Human Resource Management in UT services at Gazetted Level (even JKAS) not so encouraging

By admin On Oct 10, 2022

DAYA SAGAR

Not only the Gazetted Engineering Services have been facing career progress problems and accord of due status in time but even those who enter the J&K Administrative Services/ Jammu Kashmir Police Services through no less a tough competitive examination through JKPSC too have been feeling the pressures of “stagnations”. Recently it has been in 2022 that 16 JKAS officers have been inducted/ appointed in IAS { Rule- 4 (b) of Indian Administrative Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1954 } but there too the process has not been regular {( for J&K quota in IAS by promotion for Sekfjtfr 54lect Lists of 2013 ( 3 vacancies) , 2016 ( 2 vacancies ), 2017(3 vacancies ). 2018 (8 vacancies ) the exercise has been completed only in 2022 by issuance of DoPT GOI Notification 140315 /9/2021-AIS (I) – B on 03-08-2022 }.No doubt there is provision for giving the year of allotment in ‘some’ proportion to years in qualifying gazetted service but that cannot make good the negative pressures of staying in service category that do not have on the whole in the present day culture a status socio-administratively as recognised as is for IAS. DoPT GOI has issued order No.14014/33/2022-AIS-1 Dated 12-08-2022 allocating seniority and year of allotment under Rule (3)(3)-ii of IAS ( Regulation of Seniority) Rules 1987 & the weightage for years of qualifying service formulae where under *Four officers (3 appointed against 2013 vacancies and *one appointed against 2016 vacancies) have been given year of allotment as 2010, one officer ( 2016 select list) has been given year of allotment as 2012 and all officers appointed against vacancies of 2017 (3) and 2018 (8) have been given year of allotment as 2013. Mir Tariq (select list for 2016) had joined qualifying service on 31-12-1992 and as per weightage formula for determining year of allotment he had 7 yrs weightage and in terms of that year of allotment could be 2009 but he had to be given year of allotment as 2010 since Rule (3)(3)-ii of IAS ( Regulation of Seniority) Rules 1987 also provides that Officer shall not be assigned year of allotment earlier than year of allotment assigned to other officer senior to him in the select list or appointed on the basis of earlier select list ( in this case selectlist-2013).

4Why no Non – Functional Grade Promotions for Engineering Gazetted Services in UT of J&K and like?

Why shortage of IAS cadre Officers when there are so many Super Time Scale JKAS Officers available?

