After dragging the government to supreme court, Army Chief V K Singh on Tuesday said the controversy over his date of birth could have been avoided by everybody.

"I think it was something that could have been avoided," Gen Singh, who is retiring this month end, told reporters who asked him how he looked back at his age controversy.

Asked if he meant the controversy could have been avoided by he himself and others, he quipped, "by everybody".

The supreme court had in February upheld the government decision on Singh's age issue and said he cannot resile on his commitment accepting the date of birth as May 10, 1950, forcing him to withdraw his petition.

The apex court said it was not in favour of entertaining Gen Singh's petition that his date of birth should be treated in official records, as May 10,1951.