense competition to command divisions and corps.
Army sources said the allocations would be on the basis of the merit list at the time of promotion to major-general and lieutenant-general. Command positions would go to officers on top of the merit list, while others would get staff positions. The new policy was adopted as part of implementation of the second phase of the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee recommendations, which led to more upgraded posts of major-generals and lieutenant-generals.
This was initially mooted two decades ago, but implemented only from January 1 this year. The sources also dismissed speculation that a few Army commanders had reservations about the new policy, saying such reports were baseless.
Army sources said another new factor from January 1 this year was that in interviews for promotion to major-general and lieutenant-general, 95 per cent of the candidate’s evaluation would be on the Annual Confidential Report, while the remaining five per cent would be evaluation by the Army commanders who were on the promotion board. Under the earlier system, promotions would be decided entirely by members of the promotion board, who would have with them the dossiers and all records of the candidates that they were evaluating.