Medical Classification System Refreshed to Better Deploy National Servicemen

The current medical classification system (MCS) focuses on traditional definitions of operational fitness, with a Physical Employment Standard (PES) status assigned to each serviceman. The MCS has served the SAF and the HT well since the 1970s. However, as the security and defence landscape continues to evolve, the SAF and the HT now have a greater variety of roles to meet their expanded spectrum of operations. The MCS should therefore ensure that SAF and HT servicemen can be deployed effectively and contribute meaningfully based on their medical fitness and the SAF’s and HT’s operational needs.   

The refreshed MCS will be more precise and enables better characterisation of servicemen’s medical fitness. This reflects the advancements in medical capabilities and understanding of how medical conditions interface with the requirements of roles within the SAF and the HT. Annually, the refreshed MCS will enable about 1,200 servicemen to be deployed to vocations and roles they would have previously been ineligible for. This will hence offer servicemen more opportunities to pursue and fulfil their aspirations in NS.

⁠Mr Chan visited the Medical Classification Centre and Regional Health Hub at CMPB, where he observed medical screening and assessment processes that pre-enlistees undergo. He said “We have also consulted specialists and consultants beyond the SAF. With the experience we have gained over the last few years, we are now very confident that this system is much more robust. This system will allow our servicemen to make better contributions … It has taken a bit of time because we want to assure ourselves that the safety of our national servicemen is never compromised”.

SAF pre-enlistees enlisting in October 2027 and HT pre-enlistees enlisting in November 2027 will be the first cohort to be medically graded under the refreshed MCS when they undergo medical screening from end-June 2026. Existing NSFs and NSmen will retain their PES status, which remains robust and safe to determine training and deployment eligibility for the rest of their journey in NS.

Safety has and will remain a key priority for all training and deployment in the SAF and HT. Training will be guided by a standardised list of medical exemptions, and commanders and trainers will have clear training guidelines on activities servicemen can and cannot perform. Pre-enlistees will be assigned to basic training programmes in the SAF, Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Police Force.

More Resources

Fact Sheet: Medical Classification System Refresh

Infographic: Refreshed Medical Classification System