Chapter 3.
1
Headquarters Organisations in
Government of India & Office
Staff in field offices
Office staff in 3.1.1 The various Secretariats of the Ministries and Departments
Headquarters and of Government of India together constitute the headquarters
Field organization. The Secretariats are chiefly involved in matters
Organisations of relating to formulation of policy and ensuring that these policies
Government of are executed in a coordinated and effective manner. Actual
India execution of these policies, however, is left to field agencies outside
the Secretariat which may be either attached or subordinate offices
or quasi-Government/autonomous/public sector undertakings.
Disparity between 3.1.2 The senior administrative posts in the Secretariat are
Secretariat and mainly filled by officers of All India Services and Central Group A
field offices services on deputation under the Central Staffing Scheme. Some of
the posts in the middle level are also held by officers of the Central
Secretariat Services, Railway Board Secretariat Service in Ministry
of Railways, Defence Forces Headquarters Services in Ministry of
Defence and by Indian Foreign services (B) in Ministry of External
Affairs. Historically, various services in the Secretariat have been
given an edge over analogous posts in the field offices. This was
done on the ground that office staff in the Secretariat performs
complex duties and are involved in analyzing issues with policy
implications whereas their counter parts in field offices perform
routine work relating to routine matters concerning personnel and
general administration, etc. Another argument that is used to
justify the edge for various posts in Secretariat is that in Secretariat,
level jumping occurs and personnel in the grade of Assistant etc.
submit files directly to decision making levels of Under Secretary,
Deputy Secretary, etc.
3.1.3 Higher pay scales in the Secretariat offices may have been
justified in the past when formulation of proper policies was of
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
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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
cutting edge of administration and may, in most cases, determine
whether a particular policy turns out to be a success or a 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. Beyond this, it may not be
possible or even justified to grant complete parity because the
hierarchy and career progression will need to be different taking in
view the functional considerations and relativities across the board.
Posts where parity 3.1.4 A parity has long been established between the posts of
exists and other Lower Division Clerk (LDC) and Upper Division Clerk (UDC) in
posts Secretariat and field offices. The position becomes different for
posts above UDC level; with the Assistant in Secretariat offices
being placed in higher pay scale vis-à-vis those working in field
offices. 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.
Anomaly in pay 3.1.5 This upgradation, apart from increasing the existing chasm
scales of between similarly designated posts in the Secretariat and Field
Assistants and offices, has also led to a piquant situation where the feeder posts of
SOs Assistant and the promotion post of Section Officer have come to
lie in an identical pay scale.
Disparity between 3.1.6 Further, it has also caused a hiatus between similar placed
CSS and other posts in different Secretariats because the higher pay scale has been
Secretariat limited to the Assistants belonging to CSS (Central Secretariat
Services after 2006 Services) only. Assistants working in other Secretariat
organizations like AFHQ, MEA and various other non
participating ministries/organisations etc. have been denied this
and are stridently demanding similar higher pay scales from the
Government.
Analysis 3.1.7 The Government, however, did not concede this parity and
have referred the issue to this Commission for taking a final view
thereon. The Commission has separately recommended the
merger of pay scales of Rs.5000-8000, Rs.5500-9000 and Rs.6500-
10500. This will place Assistants in all Secretariat offices in an
identical pay scale vis-à-vis the promotion post of Section Officer
as the entry pay scale for Section Officers is Rs.6500-10500.
Distinction, however, remains in the case of Section Officers as they
automatically get placed in the pay scale of Rs.8000-13500 on
completion of four years service in the lower scale of Rs.6500-
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10500. The scale of Rs.8000-13500 is not regarded as a Group A pay
scale in their case. Further, the scale is also not taken into account
for the purpose of granting financial upgradation under ACPS.
Recommendation 3.1.8 Elsewhere in the Report, the Commission has recommended
that recruitment to all Group A posts (Junior Time Scale) shall be in
the running Pay Band PB-3 of Rs.15600-39100 along with grade pay
of Rs.5400. As per the general recommendations made in Chapter
2.2, the Group B posts presently in the pay scale of Rs.8000-13500
will be allowed the same grade pay viz. Rs.5400 as given to
Group A posts; however, they will be placed in the running pay
band PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800. This dispensation will also apply in
case of Section Officers and Private Secretaries presently in the
scale of Rs.8000-13500. This, however, does not address the
problem of the pay scale of Assistants and the entry scale of Section
Officers existing in one grade. It is also noted that officers of CSS
help in decision making process and provide continuity. The entry
pay scale of Section Officers in Secretariat Offices will, therefore,
need to be upgraded especially when the post is presently in an
identical scale as that of the feeder post of Assistants. In this
context, it is seen that the pay scale of Assistants in CSS was
increased in 2006. From 1.1.2006, the revised scales being
recommended by the Commission shall take effect. Thus, the posts
of Section Officer and Assistant will come to lie in an identical scale
from 1.1.2006 itself on account of restructuring of the scales. In all
cases where promotion and feeder posts have come to lie in an
identical scale pursuant to rationalization of the scales of Rs.6500-
10500 and Rs.5500-9000 and it is not found feasible to merge the
posts, the Commission has recommended the next higher grade
corresponding to the pre-revised scale of Rs.7450-11500. A similar
dispensation would ordinarily have been extended in this case as
well. However, in the past, direct recruitment to the post of
Section Officers in CSS as well as in DANICS/DANIPS has been
made through the same entrance examination wherein the
successful candidates were offered the same initial pay scale of
Rs.6500-10500 in all these services. Elsewhere in the Report, the
entry scale of Rs.7500-12000 has been recommended for
DANICS/DANIPS. A similar dispensation needs to be extended
in this case as well. Such upgradation would also be required for
the post of Private Secretary in CSSS which has an established
parity with Section Officers.
