According to a report, the Indian Army is currently experiencing a significant shortage of officers at the Major and Captain ranks. In response to this shortage, the army is planning to reduce the number of staff officers posted at various headquarters and is considering the appointment of re-employed officers to fill these positions.

The Indian Army has sought inputs from different commands regarding this proposed measure.

Currently, as per army procedures, mid-level officers of the rank of Major are typically given staff appointments in different corps command and division headquarters after completing around six years of service.

Staff appointments involve postings in headquarters where officers are responsible for policy-making and coordination of various subjects, while unit appointments focus on operational and ground actions.

The Indian Express report highlights that the Army is facing a shortage of 8,129 officers, including in the Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps. The Indian Navy requires 1,653 officers, while the Indian Air Force needs 721 officers.

To address the officer shortage, the army had previously posted 461 non-empanelled officers to staff appointments wherever possible.

The current proposal suggests temporarily reducing some staff appointments in headquarters until the officer shortage is mitigated.

It has been proposed that junior and mid-level officers currently serving in staff appointments be posted elsewhere once they complete their 24-month tenure.

The report from the Indian Express has garnered attention in Indian political circles. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared the news report on Twitter and criticized the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for neglecting to fill vacancies in the armed forces.

Kharge accused the Modi government of prioritizing the dismantling of political parties over filling important vacancies in the armed forces. He claimed that the Agnipath scheme is an admission that the government lacks funds for the country’s soldiers.

Furthermore, Kharge alleged that the Modi government has betrayed the defence community by mishandling the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, thereby creating divisions among the brave soldiers. He concluded by stating that national security is not a priority for the Modi government and accused them of betraying the mandate of the people.