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One Rank One Pension Scheme (OROP) – Easy and Detailed Analysis

By
Syskool
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45
one rank one pension orop

The Government of India on 5th September 2015 announced the implementation of One Rank One Pension Scheme (OROP Scheme) which addressed more than 40 years long demand of defence personnel. Let’s have a look on what One Rank One Pension is all about? Why was it needed? What are challenges with OROP? and many other answers you wanted to know about this scheme.

Our defence forces should remain young and it can be ensured only through early recruitment and early retirement.

As we say defence personnel or servicemen it implies to the defence forces staffs of Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.

Prime Role of our Defence Forces

  1. To maintain sovereignty of the country
  2. To neutralise any external aggression
  3. To defend Indian territory
  4. To defend sanctity of Indian air space
  5. To defend sanctity of Indian territorial water
  6. To fight war

What is One Rank One Pension?

One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension to be paid to the armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service regardless of their date of retirement.

At present ex-servicemen receive differential pensions as it is calculated on the basis of their salary at the time of their retirement.

Under this scheme for any future enhancement, the benefit will be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.

Why the One Rank One Pension Scheme was in demand?

Let’s have a look on retirement age of servicemen:

 Category of Servicemen Age of Superannuation/Retirement
Sepoy 35-38 years
Non Commissioned Officers 40-45 years
Junior Commissioned Officers 40-45 years
Most of Commissioned Officers 50 years
Very few – Lt. Gen, Air Marshal, Vice Admiral etc. 60 years

Only 10 percent of Sepoy get chance to become Non Commissioned Officer or Junior Commissioned Officer. Most of Officers retire in early 50s of age.

Also the number of Sepoys are very much higher than above ranked service. The Pyramid structure of defence personnels has a very broad base.

At the same time the age between 40-60 years known for most of the family and life responsibility in life of an individual like study of children, marriages, health issues etc.

As most of the servicemen gets retired in early age and become dependent on pension for a very long period, there was a wide difference gets created in the average pension of a person retiring today and one who retired 40 years back because the pension according to earlier scheme was calculated on the basis of salary withdrawn at the time of retirement, and increment was also based on that only.

From 1973 onwards defence personnel were demanding this. Because different pay commissions have hiked the salary of defence personnel but not much consideration given to pensioners.

Features of OROP

  • The base year for calculation is 2013
  • Effective from July 2014
  • OROP will be average of minimum and maximum pension scale of 2013 (base year)
  • Those who are already drawing higher pension above this newly calculated average will be protected from any disadvantage
  • The Revision will be done in every five years. (protesting servicemen were demanding revision every year or in every three years)
  • One member Judicial Commission constituted and report to be submitted in six months. (protesting ex-servicemen were demanding five-member commission including ex-servicemen as members)
  • Arrears to be paid in four half-yearly installments (i.e. in two years)
  • Arrears of all widows (beneficiary under the family pension or war widow) will be paid in single installment.

Timeline in the History of OROP

1973 – The Government of India decided to reduce the pension of ex-servicemen from 70 percent to 36 percent of average salary. The reason behind this reduction was significant hike in salary of defence personnels. Even after this decrease in percentage the difference remained high between old pensioners and new pensioners.

This incident sparked the demand of One Rank One Pension by veterans of Indian Defence Forces.

Also Read : Indian Defence Awards

2011 – An all party 10 member Parliamentary Panel was constituted under the Chairmanship of B. S. Koshyary. The panel submitted its report to the parliament in December 2011.

In its report it recommended two major requirements –

  1. OROP Scheme for ex-servicemen should be implemented as early as possible. It also defined the what one rank one pension is all about.
  2. A separate pay commission for defence forces instead of central pay commission.

2014 – Protest by different retired servicemen intensified and peaceful demonstrations were became visible.

Just before General Election the UPS government accepted the OROP in principle.

Almost every political party included implementation of OROP in their election manifesto for General Election.

2015 – Finally on September 5th, 2015 Prime Minister announced One Rank One Pension Scheme.

Challenges associated with One Rank One Pension

The new scheme is going to put a burden of Rs. 8300 crore annually on the exchequer of India. Which will increase significantly year after year.

Complex calculation in fixation, it is going to be a humongous task to come up with the simplified number for across three services, so many ranks, so many method of employments,  ex-serviceman of British Indian Army their dependent etc.

