personnel system

PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

STRATEGIC REVIEW OF MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT

52

Chapter II

2. PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

Personnel constitute an integral part of the organizations. The quality of the

institution run by Government would depend to a great extent upon the quality of the

employees engaged in their operation. Personnel Administration helps an organisation in

the management of personnel resources with the use of well established principles,

practices and rationalized techniques in selecting retaining and developing personnel for

the fulfillment of organizational objectives systematically and scientifically. In our report,

the personnel administration in respect of state civil services, case study of two services,

need for the Department of Human Resource Development, delegation from Secretariat

and the issues in the State Personnel Policy have been discussed in this chapter.

I. STATE CIVIL SERVICES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

The evolution of the state civil services in Himachal Pradesh has to be traced with

reference to three different classes of territorial units in times prior to the birth of

Himachal Pradesh in 1948. The present state of Himachal Pradesh is composed of about

30 princely states which were merged together to create Himachal Pradesh. A little

afterwards, the states of Kotkhai and Kotgarh were also merged in HP On 1st November

1966, Nalagarh state and a portion of the erstwhile Patiala state were clubbed with HP at

the time of re-organisation of state of Punjab in consequence of which the areas

comprised in the District of Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti etc. which were part of the

British regime before 15th August 1947, were transferred from the Punjab to Himachal

Pradesh.

It may be noticed that most of the princely states which were amalgamated to

form Himachal Pradesh were too small to allow the creation of a regular civil service.

Among these states, Sirmour, Mandi, Chamba, Suket and Bushahr were of considerable

size but not large enough to have a regular state civil service. The result is that when,

following the creation of Himachal Pradesh, the question of equation of the incumbents of

the erstwhile princely states cropped up, most of the officers were absorbed in service in

capacities ranging from the Tehsildar down to the Patwari. The exception was made only



53

in case of about a dozen officers like Mahabir Singh, T.S. Negi, P.R. Mahajan and H.R.

Mahajan who were absorbed as Extra Assistant Commissioners.

After its creation, Himachal had a cadre of Extra Assistant Commissioners. This

post was slightly lower that the post of a PCS or HAS Officer. All posts of Treasury

Officers, Revenue Assistant and later ADPDOs and still later compensation officers were

treated as Extra Assistant Commissioner (EACs). All these officers also functioned as

Magistrates in addition to their departmental duties. This situation continued till the year

1961 when the state did not have even the Indian Administrative Service. In that year, a

joint Civil Service Cadre was constituted for Delhi and Himachal Pradesh to be known as

the Delhi and Himachal Pradesh Civil Service. In the year 1965, this service was extended

to the Union Territories of Andeman, Nicobar and Iceland. Then this service came to be

known as Delhi Himachal Andeman, Nicobar Iceland Civil Services (DHANICS). As a result

of the Punjab Re-Organisation Act, 1966, later, the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh

was elevated to the status of a full-fledged State by a Parliamentary Legislature known as

State of Himachal Pradesh Act, 1970. This Act provided for the bifurcation of DHANICS

and the creation of separate State Civil Service for Himachal Pradesh known as Himachal

Pradesh Administrative Service (HPAS). Before this was done, direct recruitment in case

of HP between the years 1961 and 1970 was made for the joint cadre already referred to

above. The Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service Rules were made and notified in the

year 1973 and the process of direct recruitment for the HPAS commenced. The first batch

of direct recruits of HPAS came into the position in the year 1974. Simultaneously,

promotions to the HPAS have been made over the year. This service consists of all posts

of Sub-Divisional Officer, Civil (including three which had been created in the year 1960

when the posts of EACs existed), ADMs, ACs to the Commission/Deputy Commissioner,

Deputy/Joint/Additional Heads of Departments/Deputy/Joint/ Additional Secretaries to the

Government and other miscellaneous posts.

Presently, the HPAS Cadre consists of total sanction posts of 185. Out of this, 134

posts are of various categories, 34 posts are deputation reserve and 17 posts are leave

reserve, training reserve and junior post reserve.

(a) Present Structure of Different State Level Services:

At present there are three State Level Services which can be called organized

services. They are: Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS); Himachal Pradesh



54

Police Services (HPPS) and Himachal Pradesh Forest Services (HPFS). There may exist

other services like HP Education Services, HP Health Services, HP Agriculture Services

etc. but they are not in an organized structure, therefore, their existence in the shape of

a service is not found. With regard to Excise Services in the State, there are two types

prevailing one is the generalist cadre and the other is departmental officers. The

Department is headed by a Commissioner Excise and Taxation who is normally from the

All India Services. The post of Joint Excise & Taxation Commissioner is filled up from the

cadre of State Civil Services i.e. HPAS. In addition to this there are departmental officers

who form the so called Excise Services and their postings in the hierarchy level are Excise

Inspector, Excise & Taxation Officer and Assistant Excise & Taxation Commissioner etc.

these posts also form the feeding cadre for induction to the State Civil Services.

With regard to the registration activities in the State there are two types of

registration activity taking place first one relates to registration of land and the later

relates to motor vehicles. For the registration and licensing of motor vehicles, the power

have been vested in the Sub-Divisional Officer(Civil) who hail from HP Administrative

Services. The powers of registration of land are vested in the Sub-Registrar who happens

to be the Tehsildar at the Tehsil level, whereas the Registrar for land dealings is Deputy

Commissioner of the District. The role of officers from HP Administrative Services is no

where involved in this whole gamut of land registration. The Inspector General of

Registration in the State is Financial Commissioner (Revenue) who is generally from

Indian Administrative Services.

The picture with regard to commercial taxes in the State relates to Excise and

Taxation Department and to a small extent by the department of Transport. The role of

collection of all commercial taxes has been entrusted to Excise and Taxation Department

whereas the road tax ,token tax and passenger tax is collected by the Transport

Department/State Transport Authority. The Transport Department is headed by the

officer of Indian Administrative Services whereas the post of Secretary State Transport

Authority is hold by State Civil Services in addition to the posts of Regional Transport

Officers.

The Education Department which is one of the bigger departments in the State is

divided into two parts i.e. Department of Higher Education and department of Elementary

Education. The Department of Higher Education is governed by the departmental officers



55

who hail from the teaching category i.e. College Cadre lecturers who are promoted as

Joint Directors in the department. In addition to this, one post of the level of Additional

Director has been assigned to HP Administrative Services for the works/assignments

related to establishment affairs. The financial matters in the department are looked by an

officer of the level of Joint Controller (Finance & Accounts) alongwith two or three Section

Officers (Finance and Accounts) who all belong to Subordinate Accounts Services in the

State under the overall control of Director of Higher Education. The Department of

Elementary Education which has a mandate to direct and administer the education upto

middle level (8th Class) is headed by an officer from IAS/senior HAS. The middle level

posts of the department viz. Joint Director, Deputy Director etc. goes to the departmental

officers who belong to the teaching category of Trained Junior Basic Teacher. The channel

for this promotion from JBT is Headmaster/Centre Head Teacher. Thereafter CHT to Block

Primary Education Officer and Deputy Director of Primary Education at district level also.

The Head of the Department in Prison department is called Additional Director

General of Prisons. This post is filled up from officer belonging to India Police Services.

The post of Jail Superintendent at individual jail level is held by local level Sub-Division

officer (Civil) or Assistant Commissioner to Deputy Commissioner. However, all the lower

posts in the hierarchy of officers is filled up from the departmental officers.

The second largest department providing Social Services in the field of Health is

department of Health & Family Welfare in Himachal Pradesh. The post of Director Health

Services is filled up from the officers of the department. However, the post of Mission

Director, Rural Health Mission is held by either an officer from Indian Administrative

Services or a Senior officer from HP Administrative Services. To facilitate the

administrative work in the department of Health Service, one post of Additional Director

Health belongs to State Civil Services. All the technical work of the department is looked

after by the departmental officers who are senior doctors. However, their own service

matters are handled by the authorities sitting in the Secretariat. This is the case with

respect to all the technical services in the State that their service matter are dealt by the

generalist sitting in the Secretariat where the lead role is played by the officials of the

Secretariat Services who are hardly aware or equipped/trained to handle the technical

matters. This situation many times lead to a very gloomy position and confusing

consequences.



56

The Department of Agriculture is headed by Director Agriculture who hail from the

department of agriculture. All the posts of junior, middle and senior level positions in the

department are held by the departmental officers who dispose of all the technical work of

the department at their level however, their own service matters are dealt in the

Secretariat and the same tale of woe as narrated in the preceding paragraph, is repeated.

In the past, the post of Secretary Agriculture which is normally filled up from All India

Services, was once filled up by drawing an officer from the Technical Services but in that

case too the position remain to a branch officer only since in this condition he had to work

under an officer belonging to the generalist cadre.

There are two departments in the State where Engineering Services in general

exist. These are departments of Irrigation and Public Health and Public Works

Department. The mandate for Irrigation & Public Health Department includes the works

related to irrigation, water supply, sewerage and sanitation. The department is headed

by Engineer-in-Chief (IPH) who is a senior departmental officer. The state has been

divided to three zones i.e. North, South and Central Zones and department in three zones

is controlled by a Chief Engineer at zonal level who also belong to cadre of departmental

officers. The zones are further divided into Circles, Divisions and Sub-Divisions where all

the posts are held by departmental officers. The Public Works department in the State

looks after the work of construction and maintenance of roads and bridges, residential

and non-residential government buildings etc. there are other players also in this activity

which include Engineering Wing of the Rural Development Department and Himachal

Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA- come up after the merger of HP Housing Board

and HP Nagar Vikas Pradhikaran). The engineers in these department are generally called

on deputation from HP Public Works Department. The Engineer-in-Chief PWD and all the

Zonal, Circle, Divisional and Sub-Divisional posts in PWD are held by departmental officer

on the analogy of IPH department. The posts of Registrars, who deal with the

establishment/administrative work in these both departments are filled up from the

departmental officers, these posts could be considered to be filled up from the State Civil

Services.

SCOPE FOR RATIONALIZATION

With the passages of time, the State Administrative Services which has prevalence

in broader terms in different departments has evolved itself as a specialist in

administrative/service matters. They form a generalist cadre for human resource



57

department and developed an expertise in this particular subject. The generalist cadre of

HP Administrative Services has become architect to construct the

establishment/administration paths, roads and their all intricacies those come in the way.

HP Police Services and HP Forest Services have remained confined to their own

departments and do not have exposure or expertise on the issues relating to different

departments. The State Civil Services over the time period has an emerged as premier

services. The departmental officers emulating them have developed themselves also

specialists ignoring their own domain. The suggestion to ameliorate this situation is that

departmental services may be made feeder cadre to State Civil Services for uniformity.

HP Police Services, HP Administrative Services and HP Forest Services are parallel cadres

services which have their own area of expertise and no scope of rationalization seems to

be possible. However, the postings of HP Police Service and HP Forest Services on

generalist posts is the need of the time. In the past, though they have been posted to

generalist cadres incidentally or accidentally but the efforts proved to be an ornamental

event only. Since they were not offered ample opportunity to operate and grow as the

responsibility entrusted to them was limited to the extent of branch officers only. In

certain policy issues the services of departmental offices can be availed for the

convergence of services for example: for the land use policy a combine of officers from

agriculture and forests departments may result into better convergences of services.

The State Civil Services have always played a second lead role and remained

under the shadow of a banyan tree – the big Civil Services.

(b) The State Civil Service-Need of a Generalist Cadre

The provincial civil services may have been created with the intention of providing

native a crack at the higher civil services with a predetermined gape of four years. The

provincial civil services and the ICS were performing the same field, functions in the

earlier years, the higher jobs were exclusively to be managed by ICS, of course, the PCS

people had an opening to be elevated to the coveted ICS. With the passage of time, the

basic framework has a remained the same, the increased preference to the departmental

officers in the departments which are generally headed by the officers from the IAS, has

meant the State Services generalists sharing the space with the departmental officers on

one hand and the performing the same functions which an All India Services Officers does

at the beginning of ones career on the other hand. The delay in action and repeated

posting don‟t offer much challenge/growing opportunity to the PCS officers – definitely



58

affecting the quality of the services and this coupled with the tendency to cling to the

coveted posts has meant dilution of quality and more and more dependence upon the

plot-able officers by the politicians. This state of resignation of being relegated to the

second wing coupled with the perceived second rate treatment on being inducted into IAS

has meant, less initiatives, less perceived recognitions means an approach which just

suffers the immediate concerned of placement, to be as the right side of the relevant

party at any time as become the USP of the PCS (politically collect service.

At the directorate level the State Services PCS Officers generally look after the

service matter of department whereas the technical matters are generally are assigned to

departmental officers. On the other hand, in tax collection department like Excise and

taxation Department, The Tax collections are done zone wise and zones are divided

between the PCS and departmental officers whereas some of the departments like PWD,

IPH and Forests etc. there are now PCS officers like wise IAS officers are also not there.

The establishment matters are dealt by the departmental officers only.

At the Secretariat level the Secretary heads the department assisted by the

branch officers who are again either from the PCS or from the secretariat services. Each

branch has one section officer who is the real fulcrum in the scheme of things. IAS

officers also serve as branch officers at the level of Joint Secretary and above. While

there is generally more than a single supervisory level in the Secretariat working, single

file system has been introduced in a couple of branches. Decision making process is very

long drawn and delays are a routine, lack of a accountability and hence passing of buck

and instead of the forward movement of the papers, unnecessary queries – relevant or

totally irrelevant is the norm, in the absence of deemed clearances, subjects are kept

pending for years together.

The provincial Civil Services are functioning same function albeit at a lower level, the only

justification of a functional overlapping service may be traced in the quasi federal

structure envisaged in the constitution and only way to improve the utility aspect is to

assign then the responsibility, exclusively at the lower level or perceived cutting edges.

The Higher Civil Service should exclusively be engaged in policy formulation and ensuring

implementations.

HP Administrative Services is premier service of the State and is vested with

significant responsibilities of policy making at the state level and also effective



59

implementation of these policies in the field. In quantitative terms, more than eighty

percent of the work of planning and implementation is being performed by this cadre

alone.

In present day scenario government has a very significant role to play in the

development process and promotion of appropriate conditions which would lend

dynamism to the state effort. Role of government today is not confined to regulatory

administration alone as the focus has shifted to development administration. In a state

like Himachal that abounds in natural resources the state government is required to

ensure that administrative machinery is sensitive to dynamics of development and

responsive to socio economic aspiration of its citizens.

(c) Recruitment Procedure

i) Entry age, qualification etc. for HIMACHAL PRADESH ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

ETC. EXAMINATION: After coming into existence, the H.P. Public Service Commission

first time conducted the Himachal Pradesh, Administrative Etc. Combined Competitive

Examination during the year 1973, for filling up various premier posts of State Services.

Thereafter the Commission conducts the examination every year on receipt of

requisitions from various Departments of H.P. Government. The following posts are filled

in on the basis of this examination:

Sr.

