Cut-off eligibility date for promotion and calculation of vacancies including chain vacancies – reg.

 Cut-off eligibility date for promotion and calculation of vacancies including chain vacancies – reg.

No. 25-10/2014-SPG

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & IT

Department of Posts

(Personnel Division)

*******

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,

New Delhi - 110 001.

Dated: 9^th July, 2014

To

1.      All Chief Postmasters General

2.      All Postmasters General

Subject:          Cut-off eligibility date for promotion and calculation of vacancies including chain vacancies – reg.

Sir/Madam,

            I am directed to refer to above mentioned subject and to enclose herewith an O.M. No. 22011/6/2013-Estt(D) dated 28.05.2014 issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DOP&T) vide which it has been provided that the crucial date of eligibility shall be 1^st April of the vacancy year in case of financial year based vacancy year i.e. where the Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) are written financial year-wise and in case of calendar year based vacancy year i.e. where APARs are written calendar year-wise, the crucial date of eligibility shall remain as 1^st January of the vacancy year. These instructions shall come into force in respect of vacancy year 2015-16 (financial year) commencing from 1^st April, 2015 and vacancy year 2015 (calendar year) commencing from 1^st January, 2015 and shall, accordingly, be applicable to all such subsequent vacancy years.

2.         In respect of all the cadres of the Department of Posts, the APAR of the officials/officers are written financial year-wise and, hence, system of eligibility cut-off date and calculation of vacancies will be financial year-wise from the year 2015-16 onwards in accordance with ibid DOP&T OM for all the cadres. Therefore, the existing system of calendar year for the Circle cadres, wherever being followed, will come to an end with the end of current calendar year i.e. 2014 with advent of new system. The vacancies arising during the period from 1^st January to 31^st March, 2015 will be merged with the vacancies arising during the financial year 2015-16. This will be first and last kind of adjustment to ensure smooth transition to new system having uniformity cross all the cadres in the Department of Posts so far as calculation of vacancies and eligibility cut-off date are concerned.

3.         With regard to ‘Chain Vacancies’, it is mentioned that in Para 7 of DOP&T OM No. 22011/9/98-Estt (D) dated 08.09.1998 (copy enclosed), it is provided that “existing and clear anticipated vacancies in a grade as well as chain vacancies on account of retirement etc. in the higher grades, which can be clearly anticipated in the same vacancy year, may be taken into account by the DPC. Subsequently, DOP&T vide their OM No. 22011/9/98-Estt (D) dated 06.10.1999 (copy enclosed) issued further instructions on the issue in consultation with the UPSC stating that chain vacancies on account of retirement etc. in the higher grades in a vacancy (panel) year shall include the vacancies which can be clearly anticipated as likely to become available in the concerned grade by promotion of officers of the Service to higher grades during that vacancy (panel) year. Therefore, it is evident that seniority quota vacancies arising in higher grades in a vacancy year will percolate down to the lower cadres/grades and should be taken into account along with the clear vacancies arising in a particular lower grade.

4.         Keeping in view the above instructions of DOP&T, it has been decided that:

(I)        For eligibility cut-off date and calculation of vacancies:

(a)    System of eligibility cut-off date and calculation of vacancies will be financial year-wise from the year 2015-16 onwards in accordance with ibid DOP&T OM for all the cadres in the Department and the eligibility cut-off date will be 1^st April.

(b)   The existing system of calendar year of the Circle cadres, wherever being followed, will come to an end with the end of current calendar year i.e. 2014 with advent of new system.

(c)    The vacancies arising during the period from 1^st January to 31^st March, 2015 will be merged with the vacancies arising during the financial year 2015-16. This will be first and last kind of adjustment to ensure smooth transition to new system having uniformity across all the cadres in the Department of Posts so far as calculation of vacancies and eligibility cut-off date are concerned.

(II)       For calculation and inclusion of ‘Chain Vacancies’:

(a)    In respect of taking into account the chain vacancies of Postal Service Group ‘B’/Sr. Postmaster and above cadres (which are all India cadres) for Circle’s cadres, a Circle will take into account vacancies arising from HAG to PS Group ‘B’/Sr. Postmaster cadres due to death/retirement/ resignation/deputation/ VR etc. in that Circle in a particular recruitment year as chain vacancies for lower cadres in addition to existing/anticipated vacancies in the said lower cadre arising in that vacancy year. For example, if a CPMG (in HAG) retires in a Circle, the said Circle will take into account that vacancy as chain vacancy in all the Circle level cadres. Similarly, it will be applicable to vacancies arising in SAG, JAG, STS, JTS & PS Group ‘B’, Sr. Postmaster cadres in the hierarchy concerned in that Circle.

