Revision/Amendment in Recruitment Rules for the post of Postal Service Group ‘B’

To

The Hon’ble Secretary (Posts),

Dak Bhawan,

Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110001.

No. AIASC CHQ-92/2024 Dated at Pathankot SO the 08.12.2024

Sub: - Revision/Amendment in Recruitment Rules for the post of Postal Service Group ‘B’ - Draft Notification -reg.

Ref: - (1) DTE (SPG-II Section) OM No.9-14/2010-SPG (Vol.II) dated 11/13.11.2024

(2) Postal Superintendent/Postmaster Group ‘B’ Recruitment Rules, 1987

(3) Postal Service Group ‘B’ Recruitment (Amendment) Rules, 1993

(4) Senior Postmaster (Group ‘B’ Gazetted, Postmaster (Grade ‘III’ and ‘II’ non-Gazetted) and Postmaster (Grade-I Group-C Non-Gazetted), Recruitment Rules, 2010

Respected Mam,

On reference subject, kindly refer this association letter No. AIASC CHQ-91/2024 dated 17.11.2024 vide which it was requested to grant permission to meet with the Hon’ble Secretary (Posts) Mam on the subject, for which response is still awaited. Again this association invites to your kind notice that draft notification for Recruitment Rules for the post of Postal Service Group ‘B’ has been issued and stakeholders are asked to comment within 30 days as per OM referred at serial No.1. In the draft Recruitment Rules for the post of PS Group-B, method of recruitment has been changed and 25% LDCE quota subsumed to DPC quota i.e. 100% amongst Inspector of Posts in Level-7 of the pay matrix with eight years of regular service in the grade. 6% quota reserved for General Line Cadre through LDCE has completed been scrapped. Therefore, this association expresses its great resentment and strongly oppose the proposed PS Group-B RR 2024.

2. Background of PSS Group-B & Postmaster Group-B: There were two Group-B services in force namely Postal Superintendent Service Group-B and Postmaster Group-B and number of posts and method of selection as under

3. Pay structure of IP Line & General Line since 4th CPC to 7th CPC

It shows LSG & IP cadres, HSG-II and ASP cadres were same pay scales, whereas pay scale of HSG-I cadre was higher than ASP Cadre.

During 5th & 6th CPC pay scale for IP Line & General Line cadres were as under: -

It shows HSG-II and IP cadre, HSG-I & ASP Cadres were same pay scales/Grade pay.

During 7th CPC pay matrix level for IP Line & General Line cadres are as under: -

The above data clearly depicts that now IP & HSG-I cadres are same in pay level and pay level of ASP Cadre is above than HSG-I. It is pertinent to mention that despite of reduction in many duties of IP cadre since 4th CPC regime due to technological advancement in recruitment process, etc. & multifaceted enhancement duties of General Line cadres like Project Arrow, CSI, Finacle, CPC (PLI), GST, etc., department continuously remained keen to uplift pay structure for only IP Line cadre & neglected General Line Cadre resulting General Line cadre is facing discrimination in the pay scales as compared to IP Line. As per 7th CPC, ASP Cadre in level 8 is automatically in Gazetted status, whereas HSG-I is struggling for conferring Gazetted Status.

4. Introduction of Postmaster Cadre vide Gazette Notification dated 09.09.2010 & named as Senior Postmaster (Group ‘B’ Gazetted, Postmaster (Grade ‘III’ and ‘II’ non-Gazetted) and Postmaster (Grade-I Group-C Non-Gazetted), Recruitment Rules, 2010.

Purpose of Postmaster Cadre: As per DoP letter dated 22.11.2010 (Para No.2), “In spite of the long existence of the Post Offices and challenges being faced by the Department from private players in the field there had never been an exclusive cadre for Postmasters. The Postal Assistants, LSG/HSG-II. I etc. are posted to man the posts of Postmasters. This system served the Department quite well till some time back. But now in order to improve/upgrade the functioning of the Post Offices , meet the present day requirement of specialization in Postal office management in the wake of introduction of technology, challenges from market and to increase productivity it has absolutely become essential to ensure that key Post Offices are headed by professional managers.”

Method of selection of Senior Postmaster in Grade Pay 4800 (PB-2) for 116 posts:

(i) 75% through LDCE: IP in Grade pay 4200/- with 6 years.

(ii) 25% through DPC: Postmaster Grade-III with 2 years.

4.1 Attraction for Postmaster Cadre: Young Postal Assistant having 5 years service wrote LDCE for Postmaster Grade-I, which were held only 4 times (2011, 2012, 2014 & 2015) and stopped by the DoP under pressure of Group-C unions/federations. The main attraction for all young aspirants was entry through DPC for Senior Postmaster (Gazetted Group-B) from Postmaster Grade-III with two years service & further career progression in Group-A depending upon remaining length of service. As per DTE (SPB-II Section) file No. 1-5/2015-SPB-II dated 07.03.2018, All India Draft Seniority List of Postmaster Grade-III as on 31.12.2016 was issued, but DPC could not be convened due to reasons better known to the department. Fate of Postmaster Cadre was abolished without any reason by merging with General Line Supervisor Cadre vide DTE No. 25-19/2018-PE-I dated 10.07.2019 without consent of Postmaster Cadre officials. Similarly Fast Track Promotion for LSG Cadre for Postal Assistant with 10 years which were held on 1982, 1983, 2003 & 2004 was also stopped under pressure of Group-C unions/federations.

5. Different Recruitment Rules in the DoP & method of selection: -

It is crystal clear that all above mentioned cadres have channels for promotion both through DPC as well as LDCE/direct recruitment for career progression except draft PS Group-B RR 2024.

