APPOINTMENTS BRANCH  

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            Items of work dealt with in Appointments Branch

            Appointments by promotion, appointments by transfer/deputation etc. are dealt with in Appointments Branch. The specific items of work dealt with in this Branch are: -

(i)         Proposals from various Ministries/Union Territories for convening meetings of the DPCs for promotions;           

(ii)        Appointments   by transfer on deputation/transfer (Absorption);

(iii)       Re-employment;          

(iv)       Proposals from Ministries etc. for appointment of officers to upgraded posts;

(v)        Proposals regarding choice of a particular method of recruitment out of several laid down in the Recruitment Rules; and

(vi)       Relaxation of provisions of recruitment rules/Diversion of SC/ST vacancies from promotion to direct recruitments.

The work handled by the Appointment Wing as regards Promotion to Civil Services and Posts in Ministries/Departments/UTs., Promotion to Central Services, Appointment on Deputation/Absorption, Confirmation etc.  for the year 2002-03 to 2004-2005 is indicated at Appendix-IV.

The Court Cases, broadly, related to the following areas / aspects are being received in the Appointments Branch:

(i)         Non-promotion/supersession

            -           Failure to achieve the benchmark. 

-           Non-communication of ACRs below benchmark on the analogy of the UP Jal Nigam case.

-           Procedural flaws in writing of ACRs and consequent prayer for ignoring/ upgradation of the relevant ACRs.

-           ACRs not being assessed properly by DPC.

(ii)        Regularisation of ad hoc appointments.

(iii)       Delay/non-holding of the DPCs even though the vacancies are available.

(iv)   Higher grading on account of shouldering higher responsibilities/posts on temporary/ad-hoc deputation - benefit of Shambu’s case.

(v)        Cases relating to concessions available to SC/ST candidates who are senior enough to be in the zone of consideration but are not within the number of vacancies.

  (vi)       In the composite method of appointment where mode of recruitment as per        RR is promotion/deputation/transfer, the claim is being made by          departmental officers to treat promotion as first method, failing which only         mode of deputation/transfer to be resorted.

 APPOINTMENTS BRANCH

          Promotion can be perceived as a reward for both long standing as well as meritorious service.  An impartial assessment of these parameters is of paramount importance to a government servant. To achieve this objective of impartiality and fair play, the Government has associated the Commission with all promotion cases of Group ‘A’ services, where promotion is made on the basis of selection by merit.  The Commission discharges this responsibility through its Appointments Branch

ORGANIZATION

The organizational structure of the Branch can be seen from the chart given at  Annexure-1

FUNCTIONS
   

The Appointments Branch deals with two basic modes of recruitment as prescribed in statutory recruitment rules. These are :     

i)                    Appointment by promotion, and

ii)                  Appointment by deputation/absorption.

  The  procedure for making appointments under these modes is discussed below:-

 I.       Appointment by promotion.

           The Appointments Branch receives proposals from various Ministries/Union Territories and from certain local bodies under Art.321 of the Constitution, for convening meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) to consider selection of officers for promotion to all those Group ‘A’ posts where the recruitment rules prescribe promotion on selection by merit as the method of recruitment. DPC meetings are held  in accordance with the instructions issued by the Govt,. i.e. the DOP&T in consultation with UPSC, from time to time.

Constitution of DPC

The composition of the DPC is spelt out in the Rectt. Rules and  no substitution for any member is allowed in the prescribed composition.

 Procedures followed in DPC cases

Proposals for convening meetings of the DPCs for promotion are examined to ensure that the appointments of the officers being considered for promotion are regular; the seniority lists have been properly drawn up and there is no discrepancy in the seniority lists furnished and the one placed before the DPC on the previous occasion. The DPC proposals must also be accompanied by integrity certificates, vigilance clearance as also details of major/minor penalties imposed on the officer during the last ten years in respect of all the eligible officers.

The proposals which are found complete and in order are submitted to the Hon’ble Chairman for nomination of a Member to preside over the DPC.

Review/Supplementary DPC

The proceedings of the DPC are reviewed only if the DPC has not taken all material facts into consideration or if material facts have not been brought to the notice of the DPC or if there have been  grave errors in  the procedure followed by the DPC.  Thus, it  may be necessary to convene Review DPCs to rectify certain unintentional  mistakes e.g.

