R.B.E. No. 195/2001 

Subject: Counting of broken periods of officiating in higher grade towards increment.

[No. F(E)II 2001/FOP/1, dated 5.10.2001]

            Recently in the PNM meeting Staff Side raised the issue of counting of broken periods of officiating in higher grade towards increment when one is promoted to that higher grade on regular basis. 

            In this connection attention is drawn to Advance Correction Slips No. 14 and 15, which were issued consequent upon amendment to FRs, vide this office letter No. F(E)II 89/FR-1/1, dated 12.12.1991 (Bahri's 198/91, p.254). Under provisio 1(i) of FR 22 (1) viz. [1313 (1)] it has been stated that when a Government Servant is appointed to the same post which he had held previously in a substantive or officiating basis, his initial pay fixed in that post under FR 22(I) viz [1313(I)] should not be less than the pay which he drew on the last occasion and he shall count the period during which he drew that pay in such last and any previous occasions for increment in the stage of the time scale equivalent to that pay. It seems the instructions have not been clearly understood.

            The following illustration would clarify the rule further.

            Supposing a Railway Servant drawing pay of Rs. 4,600 w.e.f. 1.3.1996 in the pay scale of Rs. 4,000 – 6,000 had been promoted on ad-hoc basis on two occasions in the pay scale of Rs. 4,500 – 7,000. When he is promoted on regular basis, say on 1.11.1997, he shall be entitled to the following pay from time to time.

                                                      Lower grade post               Higher grade post

                                                    4000-100-6000                    4500-125-7000

1.3.1996                                                                                4600

1.6.1996 to 31.8.1996                   -                                     4750[under FR 22(I)(a)(i)]   

(Promoted to higher post on ad-hoc basis)                            

1.9.1996 (Reverted)                       4600

1.3.1997 (increment)                      4700

1.6.1997 to 31.8.1997                   -                                            4875

(Promoted on ad-hoc basis)           

 

1.9.1997 (Reverted)                       4700                                     -

1.11.1997                                      -                                            4875

(Promoted on regular basis)

   On 1.11.1997 when he is promoted on regular basis to the same higher post, his pay is fixed at the stage of Rs. 4,875. His pay at that stage drawn in the same post on the previous occasion from 1.6.1997 to 31.8.1997 is protected. Date of his next increment will be 1.8.1998 (instead of 1.11.1998), the period of three months from 1.6.1997 to 31.8.1997 during which he drew pay at Rs. 4,875 being counted for increment at that stage of the time-scale vide Proviso (1)(i) of FR 22(I) [1313(i)]. 

            However, the period of earlier ad-hoc promotion from 1.6.1996 to 31.8.1996 will not count because pay drawn during that period was less than the pay fixed on regular promotion. In other words, in case the pay fixed on regular promotion happens to be more than the pay fixed on earlier occasion(s) of ad-hoc promotion, the benefit of counting of earlier period of ad-hoc promotion(s) will not be admissible.