6. Cadre restructuring of IP/ASP Cadre & General Line Cadre

*(i) As Cadre Restructuring of General Line Cadre was exercised on 27.05.2016 & Postmaster Cadre was merged with General Line Cadre on 10.07.2019, resultant 495 posts of Postmaster Grade III, 511 posts of Postmaster Grade-II and 2997 posts of Postmaster Grade-I were not been included with General Line posts and 10% of 495 posts of PM Grade-III would have been counted more for HSG-I (NFG) if merger had happened earlier than cadre restructuring.

(ii) It is also pertinent to mention that after Cadre Restructuring of General Line Cadre & IP/ASP Cadre, no variation in number of posts of IP & ASP Cadre & 94% posts were reserved for IP/ASP Cadre, while 510% was increased in number of posts of General Line Cadre & mere 6% posts was remained as earmarked for General Line Cadre, which are now neglected in draft PS Gr.B RR 2024.

7. Promotion avenue for IP Cadre & General Line Cadre: -

Hence, it is clear that there is no further promotion avenue for HSG-I Cadre as per draft RR of PS Group-B 2024, which is clear violation of article 309 of Constitution of India. It is also pertinent to mention that a direct Inspector Posts through SSC will also get stagnation in his career as per draft PS

Gr-B RR 2024.

8. Promotion avenue in other department/service:

(i) In Army, A soldier can get commissioned through SSB after 05 years service.
(ii) In Banks, A manager in any scale can be posted both in operational as well as in administration capacity. There is no discrimination. As per Article 14 of Constitution of India, “All citizens will be treated equally before the law and avoids any kind of discrimination.”
(iii) There is clear discrimination for HSGs Cadre in the department.

9. Why DPC and LDCE?

A DPC is held in various government departments to ensure a fair and systematic process for promotion on basis of seniority-cum-fitness (based on assessment of APAR & merit based) for those employees who could not get promotion by writing LDCE, whereas LDCE is held within the department to provide a fair and transparent opportunity for young enthusiastic, talented employees to be promoted to higher position based on merit & performance by writing prescribed departmental examination for growth of department

10. Why not HSG-I Cadre be made inter-changeable with ASP Cadre posts? While unification of PA

(CO/RO) with PA (PO), it has been accepted by the department that the ambit of operational requirements of the Department has drastically changed over the years. Officials working in Administrative Office need to have knowledge of Postal operations to make them efficient enough to prepare and implement policies of the department for optimum utilization of postal network and delivery of postal products and services more effectively. To overcome this knowledge gap, posting at posts manned by HSG-I/ASP Cadre needs to be made inter-changeble. This will help in gaining knowledge/exposure to both administrative & operation wings of the department. Therefore, it is proposed that posting of HSG-I & ASP should be made inter-changeable, so that experience of both Administration as well as Operation line can be gained for overall growth of the department.

11.Conclusion: - Based on above facts, it concluded as under: -

(i) 6% posts were reserved for General Line Cadre prior Cadre Restructuring of General Line Cadre.

(ii) 6% of 1091 posts of PS Group-B comes as 65 posts for General Line Cadre without considering number of increased posts (510% from 7338 to 37431) of General Line.

(iii) After Cadre Restructuring of both General Line & IP/ASP Cadre, there is 5 times increase in number posts of General Line Cadre, whereas there is no change in IP/ASP Cadre posts. By virtue of this, it justifies the proportionate increase in percentage as (6 X 5) 30% i.e. 327 posts for General Line Cadre.

(iv) Postmaster Cadre was abolished after 9 years by way of merger with General Line Cadre without written consent of officials of Postmaster Cadre, who awaited 9 years, but no DPC was convened for promotion to Senior Postmaster Group-B (Gazetted) & Administration is fully responsible for nonconvening DPC. Resultantly, 25% posts i.e.52 posts of Sr. Postmaster Group-B (Gazetted) which were exclusively earmarked for PM Cadre.

(v) Postmaster Cadre officials were also not considered eligible for appearing LDCEs of Inspector Posts, PS Gr.B & AAO held during years 2011 to 2016 with pretext that a cadre cannot have multiple channels of promotion avenues as per DTE letter No. 4-17/2008-SPB-II dated 10.02.2011.

(vi) If the proposed draft PS Gr. B RR 2024 implemented, there will no further promotional avenue for HSG-I Cadre. There will be sheer stagnation in HSG-I Cadre especially for those who have more than 20 years remaining service. There will No charm, No further growth for them & this will definitely impact negatively the growth of the department.

(vii) IP will also get stagnated especially directly recruited through SSC as per draft PS Gr. B RR 2024.

10. Prayers: -

(i) Method of selection should be 50:50 through DPC & LDCE.

(ii) Promotion through DPC should be open for both HSG-I and ASP in ratio of 50:50.

(iii) LDCE should be open for both HSGs of PO/RMS/SBCO/CO/RO & IP/ASP in ratio of 50:50. 
This association, therefore, pray & hope that above submission will be given due consideration while finalizing the draft recruitment rules of PS Group-B Cadre and the Hon’ble Secretary (Posts) Mam would be kind enough to make sure that General Line Cadre officials will have their significant representation in PS Group-B Cadre & their growth will not be stagnated at any cost.

With profound regards,

(NARINDER PAL)

GENERAL SECRETARY

AIASC (Gr. B)

Copy to: -
1. The Hon’ble Director General (Posts), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
2. The Member (P), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
3. The DDG (P), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
4. The ADG (SPG-II), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001

Download PDF File