Draft Memorandum to 7th Pay Commission of Admin Staff Association

1.1       National Sample Survey Office(NSSO), a technical Organisation of   Government of India, conducts nation wide sample survey in socio-economic parameters viz. Employment– Unemployment, Consumer Expenditure, Land-holding & livestock, ‘Debt, Investment and capital formation’, Migration, Disability, Morbidity, service sector, Unorganized Trade/ Manufacturing etc. to facilitate socio-economic planning, development, policy framing, research & other economic/Administrative decision.

      National Sample Survey (NSS) was established in the year 1950 to conduct large-scale continuous survey operation in the form of successive rounds to fill up data gaps for socio economic planning and policy making of the country. In the year 1970 the NSS was re-organised and brought under the Government of India as a single Organisation namely NSSO with a Governing Council for the overall direction to impart objectivity and autonomy in the matter of collection, processing and publication of the NSSO data.

The NSSO Investigator (Statistical Officer) is the first Government Employee, who reaches the farthest and remote villages of the country to collect data for the purpose of the economic planning and social re-organization of the country. Thereby NSSO become instrumental in collection compilation of information thereby to assist the Government to solve several of the socio-economic problems, faced by the country. Here the contribution of the NSSO for the five year plans of the country is specially mentioned. United Nations Organisation and other International Organisations acclaimed the services of the NSSO and the NSSO figures take a prominent role in the UNDP and other reports of the UN. Here, in the Universities and Research Institutes of the country NSSO reports are the main sources of teaching economy and statistics. It is evident how the NSSO data are valuable for the overall economic and social development of the country.

The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation of Government of India, with its two main functional organs -the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)-acts as the nodal agency for coordination of statistical activities and maintenance of statistical standards in the country. As a result, now the responsibility of conducting large scale statistical surveys, making provision of data and production of estimates on different aspects of Indian Society and Economy rests with the Ministry of Statistics.

            The NSSO is headed by a Director General  has four Divisions viz. Field Operations Division, Survey Design & Research Division, Data Processing Division and Co-ordination & Publication Division.  The Field Operations Division has its Headquarters at Delhi and Faridabad with a network of six Zonal Offices, 48 Regional Offices and 117 Sub-regional Offices spread throughout the country. The Data Processing Division has its Headquarters at Kolkata with 5 DP Centers in various part of the Country. The other offices are Survey Design & Research Division has its Hqrs at Kolkata and the CPD at Delhi.

             Since the age is of computerization and online operation of work, the responsibility and quality of work to be dealt with are high nature. Fifth & Sixth Pay Commissions in its reports had given more stress for doing work in the offices of Government of India in computer and recommended pay scale in accordance with volume modernization programme done.

            In NSSO modernization by extensive use of computers and modern instruments has been started since last twenty five years.  All Administrative Staff even MTS have been trained to handle the computer. As a result all the work in Administration and Accounts branches, including preparation of pay bills and related work are done in computer with the facility given in various packages in it. As a result now-a-days, web sites and e-mail are become medium of communication and the Administrative Staff of NSSO Offices are fully trained and developed to take up the challenge.

2.1       The quality control of the NSSO data and overall management of the NSSO office are rest with the highly qualified & trained technical officers of Indian Statistical Service. In order to assist them in the collection and compilation of the statistical data, a subordinate statistical service, consisting group B technical officers, has been constituted by the Government of India.

            Being a technical department, the Administrative Staff posted in the NSSO offices have multifarious functional role to play. Since the overall control and management of the Administration rests with the technical ISS Officers, the administrative staff has a very prominent role in the decision making and other matters of routine administration for which level of understanding to handle the rule and other routine Administration should be high. In addition, Administrative staff assists the ISS Officers in correspondence, table work, Inspection report, report writing, compilation and finalization of data, report analysis and survey design and preparation of various statistical directives for field survey, scrutiny points, data entry of several plan schemes etc which require specialized attention and skills.  Having smaller offices with independent Administrative set up; expansion of field set up, field work  & Field Staff; the  four fold increase of ISS Officers together with  the decrease of the person meant to handle  these work in administrative branch by 33% during the last 25 years in a phased manner, increased the burden of Administrative Staff in NSSO Offices. As a result the per capita work load in these offices especially in FOD Regions has increased manyfold and therefore the Administrative Staff posted there has to do work with additional burden.