How the government is going to deal with similar nature demands in other services like Central Armed Police Forces.

one rank one pension orop schemeInitially it came into information that all ex-servicemen who has taken VRS (voluntary retirement) will not be get benefit of One Rank One Pension Scheme but objected by veterans, their point was VRS don’t even exist in defence service, but a Premature Retirement Scheme which says that after serving a period in services one can take premature retirement and will be eligible for pension. Later PM Narendra Modi himself made it clear that no personnel will be deprived on the basis of VRS or PMR.

Discipline, control and command are fundamental characteristic of servicemen. To maintain it they are having time tested mechanism one such mechanism includes punishment by withholding increments for certain period for a misconduct or wrongdoing. Now this scheme make everyone even at the time or retirement which may reduce the utility of punishment and its fear among servicemen in later period of service.

 

What is better alternative to One Rank One Pension?

Let’s have a look at these ratios:

Serving Military Personnels :  Military Pensioners
1 : 1.7
Civil Workforce :  Civil Pensioners
1 : 0.56

Total number of  military pensioners exceeds 26 lakhs.

In many other countries like Russia, China, Israel, etc. they allow lateral movement of defence forces personnel. Instead of increasing current account deficit through scheme like One Rank One Pension India can also achieve it by allowing veterans into other services like Central Armed Police Force, Central Para Military Force, Civil Staff of Defence Ministry, etc. It will be beneficial for both the parties.

It was recommended by the 6th Pay Commission, but government did not show any interest in making it possible.

How it will work? Let’s have a look at following data.

Central Armed Police Force have 8.5 lakhs strength.

Defence Civilians in Ministry of Defence is approx 4 lakhs.

And both of these (CAPF and Ministry of Defence) takes fresh entry of around 45,000 staffs every year. On the other hand an average of 40,000 defence personnels are released from defence forces every year. It is possible to allow them to fill the requirement in other services as suggested by many experts, which can significantly reduce the the load of government exchequer.

Also Read: Indian Missiles Development

Federalism in India

By
Syskool
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4
Federalism

Defining Federalism

Federalism is a system of Government in which there is a separation of power between a central authority and different constituent units of the century.

Generally, a federation includes two levels of Government: at one level there is a Government for the whole country that is responsible for a few subject of common interest, and at the second level are the governments of states or provinces that take care of much of the day-to-day administration of their state.

Link to Youtube video on Federal Feature

Important Characteristics of Federalism

In a federalism , although different tiers of Government govern the same citizens , each tier has got its own jurisdiction in specific matters of legislation, taxation, and administration. Jurisdiction , as a legal term , has been defined as ’The area over which someone has legal authority. The area may be defined in terms of geographical boundaries. Or in terms of certain kinds of subject’.

The jurisdictions, in respective levels of Governments, are clearly specified in the Constitution . So the authority of each level of government is constitutionally guaranteed .

Courts have the power to interpret the Constitution and the powers of different tiers of government. The highest court. The Supreme court in the Indian context  functions as an umpire if any dispute takes place between different levels of Government in the execution of their respective powers.

Sources of revenue are clearly specified for each level of government to make sure its financial autonomy. The two most crucial aspects for the institutions and practice of federalism are : Governments, at different tiers , have to agree to some rules of power-sharing ; and they should also trust that each would abide by its part of the agreement. So, it can be asses that an ideal federal system has most curial aspects of federalism that are mutual trust and agreement to leave together.

In case you missed our Youtube video of Federalism

India as a Federal Country

The Constitution of India declares India as a ‘Union of States’. Although the constitution does not use the word federation , the Indian union is based on the principals of federalism. It can be asserted that since all the characteristics of federalism mentioned above are included in the Indian Constitution, India certainly can be termed as a federal country.

The Constitution of India originally catered for a two- tier system of government :The Union Government or the Central Government that represents the Union of India and the State Governments. However, after some time, a third tear of federalism was annexed in the form of Municipalities and Panchayats. These different tiers , as in any federation, enjoy separate jurisdiction so it becomes clear that the Constitution has clearly catered a three–fold distribution of legislative powers between the Central Government and states governments .Therefore, it comprises three lists :

Union List – it contains subjects of national importance such as defence of the country , banking , foreign affairs, communications and courante only the union government can make laws concerning the subjects motioned in this list

State List – it contains subjects of State and local importance such as trade, commerce, Police, agriculture, and irrigation. Only the State government can make laws concerning the subjects mentioned in this list

Concurrent List- It contains subjects of common interests to both the Central Government as well as the State Governments , such as education, forests, trade unions, marriage, adoption, and succession. Both the Union and the States Governments can make laws on the subjects mentioned in this list. However, if their laws conflict with each other, The law made by the Central Government prevails.

