MACP applicable to Scientists who are covered under Flexible Complementing Scheme

In the reply to a query raised in the Rajya Sabha Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Narayanasamy replied as follows.

Flexible Complementing Scheme for Promotion of Scientists Flexible Complementing Scheme (FCS) for in-situ promotion of scientists/technical personnel in the scientific Departments as a career advancement scheme is operative as per modified FCS guidelines, issued by DoPT after the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC). As per the same, the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP), as approved for Central Govt. civilian employees would also be applicable to scientists covered under FCS.

FCS is applicable to Scientists and Engineers who possess academic qualification of at least Master’s Degree in Natural/Agriculture Sciences or Bachelors Degree in Engineering/Technology/Medicine. It is necessary that the Scientists are engaged in scientific and innovative activities as distinct from the mere application of technical knowledge.

Under the Modified FCS guidelines, issued after 6th CPC, MACP as approved for Central Govt. civilian employees would also be applicable to those scientists, covered under FCS, who do not get in-situ promotion under the FCS. This is expected to provide an alternate channel for development for Scientists.

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The following are the scheme details:

i.    The  Flexible  Complementing  Scheme  in  position  in  certain  scientific Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations of the Government shall continue, and promotions under the FCS shall be limited to posts carrying a grade pay of Rs.10,000 or lower. The merit based promotion scheme in the Departments of Space, Atomic Energy and DRDO shall also continue and promotions under the scheme shall be limited to posts carrying a grade pay of Rs.12,000 or lower.

 ii. All the posts covered under FCS shall carry the following uniform pay bands/ grade pay, designation and the minimum residency period linked to performance.

1. There shall be two level of assessment for FCS. The first one would be at internal level for screening purpose and next level assessment should have majority of external members.

1. The assessment board for judging should have majority of external members possessing expertise in the field. Greater

1. Henceforth, the benefits of FCS shall be extended only in such Departments as are involved in creating new scientific knowledge or innovative engineering, technological or medical techniques or which are predominantly involved in professional research and development and / or application of scientific knowledge. The modified criteria for identifying departments as scientific and technical and parameters for determining scientific activities and services, scientists and engineers and scientific posts will be as in the Annexure II to this scheme.

1. In order to extend the benefit of the Flexible Complementing Scheme to other scientific departments, the criteria for identifying an organisation as scientific would be decided and notified by the Department of Science and Technology, keeping in view the definition given in this regard. One such definition given by

Department of Science and Technology is at Annexure III. The organisations that are demanding the extension of FCS in their case, the administrative Ministry of such organisations shall satisfy itself that such institutions are scientific and technical institutions and the officers are scientists holding scientific posts and are involved in scientific and technical activities as defined in the Annexure II to the FCS scheme and make its recommendations to the Department of Science and Technology. On receipt of such a request the Department of Science & Technology shall set up a Committee, which shall include eminent scientists relevant to the discipline, for examining the proposal referred by the administrative Ministry concerned. Since it is not necessary that all the pay scales under the Flexible

Complementing Scheme should be applicable in all the scientific organizations, as the size of the organization may not justify introduction of the entire group of scales, the Committee, while making its recommendation , would take a specific view as to the number of scales that should be operated in the organization as well as the appropriate residency period for ensuring an even pace of promotion. However, the progression under Flexible Complementing Scheme will only be as per scales indicated in

ANNEXURE-II

CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING INSTITUTIONS/ ORGANISATIONS AS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL

• The institutions referred to as S&T would be characterized by pursuit of excellence;

• They should be involved in creating new scientific knowledge or innovative engineering, technological or medical techniques or which are predominantly involved in professional research and development work.

• The scientific culture is characterized by a few salient aspects, namely the persons involved are highly qualified and skilled technical personnel, involved in creative and innovative activity, they are willing to be judged based on the basis of merit and competence rather than on the basis of seniority and a hierarchical structure;

• The criteria could cover the aims and objectives of the institution/organization, qualifications of the personnel, qualitative requirements for performance of various types of activities etc.

Scientific Activities and Services

scientific laboratories/ institutes, period spent on doctoral / post doctoral degrees in basic research after joining an organisation, etc. would constitute field experience for the purpose of FCS.

(b) Applied Research: Original investigation to gain new scientific or technical knowledge directed towards a specific practical aim or objective; Working in scientific laboratories/ institutes, period spent on doctoral / post doctoral degrees in applied research after joining an organisation etc. would constitute field experience for the purpose of FCS.

( c) Experimental Development: Application of scientific knowledge directed towards producing new or substantially improved materials, devices, products, processes, systems or services; ‘field experience’ would depend on the work profile of the Department . The defining factor would be that the work is not of routine use of scientific knowledge but involves application of scientific knowledge for creation of new / innovative systems, practices, models. .

(d) S&T activities which are directly linked to R&D in terms of promoting the scientific activities and services. Working in R & D laboratories and institutions, scientific projects being operated in mission mode, working on international collaboration R & D projects etc. would constitute the field experience under FCS.

Scientific Post

Is the one, the incumbent of which is a ‘Scientist or Engineer’ defined as below in a scientific institution/organization declared as ‘Scientific Department’ as defined above and is engaged in creating new scientific knowledge or innovative engineering, technological or medical techniques or which is involved predominantly in professional research work and development.

Scientists and Engineers

Persons,

• Who possess academic qualification of at least Master’s degree in Natural/Agricultural Sciences or Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology/Medicine; and

• hold scientific posts as defined above.

It is reiterated that only such scientists would be eligible for promotion under the scheme, who not only possess the requisite qualifications, and are engaged in Scientific and innovative activities as distinct from the mere application of technical knowledge; and further, the function discharged by them are relatable/ identifiable to their academic specialization.

ANNEXURE.  III

CRITRIA FOR IDENTIFYING S&T AGNENCIES/ ORGANISATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FLEXIBLE COMPLEMENTING SCHEME (FCS) IN GOVERNEMNT OF INDIA

Criteria Recommended:-

• Agencies/ Organizations seeking qualification as S&T Organisation/agency for implementing FCS must:

o  Generate at least 3 out of 9 knowledge products

• Select about 20 S&T output indicators from  the list provided

• In case any other S&T output indicators need to be included as a criterion, a Standing Advisory Committee involving Secretary, DST may be constituted