Military Nursing Service officers get ex-servicemen status

• The government has notified the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services & Posts) Amendment Rules 2026, under Article 309 of the Constitution.

• Article 309 deals with recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or a state.

• The key change revises Rule 2(c)(i) to clearly include the personnel who have served in any rank, whether combatant or non-combatant, in the Regular Army, Navy or Air Force, as well as the Military Nursing Service (MNS) of the Indian Union within the definition framework for ex-servicemen re-employment in the Central Civil Services.

• Under the Rule 2, Clause (c) Amendment, the definition of ‘ex-servicemen’ now explicitly lists the ‘Military Nursing Service of the Indian Union’ alongside the Regular Army, Navy, and Air Force.

• The move removes earlier ambiguity over whether Military Nursing Service (MNS) officers, who are commissioned officers, were entitled to the same re-employment benefits as other veterans.

• The amendment formally recognises the MNS personnel under the re-employment rules, and strengthens rehabilitation and second-career opportunities for a wider segment of former defence personnel.

This amendment formally grants the MNS personnel access to:

i) ​Reservation Quotas: 10 per cent in Group ‘C’ and 20 per cent in Group ‘D’ central government posts.

ii) ​Age Relaxation: The ability to deduct the years of military service plus three years from their actual age for civil job eligibility.

iii) ​Employment Priority: Equal standing with other ex-servicemen in the eyes of the Union Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission.

• The amendment came into force immediately upon its publication on February 9.