15 years enrolled service is equated with Graduation, and the riders thereon…

The Govt of India, in the year 1986, had notified a very important stipulation for defence personnel. If a solider, sailor or air-warrior serves for 15 years in the forces, he is equated with a graduate on the civil side vide this notification of the Govt of India, provided he is a matriculate or holds the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education (or the naval or air force equivalent).
This equation however comes with some riders, which, as persistent queries on the subject show, are not particularly well known amongst the veteran community.
Firstly, 15 years of service in the forces shall be considered equivalent to Graduation only for the purposes of vacancies in ‘Group – C’ appointments. Secondly, this stipulation shall only be applicable to vacancies which do not involve technical expertise and if such vacancies involve work of technical nature, then the competent authority can still recruit such veterans if satisfied that the veteran concerned shall be able to perform such duties after a course of a short duration. Thirdly, an appointing authority may consider the Indian Army Class-I Examination equivalent to Matriculation at his/her discretion.
Another very important stipulation in the ibid notification is that the competent authority can lower the general standards of recruitment for veterans if sufficient number of veterans are not available.