Denial of improved Pay Matrices to Graduate
Engineers/Diploma Engineers of Railways leading to
serious disappointment among engineers - Removal of
injustice
Item No.3
Sub:
Denial of improved Pay Matrices to
Graduate Engineers/Diploma Engineers of Railways
leading to serious disappointment among engineers -
Removal of injustice - urged.
Ref:
NFIR's letter No. IV/NFIR/7 CPC
(Imp)/2016/RB-Part I dated 14/08/2017.
NFIR invites kind attention of the Railway Board to
Para 11.40.104 to 11.40.115 of the 7th CPC report (Page
No. 747 to 749). Vide Para 1 1 .40. 109 of the 7th CPC
report, it has been stated that "the next post in the
hierarchical structure for Technical Supervisors is the
post of Assistant Engineer. There is a 1:1 ratio
between the posts of Assistant Engineer filled by
Direct Recruitment and those filled through
promotion".
In this connection, NFIR desires to point out the
ground reality is that the SSEs (directly recruited
Graduate Engineers) do not have reasonable career
growth at all, as they continued to remain in the same
Grade Pay/Pay Level (GP 4600/Pay Level 7) for not less
than 10 to 15 years. There is also no cadre structure
for Technical Supervisors beyond 7th CPC pay Level 7
(6th CPC/GP 4600).
It has also been found that the 7th Central Pay
Commission had relied upon the study report given by
Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad for the
purpose of denying allotment of irnproved Grade Pay/Pay
Matrices for Graduate Engineers as well Diploma
Engineers. Extract of para 6.16.2 of the study report
of IIM, Ahmedabad upon which the 7th CPC had relied
upon, is reproduced below:
"6.16.2 Sector-Wise Career progression and promotion
Rules:
Table 6.16.2:
Career Progression for
Graduate Engineer through RRB in
Railways
|
Job Role: Graduate Engineer
|
Designation/Post
|
Promotion Criteria
|
Entry + 1 Level
|
Assitant Engineer
|
Period prescribed for promotion to this level as per
R/Rs is 2 years in the previous level. Actual Average
period of promotion is
4 years.
|
Entry + 2 Levels
|
Divisional Engineer
|
Period prescribed for promotion to this level as per
R/Rs is 4 years in the previous level. Actual Average
period of promotion is
6 years.
|
Entry + 3 Levels
|
Sr.Divisional Engineer
|
Period prescribed for promotion to this level as per
R/Rs is 4 years in the previous level. Actual Average
period of promotion is
4 years.
|
Source: Based on
data provided by the
Seventh Central Pay Commission
|
In the above context, NFIR states that never, the
Graduate Engineers have been granted promotion to the
post of Assistant Engineer on completion of 4-years
period and to the post of Divisional Engineer on
completion of 4-years in the previous pay level. It
seems, the IIM's distorted study report has done grave
damage to the career of directly recruited Graduate
Engineers in Railways. The incorrect information
through IIM's study report with regard to career
progression and salary details of Graduate Engineers in
Railways had caused irreparable harm to their career,
resulting alround resentment among Graduate
Engineers/Diploma Engineers.
While the 7th CPC had evolved its own principle (Para
4.1.19 of its report), for pay grading, sadly the pay
commission had failed to adhere to its own principle in
the instant case of Technical Supervisors in Railways
who are either Graduate Engineers or Diploma Holders.
It is also surprising to note that the Railway Ministry
(as recorded vide Para 11.40.112 of the 7th CPC report)
had defended the continuance of existing arrangements
on functional grounds, ignoring the truth that the
Railway Ministry itself had, in the year 2010 proposed
replacement of GP 4600/- with GP 4800/- for improving
the career of SSEs etc. The Railway Ministry had also
failed to apprise the 7th CPC of its decision as well
its proposal to Ministry of Finance for upgradation of
Apex Level (GP 4600/-) posts to Group 'B' Gazetted
(decision yet to be implemented).
NFIR, therefore, urges upon the Railway Ministry to
review the entire issue de-novo for rendering justice
to the category of Engineers (Graduate/Diploma) in
Railways duly modifying the existing Pay Matrices with
retrospective effect.
Source: NFIR
