Awarded biannually (on 26 January and 15 August) to non-commissioned officers of the rank of dafadar/havildar, chief petty officer/petty officer, or warrant officer, flight sergeant/sergeant for eighteen years of distinguished service. In 1970, the requisite period of service was reduced to fifteen years. There seems to have been a quota system governing the total number of awards that could be issued, but this formula for this is unclear. It is also unclear from the available regulations how service that qualifies for the various post-1971 long service medals relates to this award.

Established: 26 February 1957 by the President of India (with effect from 25 March 1953). Amended 18 September 1969 to revise the ribbon and on 17 September 1970 to reduce the qualifying period.

Obverse: Circular 36-mm silver medal, the national emblem within an ornate rim. Suspended from an ornate swiveling straight-bar suspender. The medal is normally named on the edge.

Reverse: Within an ornate lotus wreath, the legend "FOR / MERITORIOUS / - SERVICE - / Sarahniy Seva ke liye [Hindi]".

Ribbon: FIRST RIBBON: 33 mm, claret, with 3 mm white edges and a 3 mm white center stripe; white 3 mm, claret 12 mm, white 3 mm, claret 12 mm, white 3 mm. SECOND RIBBON: 33.5 mm, medium gray with 1.5 mm white edge stripes and three 1.5 mm stripes red, dark blue, and light blue; white 1.5 mm, medium gray 6 mm, red 1.5 mm, medium gray 7 mm, dark blue 1.5 mm, medium gray 7 mm, light blue 1.5 mm, medium gray 6 mm, white 1.5 mm.

Outline:

• first ribbon (1957-69)

• second ribbon (1969--)