Junior commissioned officer
Junior commissioned officer (JCO) is a group of military ranks which is higher than havildar (non-commissioned officer) and lower than lieutenant (commissioned officer). The term is only used by Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.[1] Senior havildars are promoted to JCO rank on the basis of merit and seniority, restricted by the number of vacancies.[2] JCOs are treated as a separate class and hold additional privileges. Primarily the term was associated with armies but since the 2000s India's and Pakistan's navies and air forces are using the term to indicate their chief petty officers and warrant officers.
The Indian Army has recruited Gurkha soldiers from Nepal since the 19th century and separate Gurkha regiments were created for them, the Gurkha soldiers got same ranks as other Indian soldiers; the modern Nepal Army officially used the Indian Army rank system for their soldiers in the 1960s through a series of reorganizations and the JCO term has been used by them from then.[3] After the secession of East Pakistan in 1971, the Bangladesh Army inherited the JCO rank system from the Pakistan Army.
The pay scale for Indian Naib Subedar, Subedar and Subedar major rank is pay levels 6, 7 and 8 (Respectively)
History
[edit]The JCO evolved from the viceroy's commissioned officers (VCOs), established in the Indian Army 1 during the British Raj in 1885. The VCOs themselves succeeded the so-called native officers holding a commission from the Governor General.[4] Gurkha regiments in British service had also their set of 'native officers' resp. VCOs, although their homeland Nepal was never a British colony.
Under the British, there was a clear colonial context, with the VCOs being the highest ranks an Indian could attain. The full commissioned officers were British, from the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. However, that changed slowly under the principles of Indianisation. In 1905, a special form of a king’s Commission in His Majesty’s Native Land Forces was instituted. Indians who had qualified through the Imperial Cadet Corps would earn a commission that was limited to having authority over Indian troops only. Its holders could not rise above major. From 1917, in the midst of World War I, Indians 'with good family background' became eligible to study at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and earn a commission as King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO).[5] By the time of independence in 1947, there were many Indian (and Pakistani) officers who had graduated from Sandhurst or the Indian Military Academy.
Bangladesh
[edit]| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bangladesh Army[6][7][8]
|
|
|
| |
| মাস্টার ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Māsṭār ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār |
সিনিয়র ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Siniẏar ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār |
ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār | ||
 Bangladesh Navy[9]
|
|
|
| |
| মাস্টার চীফ পেটি অফিসার Māsṭār chīph pēṭi ôphisār |
সিনিয়র চীফ পেটি অফিসার Siniẏar chīph pēṭi ôphisār |
চীফ পেটি অফিসার Chīph pēṭi ôphisār | ||
 Bangladesh Air Force[10]
|
|
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| |
| মাস্টার ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Māsṭār ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār |
সিনিয়র ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Siniẏar ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār |
ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār | ||
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
Paramilitary forces
[edit]| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bangladesh Coast Guard
|
|
|
| |
| Master chief petty officer | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | ||
 Border Guard Bangladesh
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| |
| Subedar Major | Subedar | Naib Subedar | ||
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
India
[edit]| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Indian Army[11]
|
|
|
| |
| Infantry ranks | Subedar Major | Subedar | Naib Subedar | |
| Cavalry ranks | Risaldar Major रिसालदार मेजर |
Risaldar रिसालदार |
Naib Risaldar नायब रिसालदार | |
 Indian Navy[12]
|
|
|
| |
| Master chief petty officer 1st class | Master chief petty officer 2nd class | Chief petty officer | ||
| Technical Ranks | Master chief engine room artificer 1st class (MCERA I)[13] | Master chief engine room artificer 2nd class (MCERA II)[13] | Chief engine room artificer III (ERA III)[13] | |
 Indian Air Force[14]
|
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| |
| Master warrant officer | Warrant officer | Junior warrant officer | ||
 Indian BorderRoads Organisation |
|
|
|
|
| Senior Hindi translator | Junior engineer/Senior supervisor/Superintendent | Assistant superintendent | Supervisor | |
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
Auxiliary forces
[edit]
Pakistan
[edit]| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 Pakistan Army[25]
|
|
|
|
| Infantry ranks | Subedar-major صوبیدار میجر |
Subedar صوبیدار |
Naib subedar نائب صوبیدار |
| Cavalry ranks | Risaldar major رسالدار میجر |
Risaldar رسالدار |
Naib risaldar نائب رسالدار |
 Pakistan Navy
|
|
|
|
| Master chief petty officer ماسٹر چیف پیٹی آفیسر |
Fleet chief petty officer فلیٹ چیف پیٹی آفیسر |
Chief petty officer چیف پیٹی آفیسر | |
 Pakistan Air Force
|
|
|
|
| Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Assistant warrant officer | |
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | ||
Paramilitary forces
