Stepping up of Pay of Assistants/Steno Gr. C of CSS/CSSS

A large number of references were received from individuals, cadre units and service Associations seeking clarification consequent upon the manner of fixation of par of Assistant of CSS prescribed by Department of Expenditure as per CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 and UO No. 10/1/2009-IC dated 14.12.2009.

All the cadre units are directed to follow D/o Expenditure’s clarification of manner of fixation in the grade of Assistant and Stenographer Gr. C of CSS/CSSS as stated in D/o Expenditure’s UO
No. 10/1/2009-IC dated 14.12.2009.

This is the text of Department of Expenditure UO No: 10/1/2009-IC dated 14.12.2009.

Department of Personnel and Training may please refer to their file No: 7/7/2008-CS.I (A) regarding the manner in which pay of Assistants/PAs is to be fixed consequent upon the grant of revised pay structure of grade pay of Rs.4600 in the pay band PB-2 to them on the basis of this Department's O.M. dated 16.11.2009.

2. The matter has been considered in this Department in the light of the points raised by DOPT (CS Division) at pre-page and also clarifications on similar lines sought by certain other cadres controlling ministries of services covered by this Department's O.M dated 16.11.2009. Based on the points raised the following clarifications are issued for guidance.

Point raised	Clarification
(a) The manner in which pay of Assistants/PAs in position on 1.1.2006 is to be fixed as per the provisions of CCS (RP) Rules, 2008. Whether there will be any bunching in this case	The pay in the pay band of Assistants/PAs working as on 1.1.2006 will be fixed with reference to the fitment table of the pre-revised pay scale of Rs.5500-9000 annexed with this Department's O.M.No.1/1/2008-IC dated 30th August, 2008 and they will be granted the grade pay of Rs.4600. Since the minimum pay in the pay band in the revised pay structure corresponding to the stage of Rs.5500 (pre-revised scale of Rs.5500-9000) is more than the minimum of the pay band PB-2 i.e., Rs.9300, no benefit of bunching is admissible in this case.
(b) The manner of fixation of pay of officials promoted as Assistants/PAs before 1.1.2006 but who have given option for pay fixation w.e.f 15.09.2006 w.r.t pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500.	In the case of those Assistants/PAs who were already working as Assistants/PAs as on 1.1.2006, but who had given option for pay fixation w.e.f 15.09.2006 with reference to the pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500, their pay will be fixed as per their option by determining their pay in the pay band with reference to the fitment able of the pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500 annexed with this Department's O.M.No:1/1/2008-IC dated 30th August, 2008. In such cases, they shall not be entitled for arrears of pay from 1.1.2006 till date of option. However, if fixation of pay as per this option is no longer beneficial for any particular employee, he may be allowed to revise his option without referring the matter to Department of Expenditure.
(c) The manner of fixation of pay of officials promoted as Assistants/PAs between 1.1.2006 and 31.08.2008	In the case of Government servants who were promoted as Assistants/PAs between 1.1.2006 as 31.08.2008, their pay will be fixed as per the option exercised by them. In terms of CCS (RP) Rules, 2008,they have the option to (i) either have their pay fixed w.e.f 1.1.2006 with reference to the lower scale which they were holding as on 1.1.2006, or (ii) from the date of promotion which took place after 1.1.2006, in such cases, their pay will be fixed with reference to the fitment table of the higher pay scale, however they will not be entitled to arrears of pay from 1.1.2006 till date of option. Acccordingly, in the case of officials who were promoted as Assistants/PAs between 1.1.2006 and 31.08.2008, they the option to have their pay fixed w.e.f 1.1.2006 with reference to the pre-revised scale of the lower grade i.e UDC/Steno 'D'. In such cases on the date their promotion, their pay will be fixed by granting them one increment in the pay band (subject to the minimum pay in the pay band being Rs.9300) and grade pay of Rs.4600. Alternatively, they can opt to have their pay fixed from the date of promotion with reference to the fitment table of the upgraded pay scale of Rs.7450-11500, in which case, they shall not be entitiled to arrears of pay from 1.1.2006 till the date of option.
(d) The manner of fixation of pay of officials promoted as Assistants/PAs between on or after 1.9.2008	In the case of UDCs/Stenographers Gr.D promoted as Assistants/PAs on or after 1.9.2008, their pay will be fixed by granting them one increment in the pay band (subject to the minimum pay in the pay band being Rs.9300) and grade pay of Rs.4600

3. Insofar as the point raised by DOPT regarding the difference between the pay of Assistants/PAs directly recruited in the Central Government on or after 01.01.2006, it is clarified that pay of those Government servants who joined the Government as direct recruits on or after 1.1.2006 is to be fixed as per Section II, Part 'A' of the First Schedule to the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008. This provision of CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 and the procedure of pay fixation are based on a specfic recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission, which has been accepted by the Government. As far as pay fixation in respect of those Government servants who were already in service on 1.1.2006 is concerned, their revised pay will be fixed in the manner indicated above. Further, in this context it needs to noted that the revised pay structure comprises grade pays and running pay bands and in the case of those Government servants who were already in service before 1.1.2006, Sixth Pay Commission has not prescribed a minimum pay in the running pay band with reference to the minimum entry level pay prescribed for direct recruits appointed on or after 1.1.2006. Accordingly as per the provisions of CCS(RP) Rules, 2008, pay of those Government servants who were already in service on 1.1.2006 can not be fixed with reference to the pay of those who joined the Government as direct recruits on or after 1.1.2006. However, stepping up of pay can be considered in cases where a Senior Government Servant is drawing lesser pay than this directly recruited junior borne on the same gradation list.

4. Further, is is noticed that DOPT proposes to issue a seperate order on the subject of grant of pay structure of grade pay of Rs.4600 in the pay band PB-2 to Assistants of Central Secretariat Sevice. In this connection, it is intimated that generally the Government issued only one order regarding modification in pay scales of a particular category of Government Servants. In the present case, since Department of Expenditure has already issued an OM on the subject of grant of pay structure of grade pay of Rs.4600 in the pay band PB-2 to Assistants and Personal Assistants of CSS and CSSS respectively ther does not seem to be any need to issue another order on the same subject. Internal instruction may however be issue on matters like manner of fixation pay etc.

5. This issued with the approval of Joint Secretary (Per)

For more details read this office memorandum No: 7/7/2008-CS-I(A) (Part III) dated 05.09.2011