No. Name of the Post(s) Pay-Scale

1 HAS Class-I (Gazetted) Ordinary time scale Rs. 7880-13500 (plus

allowances sanctioned by the Government

from time to time)

2 HPS Class-I (Gazetted) Ordinary time scale Rs. 7880-13500 (plus

allowance sanctioned by the Government

from time to time)

3 Block Development Officer

Class-I (Gazetted)

Rs. 7000-10980 (plus allowances

sanctioned by the Government from time

to time)

4 District Panchayat Officer Class-

II (Gazetted)

Rs. 7000-10980 (plus allowances)

5 Principal, Panchayati Raj

Training Institute. Panchayat




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Department,Class-II (Gazetted)

6 District Treasury Officer Class-I

(Gazetted)


7 District Food & Supplies

Controller Class-I (Gazetted)


8 Tehsildar Class-I (Gazetted) Rs. 7000-10600 (plus allowances)

9 Excixe & Taxation Officer Class-I

(Gazetted)

Rs. 7000-10910 (plus allowances).

10 District Employment Officer

Class-II (Gazetted)


11 District Welfare-cum-

Probationary Officer Class-II

(Gazetted)


12 Assistant Registrar, Co-

operative Societies Class-Ii

(Gazetted)

Rs.7000-10980 (plus allowances)

13 Assistant Controller, Weights &

Measure Class-II (Gazetted)


The above vacancies of this service are filled up from all the eligible and desirous Indian

citizens for admission to the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services Etc. Combined

Competitive (Preliminary) Examination followed by (Main) written examination and viva-

voce test for recruitment to the posts/services to be filled in on the basis of H.P.A.S. Etc.

Combined Competitive Examination.

Examination Pattern:

Initially, a (Preliminary) objective type of examination consisting of 2 papers based on

multiple choice questions, on the following pattern is held:-

Paper-I General Studies

(Objective type 150 questions consisting of 1 mark each question). Duration of the paper

is three hours.

Paper-II Optional Paper



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(There are 150 questions of one mark each for a total of 150 marks. Optional Paper is

selected by the candidates out of 22 Optional Subjects given in the syllabus of Preliminary

examination). The duration of the paper is three hours.

Earlier the main written examination consisting of 8 papers (4 compulsory and 4 optional)

was conducted and approximately three times candidates of the number of vacancies

were called for viva-voce in order of merit of written examination. Final selection of

candidates was based on their combined merit in written examination and vive-voce.

Due to abnormal increase in number of candidates for this examination, the Commission

has introduced Preliminary examination before the main written examination during the

year 1999 on the pattern of Civil Services Preliminary examination conducted by the

Union Public Service Commission and also in view of HPAS Rules 1973 amended from

time to time.

The Preliminary examination is an objective type examination consisting of two papers

based on multiple choice questions. The number of candidates to be called for Main

written examination after the Preliminary examination, on the basis of marks obtained by

them, remains 20 times of the total number of vacancies to be filled in on the basis of

HAS examination. The candidates declared qualified in the examination are entitled for

admission to the main written examination, if otherwise found eligible. The candidates

declared qualified are required to apply afresh on a detailed prescribed application form

alongwith attested copies of documents in support of their claims made in the application

form of preliminary examination. The candidates who are admitted for the main written

examination can opt any two subjects out of the Optional Subjects.

A candidate has to specify in his application form the Optional Subject he desires to take.

The number of candidates called for (Main) written examination is about 20 times of the

total number of vacancies to be filled in on the basis of aforementioned examination. The

candidates declared qualified in the (Preliminary) examination are entitled for admission

to the (Main) written examination, if otherwise found eligible.

Preconditions:



62

(i) The number of vacancies in the services/posts which relate to the particular year

are included for the purpose of selection of candidates on the basis of aforesaid

examination.

(ii) H P Public Service Commission is at its discretion to call the number of

candidates for viva-voce test after the (Main) written examination on the basis of marks

obtained by them in the (Main) examination only. Generally, this number is three times

the total number of vacancies.

(iii) Marks obtained by the candidates in the Preliminary examination are not counted

for the purpose of final order of merit. However, marks obtained in the (Main)

examination as well as in the viva-voce test determine their final merit to various

posts/services to be filled in on the basis of aforesaid examination. The option exercised

by the candidates is taken into consideration while determining their order of merit for

selection to the various posts/services.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

(a) A candidate must possess a Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent from a

recognized University.

(b) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have

attained the age of 35 years on the first January, 2006 , meaning thereby

that candidates born on or after 02-01-1985 are underage whereas

applicants born on or before 01-01-1971 are overage.

(c) Knowledge of customs, manners and dialects of Himachal Pradesh and

suitability for appointment in the peculiar conditions prevailing in the

Pradesh is a desirable qualification.

(d) A candidate must be a citizen of India.

Relaxations:

1. The upper age limit is relaxable by five years for candidates belonging to the

Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes/ Other Backward Classes and Children/Grand

Children of Freedom Fighters of Himachal Pradesh as declared by the Govt. from time to

time. Age relaxation is also available to Ex-servicemen candidates of H.P. as per

provisions in Rules/ Instructions of H.P. Govt.

2. The upper age limit is also relaxable upto 42 years in case of those Govt. servants

holding substantive/officiating appointment under the H.P. Govt. including the H.P. High



63

Court or any Court subordinate thereto and the employees of Public Sector

Undertakings/Corporations /Autonomous Bodies which are wholly or substantially owned

or controlled by the H.P. Govt. provided such employees are in continuous service

whether permanent or officiating under the H.P. Govt.

Scheme of Examination:

After the (Main) written examination, three times candidates of the number

of vacancies are called for interview in order of merit. Final selection is made on the basis

of combined merit in written examination, viva-voce test and written preference of

candidates for various available posts.

The candidates are not allowed to offer the following combination of subjects:

(a) Mathematics and Statistics;

(b) Of the Engineering subjects, viz. Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering

and Civil Engineering, not more than one subject,

(c) Of Language subjects, viz. Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and English Literature, not

more than one subject;

(d) Agriculture, AND Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science;

(e) Political Science, International Relations AND Public Administration;

(f) Commerce & Accountancy AND Management;

(g) Sociology and Anthropology;

(h) Management AND Public Administration;

(i) Horticulture AND Forestry;

(j) Horticulture, Agriculture AND Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science;

(k) Forestry, Agriculture AND Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

In all, the candidates are required to appear in 8 papers for the main written examination

i.e. 4 compulsory and 4 optional.

ii) Review of performance:

There is no defined or set procedure to review the performance of the officers belonging

to HP Administrative Services. They only tool used for this mechanism is annual

confidential report. The annual confidential report is considered to be a confidential

document with single way traffic where all the contents are known to the ACR writing



64

officer. For the review of performance no targets are ever fixed nor any mid term review

of such target is taken at any level. Even the remarks made in the ACRs are known to the

concerned officer. For the performance appraisal a mechanism needs to be worked out for

each work separately in each department with overall common parameters with regard to

mid-terms evaluation there is total lapse since no short term or long terms issues are

targeted neither there is an administrative or political will for mid-term evaluation.

iii) Quality Improvement

The aspects of quality improvement of the officers belonging to this

category are also like a rudder less shape. Except for the induction training, there is no

training plan for the officers at regular intervals for their skills upgradation and capacity

building. With regard to train neither there is an administrative or political will to give

training to these officers at different level of their career, however, training is provided to

those persons who are proceed as less utility officers. Whatsoever limited exposure in the

name of training is available i.e. limited to training in State Institutions or at the most

inter-state institutions? There has never been a practice to given an exposure to the

working style of private institutions. Training is one of the most effective and

trusted tools for performance enhancement as well as up-gradation of knowledge and

skills of personnel. Effective training leads to better organizational motivation and moral

that in turn results in enhanced performance and positive attitude. Unfortunately till now

HAS cadre is neglected as far as training/human resources development is concerned. As

of now we have poorly planned and miserably managed induction training and practically

no in-service training. There should be a systematic in service training and training

process should continue throughout the career as per the needs with the following

objectives:

a) Keeping up-to-date and enhancing knowledge and skill needed for better

performance of the individuals. Such training should also be job specific so that

the organization and department also benefits.

b) Promoting better understanding of professional requirement as well as

sensitization to professional, socio economic and political environment in which

work is done.

c) Brining about right attitudinal orientation.

d) Keeping HAS cadre officers in touch with latest technology and concepts

iv) Promotions



65

In most organizations, whether civil or military or private, promotional avenues

are provided. In Himachal Pradesh too Assured Career Progression Scheme is in vogue

even for class III and class IV employees. It is unfortunate that for the premier service of

the state there are no promotional avenues. Even after 14 years of service, if officer

doesn‟t enter IAS due to age restriction or otherwise, he/she is allowed to stagnate till

he/she retires. After 14 years of service there is no further scale. Thus the officer

continues to be in the scale of 14,300-18,600 till retirement. After starting with similar

scales, both IAS and HAS almost move together up to the service of 4 years but after 8

years IAS officers take off and career progression continues till they retire but in case of

HAS officer, concept of career progression comes to an end after 9 years of service and

stagnation sets in. Hence HAS cadre should have similar stages of pay scale i.e. 4 years,

8 years, 11 years, 14 years and 22 years.

v) Motivation:

Motivation in one‟s ability is the key to success. The performance of each civil

servant depends on his motivation towards his duties. There is no system provailing in

the State government to enhance the motivation of the civil servants. A dedicated worker

is hardly recognized or a work shirker is hardly punished. There is no responsibility and

accountability attached directly, if it is there, it is not monitored unbiased. To enhance the

motivation, there should be system of making appraisals and such appraisals are to be

undertaken on realistic grounds. Such a system, if it is devised, should have a mechanism

for punishment as well as for rewards. In this mechanism, the targets should be fixed by

individual at the time of his posting and an assessment of such targets may be taken up

by him annually. Such an appraisal drawn by the individual may be reviewed by his next

officer and may be made basis for incentives/ punishment.

Lateral Entry:-

The issues of lateral entry into there services is a welcome gesture. In HPAS, HPPS and

HPFS, the present tendency is one who fits the bill, suits the jobs. There are many

streams for lateral entry into HPAS services. In case of HPFS and HPPS, it is restricted to

the incumbents of the respective departments only. HPAS has lateral entry from the

cadres of Tehsildars, BDO‟,s, Project Officers (DRDA‟s), Secretariat services, etc.

Easy Exist :



66

The systems of easy exist earlier prevailed in the state was in corporate sector in

the name of Golden Hand Shake Scheme, the Voluntary Retirement Scheme. For the

state Civil Services, no such scheme prevails, however, earlier, there was a provision of

Five years leave in which an employee/ civil servant can remain on continuous

leave/absence for five years with the liberty to join same service also, but of late in 2006,

the State Govt. has scrapped this scheme. It actual terms if meant that the government

is not in favour to let people go out, but believes in kicking out the people. The option of

easy exit should always be there and needs to be further encouraged. Such and option

should be available to civil servant at least after rendering a service of 25 years, one

should be given at least one next promotion due to him on honorary basis as is done in

Indian Army. This effort will facilitate induction of fresh blood into the services on one

hand and would also provide job opportunities to unemployed masses on the other. While

in taking such and exercise, a prudent watch is also required to be undertaken that the

most useful persons in an organization may not leave the organization because in past, it

has been observed that while undertaking such exercises, the officers most useful to the

organization, left the organization.

Security of Tenure:

The security of tenure has been used in public offices as a measure for

accountability and transparency. The less the security of tenure, better it would be there

should be some cap on postings on certain posts and one person should not be posted

again on such posts. The over-stay of one officer to one post may lead to his supremacy

which can lead to corruption also. The used to curb such practices should be satiated by

putting an appropriate mechanism with suitable checks and balances by higher

bureaucracy like chief secretary, Lokayukta etc. to be given more teeth. Though some

institutional mechanism is there, but it needs to be further strengthened.

Removal of Dead Woods:

Although there is existence of dead woods in the civil services, yet their removal is not

any easy task due the existing departmental procedures, rules and regulations. Moreover,

such removals are subject to the discretion of the government. As a matter of principle,

such discretion should not be there since discretion in popular governments which rely on

vote banks is generally abused and misused. To faster the Good Governance, discretions

of all kinds should be eliminate. This will also establish the faith in government as well as

law of natural justice.



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Integrity Evaluation:

Integrity evaluation needs to be established not through the mechanism of Annual

Confidential reports but with subjective assessment. To incorporate such assessment, an

independent watch is required to be kept. The mechanism for objective criteria is to be

developed and this should not to be with the Police Department, neither with the

surveillance as a watch dog by some government agency. This should be done by some

independent agency or some ombudsman which should not be under the control of the

state Government.

Assessment Of Staff Strength:

The responsibility of assessment of staff strength should be assigned to Administrative

Reforms Department. There is no mechanism available with the state government to

undertake this assignment indiscriminately. A transparent system is required to assess

this activity. Administrative Reforms are neither a potential agenda nor it should be such

a reassessment. Such a re-assessment to be done by that agency which does not have its

own vest interests in this agenda. This should be co-related with the section (4) of the

Right to Information Act to establish transparency in the system. Staff Need Analysis is

required to be done vigorously.

Surplus Staff Identification

The first appointment letter of each civil servant may offer a clause for shifting to any

department with an omnibus dictat and overall seniority of employees may be

governed on the basis of seniority of batches. The identification of surplus staff is a

generous task which should be performed by every department. In this state of

Himachal Pradesh, a “Surplus Staff Pool” has been generated and employees have

been shifted from “departments with surplus” to “departments in need”. This

assessment will be made vigorous if such an assessment is made public as per the

provisions of Right to Information Act.

Training Policy

As mentioned in the other part of this chapters that there is no Training Policy in this

State. Training always leads to up-gradation of skills, learning and knowledge of a civil

servant. Exposure to inter or intra State Training Institutions provide an opportunity



68

to make a comparison of progress achieved in different fields on one hand and keeps

one aware of the latest developments in the spheres of technology, new concepts and

thoughts etc on the other. The organized state civil services do receive an induction

training but their up-gradation at regular intervals is in doldrums. Training is required

at suitable for all jobs. It should be a pre decided motto of the government that each

and every civil servant including the cutting edge level staff should get two trainings

i.e., one at the time of joining the service and second at the time of promotion or

at an interval of five years. The training plan drawn by the central secretariat for central

secretariat services is quite sturdy in this regard. A copy of this training plan is attached

at Appendix-2-I. Such a plan is suggested to be adopted by each department of the

State.

Severance Package

With the paradigm shift in social & economic environment, the civil services

needs to be transformed in a professional manner. The civil servants should be

imparted training and knowledge for their gainful employment elsewhere also.

Government sector may come up with such a trained and skilled manpower which

has a better employability and can be supplied anywhere. The government should

have a power to deploy them gainfully anywhere.

II. CASE STUDY OF TWO SERVICES

In this chapter, an effort has been made to study and analyse two state

services viz (i) Subordinate Account Services (Gazetted) (ii) State Secretariat Services

(Non-Gazetted) and to attempt to address the need of a (iii) Human Resources

Development Department. While analyzing the two services, it has been endeavoured to

focus on the following:

a) Recruitment

b) Qualification

c) Posting-Job Description

d) Transfer

e) Performance Evaluation

f) Promotion/career progression

g) Training- upgradation of skills.

h) Social and Economic Objectives and Outcomes.



69

These aspects have been elaborated separately for the both services.

