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.

History

The JCO evolved from the native commissioned officers of the Presidency armies, ^[3] who held commissions from the Governor General. ^[4] The native commissioned officers developed into the viceroy's commissioned officers (VCOs), ^[5] established in the British Indian Army during the British Raj in 1885. Gurkha regiments in British service had also their set of 'native officers' resp. VCOs, although their homeland Nepal was never a British colony.^{[ citation needed ]}

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.^{[ citation needed ]} 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.^{[ citation needed ]} 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). ^[6] By the time of independence in 1947, there were many Indian (and Pakistani) officers who had graduated from Sandhurst or the Indian Military Academy.^{[ citation needed ]} In 1945 the Willcox Committee Report recommended that VCOs be phased out, though this never occurred. ^[7]

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. ^{[8] [9]} After the secession of East Pakistan in 1971, the Bangladesh Army inherited the JCO rank system from the Pakistan Army.^{[ citation needed ]}

Current ranks

Bangladesh

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Bangladesh Army [10] [11] [12]
	মাস্টার ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Māsṭār ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār	সিনিয়র ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Siniẏar ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār	ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār
Bangladesh Navy [13]
	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 [14]
	মাস্টার ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Māsṭār ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār	সিনিয়র ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Siniẏar ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār	ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার Ōẏārēnṭ ôphisār
Rank group	Junior commissioned officers

Paramilitary forces

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Bangladesh Coast Guard [15]
	মাস্টার চীফ পেটি অফিসার Māsṭāra cīpha pēṭi aphisāra	সিনিয়র চীফ পেটি অফিসার Siniẏara cīpha pēṭi aphisāra	চীফ পেটি অফিসার Cīpha pēṭi aphisāra
Border Guard Bangladesh
	Subedar Major	Subedar	Naib Subedar
Rank group	Junior commissioned officers

India

The pay scale for Indian Naib Subedar, Subedar and Subedar major rank is pay levels 6, 7 and 8 (Respectively)

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Indian Army [16]
Infantry ranks	Subedar Major सूबेदार मेजर	Subedar सूबेदार	Naib Subedar नायब सूबेदार
Cavalry ranks	Risaldar Major रिसालदार मेजर	Risaldar रिसालदार	Naib Risaldar नायब रिसालदार
Indian Navy [17]
	Master chief petty officer 1st class मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर फर्स्ट क्लास	Master chief petty officer 2nd class मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर सेकेंड क्लास	Chief petty officer चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर
Technical Ranks	Master chief engine room artificer 1st class (MCERA I) [18]	Master chief engine room artificer 2nd class (MCERA II) [18]	Chief engine room artificer III (ERA III) [18]
Indian Air Force [19]
	Master warrant officer मास्टर वारंट अफसर	Warrant officer वारंट अफसर	Junior warrant officer जूनियर वारंट अफसर
Indian Border Roads Organisation
	Senior Hindi translator	Junior engineer/Senior supervisor/Superintendent	Assistant superintendent	Supervisor
Rank group	Junior commissioned officers

Auxiliary forces

See also: Paramilitary forces of India

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Indian Coast Guard [20]
	Pradhan Adhikari Pradhan Sahayak Engineer	Uttam Adhikari Uttam Sahayak Engineer		Adhikari Sahayak Engineer
Assam Rifles [21]
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Subedar सूबेदार		Naib subedar नायब सूबेदार
Border Security Force
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub-inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक
Central Industrial Security Force [22] [23] [24]
		Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक
Central Reserve Police Force [25] [26]
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub-inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक
Indo-Tibetan Border Police [27]
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Subedar/Inspector सूबेदार/निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक
National Security Guard [28]
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Assistant commander-1 -	Assistant commander-2 -	Assistant commander-3 -
Railway Protection Force
		Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक
Sashastra Seema Bal [29]
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर	Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक
Special Frontier Force
	Subedar Major	Subedar		Naib Subedar
Rank group	Junior commissioned officers

Pakistan

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Pakistan Army [30]
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

See also: Civil Armed Forces

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers
Pakistan Rangers
	Senior inspector سینئر انسپکٹر۔	Inspector انسپکٹر	Sub inspector سب انسپکٹر۔
Pakistan Frontier Constabulary [31]
	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 [32]
	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

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

1. "Junior Commissioned Officers Are Gazetted Officers, Says Army". NDTV . Retrieved 19 December 2018.
2. 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.
3. Rafter (1855). Our Indian Army: A Military History of the British Empire in the East. David Bryce. pp. 15–16.
4. 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.
5. Carman, W. Y. (1961). Indian Army Uniforms under the British from the 18th century to 1947: Cavalry. Leonard Hill. pp. 134–136, 189.
6. Singh, M. P. (14 December 2019). "How Indians rose up to be Officers". The Tribune . Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
7. Gaylor, John (1992). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903-91. Spellmount Ltd. pp. 29, 331. ISBN   0-946771-98-7.
8. "History of the Nepali Army". Nepali Army . Archived from the original on 14 December 2024.
9. Makeig, Douglas C. (1993). "National Security". In Savada, Andrea Matles (ed.). Nepal and Bhutan: Country studies. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 221–223. LCCN   93012226 . Retrieved 11 January 2022.
10. "Ranks & insignia". joinbangladesharmy.army.mil.bd. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
11. "Rank Categories". Bangladesh Army. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025.
12. "Service Option". Join Bangladesh Army. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024.
13. Bangladesh Navy. "Rank & Insignia". navy.mil.bd. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025.
14. "Airmen Ranks". joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
15. পদ পরিচিতি [Position Introduction]. Bangladesh Coast Guard (in Bengali).
16. "Indian Army Rank Badges". indianarmy.nic.in. Indian Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
17. "Ranks & Insignia". Join Indian Navy. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
18. "Forwarding of nomenclature of rank in navy." Ministry of Defence (Navy) 23 Aug 11. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
19. "For Airmen". careerairforce.nic.in. Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
20. 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.
21. "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.
22. "All ranks inclusive annual governing body meeting". Central Industrial Security Force. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022 – via Facebook.
23. "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.
24. "The Central Industrial Security Force Rank Structure". Network18 Group. 2022.
25. "The Central Reserve Police Force Rules/Regulations/Scheme,1955" (PDF). 24 February 1955.
26. "Career Prospects". Central Reserve Police Force . Archived from the original on 23 March 2022.
27. "XI Miscellaneous - 153. Rank structure". The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992 (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. 1 September 1992.
28. "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.
29. "Sashastra Seema Bal Rules, 2009" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. 2009.
30. "Pakistan Army Ranks with Salary and Insignia". pakistanforces.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
31. "Hierarchy". Frontier Constabulary . Archived from the original on 17 July 2022.
32. 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

• 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.