The Defence Ministry of India on Tuesday issued new guidelines, broadening the eligibility criteria for the post of the Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian armed forces. The country does not have a an officer at the position after General Bipin Rawat, the first CDS, his wife and a dozen others died in December last year in a military chopper crash in Tamil Nadu. 

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As per the Defence Ministry’s new guidelines, any serving Lieutenant General or their equivalent in the navy and air force could become the CDS. This means that the the second-highest active rank officers have a chance to supersede their seniors – the chiefs of the army, air force, or navy – if they take on the role. 

One more key addition is that the criteria now allows recently retired service chiefs and vice chiefs to take on the CDS post. The age ceiling is set at 62 years.

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“The Central Government may, if considered necessary, in the public interest, so to do, appoint as Chief of Defence Staff, an officer who is serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal or an officer who has retired in the rank of Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal but has not attained the age of 62 years on the date of his appointment,” the notification issued under the Air Force Act 1950 said.

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On Monday, the central government had issued notifications as part of the Air Force Act, the Army Act and the Navy Act to make the provisions to make any serving or retired Lt General, Air Marshal or Vice Admiral eligible to be appointed as the CDS.

Identical notifications were issued under the Army Act 1950 and the Navy Act 1957.

The tenure of three service chiefs is three years of service or when they turn 62, whichever is earlier.