[edit]| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Rangers | 
|
|
| |
| Senior inspector سینئر انسپکٹر۔ |
Inspector انسپکٹر |
Sub inspector سب انسپکٹر۔ | ||
| Pakistan Frontier Constabulary[26] |
|
|
| |
| Subedar-Major صوبیدار میجر |
Subedar صوبیدار |
Naib Subedar نائب صوبیدار | ||
| Pakistan Frontier Corps |
|
|
| |
| Subedar صوبیدار |
Naib subedar نائب صوبیدار |
Head constable ہیڈ کانسٹیبل۔ | ||
 Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts
|
|
|
| |
| Subedar-Major صوبیدار میجر |
Subedar صوبیدار |
Naib Subedar نائب صوبیدار | ||
 Pakistan Coast Guards
|
|
|
| |
| Subedar-Major صوبیدار میجر |
Subedar صوبیدار |
Naib Subedar نائب صوبیدار | ||
 Airports Security Force
|
|
|
| |
| Inspector انسپکٹر |
Sub-inspector سب انسپکٹر |
Assistant sub-inspector اسسٹنٹ سب انسپکٹر | ||
 Pakistan Maritime Security Agency[27]
|
|
|
| |
| Master Chief Petty Officer ماسٹر چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ |
Fleet Chief Petty Officer فلیٹ چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ |
Chief Petty Officer چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ | ||
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | |||
Honorary commissions
[edit] |
There is also a custom of giving honorary commissions to deserving JCOs. Every year a list of eligible JCOs is drawn up and honorary commissions awarded to them. This could be at the time of retirement, or when still in service. Honorary commissioned officers may wear the appropriate rank insignia, but they do not become members of the officers' mess. They do, however, receive the pay and pension of their honorary rank. The honorary ranks in the various forces are:
Indian Army:
- Honorary Lieutenant
- Honorary Captain
Indian Navy:
- Honorary Sub Lieutenant
- Honorary Lieutenant
Indian Air Force:
- Honorary Flying Officer
- Honorary Flight Lieutenant
Generally, in official documents the JCO rank held by the person is also added before the Honorary Commission rank.
References
[edit]- ^ "Junior Commissioned Officers Are Gazetted Officers, Says Army". NDTV. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Kumar, M. K. Sunil (16 May 2012). "Rules of the Raj hindering havildars' promotion". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "History - Nepali Army नेपाली सेना". www.nepalarmy.mil.np.
- ^ Stevenson, Richard (2015). Beatson's Mutiny. The Turbulent Career of a Victorian Soldier. London. New York: I.B.Tauris. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-784531-10-2.
- ^ Singh, Brigadier, Member of Parliament (retd) (14 December 2019). "How Indians rose up to be Officers". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ranks & insignia". joinbangladesharmy.army.mil.bd. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Rank Categories". Bangladesh Army. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Service Option". Join Bangladesh Army. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Airmen Ranks". joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Indian Army Rank Badges". indianarmy.nic.in. Indian Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Forwarding of nomenclature of rank in navy." Ministry of Defence (Navy) 23 Aug 11. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "For Airmen". careerairforce.nic.in. Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
- ^ Commodore Stephen Saunders, ed. (2004). "Ranks and insignia of the world's navies". Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 50. ISBN 978-0710626233.
- ^ "Two Hundred Thirteenth Report - Security Situation in the North Eastern States of India" (PDF). Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs. 19 July 2018. pp. 6–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
- ^ "All ranks inclusive annual governing body meeting". Central Industrial Security Force. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022 – via Facebook.
- ^ "The Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968 (50 of 1968): (As Modified Vide Act No.14 of 1983, 20 of 1989, 40 of 1999 and 22 of 2009)" (PDF). Central Industrial Security Force. 2009. p. 18.
- ^ "The Central Industrial Security Force Rank Structure". Network18 Group. 2022.
- ^ "The Central Reserve Police Force Rules/Regulations/Scheme,1955" (PDF). 24 February 1955.
- ^ "Career Prospects". Central Reserve Police Force. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022.
- ^ "XI Miscellaneous - 153. Rank structure". The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992 (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. 1 September 1992.
- ^ "The National Security Guard Act, 1986 (47 of 1986)" (PDF). Government of India. 22 September 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ^ "Sashastra Seema Bal Rules, 2009" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. 2009.
- ^ "Pakistan Army Ranks with Salary and Insignia". pakistanforces.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Hierarchy". Frontier Constabulary. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022.
- ^ Anwar, Muhammad (1999). Role of smaller navies: a focus on Pakistan's maritime interests (snippet view) (1st ed.). Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan: Directorate of Naval Educational Services, Naval Headquarters. p. 131. ISBN 9789698318017. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
Further reading
[edit]- Johnson, Rob (2014). The British Indian Army: Virtue And Necessity. India: Cambridge Scholars.
- Singh, V. K. (2005). Leadership in the Indian Army: Biographies of Twelve Soldiers. India: SAGE Publications.
- Nawaz, Shuja (2008). Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army and the Wars Within. Pakistan: Oxford University Press.