 Also, Read: 

Scalable Fabrication of Quantum Chips: Engineering the Future of Quantum Hardware

By
Kumar Prafull
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0

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Motivation for Scalable Quantum Fabrication
  3. Overview of Quantum Chip Architectures
  4. Material Platforms for Quantum Chips
  5. Superconducting Qubits and Fabrication Methods
  6. Trapped Ion Microfabricated Chips
  7. Semiconductor Quantum Dots and CMOS Compatibility
  8. Photonic Integrated Quantum Circuits
  9. NV Centers and Diamond Nanofabrication
  10. Fabrication Challenges for Scalability
  11. Lithography Techniques for Quantum Chips
  12. Nanofabrication and Surface Treatments
  13. Packaging and Interconnects
  14. 3D Integration and Multilayer Architectures
  15. Cryogenic Compatibility and Thermal Management
  16. Foundry-Level Manufacturing of Quantum Devices
  17. Yield, Reliability, and Quality Control
  18. Advances in Hybrid and Heterogeneous Integration
  19. Roadmap to Commercial Quantum Processors
  20. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Scalable fabrication of quantum chips is a cornerstone for building practical and fault-tolerant quantum computers. This involves developing materials, processes, and architectures that support thousands to millions of coherent, controllable qubits.

2. Motivation for Scalable Quantum Fabrication

As quantum systems grow, they must retain:

  • High coherence
  • Low error rates
  • Fast and reliable control
  • Manufacturability at industrial scale

3. Overview of Quantum Chip Architectures

Quantum chips consist of:

  • Qubits (e.g., transmons, ion traps, quantum dots)
  • Couplers and control lines
  • Readout resonators or detectors
  • Substrates and interconnects

4. Material Platforms for Quantum Chips

Key platforms include:

  • Superconductors (e.g., Al, Nb on sapphire or silicon)
  • Semiconductors (e.g., GaAs, Si, SiGe)
  • Photonic materials (e.g., SiN, lithium niobate)
  • Diamond (for NV centers)

5. Superconducting Qubits and Fabrication Methods

Fabrication involves:

  • Deposition of thin films (e.g., Al, Nb)
  • Lithographic patterning (e-beam, optical)
  • Josephson junction formation using shadow evaporation
  • Etching and lift-off processes

6. Trapped Ion Microfabricated Chips

Surface-electrode ion traps use:

  • Multilayer metal-on-insulator stacks
  • RF electrodes for trapping and shuttling ions
  • Integrated optics and heaters
  • MEMS-compatible fabrication

7. Semiconductor Quantum Dots and CMOS Compatibility

Quantum dots are defined in 2D electron gases using gate electrodes:

  • Electron-beam lithography for fine features
  • Compatible with advanced CMOS processes
  • Allows for dense qubit arrays and scaling

8. Photonic Integrated Quantum Circuits

Fabrication includes:

  • Waveguides, beam splitters, interferometers
  • On-chip sources (e.g., SPDC, quantum dots)
  • Detectors (e.g., SNSPDs)
  • Silicon photonics foundries support integration

9. NV Centers and Diamond Nanofabrication

Involves:

  • Implantation of nitrogen ions
  • Annealing to form color centers
  • Fabrication of nanopillars or waveguides in diamond
  • Precision polishing and etching

10. Fabrication Challenges for Scalability

  • Uniformity across large wafers
  • Minimization of dielectric loss and surface defects
  • Reduction of stray capacitance and crosstalk
  • High-fidelity interconnects and routing

11. Lithography Techniques for Quantum Chips

  • Electron-beam lithography: high resolution, low throughput
  • Deep UV (DUV) lithography: suitable for scale-up
  • Nanoimprint and extreme UV (EUV) under exploration

12. Nanofabrication and Surface Treatments

Surface treatments include:

  • Plasma cleaning
  • Annealing in forming gas
  • Passivation with dielectrics or ALD
    These reduce noise and increase coherence times.

13. Packaging and Interconnects

Quantum packaging must support:

  • Signal integrity at cryogenic temperatures
  • Low thermal conductivity
  • High-density wiring (e.g., flip-chip, bump bonding)

14. 3D Integration and Multilayer Architectures

Approaches include:

  • Through-silicon vias (TSVs)
  • Superconducting interposers
  • Multilayer routing for qubit scaling

15. Cryogenic Compatibility and Thermal Management

Materials must remain superconducting and stable at millikelvin temperatures. Heat generated by control/readout electronics must be managed without disturbing qubits.

