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ETHICAL ISSUES OVER THE INDIAN ARMY

CHIEF VK SINGHS BIRTHDAY CONTROVERSY

MINI PROJECT: BUSINESS ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE

SUBMITTED BY

BHANU PRAKASH S ,

10H71E0006.

SUBMITTED TO :

Dr. T.S Nageswara Rao ,

Head of the Department ,

DMS,

MIC College of Technology.


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General Vijay Kumar SinghPVSM,AVSM,YSM, ADC is the 24th Indian General of

theIndian Armyand currently theChief of Army Staff. He is the first trained commando to

become Army General and was also the first serving Indian military chief to take the

Government to court.

Vijay Kumar Singh comes from Bapora village inBhiwani districtin theIndianstateofHaryana.

He is a third-generation officer. His father was a Colonel in the Indian Army and grandfather a

senior Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO). Singh was educated atBirla Public

School,Pilani,Rajasthan.

Military career. Singh was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of TheRajput Regiment(Kali

Chindi) on 14 June 1970. He went on to command the same unit when it was positioned along

theLine of Controlwith Pakistan.

He graduated from theDefence Services Staff Collegeas a honours graduate of theUnited States

Army Infantry School, a graduate of theRangers CourseatFort Benningand theUnited States

Army War CollegeinCarlisle, Pennsylvania.[4]In the US for the Rangers course, he came first in

combat operations.

Singh is experienced in counter insurgency operations and high altitude operations. He has also

seen action in the 1971 Bangladesh war. During his career he has served in various positions:

Military Operations Directorate at the Army Headquarters. Brigadier General Staff of a Corps during 'Operation Parakram' when Indian troops were

mobilized on the border in the wake of the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001.

Commanded. Ambala-based 2 Corps and Jalandhar based 11 Corps in Punjab state. Instructor in the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) headquarters inBhutan.Singh was awarded theAti Vishisht Seva Medal(AVSM) for distinguished service while

commanding a counter-insurgency force.

He became Chief of Army Staff on 31 March 2010, and was the first commando to achieve that

position. It was announced on 3 March 2012 thatBikram Singhwould succeed him in that post
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Army_Staff_of_the_Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Army_Staff_of_the_Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Army_Staff_of_the_Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhiwani_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhiwani_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhiwani_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Public_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Public_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Public_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilanihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilanihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilanihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajput_Regimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajput_Regimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajput_Regimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Services_Staff_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Services_Staff_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Services_Staff_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Benninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Benninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Benninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle,_Pennsylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle,_Pennsylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Kumar_Singh#cite_note-DNA20100331-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Kumar_Singh#cite_note-DNA20100331-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Kumar_Singh#cite_note-DNA20100331-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Parakramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Parakramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Parakramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Singh_(soldier)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Singh_(soldier)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Singh_(soldier)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Singh_(soldier)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Parakramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Kumar_Singh#cite_note-DNA20100331-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle,_Pennsylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Benninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Infantry_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Services_Staff_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajput_Regimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilanihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Public_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Public_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhiwani_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Army_Staff_of_the_Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal


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from 31 May 2012. Prior to that announcement, there had been a dispute regarding the

incumbent's date of birth and this cause Vijay Singh to become the first serving officer of the

Indian Army to take the government to court. As a consequence of an error made when he had

enrolled with theNational Defence Academyin 1965, official records mis-stated the year in

which he was born. On 10 February 2012 Singh withdrew his writ when, according toThe

Hindu, the Supreme Court "refused to intervene". The Court noted that there was no dispute

regarding his actual date of birth and that the matter being contested was regarding how that had

been recorded. It ruled that Singh had on three occasions accepted the misrecorded date.

On 11 March 2011, Singh was inducted into theUnited States Army War College(Class of 2001

graduate) International Fellows Hall of Fame. He is the 33rd International Fellow and the first

Indian Armed Forces officer to be inducted.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Yudh Seva Medalfor his distinguished service duringOperation Pawan Ranger Tab

How the birthdate confusion arose: Heres how the date differences arose. Gen

Singh entered Birla Public School with his date of birth (DOB) showing as 10 May

1951. His provisional matriculation certificate also carries the same date. The date change

controversy originated with one of his teachers, BS Bhatnagar, who was keen on sending

the maximum number of students to the National Defence Academy (NDA). The forms

with the wrong birth date were filled by him. Bhatnagar went on to become principal of

Lawrence School, Lovedale, and has since admitted that the error was his.

