NFPE writes to Secretary Posts regarding Amendment in Recruitment Rules for the Post of Inspector Posts

No. P/4-3/Recruitment                              Dated the 03.05.2018

To

The Secretary, 
Department of Posts,
Dak Bhawan, 
New Delhi 110 001.

Sir,

         Sub: Amendment in Recruitment Rules for the post of Inspector Posts – Reg. 
         Ref: F No. 7-3/2016- SPB – II dt. 10 th April, 2018.

…..

In the draft recruitment rules for the post of Inspector Posts, in case of recruitment by promotion through Limited Departmental competitive examination , it has been mentioned that, officials of various grades as prescribed, having 8 years of regular service as on crucial date of eligibility service as prescribed by the Central Govt., are eligible for appearing in LDCE. 

As per the existing Recruitment Rules for IP, it was noted as not less than 5 years of regular service as on 1st January of the year, to which the vacancies pertain to, in the grades of PA/SAs in Grade pay of Rs.2400/-, stenographer grade II ( grade pay of Rs.2400/-) and LSG ( grade pay of Rs.2800/-) including regular service put in as PA/SA in Post offices, RMS offices, RLO, Foreign post, SBCO, ICO and MMS. 

In this connection we want to put forth the following:-

1. Now the age limit prescribed for Postal Assistants/Sorting Assistants is 30 years, with relaxation to SC/ST/OBC as notified by the Govt. of India from time to time. If an official entering into P.A./S.A. service at the age of 30/33/35 years as the case may be, as per the age limit prescribed by the Govt. , then most of them will lost their chance of elevating into IP cadre, since the minimum service prescribed in the Draft revised recruitment rules for IP is 8 years. Especially the most oppressed community viz. SC/ST officials will have no chance to enter into the promotional cadre, which is totally against the Constitutional privileges and against natural justice. Hence, the minimum eligibility service should not be revised from 5 years 
to 8 years. 

2. Now the P.A./S.A. recruitment rules are being revised with the minimum required educational qualification as Bachelor Degree and mostly the P.A./S.A.s recruited in the recent years are with higher educational qualification like B.E., B.Tech., M.Sc., M.A. etc. and they are entering to the Department with high expectation for getting promotions. If this eligibility condition is extended further, they may have better option for migration into other prospective areas. Their intellectualness should not be spared out, by extending the minimum eligibility condition from 5 years to 8 years. 

3. There are more no. of highly qualified GDS elevated into P.A./S.A. cadre in the residual vacancies, competing with the open market candidates with the same age condition and if for any reasons the examinations are not held in due periodicity, they will lose their chances of appearing in the IP examination. 

4. As per the existing Recruitment Rules for IP, it was noted as not less than 5 years of regular service as on 1st January of the year, to which the vacancies pertain to, but this was left out in the Draft Recruitment rules, 2018. This will pave way to lose their chances, in the event of any non conduction of examinations continuously for one or two years on any administrative reasons. Hence this already existing condition should not be removed. 

5. The Directorate has clarified vide its letter No. 7-8/04-SPB dated 28-07-2005 that physically handicapped officials should not be allowed to appear in the IP Examination as they are unable to perform the physically demanding nature of work. When the issue was discussed in the JCM meeting held during Dec. 2016, it was replied that the permission from the Social welfare Ministry is pending. The same may kindly be considered while amending the Recruitment rules for Inspector Posts. 

Based on the above, we request the Secretary posts 

i. to drop the proposal to revise the minimum eligibility condition of 8 years and to restore the original condition of 5 years as available in the existing recruitment rules .

ii. The existing eligibility condition of not less than 5 years of regular service as on 1st January of the year, to which the vacancies pertain to , should not be removed/modified.

iii. Suitable amendment may kindly be made so as to allow the physically handicapped officials to appear in the IP examination.

With regards, 

(R.N. PARASHAR)
GENERAL SECRETARY.