Railway Board Orders – Restructuring of certain Group ‘C’ cadres in Railways

1.The restructuring of the cadres will be with reference to the sanctioned cadre strength as on 01-11-2013. The staff who will be placed in higher grade pay as a result of implementation of these orders will draw pay in higher grades w.e.f. 0141-2013. The benefit of restructuring will be restricted to the persons who are working in a particular cadre on the cut-off-date i.e. 01-11-2013.

Applicability to various cadres

2.These orders will be applicable to the permanent regular cadres (excluding surplus & supernumerary posts) of the Open Line establishments including Workshops, Production Units, RDSO and Centralized Training Institutes. Only those temporary posts which are in operation for atleast three years may also be taken into account for the purpose of applying revised percentage. This will be subject to certification that these posts are meant for regular activities which will continue and not for any sporadic requirements.

2.1 These orders will also be applicable to the regular posts of Group ‘C’ cadres, borne on the permanent establishment of Centralized Training Institutes, chargeable to Revenue and identical in AVC, Grade Structure, Designation &. Recruitment pattern to that of same categories on the Zonal Railways.

2.2 These orders will not be applicable to ex-cadre work- charged posts which will continue to be based on worth of charge. 2.3 These instructions will also not be applicable to construction Units and Projects, where posts are generally created on worth of charge basis. For creation of posts in these units the percentage distribution of posts as in Open Line/Production Units may be generally kept in view, taking into account the availability of funds and extant rules for the same.

3. The pay of staff promoted against the additional higher grade posts as a result of restructuring (including chain/resultant vacancies) will be fixed as per Rule 13 of RS(RP) Rules,2008 with the benefit of one increment @ 3% of basic pay, with the usual option for pay fixation as per extent rules.

Existing classification and filling up of the vacancies

4. The existing classification of the posts covered by these orders as selection’ and ‘non-selection’, as the case may be remains unchanged. However, for the purpose of implementation of these orders, if any -individual Railway servant becomes due for promotion to a post classified as a ‘selection’ post, the existing selection procedure will stand modified in such a case to the extent that the selection will be based only on scrutiny of service records and confidential reports without holding any written- and-/or -viva-voce test. This modified selection procedure has been decided upon by the Ministry of Railways as a one time exception by special dispensation, in view of the numbers involved, with the objective of expediting the implementation of these orders. Similarly for posts classified as ‘non-selection’ at the time of this restructuring, the promotion will be based only on scrutiny of service records and confidential. reports. In the case of Artisan staff, the benefit of restructuring under these orders will be extended only on passing the requisite Trade Test.

4.1Normal vacancies existing on 01-11-2013 (except direct recruitment quota) and those arising on that date from this cadre restructuring including chain/resultant vacancies should be filled in the following sequence: (i) From panels approved on or before 01-11-2013 and current on that date; (ii) and the balance in the manner indicated in pare 4 above.

4.2Such selections which have not been finalized by 01-11-2013 should be cancelled/abandoned.

4.3 All normal vacancies arising from 02-11-2013 will be filled by normal selection procedure.

4.4 All vacancies (including chain/resultant vacancies) arising purely due to this cadre restructuring • should be filled up by senior employees who should be given benefit of the promotion w.e.f. 01-11-2013 whereas for the normal vacancies existing on 01-11-2013, junior employees should he posted by modified selection procedure but they will get promotion and higher pay from the date of taking over the posts as per normal rules, Thus the special benefit of the promotion w.e.f. 01-11-2013 is available only for vacancies arising out of cadre restructuring and for other vacancies, the normal rules of prospective promotion from the date of filling up of vacancy will apply.

4.5 In cases where percentages have been reduced in the lower grade and no additional post becomes available as a result of restructuring, the existing vacancies on 01-11-2013 should be filled up by normal selection procedure.

4.6 Direct recruitment percentages will not be applicable to the additional posts arising out of these restructuring orders as on the date of effect. The direct recruitment percentage will apply for normal vacancies arising on or after the date following the date of effect i.e. 01-11-2013. The direct recruitment quota as existing prior to the date of effect in certain categories will continue to be maintained.

