No.21/6/2004-CS.I

                       Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, P.G. and Pensions,

Department of Personnel & Training

 

*******

Dated :  16th March, 2004.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

 

Sub  : Cadre Restructuring of CSS.

 

            Ref   : (i)    DOP&T order No.21/37/03-CS.I, dated 28th October, 2003.

                        (ii)   DOP&T order No.21/39/03-CS.I, dated 28th October, 2003.

                        (iii)  DOP&T order No.21/36/03-CS.I, dated 13th November, 2003.

                        (iv)  DOP&T order No.21/42/2003-CS.I, dated 6th January, 2004.

 

The Report of the Committee on Cadre Restructuring of Central Secretariat Service(CSS) was submitted to Government in February, 2002. After careful consideration of this report, decisions have been reached and orders issued, as referred to above, in the course of operationalisation of some of them. 

 

2.         Consequent upon the revision of the sanctioned strength in various grades of CSS w.e.f. 3.10.2003 (vide ref. (i) above), a large number of additional posts in Selection Grade (Deputy Secretary), Grade I (Under Secretary) and Section Officers grade have now become available.  Consequently, the resultant vacancies will also become available in the grade of Assistant. Regular appointments to these posts is required to be made from the Select Lists from the year 2003 of the respective grades as per the prescribed procedure.   In relation to the promotion to the posts of Selection Grade (Deputy Secretary), Grade I (Under Secretary), Section Officer and Assistant’s grade of CSS, following position has been noted by the Government;

 

   (A)    Selection Grade (Deputy Secretary)   : 

 

(i)                 This is a centralized grade and the Select Lists of this grade have been issued upto the year 1994 by this Department.   Select Lists for the year 1995 and upto the year 2002 are yet to be issued. 

 

(ii)               Completion of this exercise upto the year 2002 would require identification of vacancies for each select list year and completion of procedural requirements including collection/completion of ACR dossiers of all eligible officers.  These requirements would take some time.

 

    (B)   Grade I  (Under Secretary)  :

 

(i)                 This is a centralized grade and the Select Lists of this grade have been issued upto the year 1994 by this Department .

  

(ii)               The process of preparation of select list for the years 1995 and 1996 is in advanced stage.  However, completion of this exercise upto the year 2002 would require identification of vacancies for each select list year and completion of procedural requirements including collection/completion of ACR dossiers of all eligible officers.  These requirements would take some time.

 

  (C)     Section Officer  :

 

(i)                 So far, this grade is decentralized into 33 cadres.  The Select Lists in this grade have been finalized upto the year 2000 and the Select List for the year 2001 is under preparation. 

 

(ii)               Preparation of further select lists would require collection of data from 33 cadres.  This process would take some time.

 

(iii)             Updated ACRs of Assistants within the zone of consideration are to be made available.

 

  (D)     Assistant  :

 

(i)                 So far, this grade is decentralized into 33 cadres.  Select Lists in this grade have been finalised upto the year 2000 and the Select List for the year 2001 is under preparation.

 

(ii)               Preparation of further Select Lists would require collection of data from 33 cadres.  This process would take some time.

 

(iii)             Updated ACRs of UDCs within the zone of consideration are to be made available.

 

3.         Apart from the above position, specific number of posts to various Ministries/Departments within the total strength of the various grades of CSS, as prescribed in this Department’s order No.21/37/03-CS.I, dated 28th October, 2003  (vide ref. (i) above) would need to be allocated; this may take some more time. 

 

4.       Further allocation of specific number of posts in different grades of CSS to various Ministries/Departments and appointment of officers thereto is likely to involve large scale transfers. 

 

5.         Keeping in view the above position, it has been decided to make ad hoc promotions purely as a stop-gap measure (till the regular candidates, appointed in accordance with the rules/instructions become available) on the following lines and subject to relevant court litigation, if any, and as applicable.

 

(A)       Deputy Secretary   :

 

(i)           The existing senior Deputy Secretaries (in situ)(whose names have figured in the Grade-I select Lists upto the year 1991) would be considered for appointment as Deputy Secretary on ad hoc basis subject to their clearance from vigilance angle.

 

        (ii)    Such of the officers who are promoted on ad hoc basis will continue to work in the same Ministry/Department for the time being.

 

        (iii)     The ad hoc promotion shall not confer any right to continue in the grade indefinitely or, for inclusion in the Select List for the regular appointment or to claim seniority in the Selection Grade. 

 

        (iv)     Ad hoc appointees may be moved to different Ministries/Departments as and when the allocation of specific number of posts to different Ministries/Departments is fixed apart from the transfers, which may in the meantime  be necessitated due to  Administrative exigencies.

 

 (B)      Under Secretary   : 

 

(i)           The existing officers holding the post of Under Secretary on in situ basis  would be considered for ad-hoc appointment as Under Secretary subject to their clearance from vigilance angle.   Further, senior Section Officers (DR 1994) who are senior to some of the Under Secretaries (in situ) and have now completed the requirement of 8 years of eligibility/qualifying service for promotion) would also be considered for ad hoc appointment as Under Secretary subject to their fitness and clearance from vigilance angle. 

 

         (ii)     Such of the officers who are promoted on ad hoc basis will continue to work in the same Ministry/Department for the time being.

 

        (iii)     The ad hoc  promotion shall not confer any right to continue in the grade indefinitely or, for inclusion in the Select List for the regular appointment or to claim seniority in the  Grade I.  

 

        (iv)     Ad hoc appointees may be moved to different Ministries/Departments as and when the allocation of specific number of posts to different Ministries/Departments is fixed apart from the transfers, which may in the meantime be necessitated due to  Administrative exigencies.

