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Enhancing Group B Promotions in Railways

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120 views3 pages

Enhancing Group B Promotions in Railways

Uploaded by

vvivek.data
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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No. BRMS/Supervisory/Promotion Dated: 06.01.

2025

The Executive Director/PC,


Railway Board,
New Delhi.
Sub: Submission of the BRMS before the Committee constituted to examine issues relating
to Supervisory Categories.
Ref: Railway Board’s order No. ERB-I/2024/23/65 dated 20.11.2024.
Sir,
Railway Board, vide its order cited above, has constituted a Committee to examine the
following issues related to Supervisors:
a. To study the issue of stagnation at L-7 and to suggest modalities to improve
promotion prospects for all Supervisor category.
b. To study implications and suggest modalities for allotting Group B status to
Supervisors upgraded to Level-8 vide RBE 155/2022.
c. To study implications and suggest modalities for aligning the classification policy
of Ministry of Railways with DOP&T.
2. BRMS would like to give its submission on above issues, to address the promotional
prospects of the Supervisory Categories:
I. Present Status:
a. There is two level of the Supervisory structure – L6 (GP-4200) and L7 (GP-4600).
b. The employee, joining in Level-6, has only one promotion to Level-7; due to limited
vacancies in Group ‘B’. Besides, the promotion to Group ‘B’ is through written
examination-based scheme, where seniority and a good service record will not suffice.
Even, the non-functional financial upgradation under MACP Scheme to L-8 and L-9
levels, is not enough to mitigate the career advancement aspirations of the Supervisory
employees.
c. Position is even worse in case of the employees, who have joined directly in Level-7 (viz.
SSEs, CLAs, etc.), as there no further functional advancement in their cadre due to very
limited Group ‘B’ gazetted posts available in their cadres. Thus, there are several
examples, where an employees joined directly in the Level-7 posts, retires from the
Railway Service without getting any further career advancement.
d. RBE No. 155/2022, provides only following upgradation with no change in the
nomenclature/designation, duties and responsibilities and classification of posts, which
is unable to provide relief to the stagnant Supervisors:
Posts in GP 5400 (L9) = 25% of posts w.e.f. 01.12.2026 (non-functional)
Posts in GP 4800 (L8) = 50% / 25% of posts
(50% w.e.f. 01.12.2022 & 25% of posts w.e.f. 01.12.2026)
Posts in GP 4600 (L7) = 50% of posts.
-2-

e. As compared to the other departments of the Central Government, the available


promotional avenue for the Supervisors to the Group ‘B’ Gazetted posts is much lesser,
which is evident from the following data:

SN Name of the Ministry Sanctioned Strength Percentage of Group ‘B’


employees
1. Ministry of Railways 15,51,215 0.29
2. Ministry of Agriculture 9,561 29.96
3. Ministry of Culture 11,193 12.96
4. Ministry of Commerce & Industry 5,187 29.99
5. Ministry of Defence 5,85,476 14.50
6. Ministry of Drinking Water and 125 52.80
Sanitation
7. Ministry of Earth Sciences 7,398 54.17
8. Ministry of Environment, Forests 4,871 26.68
and Climate Change
9. Ministry of External Affairs 4,577 50.36
10. Ministry of Health & Family 29,463 22.57
Welfare
11. Ministry of Finance 1,76,260 37.16

On the basis of the data of these 11 Ministries the percentage of Group ‘B’ posts is as
under:

National average = 07.26%


National average (excluding Railways) = 20.26%

Thus, the percentage of Group ‘B’ Gazetted in Indian Railways is much below as
compare to other central Ministries.

f. From above, it is clear that there is a bottleneck at the level of Group ‘B’ causing
stagnation in the promotional avenues to the Supervisors.

g. In addition to above, in past the Group ‘B’ posts had been surrendered to create Group
‘A’ posts, which is not justified in view of the stagnation in the promotion avenues of the
Supervisors.

II. Suggestions and Demands:

a. The percentage of the Group ‘B’ posts should be enhanced at par with the national
average i.e. 7.26%:

This will give better promotional avenues and remove the stagnation of the Supervisor
category in Indian Railways. In fact, with the increasing work-load and introduction of the
new technologies and skill set, there is requirement of the Supervision at the every level.
Increase in the Group B level posts, will provide the necessary supervision as well as
coordination for smooth functioning of the day-to-day operation of Indian Railways.
-3-

b. Combined Cadre Restructuring of Group A, B & C in Railways:

As per the extant practice, the restructuring of the Group ‘C’ Cadres are done separately,
not combined with Group ‘B’ and ‘A’. For betterment and smooth functioning of the
Railway system, there is need to infuse the experience and talent of every levels into the
management. It is pertinent to mention here that an employee from the Group ‘C’ would
have better work experience and exposure to groundworks, which would be handful for
Railway Administration, if he/she is promoted to higher positions. This will not only
provide better career progression to the Group C employees, but also benefit the Indian
Railways to cope with the challenges for its future advancement.

c. Aligning the classification policy of Ministry of Railways with DOP&T:

DoPT being the nodal agency for suggesting policy guidelines to all ministries of Central
Govt., the classification of Railway employees should be aligned with the guidelines
issued by DoPT in this subject matter.