(i)                 Where eligible officers were omitted to be considered; or

(ii)               Where ineligible persons were considered by mistake’ and

(iii)             Where the seniority of a person is revised with retrospective effect

resulting in a variance of the seniority list placed before  the DPC; or

(a)               Where some procedural irregularity was committed by a DPC; or

(b)               Where adverse remarks in the CRs were toned down or expunged after the DPC had considered the case of the officer.

Supplementary DPC

Supplementary DPC is held if any vacancies arise for the same year for which DPC has already been held.

Sealed cover procedure

In respect of officers under suspension, or against whom disciplinary/court proceedings are pending (Charge sheet issued/filed in court) the findings of the DPC are to be kept in a separate sealed cover in accordance with the instructions contained in the Department of Personnel & Training OM No. 22011/4/91-Estt (A) dated 14.9.92.

The Review DPC follows the sealed cover procedure as was followed by the original DPC vide DOP&T OM No.22011/2/99-Estt.(A) dated 21/11/2002 .

Certificate by members of DPC

A member of the DPC or the Officer who will be representing the department in a Selection Committee should furnish a certificate stating that none of his close relatives is being considered by the DPC and that he is otherwise also not interested in any particular candidate(s).

2.                  Model Calendar

In accordance with the instructions issued by the Department of Personnel & Training, the panels for promotion are expected to be ready on first day of the vacancy year with the implementation of the Model Calendar with effect from January 1, 1999 .  The receipt of proposals according to the Model Calendar is monitored in  the Appointment Wing.

Reservation  for  SCs/STs

Instructions have been issued from time to time by the Department of Personnel & Training regarding reservations and concessions and  SCs and STs in the matter of promotion.

The Ministries/Departments are required to follow these instructions.  In the Apptts. Wing also, it is ensured that the posts reserved for SC/STs are truly reflected in the proposal and necessary documents , therefore, are made available by the Ministries/Departments.

The DOP&T has introduced of  Post Based Roster in place  of vacancy Based Roster vide their OM No.36012/2/96-Estt.(Res) dated 2.7.1997.  Further, the DOP&T for ensuring correct intimation of No. of vacancies reserved for SCs/STs has added a new para 7(f) in the Modified  Check List vide their OM No.22012/1/99-Estt.(D) dated 20.4.2004.  According to this para, a certificate from the Liaison Officer(SC/ST) of the Ministry/Department to the effect that the number of posts reserved for SC/ST have been checked by him and found to be in order is required to be attached to all DPC proposals where reservation is applicable.

The DOP&T vide DPC Guidelines dated 10.4.1989 {para 6.3.2(i)}  directed that in promotion by selections to posts/services within GROUP ‘A’ which  carry an ultimate salary of Rs.5700/- p.m. in revised sale, the SCs/STs officers, who are senior enough in the zone of consideration for promotion so as to be within the number of vacancies for which select list is to be drawn up, would notwithstanding  the prescription of ‘benchmark’ be included in that list provided they are not considered unfit for promotion.

Zone of consideration for SCs/STs

The DOP&T has laid down that where the adequate number of SC/ST candidates are not available within the normal field of choice as indicated above, the field of choice may be extended to five times the number of vacancies and the SC/ST( and not any other) coming within the extended field of choice be considered against the vacancies reserved for them.

Assessment of Officers

Confidential Rolls are the basic inputs on the basis of which assessment is to be made  by each DPC.   The excluation of CRs should be fair, just and non-discriminatory.  An officer attaining at least 4 bench mark gradings out of the 5 ACRs should be assessed as fit for promotion and that this decision should be applicable to all DPCs pertaining to the vacancy year  2003-04 and subsequent years. Those offices who are graded “unfit” ( in terms of the prescribed bench mark) by the DPC should not be included in the select panel.

Relaxation of provisions of the Recruitment Rules

The proposals for relaxation of the provisions of the RRs are considered by the Commission on merit in each case in the light of the guidelines adopted by them vide their circular No.10/14/90-AU(Coordn) dated 29.1.1991.  All such proposals are required to be forwarded to UPSC after prior consultation/concurrence of the DOP&T.

3.       Appointment by Deputation / Absorption (Transfer):

The Commission is required to be consulted in all cases where the Recruitment Rules provide that consultation with the Union Public Service Commission is necessary for filling up of posts by deputation/absorption e.g.