Administrative Staff in NSSO Offices have been trained to handle the computer and all the work are doing in computer in addition to their normal duties, which to an extent, helped to  equalize the increased work load, but no pay parity has been given to them. Considering the nature of work attended by the Administrative Staff in NSSO offices, they cannot compare or equalize with similarly placed staff elsewhere.  Existing pay scale allowed to the Administrative Staff including group B Gazetted posts which are promotion post of the group C Ministerial Staff along with the Hindi Translators and other cadres related to this Association are given below:

Seventh Pay Commission must bring uniformity in the pay scales of Administrative Staff in various Ministries of the Government of India. The pay scale recommended for each cadre in the Administrative branch should be in accordance with the responsibility actually attached with the posts. The duties and responsibilities attached to the LDC & UDC in NSSO Offices are much higher quality than the duties of their counterpart in Central Secretariat Offices. LDCs NSSO Offices have been allocated with independent section worth to do by UDC/Assistants. Similarly the Assistant are doing the work of Section Officer/Administrative Officer. In the NSSO Regions Grade II Stenographers with Rs. 2400 Grade Pay Assists Joint Secretary Rank Officers. In the NSSO (FOD) SRO Offices MTS are doing the work of Ministerial Staff as there is no Ministerial Staff posted there. No cadre review has been conducted for the Administrative Staff since the inception of the Organisation. And the recommendation for conducting cadre review in every 5 years by successive pay Commissions have been ignored.

Sixth Pay Commission has recommended to merge the existing 5 pay scales (S1, S2, S2-A, S3 & S4) of Group D staff to a single pay band and granted Rs. 1800 Grade Pay and named the post as Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) i.e. amalgamating the posts with unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled functions without any scientific basis or logic. The educational qualification for direct recruitment for the post has been raised to Matriculation and the status of the post has been raised from group D to Group C. But a person who passed matriculation might have also been passed 12th standard. And most of the persons who passed 12th standard may be a graduate and applies for the post of MTS and other competitive examinations simultaneously. As per the work allotment of MTS, circulated by the DoPT an MTS who has been appointed through SSC has to do the work of Office peon, Mali, Cobbler, sweeper and many other functions. Thus most of the candidates passed the SSC examination for the post of MTS do not join the post and those who joined do not do several of the works earmarked in the recruitment rules for the MTS with devotion. Thus the MTS may be paid special allowance in addition to pay as much as to attract a person with more than matriculation to join the post.

3.1.1    Since the educational qualification for the post of MTS has been raised to Matriculation and most of the persons who are applied for the post are holding the qualification of Higher Secondary/Graduation and as such they are qualified for getting recruited higher posts. Thus it is suggested that 50% post of the administrative post next higher to the MTS may be filled through promotion/Departmental Examination.

            As has already been given in Para 1.2 above NSSO FOD has 117 Sub Regional Offices (SRO) and in each SRO around 15 to 25 Technical Staff viz. Assistant Director, Senior Statistical Officer and Junior Statistical Officers are posted. Since no Ministerial Staff is posted in SROs, the duties of Ministerial Staff viz. Diary of Dak, Dispatch, typing of letters in computer etc in these offices is discharges by the only MTS posted there. Most of these MTS posted in NSSO SROs are holding higher educational qualification. Similarly, the MTS posted in NSSO Regional Offices also assisting the Ministerial Staff in day to day Administrative matters, for which training has been given to them by the office.  Hence the MTS in NSSO Offices are working as substitute to the Administrative Staff particularly in NSSO SROs and as such their Grade Pay may be upgraded to Rs. 2000 and revised pay may be granted accordingly.

3.2.1    Having the strength of Administrative staff in NSSO Offices especially in their fields offices are small in number the LDCs posted there are engaged to do the skillful and quality work. They have been allocated with major administrative sections worth to do by the UDC/Assistants because sanctioned strength of UDC/Assistants are very less. All LDCs are doing their respective work in computer. LDC/UDC has also to assist the technical officers in work relating to the field matters.  Major duties and responsibilities assigned to the LDCs are as given below:

a)         Maintenance and up keeping of service books, grant of annual increment, leave cases and other work viz. noting, drafting, correspondence related to the service matters of the staff.

b)         Scrutiny of TA Bills, Medical Bill, LTC, Tuition fees, overtime bill etc..

c)         Preparation and maintenance of GPF accounts Registers.

