The Haryana Government has issued revised and consolidated instructions governing reservation for ex-servicemen and their spouses, widows, and children in direct recruitment to government services.Definition of ex-servicemenAn ex-serviceman means a person who is a domicile of Haryana and has served in any rank, whether as a combatant or non-combatant, in the regular Army, Navy, or Air Force.These included those who are either retired, relieved, or discharged from service, whether at their own request, or relieved by the employer after earning their pension, or relieved from such service on medical grounds attributable to military service or circumstances beyond their control, and awarded a medical or other disability pension. It also included those released from such service as a result of a reduction in establishment.The revised framework also includes Territorial Army pensioners, Army Postal Service personnel, gallantry award winners, medically boarded-out recruits, and Short Service Commissioned Officers completing their initial terms of engagement.The policy says that in case of an ex-serviceman who has been discharged from military service by way of dismissal, misconduct or inefficiency then neither they nor their family members shall be entitled to avail the benefit of reservation in civil service.A person working in the Armed Forces would become “eligible for applying civil posts only when he completes the prescribed period of Army Service within a year from the last date for receiving application in connection with Special Recruitment/Examination, etc., prescribed by the competent authority,” said the policy.Single benefit allowedAn ex-serviceman who himself or herself has already secured employment in civil service on regular basis in any department or board or corporation or university or bank etc. under the Haryana Government or the Government of India, in such case, neither he or she himself or herself nor the family member (spouse/son/daughter) shall be entitled to avail the benefit of reservation in civil service for any subsequent appointment under the state government. However, the benefit of age relaxation for securing another employment in a higher pay scale or post shall continue.The government has also clarified that if an ex-serviceman or family member had applied for multiple vacancies before securing their first regular government job, reservation benefits may still be availed in one subsequent recruitment process. However, this would be permitted only after submitting a self-declaration detailing all applications submitted prior to joining the initial civil employment.Where an ex-serviceman who himself or herself is eligible to avail the benefit of reservation under these instructions but he or she does not want to get the benefit of reemployment in such a case, he or she will submit a declaration to grant the benefit of reservation to one of his or her family members (son, daughter, or spouse).Reservation for family members of a battle casualtyTo get the benefit of reservation in civil service, the family members of battle casualty military personnel shall have to exercise an option either to avail the benefit of reservation up to two family members, or compassionate appointment to one of the family members under the ex-gratia policy namely, ‘Veer Shaheed Samman Yojana, 2023’, notified by the Government from time to time.Criteria for giving priority in the reservationThe priority list for the recruiting agency for the preparation of the final list of selection of ex-servicemen or their family members against the posts shall be disabled ex-servicemen for the posts for which they are physically fit, followed by other ex-servicemen who are eligible to get the benefit of reservation. After them comes family member of disabled ex-servicemen and battle casualty military personnel; followed by family members of other ex-servicemen. Definition of disabled ex-servicemenThe policy has also provided a definition of a disabled ex-serviceman. A disabled ex-serviceman means a person who has been released from military service due to disability attributable to military service and who has been issued Battle Casualty Certificate (Non-Fatal) by the military authorities. Such ex-serviceman should have been released from military service due to disability attributable or aggravated due to military service. An ex-serviceman shall not be treated disabled who has been released from military service not on account of his or her disability but has been released in the normal course after the completion of his or her term or retired from military service voluntarily at his own request.The reservation for both the ex-servicemen and persons with benchmark disabilities is horizontal. Where a disabled ex-serviceman is selected against the post reserved for Ex-servicemen, then he will be counted against the posts reserved for ex-servicemen, but not against the posts reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.The instructions have been circulated to all Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Boards and Corporations, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and universities in the state for strict implementation.