4.7 Employees who retire/resign or expire.in between the period from the date of effect of these orders to the date of actual implementation of these orders, will be eligible for the fixation benefits and arrears under these orders w.e.f. 01-11-2013, if they are otherwise eligible for the said benefit. 5. Extant instructions for D&A/Vigilance clearance will be applicable for effecting promotions under these orders with reference to date of effect of these orders.

Minimum years of service in each grade

6. While implementing the restructuring orders, instructions regarding minimum period of service required for promotion issued from time to time should be followed. However, while considering any relaxation in the residency period prescribed for promotions to various categories, General Managers would personally ensure that the safety aspect of Railways is not compromised.

Basic functions duties and responsibilities

7.Since the cadres as detailed in the annexures to this letter are being restructured on functional, operational and administrative considerations, the posts being placed in higher scales of pay as a result of restructuring should include the duties and responsibilities of greater importance.

Adjustment of excess number of posts.

8.If prior to issue of these instructions the number of posts existing in any grade in any particular cadre exceeds the number admissible on the revised percentages, the excess may be allowed to continue to be phased out progressively with the vacation of the posts by the existing incumbents.

Provision of reservation

9. The existing instructions with regard to reservation of SC/ST wherever applicable will continue to apply.

Pin pointing of posts

10. The administration should take steps to pin-point the additional posts arising out of this restructuring as per administrative requirements. However, in those cases where due to pin-pointing of posts staff is required to join duties in the upgraded posts at a different station, such staff may be allowed the benefit of upgradation/promotion on “as is where is basis” for the time being and allowed to join the pin-pointed post at the new station within six months time from the date of issue of promotion order, subject to the satisfaction of HOD on merit in each case.

Refusal of promotion

11. Such of the Staff as had refused promotion before issue of these orders and stand debarred for promotion may be considered for promotion, in relaxation of the extant provisions as a one time exception, if they indicate in writing that they are willing to be considered for such promotion against the vacancies existing on 01-11-2013 and arising due to restructuring on the date. This relaxation will not be applicable to vacancies arising after the date of effect i.e. 01- 11-2013.

Matching Savings

12. Entire scheme of restructuring is to be a self-financing and expenditure neutral proposition. Financial implications should be worked out taking into account the revised basic pay (including the Grade Pay) corresponding to the midpoint of the pre-revised pay scales in respect of each post as listed in the fitment table circulated vide Railway Board’s letter no. PC-VI/ 2008/i/RSRP/1 dated 11-09-2008 and 12-09-2008, along with the Dearness Allowance as applicable on date of effect of these orders.

 12.1 After working out the financial implications, the matching savings should be effected from the category itself. Wherever it is not possible to do so from the category itself, the matching savings should be arranged from the department at the divisional/zonal level. But before restructuring the cadre as per the revised percentage distribution of posts, matching savings will have to be ensured and if the Department/Railways are not able to provide the matching savings, the particular category/department will not be restructured. While effecting surrender of posts of equivalent financial value, the existing vacant posts available in the categories on the date of effect should be considered for the purpose of off-setting the cost of restructuring/financial effects of restructuring. Board desires that the General Managers should ensure that the restructuring is implemented expeditiously with matching saving without any exception and difficulty. There would be no restructuring without matching savings by surrender of posts.

 12.2 Revised percentage distribution of posts as per these orders is to be based upon the sanctioned cadre strength as on 01-11- 2013. Surrenders are to be effected on this sanctioned strength and the resulting imbalance/variation in the cadres is to be reviewed at the time of next annual review as indicated below

Annual review

13. As per instructions contained in Board’s letter No. PC-VI/ 2009/CRC/4 dated 26.03.2010, the Annual Review due to be conducted as on 01-04-2010 on the cadre strength of 01-04- 2010 was suspended. It has now been decided that the next: Annual Review will be undertaken from 01.04.2015 taking into account the cadre strength as on 01.04.2015.