Defence ministry moves to plug brain drain in armed forces

George Iype in New Delhi

Rising brain drain in the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO, and an acute shortage of officers and soldiers in the armed services has forced the defence ministry to provide some incentives to defence personnel entrusted with the country's security.

The ministry headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav has asked the Empowered Committee of Secretaries, ECS, to increase the salary and allowances of young scientists and engineers entering DRDO. A similar proposal has been made for the new recruits of the defence services.

ECS is now examining the Fifth Pay Commission report that has recommended an across-the-board wage increase for federal government employees in the country.

Arguing that defence employees deserve a better deal from the government, the defence ministry told the ECS that three per cent of the total strength of scientists and engineers in DRDO had left the organisation in the last three years because of poor salaries.

According to the ministry, 131 scientists and engineers left DRDO in 1994, 173 in 1995 and 144 in 1966. "While scientists and engineers in the DRDO have a challenging task, certain percentage of them have joined multinational companies for better compensation (attractive salary and perks)," states a ministry report.

Ministry sources said some of these scientists who left DRDO have been working in sensitive projects like developing an Advance Technology Vessel, a Main Battle Tank, Radar Absorbing Materials, the Integrated Guided Missile Development Project, the Light Combat Aircraft and Electronic Warfare.

"DRDO is currently engaged in some 170 projects. Therefore, we are worried that the continuous brain drain from the organisation will considerably weaken many of these projects," a senior ministry official told Rediff On The NeT.

He said it is about time the salaries of scientists and engineers working in organisations like DRDO are massively hiked. "There should also be improvement in their perks such as provisions for accommodation and medical facilities, even enhanced training opportunities for them abroad," he added.

The ministry has similarly reported acute shortages of officers and men in the army, air force and navy.

While the total authorisation of officers in the army is 44,703, there is currently a shortfall of 12,972 officers.

The air force has 9,011 vacant posts out of which 1,042 are for pilots and engineers.

Similarly, the navy has a shortfall of 2,691 which include 624 officers and 2,067 sailors.

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