Recommendations 3.1.9 Accordingly, the Commission recommends upgradation of
the entry scale of Section Officers in all Secretariat Services
(including CSS as well as non participating ministries/
departments/organizations) to Rs.7500-12000 corresponding to
the revised pay band PB 2 of Rs.8700-34800 along with grade pay
of Rs.4800. Further, on par with the dispensation already
available in CSS, the Section Officers in other Secretariat
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Offices, which have always had an established parity with
CSS/CSSS, shall be extended the scale of Rs.8000-13500 in Group
B corresponding to the revised pay band PB 2 of Rs.8700-34800
along with grade pay of Rs.4800 on completion of four years
service in the lower grade. This will ensure full parity between all
Secretariat Offices. It is clarified that the pay band PB 2 of Rs.8700-
34800 along with grade pay of Rs.4800 is being recommended for
the post of Section Officer in these services solely to maintain the
existing relativities which were disturbed when the scale was
extended only to the Section Officers in CSS. The grade carrying
grade pay of Rs.4800 in pay band PB-2 is, otherwise, not to be
treated as a regular grade and should not be extended to any
other category of employees. These recommendations shall apply
mutatis-mutandis to post of Private Secretary/equivalent in these
services as well. The structure of posts in Secretariat Offices
would now be as under:-
Post Pre revised pay Corresponding revised pay
scale band and grade pay
LDC Rs.3050-4590 PB-1 of Rs.4860-20200 along
with grade pay of Rs.1900
UDC Rs.4000-6000 PB-1 of Rs.4860-20200 along
with grade pay of Rs.2400
Assistant Rs.6500-10500 PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800 along
with grade pay of Rs.4200
Section Rs.7500-12000 PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800 along
Officer with grade pay of Rs.4800.
Rs.8000-13500*
PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800 along
(on completion
with grade pay of Rs.5400*
of four years)
(on completion of four years)
Under Rs.10000-15200 PB-3 of Rs.15600-39100 along
Secretary with grade pay of Rs.6100
Deputy Rs.12000-16500 PB-3 of Rs.15600-39100 along
Secretary with grade pay of Rs.6600
Director Rs.14300-18300 PB-3 of Rs.15600-39100 along
with grade pay of Rs.7600
* This scale shall be available only in such of those
organizations/services which have had a historical parity with
CSS/CSSS. Services like AFHQSS/AFHQSSS/RBSS and
Ministerial/Secretarial posts in Ministries/Departments
organisations like MEA, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs,
CVC, UPSC, etc. would therefore be covered.
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Amalgamation of 3.1.10 Presently, distinct Stenographers’ cadres exist in the
Secretariat and Secretariat as well as in the field offices. The Secretariat
Stenographers’ Stenographers cadre is identical to the CSS/analogous cadres in
Cadres non-participating Ministries/Organizations with the exception that
the scale of Rs.14300-18300 does not exist in the hierarchy. Keeping
in view the general principle envisaging multi-skilling and de-
layering that this Commission is recommending for the entire
Government, no justification exists for maintaining a distinct
Stenographers cadre in any Government office. The emphasis
should be on recruiting multi-skilled personnel at Assistant level
to be designated Executive Assistants who will discharge the
functions of present day Assistants besides performing all the
Stenographic functions. This should not be difficult as almost all
the Central Government Offices now use Computers for office
work. Keeping this objective in view where the Secretariat and
Stenographers cadres would stand merged in future, there is a
need for ensuring full parity between these two cadres right from
this stage.
Recommendations 3.1.11 The Commission, accordingly, recommends introduction
for Secretariat of a new grade in the scale of Rs.14300-18300 in CSSS and all
Organizations other analogous Stenographers’ cadres in non-participating
Ministries/Departments/Organizations. Fifteen percent of the
posts of PPS/Senior PPS in the Central Secretariat Stenographers
Service/analogous services in non participating Ministries/
Organizations would henceforth be upgraded and placed in the
scale of Rs.14300-18300 corresponding to the revised pay band
PB-3 of Rs.15600-39100 along with grade pay of Rs.7600. The new
post so created shall be designated as Principal Staff Officer. The
designation will continue till the time the cadres of office staff
and stenographers in the Secretariat are merged. Once such
merger takes place, a uniform designation, in any case, will
attach to these posts.