1. STATE SECRETARIAT SERVICES (NON-GAZETTED):

As per the provisions of Rule 2 of the business of the Government of

Himachal Pradesh (Allocation) Rules 1971, the entire business of the Government is

transacted in the departments of Himachal Pradesh, specified in the schedule and is

classified and distributed between these departments as laid down therein. The Rules of

Business provided for a permanent secretariat divided into departments, each with the

designated set of activities and clearly defined procedure. This section is primarily meant

to provide support to the Council of Ministers in discharging its constitutional obligations

and in taking various decisions convening the welfare of the State and its people.

a) Classification: - The State Secretariat Administration Services (Non-Gazetted) could

be divided into three main categories:

i) Class-IV Staff.

ii) Personal Staff.

iii) Class-III

i) Class-IV Staff:- Under this category, there are a number of classifications viz.

Jamadars (Senior Level Peons), Peons, Frash (Dusting Official), Daftari, Sweepers and

Chowkidars etc. Their main job is to work as process servers and perform odd jobs.

ii) Personal Staff:- This category includes Steno-Typist, Junior Scale Stenographer,

Senior Scale Stenographers and Personal Assistant. Their job relates to providing

secretarial support to officers whom they are attached with.

iii) Class-III Staff: - This is one of the most important and the largest class of services

in the Secretariat. On one hand, it comprises of the Gate Keepers, Drivers and it has

Ministerial staff, the major service delivering instruments viz. Clerk, Junior Assistant,

Senior Assistant, Ex-Cadre Superintendent and Superintendent (Regular) on the other.

The following text concentrates on this specific category defined as Ministerial Staff.

As on 31-3-2007, the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Administration Services (Class-III,

Non-Gazetted) cadre has following posts and pay scales-

Sr. Designation of Posts Pay Scale Initial Start*/ No. of



70

No. Secretarial

Allowance**

posts.

1. Clerk Rs. 3120-5160 Rs. 3220*

312 2. Junior Assistant Rs.4400-7000 -

3. Senior Assistant Rs.5800-9200 Rs. 240** 518

4. Superintendent Rs.6400-10640 Rs. 300** 109

b) Recruitment:- Proper selection and recruitment of new employees is a pre-requisite

for the development of an effective work force in any organisation. Recruitment is the

process of finding suitable potential employees and motivating them to apply for the jobs

in the organisation.

i) Clerks:-The entry point post for this ministerial service in the Himachal Pradesh

Secretariat is Clerk. In pre 1988 era, the posts of clerks were filled up by selecting

suitable candidates working in different departments/directorates in state subject to the

condition that they have completed 5 years of service in their respective departments.

The total cadre strength is 314 posts and the recruitment mode is 90 % by direct

Recruitment and 10 % by promotion amongst the peons who have at least passed

Matriculation examination. In the year 1988, a sea change came into this system when

these posts were referred to Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission which took a

competitive examination and recommended candidates on the basis of state level merit

list prepared. Thereafter this process continued over the years till the time when

government imposed a ban on filling up of direct posts. At this juncture, the previous

practice of taking candidates on deputation from different directorates (with 5 years

qualifying service) came into force. In the decade of nineties, Subordinate Service

Selection Board for recruitment of personnel to non-gazetted services was constituted

and thereafter these posts were referred to Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Service

Selection Board. The whole strength of Clerical cadre is divided in the ratio of 50:50 and

the candidates are designated as Clerks and Junior Assistants, respectively. A copy of the

relevant rules has been placed at Appendix-2-II.

ii) Senior Assistant:- The incumbents designated as Junior Assistants are promoted as

Senior Assistants who are the main tools of processing the matters on the file. As per the

existing Recruitment & Promotion Rules, there is a provision for filling up these posts

100 % by promotion amongst the common clerical cadre of Clerks and Junior Assistants



71

with 10 years regular or regular combined with continuous ad hoc service in the grade. A

copy of the relevant rules has been placed at Appendix- 2-III.

Ex-Cadre Superintendent: This category is simply re-designation of those Senior

Assistants who have completed 17 years of service in Secretariat. The total cadre

strength of 518 posts in the Senior Assistant category is further divided in to three

sections viz. top most 109 Senior Assistants in the seniority list are designated as Ex

Cadre Superintendents and a Secretarial Allowance of Rs. 300/- per month is given to

them. The next 109 candidates in the same seniority lists are also designated as Ex Cadre

Superintendents but they are not given any type of pecuniary benefits making it as a

notional promotion. The job assignment and file dealing remains on the same pattern as

was during the designation of Senior Assistant. Not even any pecuniary benefits are

available to them.

iii) Superintendent: - This is a supervisory post class-II non gazetted post which is

filled up 100 % by promotion amongst the Senior Assistants who possess six years

regular service or regular combined with continuous ad hoc . The work of the

Superintendent relates to looking after/supervising the job of 3/4 Assistants and Clerks in

one branch. This cadre is also stepping stone for the gazetted category of Section Officer.

A copy of the relevant rules has been placed at Appendix-2-IV.

c) QUALIFICATIONS:

The question of qualifications required to public employees is of enormous

importance, as on it rests largely the general efficiency of the public services. The

qualifications required for them may be divided into two parts-general and special.

General qualifications apply to all public employees; and are, thus of universal

application. They relate to civic status, domicile, sex and age. Special qualifications deal

with education, experience and technical knowledge and personal status. In addition to

aforesaid general qualifications, special qualifications mention that at the entry point level

i.e. clerk grade, there is a requirement of minimum educational qualification of

Matriculation which was later revised to 2nd division matriculation or 10+2 or its

equivalent. For proficiency standards, a minimum speed of 30 words per minute in

English typewriting or 25 words per minute in Hindi typewriting in required which is to be

achieved with in a period of six months after the date of appointment. The provisions for

10 % promotion post are: Class IV who are Matric (English) or Hindi Rattan and also

possess five years regular service. However, it has also been provided that those clerks



72

who have been promoted from amongst the Class-IV employees or appointed on

compassionate grounds having educational qualification Matric pass or Matric in English

only and Hindi Rattan pass at the time of such promotion/appointment shall not be

promoted to the post of Senior Assistant unless they possess the essential qualification

viz. Matric Second Division or 10+2 pass as prescribed for direct recruitment.

At all the above levels, educational qualifications are not at all insisted

upon. However, at the level of Section Officer, one is required to at least qualify the

departmental examination to become eligible for the post of Under Secretary if they have

not attained the age of 55 years. There is an exemption in the rules to qualify these

departmental examinations, if one has attained the age of 55 years.

d) JOB DESCRIPTION:-

The work, functions, duties and responsibilities of staff

when posted on particular assignments related to particular sphere are different and

they are required to acquire knowledge related to that particular sphere of work. Brief

details of such particular are given below:-

(1) Central Registry, Record, Control Room/Emergency Services, Despatch,

EPABX Exchange Sections:

In some cases, keeping in view the importance of the matter the staff

when posted in these sections may have to supervise or in certain cases actually

perform duties of writing notes, drafting adding drafts to files, replying to specific

correspondence, flagging, referencing and placement of drafts under the guidance of

the supervisors of these sections. Majority of the staff posted in these sections

consists of clerks, excepting the record and control room/Emergency services, where

staff are also posted, who may have to perform such duties and undertake similar

work as is required to be handled in these sections.

(2)Budget and other Sections of Finance Department

The role of the Finance Department is most important as all

Departments are required to consult it in the matters specified in rules 9, 14 and 34 of

the Rules of Business of the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh,1971.

Assistants when posted in Finance Department have to deal with the

following type of work and are also required to write notes, drafts, compilation of data

, figures etc.:-



73

(i) Preparation of budget i.e. Annual Financial Statement showing

separately the expenditure charged upon the Consolidated Fund of the

state and other expenditure to be made from the Consolidated Fund of

the State, Demands for Grants, Appropriation Bill, Supplementary

Grants, Additional or Excess, Grants and Grants in Advance;

(ii) To scrutinize and process departmental proposals in accordance with

the provisions of the Budget Manual and Himachal Pradesh Financial

Rules Vol. I & II;

(iii) To scrutinize the proposals for new items of receipt and expenditure

,Really New Schemes , and technically new schemes for inclusion in

Budget Estimates;

(iv) To help exercise checks on expenditure, and help formulate taxation

proposals;

(v) To assist in drafting delegation of financial powers and formulation of

guidelines to regulate receipts and expenditure;

(vi) To process data and prepare necessary information regarding Estimates

Committee, Public Accounts Committee and Committee on Public

Undertakings;

(vii) To scrutinize proposals for additional Grants and Re-appropriations;

(viii) To process and scrutinize proposals for expenditure, economy in

expenditure, loans and advances, disposal of Government‟s movable

and immovable property;

(ix) To initiate examination into all aspects related to pay scales and

allowances of all Government servants;

(x) To process cases of sanction of grants, loans and advances,

corporations, autonomous institutions and Government Guarantee etc.

to Government Boards

(xi) To process cases for resource mobilisation, ensure receipt of central

grants;

(xii) To process cases of clarification and amendments in relation to

Fundamental Rules, Supplementary Rules, T.A. Rules, Leave Rules and

to examine service conditions of Govt. Servants in relation to pay,

allowances, fixation of pay, pension, gratuity, leave, Retirement, date of

birth as referred to by various departments etc.;



74

(xiii) To Deal with all administrative, personnel and financial matters in

relation to the control over the Treasuries/Sub-Treasuries and liaison

with Banks;

(xiv) Declaration of Heads of Departments and in certain cases Heads of

offices and Drawing and Disbursing officers;

(xv) Fixation of rates of common categories of contingent paid and daily

wage workers;

(xvi) To scrutinize proposals for creation of new posts, continuance of

temporary posts and conversion of temporary posts into permanent

ones; contingent paid ,work-charged posts and daily waged posts

including conversion of such posts into regular ones;

(xvii) To deal with matters related to Lotteries, Small Savings, Audit Reports,

Local Fund Audit financial irregularities etc.

(3)Bills Section and Cash Section

All monetary transactions related to Secretariat Services are dealt

with in the Bills Section and Cash Section, except the control of vehicles and drivers

which is the subject of the General Administration Department. While posted in these

sections, the staff have to deal with mainly the following matters:-

(i) To maintain record related to periodical increments of all personnel of

Secretariat, exact dates of increments for preparing pay bills, keeping

in view the leave sanctioned/absence etc.;

(ii) To maintain proper records/registers for all types of regular or other

recoveries for ensuring the same while preparing pay bills;

(iii) To maintain complete record of all sanctioned posts and to ensure that

drawl of salary is actually within the sanctioned number of posts.

(iv) To ensure that the expenditure related to establishment is charged to

the correct head of account and revenue is credited to correct receipt

head of account;

(v) To prepare monthly pay bills, manually on forms or through data entry

in computers including schedules for recoveries, keeping in view the

salary slips {issued by the Joint Controller (Finance & Accounts), Deptt

of Personnel for Class I Officers } and the dates of increments,

recoveries etc.



75

(vi) To prepare other bills, such as T.A. bills, medical re-imbursement bills ,

loans and Advances etc. after making entries about the same in the

relevant records/registers to avoid double payments;

(vii) To prepare the arrear pay bills of establishment and record notes on the

relevant pay bills about the arrear having been claimed and rates at

which revised payment is being made under proper attestation;

(viii) To enter each bill in the bills register and complete all entries

subsequent there to. The bills register has to be in form TR 28-A. All

entries in this register need be made right from the stage of preparation

of the bill to the disbursement of the amount. It has also to be ensured

that the details of the un-disbursed amount are to be worked out at the

end of the 3rd month of the withdrawal of the amount and adjusted by

short drawl in some other bill, details of which are to be given.

(ix) To obtain monthly deposit and withdrawal statements from the Treasury

and to compare the same with the bills register and further to sort out

discrepancies.

(x) To assist in maintaining budgetary control and reconcile receipt and

expenditure figures with the office of the Accountant General ,Himachal

Pradesh;

(xi) To deposit all receipts into the Treasury/Bank;

(xii) To Withdraw payments of all bills from the banks after getting the same

passed from the Treasury and to make payments to concerned

individuals against proper receipts;

(xiii) To maintain the cash book, work out daily balances and details of un-

disbursed amounts at the end of the month under proper attestation;

and

(xiv) To maintain account of permanent advance (imprest) and to prepare

bills for payments made out of permanent advance.

(4) Stores and Stationery Section (Receipts & Issues Section)



76

This section is responsible for procuring furniture, fixtures, storage, stationery and

brittle articles, besides maintenance of buildings, and water /electric supply. The staff

posted in these sections have to:-

(i) Oversee requirements of furniture fixtures and store articles and to take steps

for making, good the short-fall in accordance with rules.

(ii) Obtain stationery articles from Controller of Printing & Stationery.

(iii) Make local purchase of stationery and brittle articles for which Non Availability

Certificate is issued by the Controller, Printing & Stationery after observing

proper procedure;

(iv) Maintain proper record of all furniture, fixtures and stores in the stock register

on the prescribed from with updated entries of total quantity;

(v) Maintain room –wise inventory of stock articles;

(vi) Maintain updated account of furniture and fixture articles in working rooms

and in stores and to tally the same with the stock register totals item-wise;

(vii) Get the physical verification of stock/stores conducted by the senior authorized

officer at least once a year;

(viii) Issue stationery articles to sections etc. against proper receipt and according

to slab-schedule and actual needs and them make entries in the stationery

register and also to maintain record of balances;

(ix) Get the serviceable stores/stock articles repaired;

(x) Prepare periodically, lists of unserviceable stores, get the same inspected by

the committee and to arrange auction thereof, thereafter to complete the

entries in the stock register and deposit the sale proceeds in to Govt. Treasury/

Bank;

(xi) Arrange for heating arrangements during winter, purchase steam coal/charcoal

and arrange for coal boys, if needed; (State Government has put a ban on use

of coal in Government offices and hence procurement and management of coal

is no more a function of this section)

(xii) Assess over-all requirement of accommodation, allotment of accommodation

and seating arrangements;

(xiii) Furnish rooms;

(xiv) See to the maintenance, up-keep, repair, cleanliness of the building;

(xv) Arrange electricity, water and sanitary provisions.

(5) Establishment Sections



77

These sections are responsible for dealing with creation/abolition of

posts and personnel matters of all officers/officials. The staff when posted in such

sections have to :-

(i) Maintain establishment check register in terms of sanctioned posts for the entire

establishment being handled by the Department /section separately for

permanent and temporary posts in the following format:-

(a) Register of permanent sanctioned posts

(b) Register of temporary sanctioned post

(ii) Prepare and maintain register of members of each cadre.

(iii) formulate Recruitment & Promotion Rules for all categories controlled by the

Department / section;

(iv) Maintain Index Cards on the proforma as provided in the Transfer Policy;

(v) Assist in cadre management in the matter of fixation of cadre strength; creation,

continuance, conversion and abolition of posts, recruitments, postings and

transfers; fixation of pay, probation , efficiency bar, proficiency increments

,senior and selection scales, deputation and foreign service matters;

(vi) Maintain service books including leave accounts to determine dates of

increments;

(vii) Process pre-mature and voluntary retirement cases, employment on

compassionate ground;

(viii) Deal with matters relating to promotions, confirmations, conduct and disciplinary

matters;

(ix) Prepare retirement cases including pension, gratuity, leave encashment etc.

(x) Scrutinise, process and sanction leave, loans, advances, General Provident Fund

advances, withdrawals; and

(xi) Deal in particular with cases under various rules including types of cases

mentioned below.

