The award is the wartime equivalent of the Vishisht Seva Medal, which is a peacetime distinguished service decoration.

[2] In 2019, Minty Agarwal became the first woman given the Yudh Seva Medal.

The medal has on its obverse the State Emblem and the inscriptions in Hindi and English embossed along the upper rim.

The riband is in Gold colour with three red vertical stripes dividing it into four equal parts.

For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.