Uniform Dignity: Modi Govt Gives Ex-Servicemen Status To Military Nursing Service

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 19:49 IST

Nursing personnel—who are predominantly women—will now receive the same post-retirement security and re-employment benefits as their combatant counterparts

The Narendra Modi government has officially extended Ex-servicemen (ESM) status to the Military Nursing Service (MNS). This decision, notified on February 10, corrects a historic oversight by amending the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, effectively placing nursing officers on an equal statutory footing with veterans of the Regular Army, Navy, and Air Force.

A New Era of Parity

The amendment to Section 2(c)(i) of the service rules explicitly includes the Military Nursing Service of the Indian Union within the definition of “ex-servicemen." This change is not merely symbolic; it ensures that nursing personnel—who are predominantly women—receive the same post-retirement security and re-employment benefits as their combatant counterparts.

As per the new guidelines, MNS veterans are now entitled to:

Reservation Quotas: 10% reservation in Group ‘C’ and 20% in Group ‘D’ Central Government posts.

Age Relaxation: The ability to deduct the total years of military service plus an additional three years from their actual age for civil job eligibility.

Employment Priority: Equal standing in recruitment processes conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

Dignity in Uniform

The reform follows a 2024 Supreme Court observation that MNS personnel are an integral part of the armed forces and should not be denied veteran status. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh noted that this move reflects the government’s “complete commitment to the welfare, dignity, and long-term security of women serving the nation in uniform".

For decades, MNS officers have served in frontline military hospitals, high-altitude operational zones, and hostile environments, yet faced an “ambiguity" regarding their status upon retirement. By formalising their identity as ex-servicemen, the government has underlined its position that the contribution of women to national security is primary, not secondary. This decision is being widely hailed as a core component of the broader push for women-led development within India’s defence ecosystem.

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