 (i)            Where a Group `B` officer of the Central Govt. is proposed to be appointed to a Group `A` post; or

 

(ii)           Where an officer of the State Govt, Union Territory, Public Sector Undertaking, Recognized Research Institution, University & Semi-Govt./Autonomous Organization is proposed to be appointed to a post under Central Govt. on deputation (including short-term contract basis; or in case of lateral induction/deputation/re-employment of ex-servicemen to a post under the Central Govt. which has not been classified as a tenure post in consultation with the Commission;   or

 

(iii)          Where a post is required to be filled up by composite method viz. Promotion/Deputation and for absorption of officers who had initially been appointed on deputation in consultation with the Commission.

 

The proposal must be accompanied by Annual Confidential Reports of preceding five years , integrity certificates, vigilance clearance, details of major/minor penalties impugned on the officer during the last ten years in respect of all the officers who are eligible for consideration.  The proposals are submitted to the Hon`ble Chairman for nomination of a Member to preside over the Selection Committee Meeting / Selection Committee Meeting (Personal Talk).

 The Ministries/Departments of the Government of India are required to observe the consolidated instructions on procedure to be followed for filling up vacancies by deputation (including short term contract)/absorption issued by the Department of Personnel & Training after consultation with the Commission vide their OM No. AB.1401771/89-Estt.(RR) dated 3.10.89 as revised from time to time. While making reference to the Commission for making selection, the following information/documents should be sent :

 i.                    Proforma for referring proposal to UPSC for selection of officers for appointment on deputation/transfer (including short term contract) (annexure ‘B’ to the OM dated 3.10.89) duly filled in along with checklist.

ii.                  Copy of Recruitment Rules.

iii.                Copy of vacancy Circular.

iv.                 Copy of Extract of Employment News.

v.                   Applications in respect of both eligible and ineligible candidates in the proforma at Annexure ‘A’ to the OM dated 3.10.89.

vi.                 Comparative Statement of all applicants along with eligibility analysis.

vii.               Cadre clearance/IC/VC/List of penalties if any imposed during last 10 years in respect of eligible applicants.

viii.             Seniority list of feeder grade officers if mode of recruitment is composite i.e. promotion/transfer on deputation/transfer (including short term contract)

ix.                 Job description/duties attached to the post.

x.                   Complete and up-to-date ACRs or attested photo copies thereof for the last 5 years.

 Extension of period of deputation.

 In certain cases , approval of Commission is not necessary for extension of period of deputation.

The Department of Personnel & Training have delegated powers to Ministries/Departments  vide their O.M No. 2/12/87-Estt(Pay-III) dated 29.4.1988 to extend the period of deputation of officers by not more than one year where the word  ‘ordinarily’ is used in the recruitment rules to govern the period of deputation.  In cases where the period of deputation mentioned in the Recruitment Rules is 5 years or more, consultation with UPSC would always be necessary.  For extending the period of deputation for the period beyond the second year in excess of the panel prescribed in the Recruitment Rules or beyond the fifth year, prior approval of DOP&T is required.  However, in all cases where the Recruitment Rules were framed in consultation with the Commission and appointments on deputation were made in consultation with the Commission, the proposals for extension of deputation require approval of the Commission.

 4.         Re-Employment

 The general policy of the government is that no proposal for re-employment beyond the age of superannuation should ordinarily be considered.  Re-employment after the date of superannuation is treated as adhoc appointment and the criterion and procedure for the same have been provided in Department of Personnel OM No. 26011/1/77-Estt (B) dated 18.5.77.  The Commission need not be consulted in this matter, except where the recruitment rules provide for re-employment as a method of recruitment. In such cases, the proposal should be made to the Commission for selecting an officer for appointment on re-employment basis in accordance with the provisions of the recruitment rules.

Re employment for ex-servicemen as provided in recruitment rules is dealt along with cases of deputation/absorption.

 5.         Relaxation of the provisions of recruitment rules
The proposals for relaxation of the provisions of RRs are considered by the Commission over merit in each case, in the light of the guidelines adopted by them vide their circular No. F.10/14/90-AU (Coordn.) dated 29.1.91.  All such proposals are required to be forwarded to UPSC after prior consultation/concurrence of the DOP&T.