d)         Preparation of bills (Pay, Medical, TA, LTC, GPF, Tuition fee, GPF etc…) & contingent expenditure,

e)         Maintenance of store including purchase and disposal of the articles etc. Maintain the

            receipt, proper storage, distribution, safe custody, accounting of stores, procurement of

            stationery item etc.

f)          Maintenance of registers and files in all subjects.

g)         Dealing the work of Income Tax

h)         Preparation of seniority lists.

i)          Typing (on computer) of Inspection report, scrutiny notes, data entries and all typing related all administrative matters

j)          Processing of records/documents including technical data, noting drafting, typing etc.

k)         Dealing the cases of monthly/quarterly/half yearly/yearly returns.

l)          Assist the ISS Officer and other technical officers in correspondence, table work, report writing, data entry of several plan schemes, compilation and finalization of data etc.

m)        Despatch and dairying of the letters and all other document related to the entire office,

   including technical section.

n)         RTI Matters

o)         Discharging the duties and responsibilities of Cashier; and several other duties.

3.2.2    LDC & DEO The pay scale of Data entry operator (DEO) during 5th CPC was 4000-100-6000 and that of LDC was 3050-4950. The difference in pay scale between DEO & LDC was due to the reason that the educational qualification required for data entry operator prior to 6th CPC was 12th standard & Computer proficiency and the educational qualification for LDC was Matriculation with manual typing. But Sixth Pay Commission has increased the educational qualification for the post of LDC equal to Data entry operators. And the technical qualification/skill for the candidates appear for the post of LDC requires typing speed 10500 Key depression per hour (KDPH)/9000 KDPH English and Hindi respectively on computer whereas the candidate appearing the DEO requires 8000 KDPH (Since the issue has been raised by this Association for the last 2 years and filed a case in the Jabalpur CAT, now the DoPT thorough a notification has changed the 8000 KDPH to 15000 KDPH).  Please see table 1 below:

EDQ=Educational qualification.

3.2.3    As regards the work assignment, the DEO has only to entry the data given to them whereas the LDC has multiple task and discharge a very responsible & decisive role in subordinate offices in addition to computer work.

3.2.4    LDC & Postman: The postman in postal Department with matriculation has been granted Rs. 2000/ Grade pay by the 6th Pay Commission. During the 3rd & 4th CPC Postman was a Group D post with pay scale Rs. 210-4-270 & Rs.825-15-900-20-1200 respectively and educational qualification required for the post was 8th Standard. Fifth Pay Commission has leveled the pay scale of Post man i.e. Rs. 3050-75-3950-80-4590 to the post of LDC after increasing the educational qualification for the post to Matriculation.

3.2.5    LDC & Police Constable: The Police Constable with matriculation has been granted Rs. 2000/ Grade pay by the 6th Pay Commission. During the 3rd & 4th CPC Police Constable was a Group D post with pay scale Rs. 210-4-270 & Rs.825-15-900-20-1200 respectively and educational qualification required for the post was 8th Standard.

3.2.6    Notice Server of Income Tax The Notice Server of Income Tax was also Group D officials during 3rd and 4th Pay Commission and was getting pay scale lesser than the pay scale of LDC. But similar to the Post Man & Police Constable, the pay scales of this post has been upgraded to the level of LDC after raising their educational qualification to Matriculation during 5th CPC. And 6th CPC upgraded the pay scale of these posts and granted to Rs. 2000 Grade pay in the pay band Rs. 5200-20200.

Please see table 2 below:

In order to remove disparity, a request was sent to the DoPT by our Association and the DoPT termed the case related to anomaly and sent to the JCA for disposal (Letter enclosed in Annexure I). JCA returned the case to DoPT directing them to consider the case at their level in consultation with Ministry of Finance. And finally Ministry of Finance vide OM No 58 (2)/E. III (B)/2014 dated 12th November 2013 has directed the Ministries/Associations for sending proposals to the Ministry of Finance through FA, DoPT for approval (Copy enclosed in Annexure II).  Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation was also directed to do action for necessary upgradation of LDC vide Ministry of Finance OM No.58 (2)/E. III (B)/2014 dated 18th February 2014 (Copy enclosed in Annexure III) But the directions contained in the aforesaid OM were insufficient to consider the upgradation of Grade Pay of LDC w.e.f. 1.1.2006 i.e. the date of implementation of the 6th CPC and that is why  this Association has filed a case in the CAT Jabalpur (Application No.200/00205/2014-submitted in Annexure IV)

3.2.8    JCM Staff Side Proposal:  JCM Staff side has proposed the upgradation of LDC to the post of UDC (Para 12.6).

It is requested to please grant upgradation of the Grade Pay of LDC to the Grade Pay of UDC. The present Grade Pay of UDC as granted to the Army Ordinance Corps by the DoPT is Rs. 2800. Thus the pay the LDC may be granted accordingly.