(b)   Circle will factor in the vacancies arising in a vacancy year in Circle level Group ‘B’ cadres viz. ASPs, IPS, HSG-I, HSG-II, PM Grade-III, PM Grade-II etc. as chain vacancies for feeder cadres (lower cadres) in the hierarchy concerned in addition to existing/anticipated vacancies in the said lower cadre arising in that vacancy year.

(c)    Circle will undertake similar exercise for other Circle cadres while working out the ‘chain vacancies’ and existing/anticipated vacancies of a cadre.

5.         A sheet showing the tree of chain vacancies upto Group ‘B’ cadres is also annexed for facilitating effective and correct calculation of vacancies.

6.         It is requested to ensure compliance and action as per the above in respect of cut-off eligibility date for promotion and calculation of vacancies including chain vacancies.

DA: As above

(Raj Kumar)

Director (Staff)

Telfax: 011-23096103 

No.22011/6/2013-Estt(D)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

(Department of Personnel and Training)

North Block, New Delhi

Dated the 28^th May, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: - Eligibility of officers to be considered for promotion by DPC- Fixing of Crucial Date – Regarding.

***

            The undersigned is directed to invite reference to the Department of Personnel and Training’s Office Memorandum No. 22011/3/98-Estt(D) dated September 17, 1998 regarding subject mentioned above, which provides that the crucial date for determining eligibility for promotion in case of financial year-based vacancy year would fall on January 1, immediately preceding such vacancy year and in case of calendar year-based vacancy year also, the first day of the vacancy year i.e. 1^st January itself would be the crucial date.

2.         In case of financial year-based vacancy year, there is a clear gap of 3 months between the crucial date of eligibility and the date of commencement of vacancy year i.e. between January 1 and April 1. Due to this gap, for any such vacancy year, even if the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting is held in time as per the Model Calendar, there is always a possibility of few officers not fulfilling the eligibility criteria as on the crucial date of eligibility, though they are fulfilling the same as on the date of commencement of the vacancy year.

3.         The matter has been examined in consultation with Union Public Service Commission. It has been decided that the crucial date of eligibility shall be 1^st April of the vacancy year in case of financial year based vacancy year i.e. where the Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) are written financial year-wise. In case of calendar year based vacancy year, i.e. where APARs are written calendar year-wise, the crucial date of eligibility shall remain as 1^st January of the vacancy year. These instructions shall come into force in respect of vacancy year 2015-16 (financial year) commencing from April 1, 2015 and vacancy year 2015 (calendar year) commencing from January 1, 2015 and shall, accordingly, be applicable to all such subsequent vacancy years.

4.         These instructions shall be applicable to all services/posts. All Ministries/Departments are requested to bring these instructions to the notice of all concerned including attached and subordinate offices.

(Mukta Goel)

Director(E-I)

Tele. No. 23092479

All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India.

MOST IMMEDIATE

No.22011/9/98-Estt(D)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

(Department of Personnel and Training)

North Block, New Delhi 110001

September 8, 1998

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Procedure to be observed by the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) – MODEL CALENDAR FOR DPCs and related matters-

            The undersigned is directed to invite reference to the Department of Personnel and Training Office Memorandum No.22011/5/86-Estt(D) dated April 10, 1989 containing consolidated instructions on DPCs. These instructions inter-alia provide that the DPCs should be convened at regular intervals (by laying down a time-schedule for this purpose) to draw panels which could be utilized for making promotions against the vacancies occurring during the course of a year. This enjoins upon the concerned authorities to initiate action to fill up the existing as well as anticipated vacancies well in advance of the expiry of the previous panel by collecting relevant documents like seniority list, Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), integrity certificates, etc for placing before the DPCs. The instructions further provide that the DPCs should consider ACRs for equal number of years in respect of all officers considered for promotion. The DPCs should assess the suitability of the officers for promotion on the basis of their service records and with particular reference to the ACRs for five preceding years. However, in cases where the required qualifying service is more than five years, the DPCs should see the records with particular reference to the ACTs for the years equal to the required qualifying service. Instructions further provide that no proposal for holding a DPC or Selection Committee should be sent to the UPSC until and unless all the ACRs, complete and up-to-date, are available.