3.1.12 Simultaneously, all future recruitment to
CSS/CSSS/analogous Secretariat and Stenographers cadres in
non participating Ministries/Organizations in the scale of
Rs.6500-10500 will be made as Executive Assistants minimum
recruitment qualification for which would include Graduation
and one year Diploma in Computers. No recruitment should
henceforth be made in the grade of Stenographers carrying the
scale of Rs.4000-6000. All the vacancies arising in the scales of
Rs.4000-6000/Rs.6500-10500 in CSSS/analogous cadres and in the
scale of Rs.6500-10500 in CSS/analogous cadres would henceforth
be filled by recruitment of Executive Assistants. These Executive
Assistants will discharge the functions presently being carried
out by Assistants as well as the Private Secretaries and in their
case the cadres of CSS/CSSS and analogous cadres in other non-
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participating Ministries/Organizations will be merged for
promotional and all other purposes. Insofar as present
incumbents to CSS/CSSS and analogous cadres in other non-
participating Ministries/Organizations are concerned, they may
continue as distinct cadres till the time the Administrative
Ministry concerned evolves a procedure for their job
enlargement/enrichment, retraining and re-deployment.
Extra allowance 3.1.13 Extra allowance for sitting late and attending office on
for sitting late and holidays has been demanded for various grades in CSSS. The
attending office on Commission does not find any merit in this demand. The same,
holidays therefore, cannot be accepted. Similar demands of separate
secretariat allowance for various posts belonging to CSS, CSSS,
CSCS etc. cannot be accepted.
Recommendations 3.1.14 In accordance with the principle established in the earlier
for non - paragraphs, parity between Field and Secretariat Offices is
Secretariat recommended. This will involve merger of few grades. In the
Organizations Stenographers cadre, the posts of Stenographers Grade II and
Grade I in the existing scales of Rs.4500-7000/Rs, 5000-8000 and
Rs.5500-9000 will, therefore, stand merged and be placed in the
higher pay scale of Rs.6500-10500. In the case of ministerial post in
non- Secretariat Offices, the posts of Head Clerks, Assistants, Office
Superintendent and Administrative Officers Grade III in the
respective pay scales of Rs.5000-8000, Rs.5500-9000 and Rs.6500-
10500 will stand merged. The existing and revised structure in
Field Organization will, therefore, be as follows:-
(in Rs.)
Corresponding
Recommen-ded Pay Band &
Present pay
Designation pay Grade Pay
scale
scale Pay Grade
Band Pay
LDC 3050-4590 3050-4590 PB-1 1900
UDC 4000-6000 4000-6000 PB-1 2400
Head
Clerk/Assistants/ 4500-7000/
Steno Grade 5000-8000
II/equivalent
Office
Superintendent/
5500-9000
Steno Grade 6500-10500 PB-2 4200
I/equivalent
Superintendent/
Asst. Admn.
Officer/ Private 6500-10500
Secretary/
equivalent
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Corresponding
Recommen-ded Pay Band &
Present pay
Designation pay Grade Pay
scale
scale Pay Grade
Band Pay
Administrative 7500-12000
Officer Grade II entry grade
4800
/Sr. Private for fresh
Secretary/equ. 7500-12000 recruits)
PB-2 (5400
8000-13500
after 4
(on
years)
completion of
four years)
Administrative 10000-15200
10000-15200 PB-2 6100
Officer Grade I
Note 1 The posts in the intermediate scale of Rs.7450-11500,
wherever existing, will be extended the corresponding
replacement pay band and grade pay.
Note 2 The existing Administrative Officer Grade II /Sr.
Private Secretary/equivalent in the scale of Rs.7500-
12000 will, however, be placed in the corresponding
replacement pay band and grade pay till the time they
become eligible to be placed in the scale of Rs.8000-
13500 corresponding to the revised pay band PB 2 of
Rs.8700-34800 along with grade pay of Rs.5400.
3.1.15 Simultaneously, separate recruitment to the ministerial
and Stenographer cadres in the field offices shall cease
immediately. All future recruitment in the pay scale of Rs.6500-
10500 corresponding to the revised pay band PB 2 of Rs.8700-
34800 along with grade pay of Rs.4200 for every field office shall
be made as Executive Assistant whose qualifications as well as
method of recruitment shall be as prescribed for Executive
Assistants in the Secretariat. Fifty percent of the posts in this
grade shall be filled by direct recruitment of candidates
possessing minimum qualification of a Graduate degree and one
year diploma in Computers. The existing incumbents in the
ministerial and stenographers cadres in field offices shall
continue as distinct cadres till the time the administrative
Ministry concerned evolves a procedure for their job
enlargement/enrichment, retraining and re-deployment in one
unified cadre.
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