7th CPC Military Service Pay (MSP) For Junior Commissioned Officers – Govt Rejects Main Demand
Central Government has rejected the main demand for higher Military Service Pay for Junior Commissioned Officers.
As per the media news today, the Army Headquarters was very upset over the decision of the Finace Ministry. Around 1.12 lakh military personnel including 87,646 Junior Commissioned Officers and 25,434 personnel of equivalent rank from the Navy and the India Air Force will be impacted by the decision.
The Defence Force Personnel, particularly the JCOs in Army, demanded to increase the MSP from Rs.5500 to Rs.10000. Earlier the 7th Central Pay Commission has recommended MSP Rs.5200 to JCOs.(Table shown the rates of MSP recommended by 7th CPC)
7th Central Pay Commission has applied a common multiplication factor of 2.57 on MSP of JCOs and ORs. As per methodology, the MSP has been raised to Rs.5200 pm from Rs.2000 pm.
The long pending demand on MSP that the commission forgot to consider that both JOCs and Equivalents are also Group ‘B’ Officers.
Whereas, the Group ‘B’ officers in Military Nursing Service, MSP had been fixed Rs.10800 pm. All JCOs and ORs (Combatants) demanded to raise the MSP to Rs.10000 pm at par with MNS Officers.
The 7th CPC recommended the rates of MSP was as follows:
| Designation | Existing Rate of MSP | Recommended by 7th CPC |
| Service Officers | 6000 | 15500 |
| Nursing Officers | 4200 | 10800 |
| JCO / ORs | 2000 | 5200 |
| Non Combatants (Enrolled) in the Air Force | 1000 | 3600 |
MSP will continue to be reckoned as Basic Pay for purposes of Dearness Allowance, as also in the computation of pension. Military Service Pay will however not be counted for purposes of House Rent Allowance, Composite Transfer Grant and Annual Increment.
The Military Service Pay, which is a compensation for the various aspects e.g., intangibles linked to special conditions of service, conducting full spectrum operation including force projection outside India’s boundaries, superannuation at a younger age and for the edge historically enjoyed by the Defence Forces over the civilian scales, will be admissible to the Defence forces personnel only.