(a) Fundamental Rules

(1) Definitions of duty, fee, honorarium, foreign service, lien, local fund, pay,

personal pay, special pay, presumptive pay, time scale pay, identical time

scale and same time scale (F.R. 9).



78

(2) Whole-time of a Govt. servant at the disposal of Govt. (FR 11);

Suspension/Termination of lien (FR 14-A, 14-B); transfer to a lower post (FR

15); payment of salary form day of assumption of charge absence from duty

and consequences (FR 17, 17-A), no leave for period exceeding five years (FR

18); fixation of pay, Revision of pay, drawl of increment, Efficiency Bar (FR

19-25, 30 , 31, 35): service counts for duty (FR 26): Regulation of pay in

event of imposition of penalties relating to reversion to a lower post / lower

stage in a scale / withholding of increments (FR 28, 29, 29-A):acceptance of

fee / honorarium (FR 46, 46-A): Combination of appointments (FR 49);

Deputation out of India (FR 50-51); payment of pay and allowance to a

Govt. servant under suspension (FR 53); Reinstatement after imposition

major penalty of dismissal, removal or Compulsory retirement (FR 54 and 54-

A); Reinstatement after suspension (FR 54-B); Retirement age (FR 56);

Foreign services provisions ( FR 109-121).

(b) Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Pre-mature Retirement) Rules , 1976

These rules have been framed by the State Govt. to regulate per-mature

retirement of Govt. servants on completion of 20/30 years of service or 45/50 or

55 years of age by the Govt. servants themselves or by the Govt. for matters

covered under these rules, the provisions contained in F.R‟s. or C.C.S. (Pension)

Rules will not be applicable.

(c) C.C.S.(Leave) Rules, 1972

Definitions (Rule 3); No right to leave (Rule 7);Effect on leave in case of

dismissal, removal / resignation (Rule 9); Commutation of leave (Rule 10);

Maximum absence (Rule 12); Acceptance of service / employment while on

leave (Rule 13); Leave account-grant of leave, recall from leave (Rule 14-25);

Kinds of leave due and admissible (Rules 26-49); Study leave (Rules 50-63);

(d) SUPPLEMENTARY RULES

Drawing of compensatory allowance, House Rent allowance (Rules 5, 7, 7-

A, 7-B, 7-C); acceptance, retention and deposit of part of fee in Government



79

Treasury (Rules 9 to 12); For T.A. Rules the Rules/Rates issued by Himachal

Pradesh Government Finance Department may be seen.

(e) C.C.S. (Joining Time) Rules, 1979

Admissibility and extent (Rule 4), Joining time pay (Rule 7).

(f) CCS(Conduct) and CCS(Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.

As explained in relevant rules governing the conduct.

(g) CCS(Pension)Rules, 1972

Definitions (Rule 3), Pension subject to future good conduct (Rule 8); Governor

can withhold/withdraw pension-circumstances explained (Rule 9);

Employment/practice after retirement (Rules 10 to 12); Qualifying service (Rules

13-32); Emoluments and average emoluments (Rule 33,34); Classes of pension

(Rules 35-41); Regulation/determination of pension (Rules 49-55); Preparation,

submission of pension papers, provisional pension and non-release of gratuity in

case of departmental or judicial proceedings; Recovery from gratuity (Rules 56-

73).

(h) Other Rules

The other rules to be studied and applied are:-

i) Himachal Pradesh Departmental Examination Rules, 1976 as amended;

ii) Himachal Pradesh Civil Seva Bharti (Adhiktam Ayu Seema) Rules, 1980;

iii) Himachal Pradesh Government Civil Services (Declaration of Selection or

non-Selection posts) Rules, 1978, as amended from time to time;

iv) Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules, Vol. I&II;

v) CCS (General Provident Fund) Rules;

vi) Leave Travel Concession Rules.

(6) Offices of the Governor, Chief Minister, Ministers, Chief Secretary and

Secretaries.



80

These are very important offices, where utmost secrecy is required to be

maintained. The work is also of urgent nature in these offices. The Assistants when

posted in these offices perform the following duties:-

i) Diary, Despatch, Type Work, including issuing receipts for communications

received;

ii) Maintenance of register for Important Communications including those

received from VIPs.;

iii) Maintenance of files;

iv) Follow up action on important letters and other communications including

issue of reminders;

v) Maintenance of Casual Leave Account of the entire staff posted in the

office;

vi) Procuring stationery and store articles for the office as per the requirement

vii) Attending to the telephone calls; etc.

(7) Reception

From the public contact point of view, the Reception is an important unit

of the Secretariat. The behaviour of the staff posted in reception projects the image of

the Government. Assistants posted at the reception have to perform the following

duties:-

(i) Receive all visitors to the secretariat at the Reception Hall in a

courteous and polite manner;

(ii) Enquire politely from the visitor as to whom would one like to meet/

call on and whether one has prior appointment and if so to contact the

officer concerned for confirmation. On confirmation the visitor is issued

the entry pass and properly guided regarding the location of the office

of the officer, where one has to go;

(iii) Politely advise the visitors to be seated where they have to wait till the

issue of general passes;

(iv) Call the official to the reception in cases where a relative/friend wants

to meet the official, through local telephone or if necessary through a

class-IV employee posted in the reception;



81

(v) Attend to the telephones installed in the reception;

(vi) Advise the visitors to contact the concerned officers/officials through the

other phone installed in the reception, if they so wish;

(vii) Issue passes to the visitors in order of their arrival in the reception

room and in accordance with the guide-lines issued from time to time

and to enter all necessary particulars of the visitors with their complete

address in the visitors register (or computer in case of a computerized

pass issue system), besides obtaining their Signatures on the register.

(8) Sections dealing with Corporations, Boards etc.

Various Semi-Government Institutions, Universities Boards,

Corporations etc. have been established in Himachal Pradesh and their cases are

processed at Government level in the Secretariat in the respective Departments. Similar

institutions might be established in future as well. The staff working in the concerned

Departments are required to keep in view the following aspects while dealing cases of

such institutions:-

i) To study the Acts under which the institution has been set up and to study the articles

of Association, Bye-laws and Rules of the institution for correct appreciation and

consideration of proposals;

ii) To see that the University, Corporations, Board etc. seek Government

sanction/approval/concurrence in all cases as required under the Articles of Association,

Bye-laws and Rules etc.;

iii) To help draft Articles of Association, Bye-laws, Rules for new institutions or

amendments/addition to Articles of Association, Bye-laws, Rules of existing institutions if

required to be issued at Government level. In cases where amendments/additions are to

be considered and approved by the Management Board, specific committee/Council etc.

or Board of Directors, then to scrutinize the proposal for the assistance of the

Government representative on the Board/committee/Council etc.;

iv) To see that the institution sends information on all matters as required under the

Articles of Association, Bye-laws and Rules etc.;



82

v) To submit cases for the constitution/reconstitution of Boards, Board of Directors and

appointment of various functionaries under such institutions, powers for which have been

vested in the Government under statutory provisions;

vi) To scrutinise proposals for formulation of service Rules/ Bye-laws and other matters

included in the agenda of meetings of the Board of Directors/Committees/Council etc. for

the assistance of the Government representative on the Board of

Directors/Committees/council etc;

vii) To scrutinise proposals for formulation of share-capital, subsidy, grants and loans and

advances and also to ensure payment of interest, dividend etc. and recoveries of loans

and advances;

viii) To scrutinise proposals for Government guarantee etc;

ix) To help prepare for the meetings of the Board/ committee/ council etc. and to take

follow up action;

x) To draft rules/instructions/orders wherever required under the provisions of the Act

and consult all concerned Departments under the orders and with the approval of

competent authorities;

xi) To process the case for laying the Rules framed under the act before the Legislative

Assembly if so required under the Act of other Rules;

xii) To attend to the observations of the committee on public undertakings, public

accounts committee, Audit paras etc. relating to these institutions.

(9) Sections dealing with Civil Works.

The Public Works, Irrigation & Public Health, Multipurpose Projects

and Power, Forests, Rural Development, Housing, Local Self Government and Town &

Country Planning Departments deal with various types of civil/capital works and the staff



83

posted in these Departments have to look after the following duties particularly in regard

to works:-

i) Scrutiny of proposals for undertaking new works for inclusion in the budget estimates.

This has to be done in accordance with the priorities approved by the Government and

the recommendations of the respective Heads of Departments;

ii) Forwarding of proposals of new works with the approval of the competent authority to

the Finance Department for inclusion in the budget;

iii) To convey list of new works included in the budget after passing of the Appropriation

Bill and vote on account to the respective Heads of Department for preparing detailed

estimates, drawings etc;

iv) To process cases for obtaining and conveying administrative approval and financial

sanction for new works as included in the budget and also for other works not included in

the budget if so desired by the competent authority and concurred in by the Finance

Department regarding other works not included in the budget for which administrative

approval and expenditure sanction has been conveyed, it has to be ensured that the

same are got included in the supplementary Budget/Grants;

v) To maintain works register in the prescribed format for ensuring monitoring progress

of execution of work and pace of expenditure.

vi) In case the works register has not been maintained for revised estimates for according

revised administrative approval and expenditure sanction, to obtain and convey such

approvals;

vii) To help scrutinize at Govt. level the proposals for revised estimates for according

revised administrative approval and expenditures sanctions and to obtain and convey

such approvals;

viii) To monitor completion reports of works.



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ix) To process proposals for acquisition/purchase of stores/material in accordance with

relevant rules and obtain and convey Government decisions/orders;

x) To ensure that technical sanctions of works are accorded by the appropriate competent

authorities in accordance with the standing delegation in Punjab Public Works Department

Code/Account code/Manual as applicable in Himachal Pradesh;

xi) To assist in all Assembly Business and matters relating to committees of the

legislature for questions relating to works;

(10) Sections dealing with Developmental and Social Schemes:

The Departments of Education, Health and Family Welfare, Ayurveda,

Agriculture, Horticulture, Food and Supplies, Public Works, Irrigation and Public Health,

Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Social and Justice & Empowerment, Tourism,

Transport, Youth Services and Sports, etc. deal with developmental and social services.

The working of these departments have a direct public bearing and as such the staff

posted in these departments have important duties to perform, which amongst others

include:-

Regular monitoring of implementation of the schemes, including centrally

sponsored schemes, by maintaining registers on suitable forms showing

overall targets for the year, month wise achievements and financial

expenditure, receipt of central assistance etc;

Scrutiny of proposals in accordance with budget provision for opening new

institutions, upgrading the existing ones, or providing new facilities, getting

them approved and to convey Government sanction for the same;

Ensuring that budget provision exists and sanctions for buildings, staff,

equipment, stores, machinery etc. are obtained and conveyed. Making

budget provisions, according sanctions for grants, subsidies and loans to

local bodies, Panchayati Raj and cooperative/corporate institutions etc.

Analysis of statistical data of progress of ongoing schemes or existing

institutions covered together with financial date of expenditure incurred;

Preparation and scrutiny of new schemes and processing of cases for

approval.



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(11) Section dealing with Planning, Budgeting and Accounts.

In every department, there is work relating to preparation of Annual and

Five Year Plans and follow up work related to this. The staff posted in these Departments

have to deal with specific matters as under:-

(i) To help formulate five year and annual plan documents for various

activities/services in accordance with the approved Government policy;

(ii) To assist in preparing scheme-wise/service-wise proposals and to send with

proper justification in terms of aims, objects, targets etc. and after approval of

the plan allocation by the planning commission, to help work out specific

schematic budget provision in the budget of the state.

(iii) To maintain scheme-wise data of aims, objects, targets, total outlay, annual

budget provision and monthly achievements of all plan schemes;

(iv) To assist in monitoring of implementation of schemes, and analysis of the

short-falls.

e) TRANSFERS:

Transfers may be seen as an essential feature of the civil services. On one

hand, it provides an opportunity to deal with variety of jobs whereas on the other it works

as an integral mechanism for honesty and indiscrimination in public service. Himachal

Pradesh Secretariat Civil Services (Non-Gazetted) personnel are located in specific

branches and are placed within the Secretariat. The transfer among different branches of

Secretariat is one of the routine job and a common feature. The general policy declaration

specifies tenure of 3 years in one section.

The staff on their transfer from one section or office to an other cannot just leave the

section or office and join in the new section or new office of posting; they are required to

first properly hand over the pending receipts, all registers and files, besides preparing a

list of important files in their custody at all times and ensure that no important and time

bound case remains unattended or delayed before getting relieved from the branch.

With the above end in view, the following procedure is required to be observed

when staff are transferred to out of sections or from one station to the other:-



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i) The official transferred out of the section/cell or from an office will prepare

three lists of:-

(a) All un-dealt receipts remaining with him. The un-dealt receipts will be tallied

with the entries in the Assistant‟s diary.

(b) Registers and records and Assistant‟s diary maintained by him; and

(c) All files including guard files in his custody

In addition to this, he will also separately prepare a list of

receipts/files/matters of urgent nature, court cases, Vidhan Sabha matters and other

important matters which need to be attended to without delay by his successor;

ii) In case, at the time of his transfer his replacement/successor has been posted

and has joined, he will hand over the un-dealt receipts/all registers and records

including assistant‟s diary and files according to three lists prepared as at (i)

above under proper signatures of the relived and relieving official. A copy of

each of the three lists will be retained by both the officials and the third copy

will be handed over to the Section Officer/Superintendent Grade I/

Superintendent Grade II or Senior Assistant supervising the work;

iii) Where an official is transferred out without his replacement / successor having

been posted, the official transferred out shall, before leaving for his new

posting, prepare three lists of receipts, registers and files as at (i) above and

hand over the same together with the receipts/files/registers to the Section

officer/ Superintendent Grade I/Superintendent Grade II or Sr. Assistant

Supervising his work. He will also prepare another list indicating the receipts of

urgent nature, court cases, Vidhan Sabha matters and other important matters

needing attention without delay and hand over the same to the supervisory

officer supervising his work, so that he assigns such receipts/matters to some

other dealing hand as an interim measure. As and when the replacement/

successor joins, he shall take over the un-dealt receipts, files and registers by

signing the lists and tallying the un-dealt receipts with the lists and tallying the

un-dealt receipts with the entries in the Assistant diary and the registers and

files with the lists thereof;



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iv) Where an official posted in a section/wing or an office is not able to take over

the charge because of his predecessor being on leave etc. at the time of his

joining, the said official shall prepare lists of pending receipts, registers

(including Assistant‟s diary )and current files (including guard files)and hand

over a copy of all these lists to the section‟s Supervisor (Section Officer,

Superintendent Grade I/Grade II or Senior Assistant as the case may be )

pointing out the important pending, receipts left unattended so that the

section‟s supervisor may initiate measures for their immediate disposal and if

necessary inform the branch officer of the position. As and when the official

posted out rejoins duty in the section to verify the entries in the lists and sign

the same.

It is the personal responsibility of the official transferred to or from the section/office

to prepare the lists in the above manner and to hand over the same to the supervisor

of the section/office personally. A copy of these lists is to be attached with the joining

/departure repots by the supervisor while forwarding the joining / departure reports to

the next superior / higher authority without which the joining / departure reports will

not be deemed to be complete.

