Cases for consideration by the Anomaly committee-Fixation of pay on promotion

Cases for consideration by the Anomaly committee-Fixation of pay on promotion

Respected Sir,

            I submit this article for the information of our valuable readers of SAPOST and action at appropriate level.

            This is in continuation of my articles in our SAPOST under the title “Cases for consideration by the Anomaly committee-1 and 2

            In that article I suggested that “for option for pay fixation on the date of next increment, for the period between the date of promotion and the date of next increment, the pay should be fixed at the cell in the promoted level which is just higher to the pay in the lower level”

            I am happy that the government has accepted this and orders are issued vide Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training no. 13/02/2017-Estt.(pay-I) dated 27.7.2017. para 3(ii) reads as follows.

“In case, consequent upon his/her promotion, the Government servant opts to have his/her pay fixed from the date of his/her next increment (either 1^st July or 1^st January, as the case may be) in the level of the post from which Government servant is promoted, then, from the date of promotion till his/her DNI, the Government servant shall be placed at the next higher cell in the level of the post to which he/she is promoted.”

            I congratulate everybody who took this case for settlement. All officials who were promoted till the date of issue of the above orders should be given another opportunity for pay fixation on promotion. This is because; those officials might have opted for promotion from the date of promotion itself, as there was no benefit between the date of promotion and DNI.

But, still another thing is to be settled. This article is about this issue. On promotion, a section of employees are losing some benefits, especially from level 6 to 7, and 7 to 8, comparing promotion of employees between other levels. Level 6 to 7 represents MACP III in Department of Posts. Here are the details.

Prior to 6^th CPC there were scales of pay for various cadres. For an official who opted for pay fixation on the date of next increment, the official was placed at the next higher stage of the promoted scale from the date of promotion to the date of next increment. On the date of next increment, his pay was fixed in the promoted scale at a stage which was next higher to the figure arrived at by adding one increment in the feeder scale, subject to a minimum of Rs. 100.

After 6^th CPC the scales were replaced by pay band and grade pay. In this case also, for an official who opted for pay fixation on the date of next increment, the official was given the difference of grade pay for the period between the date of promotion and DNI. On the date of increment, the official was given one increment and the difference of grade pay from DNI.

From the above it could be seen that, the promotion offered financial benefits in two forms, one by way of increment and another by way of placement in the higher level (5^th CPC) or difference of grade pay (6^thCPC).

Rule 13 of CCS (RP) Rules 2016 stipulates the method of fixation on promotion, which is reproduced below.

“The fixation of pay in case of promotion from one level to another in the revised pay structure shall be made in the following manner, namely:-

(i)             One increment shall be given in the level from which the employee is promoted and he shall be placed at a cell equal to the figure so arrived at in the level of the post to which promoted and if no such cell is available in the level to which promoted, he shall be placed at the next higher cell in that level.

From the pay matrix it can be observed that the levels of 6 and 7, 7 and 8 are identical. As a result, the officials who are promoted from levels 6 to 7 and also 7 to 8 are the losers as their pay will be fixed in the cell which would be equal to the amount in the lower level after addition of one increment. For all other levels, the officials would be fixed in the next higher cell of the promoted level. As such a section of employees will be put into loss on promotion. They will get the benefit of one increment only but nothing for the change in the level. This is an anomaly. In order to ensure equal benefit to all officials on promotion, the following is suggested.

Remedy suggested:

Since the pay matrix resembles the pay scales which existed prior to 6^th CPC, each level represents a scale, next level represents the promotional scale, the rules existed at that time, 5^th CPC orders are applicable at this stage.

In Rule 13 of CCS (RP) Rules 2016, the following words to be deleted. “Equal to the figures so arrived at in the level of the post to which promoted and if no such cell is available in the level to which promoted”.

 The rule should be modified as follows.

“ one increment shall be given in the level from which the employee is promoted and he shall be placed at the next higher cell to the figure so arrived at in the level of post to which promoted,”

            This will maintain uniform benefits to all employees on promotion.

This may be taken at appropriate level and revised orders may be caused to be issued so that all officials are extended the same amount of benefit on promotion.

Article by:

R.Hariharakrishnan

Postmaster, Srivaikuntam HO 628601