(As given by Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence (KSB) & other authorized Govt. Departments from time to time)

1.         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. 

2          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. 

3         Those released on or after 01 Jul 79 but before 01 Jul 87. An "Ex-Serviceman" means a person, who has served in any rank (whether as a combatant or a noncombatant), in the Armed Forces of the Union, including the Armed Forces of the Former Indian States, but excluding the Assam Rifles, Defence Security Corps, General Reserve Engineering Force, Lok Sahayak Sena and Territorial Army, for a continuous period of not less than six months after attestation, and 

(a)       Has been released, otherwise than at his own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or has been transferred to the reserve pending such release, or 

(b)      Has served for not more than six months for completing the period of service requisite for becoming entitled to be released or transferred to the reserve as aforesaid; or 

(c)       Has been released at his own request, after completing five years service in the Armed Forces of the Union; 

4          Those released on or after 01 Jul 87. "An 'Ex-Serviceman' 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 

(a)       Who retired from such service after earning his/her pension; or 

(b)      Who has been released from such service on medical grounds attributable to military service or circumstances beyond his control and awarded medical or other disability pension; or 

 (c)      Who has been released, otherwise than on his own request, from such service as a result of reduction in establishment; or 

(d)      Who has been released from such service after completing the specific period of engagements, 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 of the following categories, namely:- 

(aa) Pension holders for continuous embodied service 

(ab) Persons with disability attributable to military service; and 

(ac) Gallantry award winners. 

5.        After careful consideration the Government has accepted the above definition recommended by the High Level Committee. However, it may be observed that in the new suggested definition certain categories of personnel which have served in the Armed Forces of the Union have been excluded for consideration as ex-Servicemen, whereas certain additional categories of Territorial Army Personnel have been added in the revised definition. The notification containing the revised definition was issued on 27 Oct 1986 and published in the official gazette on 15th Nov 1986. The notification gives effect to the new definition from the date of its publication, but since some of the categories were excluded without adequate publicity, the effect of the earlier notification of 27 Oct 1986 has been stayed by issuing another notification dated 27 Mar 87 in which the date of effect has been indicated as 01.07.87. The net effect is that the following two categories of personnel, who were included in the pre-revised definition of 'Ex-Servicemen' will now cease to be treated as Ex-Servicemen w.e.f. 01.7.87 as will be seen from the following provision, namely, "Any person who has been released:- 

(a) At his own request after completing five years service in the Armed Forces of the Union or 

(b) After serving for a continuous period of six months after attestation, otherwise than at his own request or by way of dismissal or discharge on account of mis-conduct or inefficiency or has been transferred to the reserve pending such release; shall also be deemed to be an Ex-Servicemen for the purpose of this clause." 

6          The Territorial Army personnel will be treated as Ex-Servicemen w.e.f.  15 Nov 1986. 

7.         Those released on or after 04 Oct 2012. An ex-serviceman 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, 

 (a)      Who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at his own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her pension; or 

(b)      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 

(c)       Who has been released from such service as a result of reduction in establishment; or 

(d)      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 spells of qualifying service; or 

(e)       Personnel 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; or 

(f)       Personnel, who were on deputation in Army Postal Service for more than six months prior to the 14th April, 1987; or 

(g)      Gallantry award winners of the Armed forces including personnel of Territorial Army; or 

(h)      Ex-recruits boarded out or relieved on medical ground and granted medical disability pension Armed Forces 

8          The Armed Forces of the Union here implies only to the Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union including Armed Forces of the former Indian States but excludes the persons who have served in Defence Security Corps, General Reserve Engineering Force, Lok Sahayak Sena, Para Military Forces (PMF) and Military Nursing Service (an auxiliary service). SPECIAL CASES OF SSC OFFICERS/ MNS/MEDICAL BOARDED CADETS Short Service Commissioned Officer .

9          In accordance with DoPT notification of Oct 2012, if the Service Records of an SSC officer indicates that he has retired with gratuity on completion of engagement period, then the SSC officers is entitled for ESM status. However, if the SSC officer re-engages for further service and leaves without completing the re-engaged period, then he is not entitled to ESM status inspite of having completed the initial engagement period. 

Further, if his Service Records/documents of release indicate premature retirement/ retirement on 6 own request, then he is not entitled for ESM status irrespective of number of years of service rendered by the SSC officer. Military Nursing Officers (MNS) 

10.       As per DOPT notification of Oct 2012 a person who has served in any rank whether as combatant or a non combatant in the regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union will be treated as ex-servicemen. The MNS does not from part of regular Army, Navy and Air Force and hence is not granted ex-servicemen status. 
 

11.       MNS officers are not covered under the definition of ex-servicemen as per Notification issued by Govt of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensioners dated 04 Oct 2012. However, the case of MNS Officers has been taken up by Directorate General Resettlement with the Service Headquarters and DoPT. Changes, as promulgated will be intimated subsequently. Medically Boarded Out Cadets 

12. As per Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare ID No 12/1/2005/D (Res) dated 02/05 Sep 2011 the competent authority has not approved the proposal to grant Ex-servicemen status to disabled cadets

Clarification regarding ESM to SSC Officers

Provided that Short Service Commissioned Officer released from service after completing initial terms of engagement otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct of inefficiency and have been given gratuity shall be eligible to the Status of Ex-Servicemen.

In this connection, it is clarified all Short Service Commissioned Officers(SSCOs) who were released from service with gratuity will get the status of   Ex-Servicemen w.e.f 13-2-2020 or thereafter,

(Office memorandum 1(007)2014/d(Res) dated 20 April 2021