3.3.1    UDCs are the first level supervisory staff in subordinate offices, the link between LDCs, who have been allocated responsible sections, and section officer. The pay structure given to the post by the 6th Pay Commission was very meager in view of the role played by them in the Administrative Offices of the Government of India. And as such the demand for upgradation of the Grade Pay of the UDC in subordinate offices have been raised immediately after the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission. Even though the Government has not taken a common decision to upgrade the Grade Pay of UDC for all Central Government office, DoPT has revised he Grade Pay of UDC in Army Ordinance Corps vide letter No. A/26576/CPC/Clerks/OS-20/268/D(O-II)/2011 dated 23rd September 2013 (Copy enclosed in Annexure I).

The average time period in NSSO, for the promotion from LDC to the post of UDC is 15 to 18 years. In NSSO Offices the number of post of Assistant are very less and as such the work earmarked for the post of Assistant have been allocated to UDCs.  The details of work assigned to the UDCs are given below:

a)         Preparation of pension papers and allied correspondence.

b)         Preparation of budgets.

c)         Processing cases under Right to information act 2005.

d)         Scrutiny of TA Bills, Medical Bill, LTC, Tuition fees, overtime bill etc…

e)         Preparation of bills (Pay, Medical, TA, LTC, GPF, Tuition fee, GPF etc…) & contingent expenditure and all other works related to accounts.

f)         Maintenance of store including purchase and disposal of the articles etc.

g)         Dealing with Recruitment matters

h)         Dealing with Audit matters.

i)          Dealing with legal matters

j)          Preparation and maintenance of GPF accounts Register of Group D employees.

k)         Maintenance of registers and files in all subjects related to the work allotted to them.

l)          Maintenance and up keeping of service books, grant of annual increment, leave cases,

         correspondence related to the service matters of the staff and all other works related to Establishment.

m)        Noting, drafting etc related to their section and additional assigned to them from time to time.

n)         Dealing the cases of various times of monthly/quarterly/half yearly/yearly returns.

o)         Typing (on computer) of work related to their section and also assigned by the concerned officer from time to time.

p)         Discharging the duties and responsibilities of Cashier

q)         RTI Matters

r)         All other works allocated from time to time by the superior officers.

3.3.2    In addition, the UDCs are responsible for the scrutiny of important documents/ registers maintained in various sections of the office and held accountable for all lapses at their level. The UDCs should have full knowledge of the rules and regulations and updating of the same with latest circulars issued by the Government from time to time.  The vigor and vitality is mandatory for the post to handle complex nature of work. In contrast, the UDCs working in Central Secretariat is less accountable and work-load bearing with the UDCs of subordinate offices

            Thus the Grade of UDC in NSSO may be upgraded to that of Assistant to get Rs. 4200 Grade Pay.

In NSSO Offices, Assistants are doing valuable supervisory work and training a team of UDC/LDC in day to day administrative work. In addition, preparation of Budget, MPER, Pension papers, Monthly Reconciliation Statement, handling the court cases, doing DPC matters, Income Tax, inspection of service books and other matters related to employees periodically, audit work, noting & drafting relating to important cases etc are the part of their job.

      There was historical parity amongst the Assistants in Central Secretariat and subordinate offices.  On this matter Fourth Pay Commission’s observes that:

8.41 The scale Rs.425 (pre-revised) covers posts of Assistants and Stenographers in different Ministries/ Departments, auditors under C & AG.  The recruitment is either through competitive examination or by promotion from the scale of Rs.330-560.

8.44 Considering the duties and responsibilities of these posts and the fact that promotions to these are made from more or less similar levels, we recommend that all categories of posts presently covered by the scales a) 425-800 b) 425-700 c) 440-750 d) 470-750 and e) 440-750 may be grouped together and given the scale of Rs.1400-2300.