 

 

 

  (C)     Section Officer  :

 

        (i)       As provided in this Department’s order No.21/39/03-CS.I,               dated the 28th October, 2003 (vide ref. (ii) above)  vacancies in this grade are to be filled  up (for the Select List year 2003 onwards) from Assistants by way of 50% through LDCE and 50% by seniority.  However, in view of large number of vacancies arising in this grade, exercise of filling up of these posts on regular basis through LDCE and seniority will take some time.

         

         (ii)     Hence, ad hoc promotions will be made purely as a stop gap measure.  All the Assistants of the SCSL 1987 and 1988, who have not yet been included in the Select List of Section Officers and all the Assistants of SCSL of 1989 would be considered for appointment as S.O. on ad hoc basis subject to their fitness and clearance from vigilance angle.

 

        (iii)     The ad hoc promotion shall not confer any right to continue in the grade indefinitely or, for inclusion in the Select List for the regular appointment or to claim seniority in the S.O’s. Grade. 

 

        (iv)     Ad hoc arrangement would be made till regular candidates in S.O.’s grade are available through seniority and/or LDCE.  Such ad hoc appointees should, therefore, note clearly that if they do not qualify for regular appointment through seniority/LDCE,  they will be reverted back to Assistant grade  on availability of regular S.Os.

 

(v)   Ad hoc appointees may continue to work in the Ministry/Department on the strength of which they are borne for the time being – and to that extent  posts of Section Officer would be deemed to  have been temporarily allocated to the respective Ministries/Departments, as a stop gap arrangement until further orders to be issued by this Department.  However, they may be shifted/transferred after the specific number of posts are allocated to different Ministries and/or in the administrative exigencies  which may in the meantime be necessitated.

 

   (vi)    All existing ad hoc appointments made by the cadre authorities in S.O’s grade who are junior to these Assistants, included in SCSL 1989 may be terminated immediately.

 

  (D)     Assistant    :

 

(i)   The approved strength of the Assistant’s Grade remains unchanged at 4904.  As provided in this Department’s order No.21/42/03-CS.I, dated 06.1.2004  (vide ref. (iv) above) vacancies in this grade for the Select List years 2001and 2002 and normal vacancies for the Select List year 2003 will be filled up by promotion of UDCs of CSCS (50%) and through direct recruitment of All India Graduate Level Examination of SSC (50%).  However, the resultant vacancies as a result of Cadre Restructuring of CSS for the Select List year 2003 will be filled up from UDCs of CSCS in the ratio of 50:50 by Seniority : LDCE.   In view of large number of resultant vacancies arising in this grade, exercise of filling up of these posts on regular basis through LDCE and seniority will take some time.

         

         (ii)   Hence, ad hoc promotions will be made purely as a stop gap measure. The UDCs of CSCS on the basis of their all Secretariat seniority would be considered for appointment as Assistant on ad hoc basis, subject to their fitness and clearance from vigilance angle.

 

         (iii)    The ad hoc promotion shall not confer any right to continue in the grade indefinitely or, for inclusion in the Select List for the regular appointment or to claim seniority in the Assistant Grade. 

 

         (iv)    Ad hoc arrangement would be made till regular candidates in Assistant grade are available through seniority and/or LDCE. Such ad hoc appointees should, therefore, note clearly that if they do not qualify for regular appointment through seniority/LDCE, they will be reverted back to UDC grade on availability of regular Assistants.

 

         (v)     While ad hoc appointees may continue to work in the Ministry/Department on the strength of which they are borne for the time being – and to that extent posts of Assistants would be deemed to have been temporarily allocated to the respective Ministries/Departments, as a stop gap arrangement until further orders to be issued by this Department - they may be shifted/transferred out after the specific number of posts are allocated to different Ministries/Departments and/or in the administrative exigencies, which may in the meantime be necessitated.

 

         (vi)    All existing ad hoc appointments made by the cadre authorities in Assistants’ grade, who are junior to the UDCs, to be promoted as Assistant (ad hoc) on the basis of all Secretariat seniority list of UDCs, may be terminated immediately.

 

6.   Depending on the outcome of the above exercise, further ad hoc arrangements in various grades of CSS and CSCS may be considered by this Department. 

 

7.         In the meanwhile, it has been decided that no further ad hoc arrangement shall be made by Ministries/Departments in any grade of CSS and CSCS under any circumstance until further instructions from this Department.  It is requested that this may be noted by the Ministries/Departments(cadre authorities).

 

8.         While this Department is in the process of issuing the orders of various grades of CSS on the above lines, the respective Ministries/Departments are requested to take advance action in respect of following issues:

 

(i)                 Vigilance Clearance in respect of officers of all grades of CSS/CSCS may be ascertained.

 

(ii)               Since it is expected that for the time being ad hoc appointees would continue in the same Ministry/Department, the possible hierarchical levels and the allocations of work may be worked out, so that dislocation of work is avoided.

 

(iii)             ACRs of all eligible officers falling in the above categories may be kept ready so that there is no delay in  making the actual appointments.

 

(iv)              Some of the officers may be on deputation.   All such officers (upto the level of D.S.(in situ) may be asked to exercise their willingness or otherwise to avail of the benefit of ad hoc promotion as mentioned above.

 

(v)                The onus of informing these officers will be with those Ministries/Departments, from where the officer went on deputation last. 

 

   All Ministries/Departments are requested to take urgent necessary steps in this regard.

 

 

 

(Devki Nandan Gupta)

Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India

Telephone:24624893

 

 

To

 

(1)       All the 33 cadres.

(2)       All Ministries/Departments in respect of Under Secretary and

            Deputy Secretary.