Why even ‘Top Grade’ Engineers from IITs rush for IAS stream & not even IES as first preference?

J&K Gazetted Engineering Services not provided even Non-Functional (M) Grade Promotions

Daya Sagar

Before the possible answer to the question <” Why even “Top Grade” Engineers from IITs rush for IAS stream & not even IES (Indian Engineering Service) ?”> it would be better to have the career progress for IAS services and that for Gazetted Engineering services in States/ Uts like J&K. No doubt the service rules do provide some time schedule for some regular progress in service for State engineering services but that is not adhered to even to it half value where as in IAS cadre the laid down limits of career progress are the ‘highest’ and that are cared on ground also with the years in service ( almost assured on ground). Many cases could be quoted where a officer entering gazetted service through PSC is “promoted” as I/C Executive Engineer subject to clearance by DPC, is again promoted as I/C Superintending Engineer without formal regularization as Executive Engineer, is again promoted from I/ C Superintending Engineer as I/C Chief Engineer subject to clearance by DPC and even retired as I/C Chief Engineer with pension in the grade of AEE & getting pension in grade of AEE even 10 years after retirement before his/her service file is cleared by administrative department worth raising pension to level of Chief Engineer Grade ( there may be cases where one has worked as I/C Chief Engineer before retirement but finally he is formally regularized as only EE or SE even when one had Gazetted Cadre service of more than 30 yrs) .. .
Undue delay in promotions of those in government services not only stunts the growth & progression of government officials and also leads to demotivation among the elements of government machinery in addition to pecuniary loss to individuals during their active service even to the extent of sufferings from damaging mental stresses for those who are on the verge of retirement feeling that on superannuation they may have to remain content with the reduced pension/supporting reserves. Ofcourse due to inadequately timed human resource management for those in government services surely affects the quality & quantity of direct / indirect services that the government targets to deliver in time to the citizens. The officers in Provincial / State Services like that in J&K State had started sensing such like discouraging environment after independence in early 1980s.To some relief SRO 14, dated 15.01.1996 issued by , Finance Department J&K Government had put in place Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Higher Standard Pay Scale Scheme) Rules, 1996 ( effective 01-01-1995) ensuring atleast some growth in wages if not in status for a government employee but that was made applicable only to all categories of non-gazetted Government employees except as provided elsewhere in the said rules where under a government employee was made entitled upto 3 higher grade promotions during his/her service career ( in pay and not status/ level ) notified as Higher Standard Pay at length of service intervals of 9/18/27 yrs from the date of appointment or any regular promotion in grade as the case may be. No doubt Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Higher Standard Pay Scale Scheme) Rules, 1996 ( effective 01-01-1995) did not surely provide guarantee for due advancement in status with time to some non gazetted emplorees but the provision surely took them out of pecuniary stresses during the active service or on superannuation. But those in State Government Gazetted Services like General Services/ Medical Services/ Veterinary Services/ Engineering service etc though had laid down service regulations / provision for promotions through DPCs/ PSC recommendations kept on suffering due to improper human resource management at the administrative levels with no effective nominated time schedules for career advancement as per service regulations ( localized exceptions could be expected a but not only casual performances ) and no any performance assessments for PSC/DPC as regards ensuring truthful management of State Gazetted Service Cadres recruited through State Public Service Commission. Many cases could be quoted where a officer entering gazetted service through PSC is “promoted” as I/C Executive Engineer subject to clearance by DPC, is again promoted as I/C Superintending Engineer without formal regularization as Executive Engineer, is again promoted from I/ C Superintending Engineer as I/C Chief Engineer subject to clearance by DPC and even retired as I/C Chief Engineer with pension in the grade of AEE ( Sh. S. K. Raina appointed as AEE in J&K PDD on 17-11-87 / appointed EE on 26-04-2001/ was promoted as I/C SE in 2006 / further promoted as I/C Chief Engineer had retired in 2008 without regularisation and was getting pension in the grade of EE even in 2022).
Even in 2024 the position with regard to the UT / State gazetted cadres like Engineering Gazetted Service has not improved on the overall worth appreciation (No doubt in recent years with intimate interest shown by officers like Shailendra Kumar IAS (1995) as Principal Secretary PWD (R&B) back log of files of some retired senior engineers and even working engineers is said to have been cleared) even when lately provisions for Time Bound grade Promotions / Non-Functional (Monetary) Scheme – NFS {some thing like Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Higher Standard Pay Scale Scheme) Rules, 1996 ( effective 01-01-1995)} have been created for some Gazetted services (like Allopathic Doctors in the form of Non- Functional (NF) / Time Bound GradePromotions {G.O No:595-HME of 1988 dated: 2/07/1988 & G.O No.388-HME of 2005 Dated : 30-06-2005 (10,15,20yrs) , ISM Doctors ( G.O No.493-HME of 1999 dated 05.10.1999 &G.O No.242-HME of 2008 ) , Vetarinary Doctors ( After 10,15,20 years SRO 43 No:. A/98(2001)-115 dated 17/11/ 2005 &in terms of a Cabinet Decision vide G.O no.3- ASH of 2010 of January 2010 ), JKAS Offficers Jr Sclae -9300-34800 G P4800 (Notofication SRO-198 Dated 25-04-2018 < after 10yr- Senior Scale (NF)15600-39100 GP6600 [Level 11 (67700-208700)]; after 14 yrs Selection Grade (NF) -15600-39100 GP7600 Level 12 (Rs. 78800-209200);after 18yrs Special Scale -37400- 67000GP8700> level 13 (Rs. 123100-215900)) and JKPS officers-9300-34800GP4800 SRO-215 of 18-05-2018 <10yr Junior Scale of JKPS -15600-39100 GP6600,14 yrs Selection Grade-Il -15600 -39100GP7600,18yrs Selection Grade-l -37400-67000GP8700>}}, where in, where ever the promotions in line with service regulations are not provided some relief in time ( upto 3 non functional grade promotions without status ) have been put in place which remains with the officer even after superannuation for pension even if the status equivalent to grade held is not accorded while in service . But J&K Gazetted Engineering Service which has been a service of ‘prime’ category even in early 1960s with Graduate Engr. entering Service through PSC in pay scale which was higher { refer J&K Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 1962, sanctioned vide Notification No. SRO-160 dated 6-8-1962. Astt Engineer pay scale was upto 300-700/750 till grade was revised to 540-950 wef 01-07-1972} than the pay scale for those entering general state services like “KCS”/ VAS/Dental service/ Ayurvedic Service / Statistical service / and like but the J&K Gazetted Engineering Services have not been given relief like Non-Functional (Monetary) Scheme – It was reported on 11-05-2018 that J&K Cabinet had accorded sanction to implementation of something like the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme in respect of the Gazetted Engg Services so as to ensure a minimum of 3 Time Bound promotions in a span of 20 years and had authorised the Finance Department to notify the Scheme . But that had remained a paper news only. There are a very very few cases on record where a Assistant Engineer has been promoted to AEE in two yrs or AE promoted as EE in 8 yrs in terms of service rules. Not only that on date the pay scale of SE and Chief Engineer is same and even after 33 yrs of service one entering via PSC can rise to Level 13 only.
So, question is why the position with regards to service matters , 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 ‘(wages wise ) particularly for the Gazetted Engineering Services with J&K Government.
To be continued
(The writer is a Sr Journalist and Social Activist).