And the recommendation was accepted by the Government.  These positive recommendations have been bypassed by the Government to give higher pay scale to the Assistants in Central Secretariat

.

Again, 6th Pay Commission observed that “Earlier, the respective pay scales of Rs.5500-9000 and 5000-8000 existed for Assistants in Secretariat and in Field offices. This disparity was aggravated in 2006 when the Government further upgraded the pay scales of Assistants belonging to Central Secretariat Service to Rs.6500-10500”. 6th CPC in its report Para 3.1.3 further observes that “higher Pay Scales in the Secretariat Offices may have been justified in the past when formulation of proper policies was not paramount importance. The present position is different. Today, the weakest link in respect of any Government policy is at the delivery stage. This phenomenon is not endemic to India. Internationally also there is an increasing emphasis on strengthening the delivery lines and decentralization with greater role being assigned at delivery points which actually determines the benefit that the common citizen is going to derive out of any policy initiative of the Government. The field offices are at the edge of administration and may, in most cases, determine whether a particular policy turns out to be a success or failure in terms of actual benefit to the consumer.  Accordingly, the time has come to grant parity between similarly placed personnel employed in field offices and in the Secretariat. This parity will need to be absolute till the grade of Assistant.” And accordingly the pre-revised pay scales Rs. 5000-8000 to 6500-10500 have been merged and granted Rs. 4200 Grade Pay. But later, Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure) vide O.M. F. No. 1/1/2008-IC dated 13/11/2009 has upgraded the grade pay of the Assistant in CSS to Rs. 4600/ and the Assistants in the subordinate offices has been left out. In this way, the parity up-to the post of Assistant as recommended by the 6th CPC and accepted by the Government overturned.

On this subject, All India MES Clerical Cadre & Group D Employees Association has filed OA No. 2389/2012 before Central Administrative Tribunal Principal Bench against the two different pay structure for subordinate and Central Secretariat Ministerial Staff. The court observed that while doing their right for fixation of pay scales, the employers should ensure that these fixations have been done on the basis of some rational grounds and the traditional parity reinforced by the recommendations  of the Pay  Commission should  not be  disturbed. The court  further observed that

 “What is not understood is as to how a higher scale of pay or grade pay which is justified on the ground of direct recruitment is extended to the promotees also. If that is justified on the ground that both direct recruits and promotes are doing the same work and, therefore, differential can be introduced, then how can it be justified that the same treatment cannot be given to a cadre which hitherto enjoyed parity with the Assistants/PAs of CS/AFHQ only on the ground that they are appointed 100% by promotion”. The Court directed the respondents to constitute and Expert Group to consider up-gradation of grade pay of Assistant/Office Superintendent/Stenographer Grade I to the level of Assistant/Steno Grade I in Central Secretariat. The expert group constituted by the Ministry of Defense has recommended upgradation of grade pay of Assistant/Steno I/Office Superintendent equal to Central Secretariat. Now the case is under consideration of the Ministry of Finance.

Thus parity between Central Secretariat Assistant and the Assistant subordinate offices should be restored.

Section Officers (No post of Section Officer is sanctioned in NSSO office in place the duties of Section Officer is discharge by the Administrative Officer with a meager grade pay Rs. 4600 i.e. equal to the Grade pay of Assistant in Central Secretariat) next above the level of Assistant is the real in-charge of administrative matters in subordinate offices. They are responsible for finalizing all Administrative, Accounts, Court and all other matters related to Administration/Accounts in field offices of the subordinate offices and put up to the Controlling Officer for his approval. Administrative Officer with Rs. 4600 Grade Pay in most of the offices are functioning as Head of Office as well. Since the Controlling officers are from All India Service they are mostly concentrating technical or field matters. Looking to the heavy responsibilities assigned to the Section Officers or equivalent post, the 6th Pay Commission has granted Rs.4800 Grade Pay in PB II with a provision to automatic upgradation of the grade pay to Rs. 5400 after completion of 4 years service(Para 3.1.14 of 6th CPC Recommendation). But the same has not been implemented in NSSO Office despite of repeated requests.

            Thus the post of Administrative Officer Grade II with Rs. 4600/ Grade pay in NSSO Offices may be upgraded to Rs. 4800 and named as Section Officer.

