The medal is awarded to junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel of the Territorial Army for twelve years of efficient service during which they have attended a minimum of twelve trainings; recipients also must be specifically recommended for the award. A bar is awarded for eighteen years of service and a second bar may be awarded for twenty-four years of service. The bar is made of silver and bears Ashoka's chakra.

Service is actually computed by a rather elaborate formula but, in general, active service during wartime or any other emergency condition counts double, but that service may not be counted toward any other long service award such as the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; it is unclear from the regulations how service which qualifies for the various long service medals relates to this award.

Established: 1 February 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1951), by the President of India. Amended 27 March 1953 and 24 September 1963. Generally revised on 4 December 1964 and further amended 8 April 1965. Revised again on 10 April 1974.

Obverse: An oblong 42 x 32 mm silver medal with the national emblem in the center. Suspended from an ornate straight-bar suspended with a ribbon bearing the legend "TERRITORIAL". The medal is usually named on the edge.

Reverse: Around the upper edge of the medal, the Hindi legend "Acchi seva ke liye" or "For Good Service". The lower portion of the reverse is blank (not, apparently, for naming since the medal is named on the edge).

Ribbon: 29 mm, dark blue, with a 1 mm orange central stripes and, on each side, two equally spaced 1 mm white stripes. Dark blue 4 mm, white 1 mm, dark blue 4 mm, white 1 mm, dark blue 4 mm, orange 1 mm, dark blue 4 mm, white 1 mm, dark blue 4 mm, white 1 mm, dark blue 4 mm.

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In 19??, the Army Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating the Territorial Army. While the stamp itself does not depict any decorations, the first-day cover shows both the Territorial Decoration and the Territorial Medal:

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