The Section Officer/ Superintendent Grade I/Superintendent Grade

II/Senior Assistant supervising the work of officer record in writing both- any

deviation from this procedure as well as details of important papers and cases left

unattended or likely to remain unattended and ensure issue of orders for their prompt

disposal. Any lapse in this behalf is the personal responsibility of the supervisor of the

section.

f) TRAINING:

Training is an important tool which always results into enhancement of the

capacity of a civil servant for better performance. There is no specific training which has

been attached to these services as per existing rules, however, the incumbents are

eligible for secretariat allowance, thus Secretariat Administration has organized/provided

„O‟ level computer training to this category. This includes basic training in word

processing and data management mainly based on Microsoft Office. Files and folders

management and managing e-mail account is also a part of the training.



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However, the Class-IV employees who are to be promoted as Clerks are given two

months training in Office Procedure, Typewriting and Word processing through Himachal

Pradesh Institute of Public Administration. Only trained candidates will be eligible for

promotion. Thereafter, they are also required to undergo a written test. Training is to be

provided once but the opportunity for appearing in the test is given from time to time.

g) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:

Periodic performance evaluation not only gives an idea of rating that what

is the performance level of a civil servant in relation to his counterparts but also provides

him an opportunity to ameliorate his situation by injecting appropriate dose in the area of

need in Himachal Pradesh Secretariat. The performance is evaluated through a weekly

arrear statement which gives a detail of all the matters/PUC (proposals under

consideration) received by each dealing assistant/clerk in a section in last one week. The

same statement is properly filled up by showing the status for pending, dealt, partially

dealt and finally disposed off cases. This compilation is further put up to the higher

authorities for their perusal and finally sent to Administrative Reforms Department.

Earlier it was done manually but now software called REFNIC, developed by the State Unit

of NIC, has replaced it wherein all statements are maintained in the database for all the

branches of Secretariat.

h) PROMOTION:

The system of promotion is of great significance to the efficient personnel

system. The term promotion means loading a man with higher duties and responsibilities.

It is a progress from lower class to higher class with a change of duties and

responsibilities. Actual promotion is a reward, whereas the opportunity for a promotion is

a possible reward. The Secretariat Civil Services provide very lucrative avenues from

promotion, starting from Clerk (or peon in certain cases) one can rise to the level of

Under/Deputy or Joint Secretary. In addition to this, Assured Career Progression Scheme

is also in operation which provides for one addition increment benefit for rendering

service on the same post for 8 years, 16 years, 24 years and 32 years or placement in

the next higher scale in the hierarchy of pay scales.

i) SOCIO ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES:



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Personnel recruited by an organisation are squarely responsible for meeting the

objectives of organisation. Clients‟ satisfaction only can help in achieving its objectives.

All the organisations have social and economic objectives; even a purely private

organisation yearning to achieve the sole objective of profit maximization has some social

obligations and has some social objectives to meet. Similarly, the Government

organisations which generally work to maximize social welfare have some economic

objectives on its agenda. The following text lists some of the objectives of the service

under examination and then goes into the issue of outcomes both, positive and negative.

(1) To maintain record of communications received and sent out in the

section‟s diary and dispatch registers(including maintenance of separate

registers for communications received from VIPs and important receipts

and Vidhan Sabha questions, assurances etc);

(2) To ensure timely receipt and submission of all returns/statements

including weekly arrear report, monthly statement of cases pending for

more than three months, weekly statement of important cases disposed

of by the Minister In charge and Secretary of the Departments;

(3) To maintain all other registers as are common in all departments, and to

maintain particular registers of the type of work assigned to the section

hand book, besides maintaining guard files and precedent registers;

(4) To see that all Acts/ Rules/Manuals of the Department concerning the

section are updated and new editions, wherever required are got printed

with the approval of the competent authority;

(5) To Process amendments/modifications/additions or deletions of provisions

of the existing Acts/Rules/Manuals of the Departments as may be

required and drafting of new Acts/ Rules/ Manuals/ instructions according

to the needs and assignments of the work allotted to the section;

(6) To assist the authorities in taking various decisions concerning the

Department in matters relating to formulation of policies, plans and



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programmes of the Government and to ensure provision of funds in the

budget and also to seek re-imbursement of expenditure from Central

Government for Centrally sponsored schemes/plans;

(7) To Assist the authorities in monitoring, analyzing and reviewing the

process of various programmes/policies of the Government by obtaining

appropriate information from the Directorates and field offices;

(8) To maintain upto date information, of expenditure incurred and progress

of implementation of all schemes, plans etc. and also to suggest

measures for more effective implementation of schemes;

(9) To dispose of all references/ communications received in the Section, to

submit cases on relevant files with suitable noting for assisting the

authorities to take decisions and to write drafts in accordance with the

decisions;

(10) To maintain updated statistical data with regard to the subjects which are

the Section‟s responsibility and all matters connected therewith;

(11) To attend to the legislative business, Court and legal matters on priority

basis;

(12) To assist in cadre management of Gazetted personnel of the Department

in case the subject is allotted to the section.

(13) To ensure that the responsibilities assigned are discharged in the best

interests of the citizens.

(14) To use provisions of various rules to see that the problem stands solved

instead of putting observations and objections on files.

(15) At times, one should work in such a way that the objectives of the

organisation are met in full.



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STRENGTHS:

The Secretariat Civil Services with its permanency in the Secretariat in the

nature has emerged as one of the strongest services in terms of formal and informal

organisations of these personnel. The salient features are as under:-

i) Independence of Expression: - The proposals of public interest are examined

with an expression of independence without any political or bureaucratic compulsions

since they don‟t work under the fear of getting transferred.

ii) Co-ordination:- There is a better co-ordination among different departments

where a matter is to be consulted with Law, Revenue, Finance, Personnel or any other

department since all the functionaries are located in the same premises.

iii) Variety in Assignment:- the sections of Finance, Personnel, Law, Health and

Public Works etc. are quite technical in their nature of work, so each civil servant gets an

opportunity to work in different branches and is benefited by different kind of works.

WEAK POINTS:

1. Enormous responsibilities have been shouldered on clerical staff, thus giving

them a lee way to usurp these in alternative shapes.

2. Permanency in service at one place leads to discrimination with the general

public.

3. Lack of technical knowledge- the employees dealing with the Establishment,

Financial, Civil Works, Information Technology are hardly given any training or

knowledge of the subject, there are just put to do the work.

4. No administrative or management qualifications have been prescribed in the

Recruitment rules.

5. Fate deciding factors for technocrats, professionals.

6. No trainings like refresher courses or orientation for skill upgradation/capacity

building.

7. Generally, Assistants/ Clerks remain dependent on directorates for all the

information, the role has become secondary in performing the duties and

primary in operating as superior office.



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8. The services have developed an image of slow, cumbersome, excessive paper

work, delay in processes. Proposal from the field organizations are returned with

queries, raised not once but in installments.

9. Secretarial system is essentially clerical in nature, obsolete rules and procedures

tend to perpetuate, Assistants and Clerks over the time have turned in to policy

analysts.

10. There is a lack of empathy with people, the stake holders. In such an

environment uneducated and weaker sections are likely to remain alienated from

administration. Administration should go to the people rather than vice versa.

11. Lack of appropriate, consistent and uniform policies concerning the training of

public servants.

12. Lack of popular participation in administration, absence of coordination with field

services especially at lower level, too many levels of administration creating

problems of communication and access to government service.

13. There is preoccupation with rituals rather than with performance in our public

administrative system.

SUGGESTIONS:

I. Recruitment, Training & Placement:

a) There is a dire need of a mandatory training for this category services for skill up-

gradation, thereafter they should be put to work in Secretariat.

b) It has also been observed that certain people over a period of time become

experts in the functioning of that particular section and thereafter not replaced

from that particular section for decades together which does not give an

opportunity to others to learn the working and also gives them a feeling of being

indispensable for the system.

c) The educational qualifications also need to be given a second look. It is felt that

matriculation level of education needs to be upgraded at least at the time of

induction in the gazetted service. Graduation in Public Administration or Personnel

Management is felt a minimum qualification for this purpose.

d) Promotions as are available today need to be reviewed. One person joining as

peon or clerk rises up to the level of Under/Deputy Secretary without upgrading

his education qualifications, without qualifying any examinations during the career.



93

Seniority should not be only the factor responsible for promotion rather merit

should also be one of the basis for consideration for promotion to higher ranks. It

has been established in this specific case that seniority being the lone basis of

promotion; employees do not make any effort for self improvement.

e) Promotion from Grade IV to Grade-III should be carefully scrutinized; this avenue

should be available on the merit-cum-seniority basis – and that too when the

educational qualifications are met, and not on the seniority basis alone. A practice

observed is the tendency to promote from Grade IV to Grade III with the condition

that the promotee will qualify type writing test with in a specified period of time

for being eligible to get next increment. This results into suffering of official work.

II. Performance Enhancement:

a) There is a need for speedy delivery of public services by setting it free from the

red tape.

b) Good Governance and better service delivery with submissiveness should be the

motto of officials.

c) We must not fail to highlight, while discussing work culture of State Government

employees that in our state the list of holidays for State Government Offices is too

long to be conducive for improving work culture and efficiency in the public

administration. There is a need to inculcate the work culture in the Government

sector. The private sector employees are working in 24x7 milieus. An endeavour

in this respect is suggested as under:-

i. The National holidays like Independence Day should be abandoned rather

these days should be celebrated in offices for two hours and thereafter the

work should be undertaken as per the routine system.

ii. The Government Offices should strict by follow working hours for all the six

days in a week from 10 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. The system for weekly rest by

rotation should be introduced.

iii. It is a general feeling that time has come to discard declaring holidays in

the memory of great people for the interest of all round development of the

State.

III. Cadre Management:



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a) On the analogy of Central Government Secretariat Service, different trainings and

qualifying examinations should be made mandatory for career progression at

various stages of their career and the corresponding skill needs as under.

(A) Entrance Level Training

i. Foundation course for Clerks (Probationers): Foundation

course for Clerks right at the time of qualifying the entrance exam,

after their successful completion of training they will be sent to their

respective organization. Incumbents not completing the foundation

course shall not be confirmed till the time they qualify the exam

conducted by the training institute, however, two opportunities may

be provided to the candidates. The duration of this course will be 28

weeks.

(B) In Service Training:

ii. Clerks/ Junior Assistants: The clerks/junior assistants with five

years of service to be nominated for this mandatory course and to

be considered for promotion to next higher grade only after the

successful completion of this programme.

iii. Assistants: The candidates who have completed 8 years service

shall under go this mandatory training programme of five weeks and

will be considered for promotion to the grade of Superintendent

after successful completion of this course.

iv. Superintendents: Superintendent with 5 years service shall

under go this mandatory training programme of 3 weeks.

v. Section Officers: Section officers with 8 years service shall under

go this mandatory training programme of 20 weeks and will be

considered for promotion to the next grade of Under Secretary after

successful completion of this course. During this period ACR‟s to be

written by the training Institute.

vi. Under Secretaries: Under Secretaries with 5 years service shall

under go a mandatory training programme of 8 weeks and will be

considered for promotion to the next grade of Deputy Secretary

after successful completion of this course.



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vii. Deputy Secretary: Deputy Secretaries with 5 years service shall

under go this mandatory training programme of 3 weeks and will be

considered for promotion to the next grade of Director after

successful completion of this course.

b) A possibility may be explored for recruitment for certain posts like drivers, peons,

sweepers etc. on contract basis. It has been proved in many government

departments wherever sanitation has been outsourced, results are very good.

c) Service matters, financial matters and such other issues need process

simplification, move from processes accountability to productivity accountability

and from transactional frames to formative governance.

d) Incentives for good works and responsibility to be fixed.

IV Upgradation of Skill:

a) The induction training course should have contents on

establishment, finance, store purchase organisation, assembly

business etc. to give them a sound knowledge of the subject.

b) For the placement of persons in personnel, law, finance,

administrative reform, MPP& Power, Administration etc. specialized

branches one should either be having some basic qualifications in

this field or be provided some training in this respect.

c) One another factor felt during this study is the need of capacity

building for employment provided on compassionate grounds.

V. Social & Economic Objectives:

a) A large number of people daily visit Secretariat in relation to their

work hamper the working by their visit to different offices. Since

REFNIC is already in operation, it is proposed that at least four

touch screen, LAN computers may be installed in Reception. The

persons visiting may get status of their work itself on those systems

and can go back.

b) The concept of SMART (simple, moral accountable, responsive and

transparent) government and citizen centric administration needs to



96

be spread amongst the officials since the response to general public

hardly happens to be good.

c) One single issue is referred to different departments within the

Secretariat itself and the work is coordinately delayed for

months/years together, however, need of the time is to reduce

delays and to ensure promptness in delivery of services.

2. HIMACHAL PRADESH SUBORDINATE ACCOUNTS SERVICES

Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Accounts Service(Ordinary Branch) cadre came into

existence during the year 1971 as per Himachal Pradesh Government Notification No. 17-

34/70-Fin(T&A), dated 1st June, 1971 (Appendix-2-V) by placing the services of all S.A.S.

(OB) qualified Senior Auditors/Assistant Accounts Officers and Accounts/ Officer/ Chief

Accounts Officer/Financial Advisors in different departments of Himachal Pradesh

Government on a common pool under the administrative control of the Finance

Department on the pattern of Punjab.

The officers who had passed the S.A.S.(OB) Part I and II examination from

Northern zone Accountancy Training Institute Jammu(Tawi) together with SAS (OB)

qualified allotted from the common composite State of Punjab were placed on common

seniority list. After 1st June 1971, All the departments of Himachal Pradesh were required

to get the posts of Accounts cadre created and get them filled up from the Finance

Department, Treasuries & Accounts Organization as per the R&P Rules for governing the

recruitment, promotion and other conditions of service of persons to be appointed to the

accounts cadre to be framed by the Treasuries & Accounts Organization. The provisions

already made in the R&P Rules by the respective Departments were deleted w.e.f. 1st

June 1971.

During December, 1981, the Government of Himachal Pradesh reviewed the scope

of providing SAS trained personnel in various boards/corporations/ autonomous bodies as

the Government had established a number of Government owned

Corporation/Undertakings/Boards etc. during 1971 to 1981 in public sector and like the

Government departments, the accounts and financial work involved in the Government

enterprises also required accounts personnel possessing accounts qualification and

experience. These Corporation/Undertakings used to fill up the posts of accounts from the

open market by advertising the vacant posts, but the incumbents so recruited were not

well conversant with the financial rules and regulations of State Government. As these



97

Boards/Corporation/Undertakings are wholly or substantially financed from the State

exchequer, it was felt necessary that qualified state government SAS officers be recruited

to the finance and accounts wings of these institutions. Hence all these institutions were

also required to place their demand of Senior Auditors(OB)/Assistant Accounts

Officer/Accounts Officers/Finance Advisor/Senior or Chief Accounts Officers etc. to the

Finance Department (Treasuries & Accounts Organization) vide Notification No. 17-34/70-

Fin(T&A), dated 2nd December, 1981. A copy of the same has been added at Appendix-2-

VI.

a) RECRUITMENT:-

Appointments to SAS (OB) cadre in the entry grade i.e. at the level of Section

Officer (Finance & Accounts) are being made by way of limited competitive examination

for initial Selection of Candidates. Before 1987 the Himachal Pradesh Government used to

send the selected candidates for training in SAS Part-I and II to Northern Zone

Accountancy Training Institute, Jammu (Tawi) and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir

had been conducting the exams after training. From 1987 onward the recognized

Institute is Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration, Fairlawns, Shimla where

SAS Part I & II training is being imparted to the selected candidates by the Himachal

Pradesh Public Service Commission through initial selection test. The Himachal Pradesh

Public Service Commission again conducts the SAS Part-I and Part-II examinations after

the training at HIPA. The training of Part I and II for the selected candidates in separate

spells is imparted by HIPA for five months, and three and half month respectively. The

syllabus for initial selection includes-

Precise, letter writing, noting and drafting and other general questions to

test the candidate‟s ability to write correct English/Hindi portions,

“Notes of Financial Rules” published by the Secretariat Training School,

Department of Personnel, Government of India.