Not only that all the inducted/ appointed officers from out of the JK SCS officers , before there induction in IAS in 2022 had already reached the Super Time Scale of JKAS i.e. Level-14 (37400-67000GP10000/ 144200-218200) and even those who have been given year of allotment as 2010 have been placed in IAS seniority below direct IAS of 2010 (of course with protection of pay.) who are still in Grade Level-12
SrNo1 of JKAS seniority list as on date joined qualifying gazetted service 7500-12000 (old before 6th PC) on 10-09-1990 and Sr No 2 joined qualifying gazetted service 7500-12000 (old before 6th PC on13-12-1990) and had already been promoted to Super Time Scale of JKAS (Level – 14) ( any how they are not in the list of JKAS officers included DoPT GOI Notification 140315 /9/2021-AIS (I) – B on 03-08-2022 for induction / promotion to IAS ).Had they also been included they would have been possibly inducted against vacancies of 2013 and allotted year as 2007.Imagine had the select list been prepared regularly earlier with in schedule they could be allotted a much earlier year( of course vacancies if there ) or so and one could have hoped to rise to the Level -15 of Principal Secretary before retirement.
If one goes theoretically should there have been timely career progress in pay & ‘status’ of atleast some JKAS officers at proper time in terms JKAS recruitment rules in terms of SRO -386 of 2008 dated 01-12-2008). i.e (i) Entry level junior scale Level-8 47600 – 151100), (ii) Time scale 15600-39100 GP 6600 / Level-11) (iii) Selection grade 15600-39100 GP 7600 L-12 (iv) Special scale of Rs.14300-18300/15600-39100GP7600 Level 13 ) (v) Super time scale L-14 of Rs.18400-22400GP 8700 even then the officers would have carried on in high moral.
No doubt grade promotions even in JKAS cadres as well as appointments in IAS by promotion from SCS cadres ( State Civil Service ) have to be based on vacancies and by merit selection still if done in time atleast some of them will be promoted/ inducted well in time. Surely it must have been due to regular procedural delays that DoPT GOI vide memorandum No. 20011/1/2012-Estt. (D) of 04-03-2014 at para – 7 had again advised All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India , quote :” As the conferment of seniority would be against the Recruitment Year in which the recruitment process is initiated for filling up of the vacancies, it is incumbent upon all administrative authorities to ensure that the recruitment process is initiated during the vacancy year itself.….. and the Consolidated Instructions on DPCs contained in O.M. No.22011/S/86-Estt(D) dated April 10, 1989 should be scrupulously adhered to, for filling up the vacancies against promotion quota”: unquote.
Anyhow JKAS Officers being more near to ‘administration have atleast succeeded in getting installed for them atleast a system of Non- Functional grade promotions under SRO 198 of 25-04-2018 where under a Junior Scale KAS/Feeding Service Rs. 9300-34800 GP Rs. 4800 (substantive capacity) with 10 yr is eligible for promotion (NF) to 15600-39100 GP Rs. 6600/ 6600 level -11 Time scale / (67700-208700); then a Time Scale KAS with 4yrs in Time Scale is eligible for promotion to Selection Grade (NF) Rs.15600-39100 GP 7600/ Level-12 (78800-209200); a Time Scale KAS Officer with 08 years of service in Time Scale is eligible for Special Scale {Rs. 37400~67000 + GP Rs. 8700 (NF)/ 123100-215900 }..Super time scale (NF) Rs. 37,400-67,000 GP . 10000/ Level 14 not included. That means in 18 years from L-8 to L-13 pay scale with monetary benefit only.
Like JKAS officers the JKPS officers too had been complaining of stunted’ career progress and not been there even in terms of laid down norms as there in SRO 132 Dated 03-04-2002 Jammu Kashmir Gazetted Police Service Recruitment Rules 2002and for them too like JKAS Non Functional Grade promotion ( Monetary) plans have now been ordered in 2018 vide SRO-195 Dated 18-05-2018 but there too a time Scale JKPS officer with 8 years of service in Time Scale may be considered for placement in Selection Grade-I (non-functional) of Rs.37400- – 67000 with Grade Pay of Rs.8700/- (pre-revised) only.
Often it is reported that J&K UT/State faced shortage of IAS officers / even IPS officers and J&K at the same time UT have/ had many super time scale JKAS officers , question is why can not JKAS officers be carried beyond L-14 or more administrative posts be marked for JKAS /JKPS cadres.
Even as regards non- gazetted employees J&K Government had installed a system of non functional promotions in 1996 itself, commonly known as In- Situ grade promotions.. {Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Higher Standard Pay Scale Scheme) Rules, 1996 Published vide SRO 14, dated 15.01.1996 issued by , Finance Department}
But the case of Engineering Departments is still unattended for proper cadre structuring, timely promotions and induction in IAS as from Non- PCS service cadres. In their case too the grade and status level has to be taken beyond L-13 and the CE grade has to be taken ahead of SE grade ( L-13).
But in the mean time there is immediate need for r atleast installing a system of Non-Functional (Monetary) Scheme (NFS) as has been sanctioned separately for JKAS, JKPS, Gazetted Health services ( Doctors) , Sheep & Animal Husbandry department Doctors.
No doubt it was reported on 11-05-2018 that J&K Cabinet had accorded sanction to the implementation of something like the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme in respect of the Gazetted Service of Engineering Departments so as to ensure a minimum of 3 Time Bound promotions in a span of 20 years for the members and had authorised the Finance Department to notify the Scheme in that regard. But had remained a paper news only So, question is why the position with regards to service matters of even senior officers , mostly with “other services” , is irrational and frustrating for many and the Hunan Resource management for gazetted levels in State Services / Provincial services is not so encouraging.
(The author is Sr Journalist, social activist and analyst J&K affairs [email protected]).