In NSSO Offices no post of Administrative Officer above Rs. 5400 Grade Pay is allocated. However, posts of Deputy Director (Admn), Chief Administrative Officer etc have been allocated in the promotional hierarchy of the Administrative Staff. But Staff Side JCM in their Memorandum to 7th Pay Commission has proposed Cadre of Administrative Officers in three Grades above Rs. 5400 Grade Pay. It was also proposed that wherever the three Grade are not available they may be granted the next three successive pay scales i.e., Grade A entry scale, senior time scale of pay, and the one next above. Staff side (JCM) has also recommended for uniformity in the pay scales of Administrative Staff in various Ministries of the Government of India in view of the fact that lack of common cadre structure the administrative Staff posted in the smaller Department face heavy stagnation and retires on the post of UDC/Assistant itself.

            It is proposed that recommendation for creation of 3 Administrative Grade above Section Officer commencing from Rs. 5400 Grade Pay may kindly be made to bring the administrative staff posted in smaller offices to the mainstream.

The recruitment of Stenographers for various offices of Government of India is being done by SSC through tough competitive Examination. A person with vast General knowledge, command in English/Hindi Languages and the competence do very good stenography can only succeed the examination of the SSC.

Direct recruitment of Stenographers both in Central Secretariat and Subordinate offices are done through SSC only. Stenographers in Central Secretariat get frequent career progress because of their placement in Central Secretariat at the entry level. For Central Secretariat Stenographers, promotional posts are being created in frequent intervals through periodical cadre restructuring and accordingly they get frequent promotion. Since in subordinate offices there is no promotional avenue for stenographers and therefore most of them are do not get more than one promotion during the service period. In NSSO Offices, not a single cadre restructuring is done since its inception and as such the stenographers posted there are in constant stagnation.

It is pertinent to mention here that both Central Secretariat and Subordinate Office Stenographers are working with All India Cadre Officers who work both in Central Secretariat and Subordinate offices.  Hence the level of work output as Stenographic Assistant done by the Stenographer in Central Secretariat and Subordinate Offices are the same.

As per the provision given in the Hand Book of Personal Officers published by the DoPT the Stenographic entitlement of the officers posted in Attached/Subordinate offices is as follows:

1.         Joint Secretary or equivalent               Private Secretary with Rs. 4800 Grade Pay with

                                                                        automatic upgradation to Rs.5400 after 4 years.

2.         Director/Deputy Secretary                  Steno Grade I with Rs. 4600 Grade Pay

3.         Deputy Director                                  Steno Grade II with Rs. 2400 Grade Pay

4.         Section Officer/equivalent                  Steno Grade II with Rs. 2400/ Grade Pay

 In most of the FOD Regional offices and also in Zonal Offices Deputy Director General with Joint Secretary Rank has been posted. In the Hqrs offices of FOD, DPD & SDRD also large number of DDG, Director and Deputy Directors are posted. Moreover, one Deputy Director in addition to DDG is posted in every Regional Offices as well as Zonal Offices. According to the norms given above, posts of Private Secretary with Rs. 4800 Grade Pay should have been allocated to DDGs and Stenographer with Rs.4600/ Grade Pay has to be allocated to Directors/Joint Directors. But none of these DDGs have been provided with Private Secretary and in place Steno Grade II is working in these offices.  Since Deputy Director is also posted in all Regional/Zonal Office the only steno Grade II posted is compelled to assist both of the officers in their day to day office work.

On the other hand, DoPT vide OM no. No.20/49/2009-CS.II (8) dated 22nd June, 2011 has ordered to upgrade the Grade Pay of 30% UDC and Steno (NFSG) of Central Secretariat to Rs. 4200/ after completion of 5 years service on the grade and the same was not made applicable to the UDC & Steno Grade II in subordinate offices which have virtually demoralized all the UDCs/Stenographers Grade II in subordinate offices.

            In view of the above, we suggest the following structure for Stenographers in NSSO Offices.

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A person appointed initially as Stenographer in the Central Secretariat often goes beyond the post of Senior PPS. But in subordinate offices the stenographers appointed are stagnating years together due to lack of sufficient promotional avenue. And as such even though presently NSSO Offices have not the requirement of personal staff above the grade given in the table, provision for granting next two successive time-scales may be made to bring the stenographers of subordinate offices equivalent to the Stenographers of Central Secretariat.