2.         The importance of keeping the ACR dossiers up-to-date and of timely convening of DPCs cannot be over-emphasised. Instances have, however, come to the notice of the Department of Personnel and Training where the DPCs could not be held in time owing to non-availability of complete ACR dossiers of the officers in the zone of consideration and also for lack of prompt administrative action. This invariably delays promotions resulting in considerable frustration among the officials, thereby adversely affecting their morale and overall productivity. As such, some remedial action in this regard has become essential.

3.1       Keeping the aforesaid objective in view, it has been considered imperative to provide for a time-schedule, for convening DPCs not only in time but in sufficient advance also so as to utilize the prepared panel as and when the vacancies arise during the course of the vacancy year. For practical reasons, it is also considered desirable to have separate time-schedules for cases requiring approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and cases which do not require such approval. Accordingly in order to complete all required action, including the approval of the competent authority, well in time (before the commencement of the panel or vacancy year), the administrative action for convening DPCs, in the cases requiring approval of the ACC (ACC cases), could, as such, be initiated at least eight and a half months before the commencement of the vacancy year and, similarly, DPCs in such cases could be held at least four months before the commencement of the vacancy year. This means that there would be a clear period of the first three and a half months of the year immediately preceding the vacancy/panel year available for completion of the ACRs etc., followed by another four and a half months’ time for holding of DPCs. The next one month could be devoted to the post-DPC follow-up administrative action by the administrative Ministry/ Department. The final three months’ period prior to the commencement of the vacancy year could be left for approval of the Competent Authority (the ACC).

3.2       In relation to the cases which do not require approval of the ACC (non- ACC cases), the aforesaid time-schedule could follow a different pattern in regard to various activities as discussed above. This is considered desirable to give sufficient time to the UPSC for holding DPCs in such cases. Accordingly, the administrative action for convening DPCs in such cases could be initiated at least eight months before the commencement of the vacancy year and, similarly, DPCs could be held at least two months before the commencement of the vacancy year. This means that there would clearly be the first four months of the year immediately preceding the vacancy/panel year available for completion of ACRs, etc., followed by another six months’ time for holding of DPCs. The final two months could, as such, be devoted to the post-DPC follow-up administrative action, including approval of the Competent Authority. The aforesaid time-schedule, both in ‘ACC’ and ‘non-ACC’ cases, may be sufficient by any reckoning. Thus, the Model Calendar of events for ACC/non-ACC cases may follow the following illustrative pattern and the DPCs may ordinarily be held accordingly:-

SUGGESTED MODEL CALENDAR FOR DPCs

EVENTS	FINANCIAL YEAR-BASED	CALENDER YEAR-BASED
(1)	(2)	(3)
(i) Vacancy year	2000-2001	2000
(ii) Crucial date for determining eligibility	January 1, 2000	January 1, 2000
ACC CASES [Cases where ACC approval is required (including SAG/HAG grades/posts)]
(A) Completion of ACRs/Integrity Certificates/ Vigilance clearance/Seniority List/Penalty and Vacancy Position etc and forwarding DPC proposal to the UPSC.	April – July 15, 1999	January – April 15, 1999
(B) Last date for sending complete proposal along with relevant Recruitment/Service Rules to the UPSC. (Effort should be made to send the proposal to the UPSC as soon as possible without waiting for the last date).	July 15, 19999	April 15, 1999
(C) DPC to be held	July 15, - November, 1999	April 15 – August, 1999
(D) On receipt of DPC minutes from the UPSC, post-DPC follow-up action by the administrative Ministry/Department.	December, 1999	September, 1999
(E) Approval of the ACC including communication of its approval to the administrative Ministry/ Department.	January – March, 2000	October – December, 1999
(F) Last date for getting ready the approved select panel by the administrative Ministry/Department.	March 31, 2000	December 31, 1999
NOTE:-Dates/periods suggested in the Model Calendar for DPC put no bar on earlier completion of various pre/post-DPC related actions. Every effort may, as such, be made for taking speedy action in the matter without waiting for the last date or completion of the period as suggested by the Model Calendar for DPCs.
Non-ACC CASES [Other grades/posts (with/without association of the UPSC)]
(A) Completion of ACRs/Integrity Certificates/ Vigilance clearance/Seniority List/Penalty and Vacancy position etc and forwarding DPC proposal to the UPSC.	April – July, 1999	January – April, 1999
(B) Last date for sending complete proposal along with relevant Recruitment/Service Rules to the UPSC. (Effort should be made to send the proposal to the UPSC as soon as possible without waiting for the last date).	July 31, 1999	April 30, 1999
(C) DPC to be held	August, 1999 – January, 2000	May – October, 1999
(D) On receipt of DPC minutes from the UPSC, post-DPC follow-up action (including approval of the Competent Authority) by the administrative Ministry/Department.	February – March, 2000	November – December, 1999
(E) Last date for getting ready the approved select panel by the administrative Ministry/Department.	March 31, 2000	December 31, 1999
NOTE:-Dates/periods suggested in the Model Calendar for DPC put no bar on earlier completion of various pre/post-DPC related actions. Every effort may, as such, be made for taking speedy action in the matter without waiting for the last date or completion of the period as suggested by the Model Calendar for DPC.