16. Foundry-Level Manufacturing of Quantum Devices

Collaborations with semiconductor foundries enable:

  • Process repeatability
  • Material quality control
  • Volume production and standardization
    Examples: IMEC, TSMC, Intel, Rigetti, and IBM initiatives

17. Yield, Reliability, and Quality Control

  • Test structures and metrology at each step
  • Cryogenic testing for qubit metrics (T1, T2, fidelity)
  • Automated probe stations and inline diagnostics

18. Advances in Hybrid and Heterogeneous Integration

  • Co-packaging of photonics, superconductors, and semiconductors
  • Integration of microwave components and cryo-CMOS
  • Modularity for system-level scalability

19. Roadmap to Commercial Quantum Processors

Key milestones include:

  • Wafer-scale integration of thousands of qubits
  • Fault-tolerant architectures (e.g., surface code layout)
  • Assembly-line production of quantum modules
  • Supply chain for cryogenic infrastructure

20. Conclusion

Scalable fabrication of quantum chips is a multidisciplinary challenge involving nanofabrication, materials science, and quantum engineering. Progress in this area is critical to realizing large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing systems.

Today in History – 9 March

By
Syskool
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0
today in history 9 march

1500

Pedro Cabral departs from Portugal with 13 ships to India.

1650

Saint Tukaram Maharaj, famous saint of Maharashtra, passed away.

1862

On this day in 1862, one of the most famous naval battles in American history occurs as two ironclads,the U.S.S.Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginiafight to a draw off Hampton Roads, Virginia.

1858

Bahadurshah Jafar II, the last Mughal Emperor, was deported to Rangoon under the offence for rising of first Indian Mutiny in 1857.

1951

Ustad Zakir Hussain, famous Tabla player, was born.

1959

On this day in 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display at the American Toy Fair in New York City.Barbie was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with adult features. The woman behind Barbie was Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945.

1997

Bangladesh and Chakma refugee leaders sign a historic agreement for repatriation of the 50,000 refugees sheltered in six camps in Tripura for the past 11 years.

Related Articles:

Today in History – 8 March

Today in History – 7 March

Today in History – 5 March

Today in History – 4 March

Middle East Countries

By
Syskool
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2
_middle_east-
_middle_east-

The concept of the Middle East region broadly refers to the countries situated in Western Asia and North Africa and in between.

Major religions have their origins in the Middle East, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and numerous other belief systems were also established within the region. The Middle East generally is known for its hot and arid climate, with several major rivers providing irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas such as the Nile Delta in Egypt, the Tigris and Euphrates watersheds of Mesopotamia, and most of what is known as the Fertile Crescent.

Most of the countries that border the Persian Gulf have vast reserves of crude oil, with the sovereign nations of the Arabian Peninsula, in particular, benefiting from petroleum exports. In modern times, the Middle East remains a strategically, economically, politically, culturally and religiously sensitive region and has made many of the countries very rich.

Read Also: How East India Company Established British Empire in India? Explained.

The first official use of the term “Middle East” by the United States government was in the 1957 Eisenhower Doctrine, which pertained to the Suez Crisis. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles defined the Middle East as “the area lying between and including Libya on the west and Pakistan on the east, Syria and Iraq on the North and the Arabian Peninsula to the south, plus the Sudan and Ethiopia.” In 1958, the State Department explained that the terms “Near East” and “Middle East” were interchangeable, and defined the region as including only Egypt, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

The Middle East is an additional Eurocentric concept, introduced in the West in the 1990s, and referring to the mostly-Islamic regions of North Africa, Western Asia, and Central Asia. The Middle East lies at the juncture of Eurasia and Africa and of the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is the birthplace and spiritual center of religions.

The Middle East began after World War I, when the Ottoman Empire, which was allied with the Central Powers, was defeated by the British Empire and their allies and partitioned into a number of separate nations, initially under British and French Mandates.

Oil reserves, especially in Saudi Arabia and Iran, are some of the highest in the world, and the international oil cartel OPEC is dominated by Middle Eastern countries.

The five top languages, in terms of numbers of speakers, are Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Berber, and Kurdish. Urdu and Hindi is widely spoken by migrant communities in many Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia.  English is commonly taught and used as a second language, especially among the middle and upper classes.

Unemployment is notably high in the Middle East and North Africa region, particularly among young people aged 15–29.

Must Read:

India and Southeast Asia

Top Universities in India

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