Promotion of ASOs of CSS as SO of CSS on ad-hoc basis

F.No.6/20/2022-CS-I(S) 
Government of India 
Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions 
Department of Personnel & Training

2nd Floor, A Wing, Lok Nayak Bhawan
New Delhi, the 1st December, 2022

OFFICE MEMORANDUM 

Subject: Promotion of Assistant Section Officers (ASOs) of CSS as Section Officers of CSS on ad-hoc basis - Regarding

The undersigned is directed to say that it has been decided to fill up the vacancies in the Section Officers' grade of CSS purely on an ad-hoc basis by promoting the eligible officers.

2.    Accordingly, approval of the competent authority is hereby conveyed for the issue of an eligibility list in terms of approved service for consideration for promotion to Section Officers' grade on ad-hoc basis as under:

1. ASOs, included in the Final Part Common Seniority List (CSL) of Assistant Section Officers' Grade of Central Secretariat Service for the Year 201.3 issued vide OM No.7/1/2018-CS-I(A) dated 01.12.2022 who are in service as of the date of Screening Committee meeting to be held in the Cadre Units concerned where these officers are working.

3.    Successful completion of mandatory Level B training is one of the mandatory eligibility conditions for the promotion of ASOs as Section Officers. Therefore, in respect of ASOs who are covered for consideration as per the eligibility list, Cadre Units may ensure that:

1. They have successfully completed Level 'B' Training or are exempted (58+ as of 01.07.2022).
2. The training status of the officer may be got verified from service records if he/she does not fall in the exempted category (58+).
3. Even if the officer falls in the exempted category now, it may be ensured that he/she has not exhausted the maximum nominations (2 w.e.f. 04.07.2016) for Level B Training.
4. In case of any doubt, in any case, the same may be referred to this Department for advice.

4.    The Cadre units of CSS may conduct the Screening Committee meeting to assess the fitness or otherwise of the officers covered in the eligibility list for their promotion to the grade of Section Officers of CSS on ad-hoc basis immediately within a week subject to the following conditions:

1. The officer has completed the 8 years of approved service in the grade of  ASO as of the date of the Screening Committee meeting and qualified for the Level B mandatory training or falls in the exempted category (refer to para 3 above). 
2. If any officer covered in the eligibility list has not completed the prescribed 8 years of approved service as of the date of the Screening Committee meeting for any reason such as a period spent in another Department after submitting technical resignation from CSS or already left service on account VRS/Death etc., the Screening Committee meeting in respect of him/her shall not be conducted
3. If any officer covered in the eligibility list is presently undergoing Level B Training or has undergone Level B Training but its results are still awaited from ISTM or have not been nominated for Level B Training to date, the Screening Committee meeting in respect of him/her shall be conducted only after he/she successfully completes Level B training on the basis of the results declared by ISTM.
4. The officer has submitted an undertaking that if promoted, he/she is willing to work on Desk Pattern

5.    Further, if any officer covered in the eligibility list is working in any cadre unit other than the one indicated against his/her name, the cadre unit, where he/she is presently posted, may conduct the Screening Committee meeting in respect of him/her, without referring the matter to this Department. However, the discrepancies and omissions, if any, in the list may be brought to the notice of this Department for corrections, while forwarding the Screening Committee recommendations.

6.    If any officer covered for consideration as per the eligibility list is not clear from a vigilance angle, the sealed cover procedure shall be adopted. If an officer who has been found fit by the Screening Committee is currently undergoing penalty, such cases should also be informed to this Department with details such as the date of imposition of penalty, period of penalty etc.

7.    The recommendations of the Screening Committee in respect of all the officers covered in the eligibility list and working in the respective cadre unit along with vigilance clearance of the officers who have been found fit may be furnished by the cadre units with the approval of the competent authority to this Department (CS-I) in the prescribed proforma (Annexure) at the earliest but not later than 15.12.2022.

8.    Once the Screening Committee recommendations are received, this Department would issue the promotion orders centrally. The officers who have been found fit by the Screening Committee and clear from the vigilance angle will only be given ad-hoc promotion. The promoted officers will be retained in the same cadre unit against existing vacancies in that cadre unit. The officers who are in excess of sanctioned strength will be transferred out in accordance with RTP provisions.

9.    The decision to issue the promotion order centrally at CS Division has been taken to ensure uniformity and to remove anomalies in pay fixation etc. It is, therefore, emphasized that cadre units will issue orders/notifications for the appointment of officers as Section Officers on an ad-hoc basis only after the promotion order is issued centrally by this Department.

10.    The ad-hoc promotion will remain subject to the outcome of:

1. Civil Appeal No.629/2022 in Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and connected matters (Jarnail Singh batch of cases).
2. Matters relating to seniority, promotion etc in SO/ASO/SSA grades, if any, filed in any competent court to date

11.    The cadre units are once again requested to conduct Screening Committee meetings immediately and furnish the information as per Annexure along with vigilance clearance of the officers who have been declared fit, a copy of the undertaking submitted by the officers and a copy of the minutes of Screening Committee duly approved by the Competent Authority, to this Department (CS-I Division) by 15.12.2022 positively.

(Rajeev Nayan)
Under Secretary to the Government of India