4.         As already pointed out in para-2 above, the success of the Model Calendar would depend on the Ministries/Departments furnishing the complete proposal to the UPSC with relevant ACRs, integrity certificate, copy of Recruitment/Service Rules, seniority list, penalty statement and correct vacancy position, etc. In accordance with the direction contained in Cabinet Secretary’s D.O. letter No.DOPT/39022/7/97-Estt(B) dated November 19, 1997 addressed to all Secretaries to Government of India, while referring the DPC proposals to the UPSC, the Joint Secretary (Administration) of the Ministry/Department concerned would certify that the information and documents have been furnished in accordance with check-lists prescribed by the Department of Personnel and Training vide its Office Memorandum No.22011/5/86-Estt(D) dated April 10, 1989 read with Office Memorandum No.22011/6/86-Estt(D) dated May 30, 1986.

5.         In terms of the Department of Personnel and Training Office Memorandum No.22011/9/89-Estt(D) dated October 17, 1994 for preparation of select panel, Ministries/Departments may calculate the vacancies for reporting to DPC on financial year basis where ACRs are written financial year-wise and on calendar year basis where ACRs are written calendar year-wise. The items of work relating to calculation of vacancies arising on various dates in the relevant vacancy year may be completed strictly as per schedule prescribed in the suggested Model Calendar for intimation to the UPSC/DPCs.

6.         If there is a need for preparing a second and subsequent panels for the same vacancy/panel year, consideration of the ACRs in such a situation may be restricted to the year upto which these were taken into account while preparing the original select panel. This would ensure application of a uniform yardstick with reference to all such select panels for the same vacancy/panel year.

7.         In accordance with the existing instructions, the DPC is required to take into account the existing and clear anticipated vacancies in the concerned grade only. The chain vacancies in the higher grade are taken into account only if an appointment has already been made to the higher grade as on the date of the DPC. Unless actual appointment in the higher grade is made, even retirement vacancies in the higher grade are not taken into account as the same may arise by appointment subsequently. Since in accordance with the suggested Model Calendar being prescribed herein the panels for all the grades may be available on the first day of the vacancy year, it is expected that all chain vacancies may become available during the same vacancy year. Accordingly, for the sake of uniform procedure, it is provided that a DPC for a grade may take into account all clear expected vacancies by retirement etc in the concerned grade as well as chain vacancies on account of retirement etc in the higher grades which can be clearly anticipated in the same vacancy year.

8.         As per the Model Calendar, since the DPC would be convened in the year preceding the vacancy year, the DPC may have to consider some of the officers who are to retire in the vacancy year itself. There may be similar other eventualities. Therefore, in order to have effective panels, DPC may have to provide for an extended panel subject to the parameters prescribed vide this Department’s Office Memorandum No.22011/18/87-Estt(D) dated April 9, 1996.

9.         The crucial date for determining eligibility in case of financial year-based vacancy year would fall on January 1, immediately preceding such vacancy year and in case of calendar year-based vacancy year also, the first day of the vacancy year i.e. January 1 itself would be taken as the crucial date. To illustrate the point, January 1, 2000 would be the crucial date for the vacancy year 2000 (calendar year) as well as vacancy year 2000-2001 (financial year).

