On his farewell visit to National Defence Academy where he was the Chief Guest for Passing Out Parade
New Delhi. 26 May 2024. In what is a deviation from routine the Government of India has decided to give an extension to the outgoing Army Chief General Manoj Pande.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet, today approved the extension in service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj C Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC for a period of one month, beyond his normal age of superannuation (May 31, 2024), i.e. up to June 30, 2024, under Rule 16 A (4) of the Army Rules 1954.
The Army Rules 1954 dated 27th November 1954 under Rule 16A(4) states, “An Officer who has attained the age of retirement or has become due for such retirement on completion of his tenure, may be retained in the service for a further period by the Central Government, if the exigencies of the service so requires.”
This is the second time in annals of Indian Army’s history post independence such an extension has been accorded to the Chief . Almost fifty years after the first such extension, granted in the early 1970s by the government led by Indira Gandhi, extended the tenure of Army Chief Gen. G. G. Bewoor by one year.
He was appointed as the COAS on April 30, 2022. He was commissioned in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). He held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking over as the COAS.
