Army effort to tackle officer shortage

The government has launched a scheme to grant commissions to junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks to fill the shortage of about 13,000 army officers. Officers commissioned in this way will be called "special commissioned officers".

Eligibility is restricted to those between 30 and 35 if they have an Army Senior School Certificate and clearance by the Services Selection Board and a medical board and they can be promoted up to the rank of colonel.

The shortage of officers in the army has increased from 22 per cent in 1990 to 28 per cent in 1994. Now the army's about 33 per cent short of the sanctioned strength.