Preamble - INDIAN POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACCOUNTS AND FINANCE SERVICE (GROUP "A") RULES, 2018

INDIAN POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACCOUNTS AND FINANCE SERVICE (GROUP "A") RULES, 2018

PREAMBLE

In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution and in supersession of the Indian Posts and Telecommunications, Accounts and Finance Service Group "A" Recruitment Rules, 2001, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the President hereby makes the following rules regulating the method of Recruitment to the Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (Group "A"), namely:-

Rule 1 - Short Title and Commencement

(1) These rules may be called the Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (Group "A") Rules, 2018.

(2) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Rule 2 - Definition

In these rules, unless the contest otherwise requires,-

(a) "Commission" means the Union Public Service Commission;

(b) "Departmental Promotion Committee" in relation to any grade, means a Committee constituted to consider promotion in any grade as indicated in Schedule-III to these rules;

(c) "Departmental Confirmation Committee" in relation to any grade, means a Committee constituted to consider confirmation in any grade as indicated in Schedule-III to these rules;

(d) "Departmental Screening Committee" means a Committee constituted to consider placement in Junior Administrative Grade (Non-functional Selection Grade) as indicated in Schedule-III and grant of Non-Functional Up-gradation as indicated in Schedule-IV to these rule;

(e) "Examination" means the Civil Services Examination held by the Commission for recruitment to Central Services Group 'A';

(f) "Government" means the Government of India;

(g) "Grade" means a grade specified in column (2) of Schedule -I;

(h) "Regular Service", in relation to any grade, means the period or periods of service in that grade rendered after selection, according to the prescribed procedure, for regular appointment to that grade and includes any period or periods:-

(i) taken into account for purpose of seniority in the case of those appointed at the initial constitution of the service; and

(ii) during which an officer would have held a post in that grade on regular basis, but for being on leave or otherwise not being available for holding such posts;

(i) "Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes" shall have the same meaning as are assigned to them under clauses (24) and (25) respectively of article 366 of the Constitution of India;

(j) "Other Backward Classes" shall comprise the castes and communities notified by the Government from time to time.

(k) "Service" means the Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (Group 'A'), constituted under rule 3.

(l) "Schedule" means the schedule annexed to these rules.

Rule 3 - Constitution of the Service

(1) There shall be a constituted Service known as Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) Group 'A' consisting of persons appointed to the service under rule 6 and 7.

(2) All the posts included in the service shall be classified as Group 'A' posts.

(3) The regular continuous service by the officers, as referred to in sub-rule 3 (1) in the respective corresponding grades, rendered prior to commencement of these rule shall be counted as qualifying service for the purpose of seniority, confirmation, promotion, non functional up-gradation and pension.

Rule 4 - Controlling Authority

The Government of India, Ministry of Communications, Department of Telecommunications shall be the Controlling Authority of the Service.

Rule 5 - Grades, authorised strength and its review

(1) The authorised permanent strength of various grades of the Service on the date of commencement of these rules, the number of posts in each grade and the level in the pay matrix attached thereto shall be as specified in Schedule-I.

(2) On and from the date of commencement of these rules, the authorised permanent strength of various grades of the service shall be as may be determined by the Central Government from time to time subject to variation depending on workload, through the established procedure, as per the instructions/ orders issued by Government from time to time.

Rule 6 - Members of Service

(1) The service on the date of commencement of these rules, shall consist of officers who have already been appointed to the Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service Group "A" in the various grades specified in Schedule-I on a regular basis.

(2) A person appointed to any duty post in any grade after the commencement of these rules shall be a member of the Service in the corresponding grade, from the date of such appointment.

Rule 7 - Appointment to the Service

(1) After initial constitution of the Service, the vacancies in any of the grades shall be filled in the manner as hereinafter provided.

(2) Fifty per cent of the vacancies of Junior Time Scale shall be filled by direct recruitment on the basis of Civil Services Examination conducted by the Commission in accordance with rules framed and notified by the Government from time to time.

(3) Remaining fifty per cent of the vacancies in the Junior Time Scale shall be filled by promotion in accordance with the provisions specified in Schedule-II of these rules on the basis of the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee constituted in accordance with Schedule-III.

(4) Appointments in the Service to the posts of Senior Time Scale and above except to the Junior Administrative Grade (Non-functional Selection Grade) shall be made in accordance with the provision of Schedule-II by 'selection' on the basis of the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee constituted in accordance with Schedule-III. Placement to the Junior Administrative grade (Non-functional Selection Grade) shall be made on the basis of seniority subject to suitability on the basis of the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion or Screening Committee constituted in accordance with Schedule-III.

Rule 8 - Probation

(1) Every officer on appointment to the service, either by direct recruitment or by promotion under sub-rule (2) or (3) of rule 7 shall be on probation for a period of two years:

Provided that the controlling officer may extend the period of probation in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government from time to time:

Provided further that any decision for extension of the probation period shall be taken ordinarily within eight weeks after the expiry of the previous probationary period and communicated in writing to the officer concerned together with the reasons for so doing within the said period.

