1- The eligibility of the retired Defence personnel to the status of Ex-Servicemen is governed by the definition as laid down by Department of Personnel and Training. The definition has undergone changes from time to time. The following is the broad categorization:-                                                            

(a) Those released before 01 Jul 68:  Any person who had served in any rank (whether as Combatant or not) in the Armed Forces of the Union and released from there other than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.

(b) Those released on or after 01 Jul 68 but before 01 Jul 79: Any person who had served in any rank (whether as a combatant or not ) in the Armed Forces of the Union for a continuous period of not less than six months after attestation and released from there other than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.

(c) Those released on or after 01 Jul 79 but before 01 Jul 87: Any person, who has served in any rank (whether as a combatant or as non-combatant) in the Armed Forces of the Union for a continuous period of not less than six months after attestation, if discharged for reasons other than at their own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency and not less than 5 years of service if discharged at own request.

(d) Those released on or after 01 Jul 87 :  Any person, who has served in any rank (whether as a combatant or as non combatant) in the Armed
Forces of the Union and was released /retired with any kind of pension from Defence Budget or released on completion of specific terms of engagement with gratuity other than at his own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.

(e) Officer cadets boarded out of training academies attributable to mil training will be treated as ex-servicemen under Priority -1 for the purpose of employment in civil .

(f)  Those who were released on or after 10 Oct 2012    

       An ex-servicemen means  a person –

• Who has served in any rank whether as a Combatant or non Combatant in the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union and 

• Who either being retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her  pension ;

or  

• Who has been relieved from such service on medical grounds attributable   to   military service or circumstances beyond his control and awarded  medical or other  disability pension;         

or

• Who has been released from such service as a result of reduction in establishment;

or

• Who has been released from such service after completing the specific period of  engagement, otherwise than at his own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, and has been given a gratuity, and includes personnel of the Territorial Army ,namely  Pension holders for continuous embodied service or broken spell  of qualifying service.

or

• Personal of the Army Postal Service who are part of Regular Army and retired from the      Army Postal Service without reversion to their parent service with pension, or are released from the Army Postal Service on medical grounds attributable to or aggravated by military service or circumstance beyond their control and awarded medical or other disability pension; 

    (iv)  Personal ,who were on deputation in Army Postal Service for more than six months prior to the 14th April 1987:

or

• Gallantry award winners of the Armed forces including personnel of  Territorial Army;

or

• Ex-recruits boarded out or relieved on medical ground and granted medical disability pension irrespective  of the date of boarding out/release. 

ARMED FORCES

2. Armed Forces of the Union mean the Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union including Armed Forces of the former Indian States but exclude the persons who have served in Defence Security Corps, General Reserve Engineering Force, Lok Sahayak Sena and Para Military Forces (PMF). 

3. RECRUITS BOARDED OUT ON MEDICAL GROUNDS WITH DISABILITY PENSION-
   Recruits who were boarded out/released on medical grounds and granted medical/disability pension will be covered under the category of Ex-Servicemen for all practical    purposes  as per the OM dated 01-2-2006 irrespective of the date of boarding out/release .