While passing the Official Language Act, the Parliament adopted a resolution on the Official Language policy according to which the Central Government is committed to accelerating the spread of Hindi. Accordingly the posts of Junior Hindi Translators, Senior Hindi Translators, Hindi Officer and Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Joint Director & Director (OL) have been created in the offices of the Central Government. The qualification for recruitment for the post of Junior Translator is Post graduation in Hindi or English and having studied as vice versa subject at Graduation level. The post is a challenging one and requires multifaceted talents. They have to possess a sound knowledge of two languages and should have linguistic ability to comprehend and also require skill of quality translation. The translator has to play a role of motivator, orator, leader, editor, conductor of various meeting and also should have the ability to teach the Hindi and organize Hindi workshops.

Fifth Pay Commission laid down the principle that the post requiring Post graduation as minimum academic qualification should be placed in the scale of Rs. 6500-10500. Even after, the 6th CPC has recommended a poor Rs. 4200 grade pay to Junior Translators.

According to the Model Recruitment Rules for the various posts in Official Language Cadre for Subordinate Offices, circulated vide DoPT O M No. AB-14017/46/2011-Estt (RR) Dated 19th September, 2013 Educational and other qualifications required for direct recruits as Junior Translator is Master Degree in Hindi & English, the extract of the same is given below:

“Master’s degree of a recognized University in Hindi with English as a compulsory or elective subject or as the medium of examination at the degree level OR

Master’s degree of a recognized University in English with Hindi as a compulsory or elective subject or as the medium of examination at the degree level OR

Master’s degree of a recognized University in any subject other than Hindi or English, with Hindi medium and English as a compulsory or elective subject or as

the medium of a examination at the degree level OR

Master’s degree of a recognized University in any subject other than Hindi or English, with English medium and Hindi as a compulsory or elective subject or as

the medium of a examination at the degree level; OR

Master’s Degree of a recognized University in any subject other than Hindi or English, with Hindi and English as compulsory or elective subjects or either of the two as a medium of examination and the other as a compulsory or elective subject at degree level;

AND

Recognized Diploma or Certificate course in translation from Hindi to English & vice versa or two years’ experience of translation work from Hindi to English and vice versa in Central or State Government office, including Government of India Undertaking.”

It is regretted to note that while a person with graduation are being selected to the post of Assistants with Rs. 4600 Grade Pay in Central Secretariat, the Junior Translator with Post Graduation in two languages  get less Grade Pay than a Central Secretariat Assistant i.e. Rs. 4200. We feel the Pay Structure of Official Language Staff should be upgraded in accordance with the educational qualification. Restructuring of the posts of Official Language Staff may be recommended so as a person initially appointed as Junior Translator may get 5 promotions during the service career.

In view of the above we propose the following changes in the pay scale/Grade Pay of Hindi Staff.

High level stagnation de-motivates the employees. For the efficient functioning of an organization, the primary pre-requisite is the systematic career progression of the workforce. But in most of the Departments especially smaller Departments stagnation has come to stay for the last two decades. Considering the fact 5th Pay Commission had recommended two ACP in a time bound manner.  The Sixth Pay Commission had awarded 3 time bound MACP in replacement of previous ACP. But the scheme was found less beneficial especially for lower category staff because the MACP was granted on grade pay hierarchy and not promotional hierarchy. This created large scale anomaly and as a result dozens of cases have been filed in various courts all the court judgments were delivered in favour of implementation of MACP on hierarchical basis but the Government has not implemented the same till date.

6.1       Career Advancement of Officers:

            Till 1996, the FOD, NSSO used to be headed by a Director, Regional level Offices were headed by Deputy Directors and SRO level offices were headed by Superintendents.  But now, the quantity and quality of work has increased considerably and as such the ISS posts at Regional/Zonal level have been upgraded to the level of Deputy Director General.  Simultaneously, the strength of total ISS cadre was increased manyfold. In the year 1961 the total strength of ISS cadre was 185 (116 primary posts with 69 promotion posts) which was increased to 690 and 799 respectively in the year 2002 & 2006.  Today the position is 808 (232 primary posts and 576 promotion posts). Besides a further upgradation of the posts of the posts are under consideration.

6.2       Upgradation of the pay structure of SSS staff:

The pay structure of the Group B & Group C Field Staff has improved considerably, in comparison with our cadres, by the recommendation of pay scale by the 4th & 5th Pay Commissions, by implementation of Arbitration awards, court decisions and re-structuring of the posts twice since 2002. Besides subsequent to the merger of the Pay Scales during 6th Pay Commission, three increments in the form of additional MACP have been granted them. Recently, through yet another cadre review, several post of Assistant Directors have been created in cooption of the posts of Senior Statistical Officers. Besides a considerable increase in the post of Senior Statistical Officers are also registered.

