Officer on Special Duty (India)

Officer on Special Duty (abbreviated as OSD) is an officer in the South Asian civil service.

Officer on Special Duty is an officer in the Indian civil service of the status between a secretary and an undersecretary in the Government of India.

The practice dates back to the British colonial rule in India, and was explained to the Central Legislative Assembly by a government spokesman in 1931 as follows:

"There are two principal criteria in appointing an OSD in the civil services -

It is also sometimes used as a training post for a future higher level posting. For example, when S. Ranganathan was appointed the Comptoller and Auditor General, he was first appointed as an OSD to understudy the outgoing CAG A.K. Roy and subsequently given charge.

It refers to a government officer without duties in Pakistan and Bangladesh. They may be the officers awaiting posting orders or the demoted officers. These officers report to the secretariat where they do nothing but sign their attendance. It implies that the government does not have any suitable post for the officer or their services are no more required (when demoted). These officers are paid full salaries. It is considered to be a stigma when an officer is designated as the OSD. The practice finds its origin in the British Raj when to be an officer on special duty was the status of honour.

...
Wikipedia