3. BRMS, therefore, requests that the Committee should take cognizance of above
suggestions, while making its recommendations.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

( Mangesh M Deshpande )
Encl: Nil. Secretary General

Common questions

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The disparity in promotional avenues for Supervisors in Indian Railways compared to other Central Government departments lowers employee morale, as the limited advancement opportunities due to lower Group ‘B’ percentages (0.29% in Railways versus national average of 7.26%) create a perception of limited career growth . Such disparity leads to frustration and diminished job satisfaction, as employees in similar capacities in other departments experience more dynamic career trajectories and recognition, fostering motivation and higher morale .

In the Ministry of Railways, the percentage of Group ‘B’ posts is significantly lower at 0.29% compared to other ministries such as Ministry of Agriculture (29.96%), Ministry of Culture (12.96%), and Ministry of Defence (14.50%). The national average of Group ‘B’ posts across all Ministries is 7.26%, further highlighting the disparity in the Railway Ministry .

BRMS raises concerns about stagnation due to limited promotional prospects for supervisors at L-7, restricted to only one promotion from Level-6 to Level-7, with limited Group 'B' vacancies . The promotion to Group 'B' is further hindered by a competitive written examination, which seniority and service record alone cannot satisfy. For those joining directly at Level-7, there is virtually no scope for functional advancement, often leading to retirement without promotion . Additionally, the upgradation policies do not provide significant relief since they involve non-functional advancements without changing nomenclature, duties, or responsibilities .

BRMS recommends increasing the percentage of Group ‘B’ posts to the national average of 7.26% to alleviate stagnation for Supervisors . Additionally, they propose a combined cadre restructuring of Groups A, B, and C to incorporate the experience and skills at all levels into management tiers, thereby improving career progression and operational efficiency . BRMS also suggests aligning the classification policy with DoPT guidelines to standardize employment practices across government ministries .

The MACP scheme's non-functional financial upgradation allows financial increments without actual promotions or changes in duties, which may offer short-term monetary relief but fails to fulfill the broader career aspirations of supervisory employees who seek title changes, increased responsibilities, and elevated positions . This disconnect between financial compensation and functional responsibility contributes to dissatisfaction since employees remain in the same roles without tangible career advancements, leading to a sense of stagnation and inadequate professional growth despite financial incentives .

Shifting Group ‘B’ posts to Group ‘A’ has led to a bottleneck, exacerbating the stagnation issue for Supervisors aiming for career progression, as it reduces the already limited promotional vacancies in Group 'B' . This reallocation is unjustified given the existing limited avenues for advancement, creating frustrations regarding career mobility. A diminished Group 'B' presence likely impedes the advancement opportunities not only for Group 'B' aspirants but also constrains the pool of candidates available for management positions, potentially affecting operational leadership and decision-making capacity at the supervisory level .

Aligning the classification policy with DOP&T guidelines is significant as DOP&T serves as the nodal agency for policy suggestions across Central Government ministries. Such alignment ensures uniformity, transparency, and comparability in employment practices, thereby facilitating coherent career progression pathways and avoiding discrepancies in designations, promotions, and duties across ministries . This can help mitigate inter-departmental inequality and optimize career development frameworks .

Increasing the percentage of Group ‘B’ posts is necessary to avoid stagnation of the Supervisory category in Indian Railways, as a higher percentage would provide more promotional avenues, enhance career prospects, and fulfill the aspirations of supervisors who currently face limited advancement opportunities . An increase is particularly important given the growing workload and the need for skilled supervision at every operational level in the Railways .

The proposals focus on enhancing the percentage of Group ‘B’ posts to align with the national average, restructuring to integrate Groups A, B, and C for better career progression, and aligning Railway classification policies with DoPT guidelines to standardize employment conditions and remove discrepancies hindering supervisory career growth .

Implementing a combined cadre restructuring for Group A, B, and C is important as it would leverage the diverse experiences and ground-level insights from Group C employees in higher management roles, enhancing overall strategic decision-making and operational efficiency . Such restructuring can facilitate better talent and experience infusion into the management strata, providing equitable career advancement opportunities and addressing stagnation issues, thereby encouraging a more motivated workforce equipped to tackle future challenges of the Railway sector .

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