Resettlement Problems of Ex-Servicemen in India: A Critical Study

Background: The armed forces function around the principle that the troops be kept young and competitive, so, about 60000 soldiers retire every year; with a meagre pension as the source of their income, they face sustenance problems in civilian life. Objectives: To investigate the resettlement problems, identify and examine the factors acting as enablers and blockers in the resettlement process. Materials and Methods: The study was set in India, and limited to the retired soldiers of Indian Forces. It was an online survey and had fifty items. Findings: Majority of Ex-Servicemen (ESM) retired before they turned forty and had all responsibilities upon them. A significant minority (34%) could not get jobs or resettle due to military service traits. Employment was the top priority; higher education, Job-Reservation, and networking helped to get jobs. ESM lacked civilian job skills, and their military skills were not recognised. ESM considered resettlement agencies ineffective.