Fundamental Rules and Supplementary Rules (Excluding rules covered in

Paper-II) and

Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules, 1971 Vol.-I Part-I,

Himachal Pradesh Budget Manual.

The Syllabus for SAS Part-I and Part-II includes –



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Précis, Noting & Drafting (without books)

Elementary Commercial Book-keeping (without books) which includes

Book Keeping upto Trial Balance, Trading Profit and Loss Account and

Balance Sheet, Consignment Account, Depreciation and Reserve and Other

Funds, Capital and Revenue Expenditure Accounts etc., Correction of

errors, bills of exchange, promissory note and cheques, Account current

and average due date. Self-balancing ledger.

Fundamental & Supplementary Rules- Fundamental and Supplementary

Rules, Pension and Provident Fund Rules, Leave Rules, Conduct, CCA Rule,

TA & LTC rules etc.

Civil Accounts and Audit

An introduction to Indian Accounts & Audit, Accounts Code, Accounts Code,

Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules Vol. I, Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules

Vol. II

Computer Applications- an introduction to Computers, An overview of

Computer Hardware, types of Computers, Standard Application of Software,

MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Accounting on Computers.

The syllabus for Part II examination has the following topics:

Treasury rules & Procedure including Himachal Pradesh Treasury

Rules/Subsidiary Treasury Rules Vol. I & II, Account Code Vol. II, Himachal

Pradesh Sub Treasury Manual, India Security Manual, Rules for Supply

and Distribution of Stamps.

Constitution of India with relevant schedules appended to the constitution.

Principles of Parliamentary Financial Control with Himachal Pradesh Budget

Manual, Parliamentary Financial Control,

Advanced Book Keeping and Principles and Practice of Auditing including

Advanced Accounts, Chapter Joint Stock Companies, Manufacturing

Accounts and Costs, Cost Accounts and double Accounts system Income

and Expenditure Accounts. Departmental Accounts, Principles and Practices

of Auditing and Practices of Auditing.



99

Local Rules and Public Works Account Code with Central PWD Account Code

(excluding portion relating to Administrative matters), Account Code Vol.

III.

b) Qualifications:-

Appointments to SAS (OB) cadre in the entry grade are made by way of limited

competitive examination for initial selection of candidates for undergoing training in a

recognized SAS Training Institute and Subordinate Accounts Service(OB) Part I and II

Examination for which in-service categories of ministerial employees of Himachal Pradesh

Government Departments/ Corporations /Boards/Undertakings and Autonomous Bodies

who are graduates with 5 years minimum service/Matriculate with 10 years minimum

service and age of not more than 40 years are eligible.

c) PROMOTION:-

The successful candidates are appointed as Section Officers. All other posts are selection

posts and are being filled up by promotion on merit-cum-seniority basis which is as

under:-

a) The posts of Assistant Controller (Finance & Accounts) are being filled up

100% by promotion from amongst the Section Officers having three years

regular or regular combined with continuous ad hoc service, if any, in the

grade.

b) The posts of Deputy Controller (Finance & Accounts) are being filled up

100% by promotion from amongst the Assistant Controllers (Finance &

Accounts) having five years regular or regular combined with continuous ad

hoc service, if any, in the grade.

c) The posts of Joint Controller (Finance & Accounts) are being up 100% by

promotion from amongst the Deputy Controllers (Finance & Accounts)

having three years regular or regular combined with continuous ad hoc

service, if any in the grade.

d) The posts of Controller (Finance & Accounts) are being up 100% by

promotion from amongst the Joint Controllers (Finance & Accounts) having

three years regular or regular or regular combined with continuous ad hoc

service, if any, in the grade.



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d) Job Description:-

As per the notification issued at the formation of this service on 1st June, 1971, the

officers of this cadre were required to perform:-

1) To assist in framing of budget of receipts and expenditure, scrutiny of

proposals of New Expenditure and to ensure their factual submission to the

Finance Department.

2) To exercise check on receipts and accounts of stores and stocks and inspect

subordinate offices to detect laxity in raising demands or leakage of

revenue.

3) To ensure that correct financial procedures are followed, expenditure and

receipts are properly accounted for, financial powers are not abused and

cannons of financial propriety are strictly adhered to.

4) To carry out internal check of appropriation/receipts, to advise their

respective Departments in financial matters.

5) To assist in timely preparation of financial returns and statements and

Performa accounts, if any.

6) To help in the disposal of important references relating to finance and

accounts.

7) To advise the head of Department in the matter of tenders for supplies and

works and agreements thereof.

8) To help in the disposal of PAC paras.

9) To help in the expeditious issues of financial sanctions.

10) To keep watch on the recovery of loans and advances of the Department,

and

11) Consolidation and maintenance of accounts.

Later, during 1985, the government vide its letter available at Appendix-2-VII,

added following functions were to the above list keeping in view the requirement of

various boards/corporation etc.

12) Issue of salary slips and maintenance of records of Gazetted Officers.

13) Scrutiny of rates, technical reports and letters etc. in case of purchases of

stores like store purchase organization.



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14) Physical verification of cash stock during internal audit and inspections.

15) Checking/giving advice on various kinds of sanctions.

16) Preparation of proforma accounts, Balance Sheet in Semi

Commercial/Commercial Organizations.

As on today, the Himachal Pradesh SAS cadre has following posts in various Government

Departments/Corporations/Boards/Universities/PSUs etc.

Sr.

No.

Designation of Posts Pay Scale No. of

posts.

1. Section Officers(Finance & Accounts)

Class-II Gazetted

7000-10980 99

2. Assistant Controller (Finance & Accounts)

Class-I Gazetted.

7220-11660 67

3. Deputy Controller(Finance & Accounts) Class-I

Gazetted

7880-11660 24

4. Joint Controller (Finance & Accounts),

Class-I Gazetted

10025-15100 21

5. Controller (Finance & Accounts) Class-I

Gazetted.

13500-16400 2

e) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION :-

The ACRs of these officers are being initiated by the Head of Department/Managing

Directors/Senior departmental Officers of the departments/board/corporation/other

organizations. These are further reviewed by the Director, Treasuries, Accounts and

Lotteries and finally accepted by the Principal Secretary (Finance). The officers are being

evaluated on the basis of their performance in the organizations where they are posted,

by examining their resume and taking feed back from time to time. The promotions are

being made strictly on the basis of merit-cum-seniority.

f) TRANSFERS :-

Since the Finance Department in the Treasuries, Accounts & Lotteries Department is the

cadre controlling authority, all the transfers and postings of these officers are being made

as per the policy and instructions of the Government of Himachal Pradesh. None of the



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Departments/Organizations where they are posted are authorized to transfer or post

them at their own. In case any department/organization requires any transfer or posting,

they have to approach the Finance Department for doing so.

g) SOCIO ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES :-

The SAS (OB) officers are not only required to discharge the functions as assigned

above but they have been assigned important jobs of management of finance and

accounts matters while working in various departments/boards/autonomous organizations

like Universities. Some of the officers are posted as Finance Officer/Comptroller in all the

three Universities and also Financial Controllers in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak

Agency/World Bank Projects, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Aids control Society etc. and also

handling various GOI projects in various organizations. Some of the officers are also

working as Faculty Members in the H.P. Institute of Public Administration, Shimla and are

instrumental in designing and implementing the double entry system not only in the Rural

Development Department of Himachal Pradesh but also imparting training in other states

of India. The functions of SAS Cadre are significantly professional in nature and they are

the eyes & ears of Finance Department. Since the service was established in the year

1971, the job profile of officers of this service stand entirely changed in the present

economic scenario in the country. Now the officers are required to carry out multifarious

duties, which they were not performing earlier.

The officers are now required to be efficient in commercial accounting, conversant

with drafting of JVCs, MoUs etc. Private Sector participation is increasing day by day.

They are also required to have the knowledge of economic trends prevailing in the

market, new trends in budgeting and other allied matters. They are also working in

various PSUs and Universities, where basic understanding of the provisions of Companies

Act, 1956 is required. To ensure that the provisions of the Act are properly analyzed and

interpreted. Theoretical and practical knowledge in the area of commercial accounting is

required. Proper understanding of Indian Financial System, different components of

Indian Financial System viz. Financial Institutions, Financial Markets and Financial

Instruments is also required. Knowledge of computers and accounting software like Tally

etc. is need of the hour. Now the role of SAS officers has changed a lot with the changing

environment. SAS officers are assigned important jobs of management of finance and

accounts matters. As their function in the department/government/organization is

significantly professional in nature, hence their posts cannot be allowed to be kept vacant



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in the interest of proper watch/surveillance over the State Expenditure. The SAS officers

have so far proved their credentials in the State to a great extent. Keeping in view the

above, the syllabus for SAS (OB) Part-I and II is being modified.

The SAS officers have an extremely important role to play in terms of ensuring

that financial chastity is maintained at all levels of the organisation in which they are

working. In fact, they are the people responsible for overall financial management of the

organisation. The money that the government spends comes from the citizens in the form

of various taxes, duties and fees. SAS Officers are responsible for ensuring the

government money is spent for the purpose for which it has been allocated. They also

ensure that that the money is spent after following all the procedures as laid down in

various books of rules. SAS Officers are required to maintain transparency in all the

government transactions and have to work with the absolute integrity so that citizens do

not get a chance to question use or misuse of their money. To sum up, they are required

to ensure that public money is spent for the welfare of the public with the participation of

public.

III. Department of Human Resources Development

-A Need in Himachal Pradesh

3.1 BACKGROUND: The government has a large role to play in the field of regulatory,

development and welfare functions. The success in this endeavour is wholly dependent on

the way the officials at all levels perform their jobs. The Government employees are the

permanent instruments of all administrations and are expected to perform their job with

competence, sincerity and devotion. The Government employee‟s commitment to the

highest standards of performance and conduct is sine quo non for the maintenance of

constitutional and financial propriety and good Governance.

3.2 SMART GOVT: The recent past has seen a paradigm shift in the economic, political,

social and technological scenario all around thus warranting a fresh look at the Human

Resource availability to meet the challenges. The initiative envisages provision of

training/HRD inputs on an annual basis for public functionaries to achieve a SMART

(Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Transparent) government, which caters to the

needs of the general public in an effective, efficient and responsive manner. It goes



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without saying that to meet these objectives, continuous training in the relevant areas of

work for all government employees is the most effective tool available.

3.3. NEED: It is seen that a number of departments of the State Government have their

own training institutions/facilities. These institutes have taken their present shape over a

long period of time at considerable cost to the public in terms of money energy and

effort. However, all these institutions are part of the concerned departments and in a

situation of all these departments working independently in their own sphere of activity,

there is no or negligible coordination amongst these different institutions. This is also

seen that while the departmental programmes and procedures are the issue areas of

training in these institutes, the core issues of governance, especially in the areas of

convergence, democratic decentralization, participatory administration etc. are

compulsively lost sight of. The policy objectives of the department concerned may be

kept in mind but the policy objectives of the government definitely get lost sight of in this

process. Even issues relating to Human Resource Development and Training also tend to

get obscured in this process.

3.4. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: Training is universally accepted as a function

of management usually of the top management. Unfortunately in our state there is no

department of training existing at the moment. The only set up at government level is

half a section (2-3 people) at the Secretariat level without any support whatsoever from

the field organization. The Himachal Pradesh institute of Public Administration is usually

asked to fill the role, if ever required by the government. Needless to say the institute, as

it exists and functions presently, is in no way equipped to handle the job of coordinating

training activities of all departments of the State nor is it in a position to guide, advise or

support the training activities spread across various departments. The net essence is that

this vital aspect of Human Resource Development is getting completely ignored at heavy

cost to the efficiency and productivity of the government set up.

3.5. PIVOT FOR COORDINATION: This is with the above in mind that the following

proposal for creation of a department of training is being made to function as a pivot for

undertaking the job of giving a direction, trust and ensure coordination of training

activities across all departments of the state government.

3.6. ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT



105

In the field of training and the training related activity, the responsibilities of the

Department of Human Resources Development extend to all the Government Employees

in the State, whose training needs are to be met.

3.7. THE MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT

To coordinate with all departments in the area of training.

To evaluate training needs of various departments in the ever changing

environment with the help of a dedicated research unit with in it.

To prepare, update periodically and to monitor and implement the State Training

Policy.

To oversee whether training programmes conducted by all the training institutes in

the state are tailored to the specificities of functional organizations, group or local

situations etc.

To build up a comprehensive database pertaining to training institution, their

activities, their capacity and so on.

To receive feedback and to analyze the programmes conducted and to give

necessary suggestions for improvement in the light of guidelines of the State

Training Council/Committee.

To coordinate work relating to faculty exchange, faculty placement preparation of

standards of training and liaise with the departments and other organization of the

Government to ensure that each organization gives “training”, its appropriate

place in its corporate plan, budget etc. and to ensure provision of adequate

personnel for the purpose.

To set up a professional centre for certification of training.

To network the training institutions and the training resources for development of

training materials.

To coordinate the work of developing performance criteria for various

organizations in the sphere of training.

To interact with Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India and

with training departments/institutes in other states.

To conduct seminars, workshops and trainer development programmes for special

groups of development administrators and trainers.

To give advice in training matters to the Government as well as to the State Public

enterprises.



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To advise departments to make training plans, long term as well as annual and

providing assistance in the process of preparation of these plans.

Helping various departments/institutions in Designing Training Programmes

tailored to the specific requirements of their personnel.

To ensure coordination of training activity between state and central training

institutions and among various training institutions of the state.

Monitoring and evaluating training to see that it conforms to predetermined plan

priorities and contributes to over all development of staff performance in

concerned departments.

To evaluate Training Institutions from +time to time, with the help of training

Institution concerned, training experts, consultants, the client organizations and

department of Personnel and Training.

Promoting research, related to training and development.

Help departments in preparation of suitable training materials.

Identifying appropriate State Government, Government of India and Externally

Aided Projects‟ Training programmes for Officers/Employees from a wide range of

disciplines and arranging for their Training.

Acting as a clearinghouse on all information related to Training.

To prepare a list of private training institutions of repute and to coordinate with

them for purpose of training to Government Employees in those institutions also

as per requirement.

To prepare a panel of Trainers Working in private organizations, to utilize their

services as guest trainers in government training institutions.

3.8. LOCATION

It will be appropriate to locate the department of training somewhere around Shimla

keeping in view its coordinating nature and to serve as a bridge between Secretariat

and different institutes.

3.9. STRUCTURE

The structure proposed for the department of Human Resources Development is as

under:-



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3.9.1. Director Office: The post of Director of Department is proposed to be filled up

from IAS cadre. It is also suggested that Director, HIPA may be designated as

ex-officio Director, Human Resources Development Department who will be

responsible for inter department coordination, direction and guidance on

training related issues.

