junior commissioned officer

The JCO evolved from the viceroy's commissioned officers (VCOs), established in the Indian Army 1 during the British Raj in 1885. The VCOs themselves succeeded the so-called native officers holding a commission from the Governor General.{{cite book|first=Richard|last=Stevenson|title=Beatson's Mutiny. The Turbulent Career of a Victorian Soldier|date=2015|publisher=I.B.Tauris|location=London. New York|page=37|isbn=978-1-784531-10-2}} Gurkha regiments in British service had also their set of 'native officers' resp. VCOs, although their homeland Nepal was never a British colony.

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. 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. 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).{{cite web |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/features/how-indians-rose-up-to-be-officers-10124 |title=How Indians rose up to be Officers |website=www.tribuneindia.com |date=14 December 2019 |access-date=9 July 2022 |last=Singh |first=Brigadier, Member of Parliament (retd)}} By the time of independence in 1947, there were many Indian (and Pakistani) officers who had graduated from Sandhurst or the Indian Military Academy.

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.

• {{cite book |last1=Johnson |first1=Rob |title=The British Indian Army:Virtue And Necessity |date=2014|publisher=Cambridge Scholars|location=India}}
• {{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=V. K. |title=Leadership in the Indian Army: Biographies of Twelve Soldiers |date=2005 |publisher=SAGE Publishing India |location=India}}
• {{cite book|last1=Nawaz |first1=Shuja |title=Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army and the Wars Within|date=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Pakistan}}

Category:Pakistan Army ranks

Category:Military ranks of the Indian Army