Navy relaxes rules for promotion of officers to Captain rank

NEW DELHI: The Navy has relaxed rules for promotion of officers to the rank of Captain by giving them a 'one time dispensation' from the mandatory requirement of spending one year at sea, and the beneficiaries are likely to include a key aide of Navy Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan.

The relaxation has been given to officers who have not qualified the exam for elevation in the 'Command' stream and become Captain (equivalent to Colonel) in the staff stream, Navy sources said.

The circular in this regard was issued by Navy on July 18. In the Navy, Executive Officers have to serve for one year in the sea before picking up the rank of Captain.

A total of 15 officers are expected to benefit from the move which will include Navy Chief's Staff Officer Commander Satpal Singh, they said.

Navy officials said the move is not aimed at benefiting any single individual but was done to accommodate a number of requests received in this regard in the recent past.

Such a relaxation has been given to officers at least five times in the past - in 1997, 1998, 2004, 2008 and in 2012, they said.

The officers will have to clear an exam before they become eligible to pick up their next rank in the staff stream and they would not be allowed to command any ship or formation, the Navy officials said.