OROP, or One Rank One Pension, is a demand by retired military personnel to receive the same pension, irrespective of the date of their retirement, for the same rank and length of service. The demand for OROP has a long history in India, dating back to the time of the First World War.
The concept of OROP was first implemented in the Indian Armed Forces in 1973. However, in 2008, the government of India made changes to the pension structure, which led to unequal pensions for the same rank and length of service. This led to renewed demands for OROP, with veterans staging protests and hunger strikes to press for their demands.
In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was then in opposition, promised to implement OROP if it came to power. After coming to power in 2014, the BJP government announced that it had implemented OROP. However, veterans’ groups claimed that the government’s announcement fell short of their demands, and protests continued.
In 2015, the government appointed a committee to look into the issue of OROP. The committee submitted its report in November 2015, and the government announced that it had accepted the recommendations of the committee. However, veterans’ groups continued to stage protests, claiming that the government had not fully implemented OROP.
In 2018, the government announced that it had implemented OROP in full, and that all outstanding issues had been resolved. However, veterans’ groups continued to express their dissatisfaction with the implementation of OROP, claiming that the government had not fully addressed their demands.
Presently, the implementation of OROP remains a contentious issue, with veterans’ groups continuing to demand that the government fully implement OROP as per their demands. The government, on the other hand, maintains that it has implemented OROP in full, and that all outstanding issues have been resolved.
The First revision under OROP was conducted in July 2014 and 2nd OROP Revision was effected from July 2019. Based on the orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court, the OROP-II implemented and arrears paid as per schedule accepted by the Appex Court :
| Type of Pensioners | Payment of OROP Arrears |
| Family Pensioners and Gallantry Award winners | By 30 April 2023 |
| Above 70 years of age | On or before 30.06.2023 |
| Remaining Eligible Pensioners | In three equal installments on 31.08.2023, 30.11.2023 and 28.02.2024. |