6.3       Bleak career prospects of Administrative/Official Language staff:

The discontent amongst the Administrative Staff in NSSO due to stagnation is in high magnitude today. Successive Pay Commission have recommended periodical cadre review of the staff and asked to conduct cadre review in every 5 years. Despite of these recommendations and its acceptance by the Government no cadre review has been conducted for the Administrative Staff in NSSO Offices since the inception. As a result the  person holding the posts of LDC, UDC, Stenographer, Junior Translators all  are stagnated for more than 20 years on the same post. And in this way majority of the Ministerial Staff in the NSSO hardly reach the post of Assistant at the time of their retirement and many of them are retiring on the post of UDC itself.

Even though NSSO Offices are committed to promote official language its offices and all efforts are being done for the same, the Official Language Staff who are instrumental to implement the official language policy are being ignored; a clear picture of same has been given in Chapter V above. A person appointed as Junior Translator in FOD, NSSO hardly reach to the next promotion post till his retirement as only one Senior Translator is available. The position of other Divisions is not different.

In view of the above, a strong policy for promotional avenues to the employees especially the Administrative Staff and Official Language Staff should be formulated. The VII CPC therefore, should recommend the implementation of cadre review strictly to ensure five hierarchical promotions to all employees in their career on the pattern obtaining for Group A Officers. The qualifying period for the 1st promotion for an LDC may be reduced to 5 years from the present 8 years.

CHAPTER VII

7.1    Existing & Proposed Pay Scales for Ministerial Staff

7.2     Existing & Proposed Pay Scales for Stenographers

7.3     Existing & Proposed Pay Scales for Official Language & Other Staff

Joint Consultative Machinery and Compulsory Arbitration with an intention to redressal of the grievances of the employees has been functioning since 1966. All non Gazetted officials in the Government of India Offices were allowed to be a member of the Association working under JCM Scheme. Group B officials of the Headquarters Organizations have been covered under this scheme whereas the Group B officials in subordinate offices have been kept out of the purview of the JCM Scheme which is discriminatory.

Even though there is no provision for re-identification of the cadres already identified under CCS (RSA) Rules 1993, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has re-identified the cadres without seeking opinion from the concerned Association. And re-recognized the lone Association which have the support of more than 70% staff.

Moreover, the same cadres, which have been removed in the name of Group B through the above exercise, are members of the Association working under JCM Scheme in other Government of India Department and that Department allowed them to function. For example: The Assistant or equivalent posts with 4200 Grade Pay working, in Central Ground Water Board, Census, CPWD,  Income Tax, Central Excise and many other offices are allowed to function as part of JCM. The Income Tax Inspector/Excise Inspector with Rs. 4600 Grade Pay, Senior Accountant with 4600 Grade Pay in CAG, Post Master with 4200 and above and all are allowed the Government of India to function under JCM scheme in their respective Departments.

It is, therefore, necessary that all categories and cadres of employees and officers, who were covered under the JCM Scheme in 1966 (i.e. the year in which the JCM came into existence), must continue to be covered under the scheme irrespective of the change of classification or revision of pay scales that have been ordered from time to time. In the present context all employees drawing grade pay up to and including Rs. 4800 (PB2) must be converge by the JCM Scheme.

            Conclusion:

It is re-iterated that in NSSO the Administrative Staff are an integral part of the technical management. And with their active participation only the collection and processing of the statistical data can be successfully conducted. Also under the modernization the NSSO has fully computerized and the Administrative staff does work in computer only. And also the MTS, LDC, UDC all cadres in NSSO Offices are forced to do duties prescribed for higher posts due to lack of sufficient higher posts and yet they have

            Considering the entire special feature discussed above the proposal of restructuring of the Ministerial and other staff may please be considered and the pay scale proposed therein may be awarded.

PART II

Allowances and advances, facilities and miscellaneous demands:

This Association has concentrated only on the issue of the pay structure of the Administrative Staff of NSSO Offices. For all other issues/grievances related to our staff viz. allowances and advances, facilities, miscellaneous issues, we endorse the provisions given in the General memorandum of the National Council (JCM)/Confederation of Central Government Employees & workers.