The Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) is a statutory position in the Indian Armed Forces usually held by a three star lieutenant general. As the second highest-ranking officer to serve in the Indian Army, the VCOAS is the deputy professional head of the Indian Army and a senior adviser to the Minister of Defence. The office holder is usually the second most senior army officer unless the Chief of Defence is an army officer.
Eleven of the forty Vice Chiefs have gone on to head the Indian Army as the Chief of the Army Staff.
After the Independence, the CGS remained the number two officer in the Indian Army below the Commander-in-Chief, India. and later the Chief of Army Staff. In January 1959, the post of Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS) was created to replace the CGS at the Army HQ. The DCOAS was the second-in-command and was equivalent to an Army Commander (GOC-in-C).
In January 1965, the CGS post became the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, with the DCOAS becoming a PSO appointment.[1][2]
The VCOAS ranks at No. 23 on the Indian order of precedence, along with the Vice Chiefs of Staff of the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force and the Army Commanders (GOC-in-C), Naval Commanders (FOC-in-C) and Air Commanders (AOC-in-C).[3]
The VCOAS is at the Apex Pay grade (Grade 17), with a monthly pay of ₹225,000 (US$3,200).[4]
Appointment
The Vice Chief of Army staff is appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, from among the senior general officers of the Army. Since the appointment is of Commander-in-Chief grade, the appointees are usually one of the Army Commanders of the seven commands.
Unlike the Chief of Army Staff, there is no fixed term nor term limit to the position of the VCOAS, although most of those appointed to the office have typically served for two or three year tenures.
Appointees
The following table chronicles the appointees to the office of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Vice VICE Fındıklı Vice president Vice Media Vice-county Vice (magazine) Vice President of Peru Vice (disambiguation) Vice admiral Vice-President of Fiji Vice-President of Botswana Vice President of the United States Vice-President of Burundi Vice President of the Philippines Vice President of Brazil Vice President of Honduras Vice President of Palau Vice President of Nigeria Vice News Vice President of Colombia Vice President of South Sudan Air vice-marshal Vice President of Syria Vice President of Vietnam Vice-President of Ghana Vice President of France Vice President of Nepal Vice TV Vic…
e President of Uganda Vice-President of Zambia Vice-President of Mauritius Vice President of Pakistan List of vice presidents of the Philippines Vice (TV series) Pro-vice-chancellor Vice President of Liberia Vice-President of Tanzania Vice-Chancellor of Austria Vice President of Panama Vice Versa List of vice-admirals of Cornwall Vice President of the Republic of China Vice President of the Maldives Vice presidents of Iran Vice Principals Vice President of Venezuela Vice-Admiral of Devon Vice-President of Namibia List of vice-admirals of the coast Vice President of the Confederate States of America Vice-President of the Gambia Vice-captain Vice President of India Vice-Chancellor of Germany List of vice presidents of Argentina List of vice-admirals of North Wales Vice President-elect of the United States Vice President of Turkey Vice President of Cuba Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom Miami Vice Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States Vice-President of Malawi Vice-President of Myanmar Vice Premier of the Republic of China Vice President of Russia Vice-Admiral of Cumberland Vice President of Bolivia Inherent vice Vice President of Iraq Vice President of Benin Vice