Gen Singhs DOB in his medical examination form as an air force candidate before

joining the NDA also reflects the correct date in 1951. When he passed the NDA exam,

the anomaly between the forms filled by Bhatnagar and his provisional matriculation

certificate was noticed at the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC), but this anomaly

was rectified and the right DOB shows up in his NDA graduation and Indian Military
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defence_Academyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defence_Academyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defence_Academyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Tabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Tabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Tabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudh_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defence_Academy


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Academy entry records.

But clerical oversight ensured that even after he entered the IMA, the covering envelope

(from the NDA) mentioned 1950 as his DOB. It is this covering envelope, which has no

legal sanctity, that Gen Singhs detractors are using to put his DOB into question. In every

subsequent document, barring the Army List dished out by the military secretary branch, the

right DOB appears.

Singhs options: Under the circumstances, what can a chief do? The option of resigning in

disgust was ruled out as it would sound like an admission of defeat or even

guilt. Going to court would also have set a bad precedent. Instead, the AG branch sent the

papers to four retired chief justices of India for their opinion. All of them unanimously

agreed that the 1951 date was the correct one.

The question is this: who benefits from this controversy? Apart from the officers who may

expect to step into his shoes, it is only the countrys enemies, since a controversy at the top

can only demoralize the armed forces. Moreover, even assuming Gen Singh was a year

older, what should a government do? Get rid of him, or take up the matter after he retires in a

quiet and unobtrusive way?

Ethical Issues

It is about succession: The controversy is not merely about the age and tenure of the

Present chief. More importantly, it is about a succession plan scripted a few years back (in

2006) by none other than the then army chief. The succession script naturally attracted

vested interests in the form of politicians, arms merchants, businessmen and other ambitious

army officers. The controversy needs to be, therefore, understood in its entirety.

It is a moral issue: The controversy raises questions about the state of health of the

Indian Army, denting its very edifice. Senior officers, depending on their career


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calculations, are divided over the issue. The lower rank-and-file members of the army

perceive the controversy in the manner they are fed by the rival camps. The overall

consequence is that the image of the army and the honour and moral authority of its chief

has never been attacked so viciously by insiders and vested interests for non- operational

reasons.

The Pakistani press is speculating about the issue, and has been raising doubts about the

health of the Indian Army andits unity. When an army chief vouches for a simple detail like

his date of birth, it should be accepted as such, unless there are huge reasons to doubt that

persons truthfulness. The point is, the psychological integrity of the army has been

fraying over the years. Gen Singhs age controversy should thus not be viewed in

isolation. It is actually a manifestation of the deterioration, misuse and subversion of the

office of the COAS for nearly a decade.

The legal and financial implications: When preparing this particular succession plan,

the said army chief went by the Army List, which gives Gen Singhs date of birth as 10

May 1950. The Army List is prepared by the military secretary (MS)

branch and contains minimal details. The branch otherwise deals with postings, pro-

motions, deputations, and retirement, and is not the legal repository or otherwise of

personal and family details of an officer. Right from the time an officer enters the training

academy till he retires and even after, all records are maintained by the adjutant general

(AG) branch. The AG branch clearly puts Gen Singhs age as 10 May

It may also be pointed out that Gen Singh rose to the rank of Lt Gen after appearing before

several promotion boards all of which accepted his May 1951 date of birth. The boards

which cleared his promotion from brigadier to major-general to lieu- tenant general were


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endorsed by the prime minister himself. If the contention of the military secretary branch is

that Gen Singh was born in 1950, then all his promotions were illegal and have huge

financial implications. In fact, the legality of his entire career comes under question.

On 14 December 2007, the defense ministry had queried the MS branch for recording Gen

Singhs date of birth as 10 May 1950, and asked for reconciliation with the previously

accepted date of birth. The noting on the file was, however, found to have said: Enquiry not

to be conducted. This indicates that vested interests were trying to settle the age issue

without an enquiry.

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