Chindits: Navy Re-categorises Its Medical Categories To Include Maximum Personnel For Sea-time, Leading To Subsequent Promotions
The Indian Navy has gone in for re-categorisation of its medical categories to include as many officers and sailors to go in for sea-tenure on ships. Earlier only those who were fit to go on ships, falling under the category S-2 A-2, were allowed, but now the personnel falling in the third category S-3 A-2, would be kept on medication and treatment for a year and then upgraded on to the higher category which is S-2 A-2 and sent on ships. It may be noted that the category S-2 A-2 is also not an absolutely medically fit category but is fit enough to go on ships. The only absolutely medically fit category is S-1 A-1, which is fit on ship as well as ashore. 'S' stands for Sea and 'A' for Ashore.
The re-categorisation policy has been implemented since March this year and is expected to benefit a large number of naval personnel who were missing out on their sea tenures and subsequent promotions, and were earlier being given sheltered appointments earlier on account of ailments like life-style related diseases, diabetes, heart and kidney related diseases and severe injuries, all of which fall under S-3, but can now be controlled and changed to S-2 after medication and treatment for a year to two years.
A source said that this new policy would benefit atleast 50 percent middle-aged officers and sailors in the navy. S-3 category also has HIV included in it, in which there are about 40-50 cases in the Indian navy, which includes an officer also.
In the Indian Navy S-4 category is when a personnel is hospitalised and unable to move, and S-5 A-5, which is the last category is when someone is boarded out of service, an example of which is alcohol dependence syndrome.
A source said the aim behind this was to prevent people from going to sea so that their ailments which could further give them ship-related stress, would not aggravate till it was controlled, and now after medication and review for a year or two, they would be upgraded to a higher category so that they are able to avail their sea-time, and be considered for promotions.
Personnel in the armed forces undergo an annual medical examination each year, which determines their medical fitness leading to their postings and promotions. In the Army the fittest category is SHAPE-1 Alpha. A lot of high altitude related diseases prevent army officers from going to certain places for command, but recently a shift in policy came in the army too, wherein officers falling in SHAPE-1 Bravo category were being considered for promotions, unlike before where they had to be in the fittest category which was SHAPE-1 Alpha. SHAPE-1 Bravo is a personnel suffering from an ailment which can be controlled through medication.
SHAPE stands for Psychiatry, Hearing, Appendages, Physical and Eyes, all of which are tested once a year.
In the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel are checked for Air and Ground fitness, in which the most stringent medical examination is for fighter pilots.The fittest category in the IAF is A-1G-1 and lowest on fitness being A-5 G-5.