10.       With a view to providing adequate time for circulation/general awareness of these instructions, it is considered desirable to make the aforesaid Model Calendar for DPCs operational with effect from April 1, 1999 in relation to the financial year-based vacancy year (2000-2001) commencing from April 1, 2000. In the case of calendar year-based vacancy year commencing from January 1, 2000, the Model DPC Calendar may take operational effect from January 1, 1999. In keeping with the decision noted in para-9 above to adopt, on uniform basis, January 1 as the crucial date for determining eligibility, it is provided that January 1, 2000 may be adopted as the crucial date in relation to the vacancy years commending from January 1/April 1, 2000.

11.       As for practical reasons, it may not be possible to adopt the aforesaid Model Calendar for DPC in relation to the transitory vacancy years commencing from January 1/April 1, 1999, it is considered adequate, in order to accelerate DPC-related activities, to provide that efforts should be made by the Ministries/Departments to hold the DPC meetings and preparation of panels in advance even for these transitory vacancy years without waiting for the latest ACRs. The crucial date for determining eligibility would, however, in keeping with the decision noted in para-9, fall on January 1, 1999 in relation to these transitory vacancy years commencing from January 1/April 1, 1999.

12.       All Ministries/Departments are requested to take note of the above clarifications/modifications of the existing instructions for wide circulation on priority basis and strict compliance so that the desired as per the aforesaid prescribed time-frame may be achieved.

13.       Hindi version will follow.

(K.K. JHA)

DIRECTOR(Establishment)

To

            All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India.

IMMEDIATE

No.22011/9/98-Estt(D)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions

(Department of Personnel and Training)

New Delhi-110001

October 6, 1999

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Procedure to be observed by the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) – Model Calendar for DPCs – “CHAIN VACANCIES” – clarification regarding –

            The undersigned is directed to invite reference to the Department of Personnel and Training Office Memorandum of even number dated September 8, 1998 on the subject cited above. Paragrah-7 of the said Office Memorandum, inter-alia, provides that DPC for the concerned grade may take into account the existing and clear anticipated vacancies due to retirement, etc in the concerned grade as well as “chain vacancies” on account of retirement etc in the higher grades which can be clearly anticipated in the same vacancy year. References are being received in the Department of Personnel and Training seeking clarifications as to whether the “chain vacancies” in the higher grades may include vacancies arising on account of promotion also in the higher grades.

2.         The aforesaid matter has been considered in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission. Accordingly, it is hereby clarified that the “chain  vacancies on account of retirement, etc in the higher grades in a vacancy (panel) year shall include:-

The vacancies which can be clearly anticipated as likely to become available in the concerned grade by promotion of officers of the service to higher grades during that vacancy (panel) year. (Expected promotion to the higher grades under the Model Calendar for DPCs would normally be against vacancies arising by retirement in all the higher grades/hierarchy – as per paragraph 7 of the Office Memorandum dated September 8, 1998).

            For the sake of illustration, if a panel is being prepared for promotion of JTS, the chain vacancies in the higher grades in that vacancy (panel) year shall include vacancies arising on account of retirement in STS, JAG, NFSG and SAG etc in the same panel year i.e. if four officers are retiring in STS, three officers in JAG and two in NFSG and one in SAG in the panel year, the total number of anticipated chain vacancies for JTS in the said panel year shall be 10.

3.         With the Model Calendar for DPCs coming into operation, panels for various grades of a cadre would become available well in time. Moreover, in terms of paragraph 6 of the Departmental of Personnel and Training Office Memorandum No.22011/9/98-Estt(D) dated 8.9.1998, an occasion may arise necessitating preparation of a fresh panel for the same year/grade during the currency of the earlier panel prepared for the purpose. It shall, therefore, be ensured that officers included in the earlier panel are promoted before officers from the next panel are picked up.

4.         Ministries/Departments are requested to give wide circulation to these clarifications for general guidance in the matter and to ensure strict adherence to the time-schedule prescribed in the Model Calendar for DPCs including the position clarified in the preceding paragraphs for successful operation of these instructions.

5.         Hindi version will follow.

( K.K. Jha )

Director(Establishment)

To:-

All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India