(2) On completion of the probation or any extension thereof the officer shall, if considered fit for permanent appointment, be retained in his/her appointment on regular basis and be confirmed in due course against the available substantive vacancy, as the case may be.

(3) If, during the period of probation or any extension thereof, as the case may be, Government is of the opinion that an officer is not fit for permanent appointment, Government may discharge or revert the officer to the post held by him prior to his appointment in the service, as the case may be.

(4) During the period of probation or any extension thereof, the candidate may be required by the Government to undergo such courses of training and instructions and to pass examination and tests (including examination in Hindi) as the Government may deem fit, as a condition to satisfactory completion of the probation.

(5) As regards other matters relating to probation, the candidates shall be governed by the orders or instructions issued by the Government from time to time in this regard.

Rule 9 - Seniority

(1) The relative seniority of the Members of the Service on commencement of these rules shall be the relative seniority in their respective grades as determined before the date of commencement of these rules:

Provided that if the seniority of any Member of the Service has not been determined before the commencement of these rules, it shall be determined by the Government in accordance with the general instructions issued by the Government from time to time.

(2) The seniority of the persons recruited to the Service after the initial constitution shall be determined in accordance with the general instructions issued by the Government from time to time in this regards.

(3) Seniority of officers not covered by the above provisions shall be determined by the Government in consultation with the commission.

Rule 10 - Non-functional Up-gradation

(1) Whenever an Indian Administrative Service officer of the State of Joint Cadre is posted at the Centre to a particular grade carrying level 10 to level 15 except 13A in the pay matrix, the officers belonging to batches of the Service that are senior by two years or more and have not so far been promoted to that particular grade, shall be granted the same level in the pay matrix on non-functional basis from the date of posting of the Indian Administrative Service officers in that particular grade at the Centre.

(2) All the prescribed eligibility criteria and promotional norms including 'benchmark' for up-gradation to a particular level in the pay matrix shall have to be fulfilled at the time of screening for grant of higher level in the pay matrix.

(3) Grant of Non-functional Up-gradation referred to in clause (1) above shall be,-

(i) in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to time,

(ii) made on the recommendations of the screening committee as specified in Schedule-IV.

Rule 11 - Mid Career Training (MCT) Program

The officers of the service shall complete the MCT programs satisfactorily as prescribed by Central Government from time to time.

Rule 12 - Conditions of Service

(1) An officer appointed to the Service shall be liable to serve anywhere, including field service, in or outside India.

(2) The conditions of service of the officer of the Service in respect of matters, for which no provision has been made under these rules, shall be the same as are applicable to the officers of Central Civil Services from time to time.

Rule 13 - Disqualification

No person:

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or

(b) who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person,

shall be eligible for appointment to the service.

Provided that the Government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.

Rule 14 - Interpretation

If any question arises relating to the interpretation of these rules, it shall be referred to the Government who shall decide the same.

Rule 15 - Power to Relax

Where the Government is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient to do so, it may, by order, for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the Commission, relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of persons.

Rule 16 - Saving

Nothing in these rules shall affect reservations, relaxation of age-limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, ex-Servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Government from time to time in this regard.

Schedule I - SCHEDULE-I

SCHEDULE-I

[See Sub Rule -5 (1)]

Grades, Designations, Level in the pay matrix and Authorised Strength

** Note: - The number of posts in 'Non-functional Selection Grade' in the Level-13 of the pay matrix (Rs. 1,23,100-2,15,900) shall be restricted to 30% of the senior duty posts in the cadre, i.e. the posts in Level-11 of the pay matrix (Rs. 67,700-2,08,700) and above. There shall be no increase in the overall strength of the cadre and the number of posts to be operated in the 'Non-functional Selection Grade' shall not exceed the number of posts available in the Junior Administrative Grade.

Schedule II - SCHEDULE-II

SCHEDULE -II

(See Rule 7)

Method of recruitment, Field of Promotion and Minimum Qualifying Service in the next lower grade for appointment of officers on promotion to duty posts included in various Grades of the Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service.

Note 1: The crucial date for determining the eligibility of the officers for promotion to various grades shall be as per the instructions issued by the Government from time to time.

Note 2: Where juniors who have completed their qualifying or eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors would also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility service or two years, whichever is less and have successfully completed their probation period for promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such qualifying or eligibility service.

Schedule III - SCHEDULE-III

SCHEDULE-III

[See Sub Rule 7(3) and 7(4)]

Composition of Departmental Promotion Committee, Departmental Screening Committee and Departmental Confirmation Committee for considering cases of promotion and confirmation of Group "A" officers of Indian Posts and Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (Group 'A').