3.9.2 Human Resource Development and Coordination Division: This division

will be entrusted the job of co-ordination amongst different institutes and

departments with respect to their training needs and will coordinate and

promote the training activities besides development of training material and

dissemination thereof amongst different institutions. This will also be

responsible for upgradation of skills and knowledge of the faculty/staff in

various training institutions and will also attend the training needs of faculty by

liaising with different specialist institutions within and outside the country.

3.9.3 Administrative and Accounts Division: This division will look after the

routine administrative, establishment and accounts related work of the

directorate.

3.10. GENSIS: The main aim of Department of Human Resources Development is to

contribute to a continuing improvement in the state administration, so that it is able to

fulfill aspirations of the people for development at an accelerated pace. All its activities

should be geared to the full realisation of the objective of capacity building of government

employees at all levels in order to sub serve responsive Government and economic

liberalisation with social justice. The proposed department of training is not expected to

usurp the functions of the existing training institutes in any manner whatsoever. Nor it is

expected to interfere in their working or act as some kind of supervisory department. The

functional autonomy enjoyed by the existing institutions is important and should be

allowed to remain intact as also the chain of command with reference to the parent

department will not be required to the disturbed in any manner. The objective of

department should be to support the existing training mechanisms and to look at and

promote the training related issues at the government and policy levels.



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IV. SECRETARIAT NODAL AGENCY-

-NEED FOR DELEGATION

Administration operates in an environment created by the political system,

administrative reform should be directed to change the entire environment. Thus, crucial

question in administrative reform is not so much the development of appropriate

techniques or abilities but the creation of an environment in which such activities can

flourish, and the appropriate environment in created by appropriate attitudes of men who

matter most in administration correct and pragmatic attitude. Reform is a creative

destruction in that an order is broken down to pave the way for a new order.

Secretariat may be regarded as the extended personality of the Council of

Ministers. Its functions are:

(i) To assist and advice the Minister in the formulation of Government

policies and programme.

(ii) To frame the policies, it is necessary to collect a great deal of data

from the field agencies and several other sources. The Secretariat

performs the function of collecting the necessary data from different

sources and analyzing it with a view to suggest various courses of

action necessary in the formulation of policies.

(iii) The Secretariat gives general direction and guidance to the

Directorates and other field agencies for the efficient implementation

of the Government policies and the decisions. It may be noted that

these are only broad policy guidelines and are not supported to be in

the nature of detailed instructions, which are to be issued by the

respective heads of the executive departments.

(iv) The Secretariat monitors the programmes regarding the

implementation of various programmes and evaluates the

performance of different field agencies. Finally, it suggests the

corrective action whenever it becomes necessary in view of the

evaluation conducted by it.



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(v) The Secretariat acts as spokesman of the Government. It maintains

contact with the Central Government and other State Governments

and outside agencies.

The functions of the Secretariat have to be distinguished from the functions

of the executive departments. The Secretariat is supposed to give only general policy

guidelines while the actual execution of the policy is the work of the executive head of the

department.

Of late, it has been observed that the Secretariat has been expansionist in

its attitude and behaviour and has even arrogated to itself powers and functions which do

not come under its purview. The factors explaining this expansion are many, but an

important factor is parliamentary democracy itself. The Minister, under the system of

Government, is responsible to the Legislature for efficient functioning of his department.

He has to answer parliamentary questions concerning his charge. Naturally, therefore, he

wants to have a say in most matters. This, to an extent, explains the centralization of

functions in the Secretariat and its expansion. In addition to this, there are human and

psychological factors. Of late, attempts have been made to contain this expansion of the

Secretariat by preparing a list of the functions which are to be looked after by it.

The Secretariat has been subjected to too much criticism. There has been a

general complaint, as mentioned earlier, that the Secretariat has tendency towards

concentration of powers. This leads to inefficiency in the working of the Government.

The functioning of the secretariat is very slow like the examination of

proposals etc. This slow and tardy processing of the cases in the Secretariat impairs the

efficiency of the field agencies.

There is general tendency, amongst the officers, to try and stay on in the

Secretariat, due to the attractive conditions like remuneration, educational and medical

facilities, etc. Plus, working at the Secretariat and in close contact with the „heads‟, the

officers aggregate much influence and power also. This tendency works against the

tenure system which envisages a constant exchange between the Secretariat and field



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officers and impairs efficiency as by staying too long in the Secretariat, these officers tend

to lose touch with the field problems.

The political as well as the administrative elements of the environment are

mostly preoccupied with values not conducive to the cause of the development of the

community.

Administrative reforms may be defined as the conscious and deliberate

inducement of administrative transformation against resistance to meet the positive goals

of national development.

I. All India stereotype schemes are often introduced without sufficient

operational flexibility, local adaptation and adequate delegation of power.

II. In spite of the loud sympathy today for decentralized planning or planning

from below, there has been lack of planning at local level.

III. The top down communication was often in the shape of imposition of

targets without ensuring that the conditions and prerequisites for reaching

these targets were created.

IV. All development programmes, individually as well as collectively, require

linking of numerous elements which alone can ensure the ultimate success

of programmes.

V. Administrative short comings at the field level continue to persist.

CENTRALISATION OF POWER

Inter departmental coordination and accountability is indispensable for the

proper functioning of the government over a period of time, the Secretariat has become

overgrown ponderous and slow moving organisation, encumbered with non essential work

and has for a large part become an unwieldy and overstaffed organisation. Occasional

blurring of responsibilities and choking of the administrative machinery has become its

regular feature which thus finds excuse for dilatoriness and delay. Over growth of

personnel has resulted in deterioration in quality. Grouping of subjects in departments

has been observed. There are problems of inter-ministry coordination. Classical view is

that the secretariat should handle only policy, leaving implementation to executive

agencies.



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The general tendency prevails in the working of the Secretariat is-

“PUC does not pertains to my seat or this branch” approach.

“Go slow, play safe, take the longest but the safest route”

“if pushed, go in circles-Pass on the buck to others like Finance, Planning,

Personnel, Law etc. “

“Do not take unnecessary headache of solving a problem-Time will find a

solution to every problem”

“Neither do any work nor deny it, keep the files moving, it will increase the

diary number and justify the work load”

“Just show the grass to the goat, don‟t give it to her rather take the goat to

the butcher‟s shop”

“No innovations please. Do not deviate from the time tested, beaten track-

Status quo is always the safest and hence the best policy.”

“Government is Central or State Government Centric but not local Government

centric.”

“Government is anything, but citizen centric. Citizen empowerment is the last

priority.

Secretariat Directorate Field.

1. Assist and provide

support to the council of

ministers

2. Taking policy decision 1. Controlled by

Directorate

1. Implementation in field

3. Policies, programmes

and management

instructions issued by

Secretary.

2. Implementation part.

4.Appropriate information

for monitoring, analyzing

and reviewing the

progress of programmes.

3. Data complied and

process and supplied by

Directorates



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Administrative system suffers from various structural functional, procedural

and behavioral dysfunctions so that the system lags far behind the goals. The trend in the

developing countries shows it is not in a position to respond efficiently and adequately to

the challenges of development.

Suggestions:

To meet the challenges emerged from the routine working of Secretariat,

following recommendations are suggested:-

1. Keeping the secretariat small is important for the health of the total setup.

Ministries should concern with policy only. There should be no room for the

implementation.

2. Rural Development Department, Youth Services and Sports, Planning etc. are the

departments where the work is processed on the single file i. e. the matter is

processed on the file of the Directorate right from the cutting edge level staff to

Secretary or Minister level, as the case may be. This results in to speedy disposal

of the matter since file is not processed afresh in the Secretariat. It is

recommended that the system may be followed for all the cases in all the

departments to facilitate the speedy disposal of the cases as well as to cut short

the levels of examinations and unnecessary paper work.

3. There is a need for benchmarking of different works which are referred to the

Secretariat since it takes a long time to actually reach to the decision.

4. There is also a need for the appropriate propagation of Good Governance and

Public Service Delivery mechanism with an approach to Citizen Centric

Administration since the veterans of the system have still not understood the

changed role of government from a regulator to Facilitator.

5. The areas of jurisdiction despite of their quite clear demarcation in the Rules of

Business and Business Allocation Rules, there exists a tendency to encroach in the

area of lower level of hierarchy.

6. There should be a clear cut declared policy on Personnel Administration since at

present there is no declared Personnel Policy in the state.

7. The maximum possible use of e-governance should be introduced for the

personnel matters through web enabled interface since the cutting edge level



113

secretariat staff play their jugglery tricks on such issues and keep on tossing the

matter by sending the files to one or the other department un-necessarily.

8. The state secretariat should invariably draft and display a citizen charter with its

all the ingredients clarifying the issues of stake holders which is totally missing at

present. Designate Citizen Charter Officers in each department of Secretariat.

V. PERSONNEL POLICY

Personnel policy provides the guidelines for employment relationships in the organization.

Personnel Policies could be interpreted as the recognized intentions of the top

management with respect to manpower management in the organization. It is all the

more important to integrate the management objectives with regard to the utilization of

manpower by applying situational thinking to the desired result through the people in

action. In the state of Himachal Pradesh, there is no declared policy such as Personnel

Policy but the Hand Books of Personnel Matters in its three volumes published by

Personnel Department in 1995 is the Bible for personnel affairs. In addition to this, the

instructions issued by Personnel Department and Finance Department from time to time

serve the guiding principles of personnel administration in the state. An effort has been

made in the succeeding paragraphs to take account of the key ingredients of the

personnel policy in the state. In the first part of it, an elaboration of the existing scenario

has been detailed and thereafter, the substantive issues have been taken up.

1. Categorization

The different categories of personnel can be divided in to two main parts on

broader terms. First relates to Ministerial Services which deals with the routine work of

establishment accounts and general office administration .Second category relates to

specific personnel i.e. work specified employees of the department. These could be

Engineers in PWD and IPH, Lecturers and Teachers in case of Education Department,

Doctors and Paramedical staff in Health Deptt, Veterinary Doctors in Animal Husbandry

Department etc. The Service matters of gazetted officer are dealt and processed in

Secretariat whereas in case of non-gazetted staff, the service matters are processed at

the directorate headquarters. These services are further classified in to Class I, II, III and

IV Services, Class I and II are gazetted services Class III and IV are the cutting edge



114

level officials engaged in the processing of matters. Class-IV services generally perform

odd jobs. They include :- Peons, Chowkidar, Mali, Sweepers official etc.

1.1 Classification of Posts

(a) Classification

The services/posts in the State are classified into the following four classes:-

1. Class I

2. Class II

3. Class III

4. Class IV

The Classification of a service/post is indicated either through a special

notification/order or in the statutory Recruitment and Promotion Rules framed under

proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India.

The classification of a service/post is normally made with reference to the

scales of pay and the general pattern of duties and responsibilities of the service/post.

(b) The norms

The State Government has prescribed the norms for classification of

service/posts from time to time. Consequent upon the revision of pay scales of

services/posts in Himachal Pradesh the criterion for classification of services/posts has

been revised and it has been decided that classification has been determined on the basis

of following norms:-

Class-I - Posts in the initial entry revised scales of pay having

maximum of Rs. 11660/- and above.

Class-II- Posts in the initial entry revised scales of pay having

maximum ranging between Rs. 10640/- to 11659/-.



115

Class-III - Posts in the initial entry revised scales of pay having

maximum ranging between Rs. 5160/- to 10639/-.

Class-IV- Posts in the initial entry revised scales of pay having

maximum of which is less than Rs. 5160/- .

The above norms are effective from 3rd May 2001 and do not affect

adversely the class of any post already assigned under a specific or special order of the

Government.

1.2 Character of Posts

(a) Ministerial or non-Ministerial

For various purposes, the posts are classified as Ministerial or non-

Ministerial, depending upon the nature of the job of the post. According to Fundamental

Rules 9(17), a ministerial servant means a government servant of a subordinate service

whose duties are entirely clerical and any other class of servants especially defined as

such by general or special order of a local Government.

(b) Scientific/Technical

Depending upon the nature of the duties, the posts are characterized as

scientific or technical. The criteria for declaring posts as scientific/technical are led down

in the Cabinet Secretariat Memorandums. Administrative Departments are themselves

competent to declare the post as Scientific/Technical in consultation with the Finance

Department and Department of Personnel in doubtful cases.

(c) Industrial or non-industrial

Such of the staff who come within the meaning of “Workmen” for the

purposes of Industrial Disputes Act, 1946, as amended from time to time are classified as

“Industrial Employees”.

(c) Tenure Posts



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According to F.R. 9 (30-A), Tenure post means a permanent post which an

individual Government servant may not hold for more than a limited period. In case of

doubt, a local government may decide whether a particular post is not a tenure post.

1.3 Status

For conferring of a gazetted or non-gazetted status, the following norms

are generally observed:-

(i) Class-I posts and Class-II non ministerial and executive posts

should ordinarily be given gazetted status.

(ii) Class-II ministerial posts may be given gazetted status only on very

special consideration, such as, the following:

(a) The officer already had gazetted status before appointment.

(b) The officer has commissioned or gazetted officers under his

orders.

(c) The officer performs duties of a technical character requiring

qualifications.

(d) The officer is periodically left in charge of the office during

the absence of his superior on tour and has to dispose of

business and to deal with gazetted officers or businessmen

on behalf of his superiors.

(iii) Class-III and Class-IV posts are to be treated as rule as non-

gazetted.

1.4 Ex-officio Secretariat Status

The instructions for the conferment of ex-officio Secretariat status on

officers holding non-secretariat post are contained in the office memorandum of Ministry

of Home Affairs. According to these instructions, Secretariat status is necessary only for

those officers who:-



117

(a) Sign communications, orders or notification on behalf of

Government or

(b) Within the limits of the Rules of Business, take decisions on behalf of

Government.

Where there is a departure from the conditions stated at (a) above, the Ex-

officio status would lapse with the transfer/retirement of the incumbent. The conferment

of ex-officio secretariat status on any non-secretariat officer does not add to the status of

the post held by him.

1.5 General conditions regulating the services:

As and when person joins on any post, he is governed by certain set of rules

regulating the recruitment and conditions of services framed under article 309 of

constitution. His financial benefits are subject to the provision of the rules and even after

his retirement on attaining the age of compulsory retirement on superannuation when

govt. servant gets monthly pension which is also subject to the good conduct of such

persons even after retirement. As for as the state government is concerned, the H.P.

Government has adopted central rules which are now applicable to the state employees.

All employees have been made to be are governed by these rules by issuing notification

under Article 309 of the constitution by the State govt. The state government in future

may also adopt these rules/amendments as such or may adopt with certain modification

as it may deem fit. General conditions regulating the services of employees are detailed

as under:-

1.6 Age for entry in service:

For Class I and II officers. 21 to 45 years

For Class III and IV 18 to 45 years

1.9 Procedure for change of date of Birth:

The govt. servant may request in writing for recording change in date of

birth within two years from the date of entry into service. If there is any bonafide clerical

mistake in the date of birth on the basis of documentary proof i.e. Panchayat/Municipality

certificate/record and horoscope etc. On the basis of proposal sent by the HOD to the AD,



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the govt. may accord approval for carrying out correction in the date of birth in the

service record/service book of such a serving person. Without prior orders of the govt.

date of birth once recorded in the service book can not be altered.

1.10 Age of compulsory retirement in H.P.

All India Services and Class IV employees 60 years

Who entered service up to 10.5.2001

All other state services Class I,II,III & Class IV 58 years.

who joined service on or after 11.5.2001.

1.11 Definition of Civil Service:

Civil Service means when civil servants of union or state get their salary from the

consolidated fund of India.

Article: 309: Recruitment and Conditions relating to Services of Civil Servants

Notwithstanding anything contained in the constitution, act of Parliament or legislature for

central and state civil servants may regulate the recruitment and conditions of services of

civil servants. Further the President/Governor may frame the law relating to these

services. The following set of service rules have been framed under Article 309 of the

Constitution:-

1. Fundamental and Supplementary Rules(Part-I)

2. Supplementary Rules(TA)

3. CCS(Pension)Rules,1972

4. CCS(conduct) Rules,1964

5. CCS(CCA) Rules,1965

6. CCS(leave) Rules,1972

7. GPF Rules,1960.

These rules have been adopted by H.P. Govt. for its employees by issuing

Notification under Article 309 of the Constitution. Whenever any subsequent amendments



119

are carried in these rules by Central government, the state government adopts these as

such or with certain modifications.

1.12 Basis for selection and Non selection Posts:

Classification Whether selection /

Non selection post.

Criteria for

Promotion:

Class I & II Selection Post. Merit cum seniority

Class III & IV Non selection posts. Seniority cum merit

1.13 Master pay Scale:

The master pay scale as applicable for the employees of different categories in the State

rises from minimum to maximum in a master pay scale covering categories of all pay

scales Rs. 2520-23600 (Min. start from 2620)

1.14 Creation of Posts

In view of the financial discipline presently State Government has

imposed a complete ban on creation of posts except for the post in the functional

department like Health and Education Departments, just not to mention creation of posts,

the State Government has even kept a blanket ban on filling up the vacant posts. The

vacant posts are also filled up only in the functional departments. The state has

embarked upon a regime of downsizing the different cadres. In the recent past, certain

vacant posts have been abolished in various departments. To reduce the financial burden,

new posts are filled upon contract basis, tenure basis and certain activities like sanitation

etc are being outsourced to reduce the financial burden.

1.15 Recruitment

There are two recruiting agencies existing in the state. First, H.P. Public

Service Commission, located at Shimla, is the recruiting agency for gazetted services.

Another agency engaged in this respect is H.P. Subordinate Services Selection Board,

located at Hamirpur. The Board is a recruiting agency for the Class-III services in the

state. In case of Class-IV services, there is no centralized recruiting agency. These posts

are filled up by on the basis of names sponsored by the Employment Exchange. At times,



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there are deviations in this practice and the process lacks the transparency. In case of

boards, corporations, universities and autonomous bodies, above agencies are not serving

as the recruiting agencies.

1.16 Recruitment & Promotion Rules

Article 309 of the constitution provides that Acts of the legislature may

regulate the recruitment and condition of the service of the persons appointed to public

service and posts in connection with the officers of the state and until provision is made

by or under an act, the executive has been authorized to make rules regulation, the

recruitment conditions of service of persons appointed to such services and posts. The

state legislature has not made any act under Article 309 and as such all R&P Rules for

different services and posts have been framed under proviso to Article 309 of the

Constitution of India.

The R&P Rules for a service or post ,besides providing name of the service

post , number of posts, pay scale and classification, also specify certain provisions as to

the mode of recruitment, method of recruitment, age limit, qualifications and experience

for direct recruitment; service requirement for promotion, probation, reservation,

departmental examination and powers to relax the rules. These provisions of the rules

enable the completed authority to make selections and appointments of the suitable and

eligible incumbents to man different posts.

With a view to maintaining uniformity of R&P Rules for the posts, a standard

proforma has been devised in consultation with HP Public Service Commission and all R&P

rules are required to be drafted on the standard proforma. The procedures adopted for

framing R&P rules is as under:-

1. Draft rules are first prepared in the administrative department in Secretariat and

placed for consideration and approval of the Secretary and Minister-in-charge.

2. Government has issued instruction to finalize R&P rules with in three months and

to be published in form of booklet.

3. Earlier, in pre 1986 era, the draft rules so prepared were placed before the Rules

Sub-Committee for scrutiny which comprised of representatives of Personnel,

Finance, Law and the Administrative Department. A major change took place in



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the end of 1986 that provided recruitment & promotion rules or any amendments

are to be processed by Administrative Department on their relevant files and

there after submitted to the Personnel Department first and thereafter to Law and

Finance Deptt.

4. The rules so approved as mentioned above are sent Rules Committee for scrutiny.

The Rules Committee comprises of Chief Secretary, Secretary (Finance), Secretary

(Personnel), Secretary (Law), Jt. Secretary (Personnel) and Secretary of the

department concerned.

5. After scrutiny and approval of the recruitment & promotion rules /amendments to

existing rules by the committee, the Administrative Department is required to

consult the HP Public Service Commission for proposed recruitment & promotion

rules.

6. Administrative Department has to place the matter before the Council of Ministers

stating in clear terms- the views/comments/ observations of the HP Public Service

Commission in the memorandum which is prepared for taking up the matter to

Council of Ministers. The memorandum is required to contain detailed justifications

for non-acceptance, if so, of the views /comments /observations of the Public

Service Commission. The decision of the Council of Ministers there on is to be

implemented.

7. As per the provisions of the schedule read with the rules 14 to 16 of the rules of

business of Government of Himachal Pradesh, 1971, all rules to be framed under

the provision of article 309, of the Constitution of India excepting routine

amendments which are to be placed before the council of ministers after having

been processed in the manner prescribed above.

8. Thereafter approval of the recruitment & promotion rules or amendments to the

existing rules, the draft notification is to be prepared in Hindi with English

translation by the Administrative Department and got vetted from the Law

Department. After vetting from the Law Department, the notification is to be

issued by the Administrative Department with the approval of the competent

authority. A copy of the notification is sent to Printing and Stationery Department

for publication in the official gazette.

9. The notified rules or amendments to the existing rules after publication in the

official gazette, the same are to be placed before the Legislative Assembly in its

next session.



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4.2 Ingredients of R & P rules:

The following are the salient features which must be incorporated in R& P rules of

Particular category of Posts:

1. Entry age in initial recruitment,

2. Designation of the post,

3. Pay scale of the post,

4. Whether selection/Non selection post.

5. Classification of post.

6. Essential education/technical qualification/desirable qualification.

7. Minimum working experience on lower post (qualifying service).

8. Probation period.

9. Whether passing of Deptt . Examination necessary.

10. Mode of recruitment (Proportion between direct and promotion).

Challenges

It has been seen that different departments have prescribed different promotion quotas

for employees in their organisations. Sometimes, it is 100 % by promotion after the one

initial entry to the Cadre, in some departments it is 50:50 between direct and promotion

candidates and some where it is 75:25. This situation becomes quite alarming when

candidates are selected from the one single exam go to different departments. One

candidate going to an organisation with 100% promotion quota has a better career

options in comparison to one

The candidates for different posts are selected in different departments

through a written examination. Such selected candidates are further sponsored by the

recruitment agencies to different department. Different departments have their own

Recruitment & Promotion Rules for the similar or analogous posts. The title for the post

and the selection criteria for this post will be same but the R&P Rules in separate

departments will have heterogonous promotional avenues viz department A is providing

75% quota for promotion, department B provides 50% quota whereas department C

provides 100% promotion quota. As a result of it candidates selected from the same

competitive examination have different career progression scheme. One with 100% quota

owns the opportunity of a bright career whereas his counter part selected through the

same process goes into 50% promotional avenue gets a gloomy future. This leads to a



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greater dissatisfaction among such employees. It not only affects their morale adversely

but also tarnishes their morale for the work. They don‟t find any motivation for work.

Suggestions:

1) As a remedy to above challenge, the best alternative will be to have a

set of common R&P Rules for the posts which are filled up through an

identical single examination or process with the identical career

progress plan for promotional avenues. To safe guard their interests

further, it is also suggested that such posts existing in different

department should have a common cadre so that every one can get

equal opportunity for promotion and no discrimination is faced by any

incumbent.

4. COMPASSIONATE EMPLOYMENT

Most of Govt. Servants and their families are dependent on the salary of

the concerned Govt. Servant. A sudden death of sole bread earning member of the family

leaves the family in indigent condition and in the need of immediate means of

subsistence. It is only in such compassionate and emergent cases, the employment

assistance is envisaged to be provided. Such employment is admissible in respect of -

a. A government servant who dies while in service leaving his family in

immediate need of assistance.

b. A serving government servant who has been missing for more than two

years and his family in immediate need of assistance

c. A government servant who dies during the period of extension in service ,

but not re-employed leaving his family in immediate need of assistance

The employment assistance under this scheme to be allowed in order of

priority to widow/widower or son/daughter in case of married government servant and

father/mother or brother/unmarried sister in case of unmarried government servant. The

employment on compassionate grounds can be made only to the lowest rung of class IV

and class III posts carrying the initial entry scale in the hierarchy of pay scales. Such

appointments are subject to the fulfillment of the eligibility conditions regarding

Educational, Technical and Professional qualifications and physical standards. In view of

the policy guidelines of government to fill up only the functional posts, there is a long list



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of pending cases under this category and only the extreme deserving cases are approved

for compassionate employment by peer scrutiny by Finance Department. A major shift in

the policy is that compassionate employment cannot be demanded as a right now. The

government through the mechanism of Deputy Commissioner seeks a report on the

financial status and genuineness of the indigent conditions of the family of the deceased,

only after that the matter is considered on the basis of merit.

6. Recruitment Agencies:

All vacancies in the State Government establishment, other than those filled

through HP Public Service Commission or HP Subordinate Services Selection Board or to

filled by promotion, by transfer by deputation or otherwise authorized to be filled under

specific orders of the Government, are to be notified to the nearest employment

exchange or to all exchanges within the State according to the Government order and no

department or office should fill any vacancy by direct recruitment, unless the

Employment Exchange certify that they are unable to supply suitable candidates.

The Employment Exchange (compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act,

1959 was enacted in 1559 and came into force with effect from Ist May, 1960.

6.1 Notification of vacancies:

Under the provisions of the Act/Rules and instructions all establishment s in the

Public Sector and all establishments in the private sector normally employing 25 or more

workers are required to notify certain categories of vacancies to the appropriate Exchange

as notified by the State Government.

6.2 Reservations:

While notifying vacancies to the Employment Exchange(s), it should be clearly

indicated in the requisition whether or not vacancies are reserved for scheduled castes,

Scheduled Tribes, Ex-servicemen, Physically Handicapped persons, Backward Classes,

Children and Grand Children of Freedom Fighters and for members belonging to the

Antodya/ Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) families. The number of posts

reserved for each category is also to be clearly indicated. It may be noted that the

competent authority sending the requisition is required to sign a certificate at the end of



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the requisition to the effect that he/she has strictly followed the instructions relating to

the reservations with due regard to the roster required to be maintained in accordance

with the Government instructions.

6.3 Incorporation of Technical qualifications:

Requisite technical qualifications are to be invariably incorporated in the

requisition form while notifying vacancies to the Employment Exchange so that the

persons with requisite technical qualifications are sponsored by the Employment

Exchange.

6.4 Reservations of vacancies for Ex-servicemen or Physically handicapped:

Ex-servicemen and dependents: The Ex-servicemen (and eligible

dependents) should get their names registered at the nearest Employment Exchange. The

Employment Exchange will dispatch duplicate registration cards to the Directorate of

Sainik Welfare, Hamirpur. There is State Selection Committee which interviews the Ex-

servicemen for various posts and prepares a panel of eligible candidates. The department

can send requisition in respect of reserved vacancies for Ex-servicemen to the cell which

will sponsor the names of Ex-servicemen for the reserved posts. The names sponsored by

the cell are considered to have been selected for the reserved posts. The department to

have issue appointment letters to the ex-service men candidates sponsored by the cell

without any interview or test.

6.5 Physically handicapped Persons:

A special cell for the placement of physically handicapped persons has been set up at the

Directorate of Employment, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, with a view to secure speedy

placement of physically handicapped persons against the posts reserved for them and

also to ensure their immediate socio-economic rehabilitation. The requisitions/demands

for filling up the posts reserved for physically handicapped persons are sent direct to

Employment Officer (Placement) at the Directorate of Employment, Himachal Pradesh,

Shimla who will sponsor three names against a post reserved for physically handicapped

person.



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6.6 Recruitment of daily rated persons in PSUs:

The Government has issued instructions form time to time for strict adherence that no

recruitment of officials shall be made in Public Sector Undertakings/ Boards/Corporations

and other offices where names are not sponsored by the concerned Employment

Exchange.

Challenges

1. The new techniques of employment have also emerged in the State called Tenure

appointments, contract appointment, Para teachers etc., have too any transparent

system is taking neither any centralized policy nor any generalized procedure has

been drafted to have a justified approach to this aspect.

2. It can be concluded that there is no symmetric system prevailing especially in

PSUs and Universities, other than the organised services in government

departments. The diversified systems of recruitment has not only created unrest

among the unemployed youth, but other stake holders may lose confidence in

such a system.

3. In Public Sector Undertakings and Boards/Corporations etc., practically no set

system is prevailing. The system of references and recommendations has

encroached the complete zone of policy/instructions, as a result of this many

incompetent and undeserving candidates have been inducted in the organisations

who are not contributing to the institution one hand and have become a liability on

the State exchequer on the other.

4. The recruitment system to class-IV posts is most haphazard since there is no

central recruiting agency like Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission or

Subordinate Service Selection Board for this purpose. It provides and lee way for

bye pass recruitment which at later stages results into their inefficiency in the

organisation. The system not only lacks transparency but also has a bottleneck to

induct favorites.



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5. There are three Universities in the State Government Sector, there too no

particularly designed policy for recruitment to different categories of post either

teaching or non-teaching. The methods of recruitment differs in different

categories in inter University and intra University cases.

6. In addition to above, there are certain departments who are themselves in the

practice of recruitment for some particular categories of posts. Health department

for all the categories of Para medical staff, Ayurveda and Animal Husbandry

department are also playing the role of recruiting agencies in case of their para

medical staff like Ayurvedic pharmacists and Veterinary pharmacists. Forest

department has also indulged in the practice of recruiting Forest Guards through

their own system of taking a written examination.

7. Training:

Training has been defined as a planned process to modify attitude, knowledge

and skill through learning experience to achieve effective performance in an activity or

range of activities to satisfy the needs of an organisation.

All matters falling under ambit of sub head Training and Foreign Assignment of the

Rules of Business of the Government of Himachal Pradesh ( Allocation) Rules 1971 are

dealt with in the Departments of Training and Foreign Assignment in Secretariat. The H.P.

Institute of Public Administration is the nodal department for imparting training in the

State. Training is to be seen as a tool to enhance the performance of a civil servant.

Training is above the process of Education, Education provides knowledge only but

training improves knowledge, skills and attitude which make a person fit to work in the

changing environment. It is unfortunate that there is neither a Department of Training

nor a declared training policy in the State.

There are mandatory trainings in the organised services like All India Civil Service,

State Civil Services and certain other organised cadres, but there is lack of co-coordinated

plan which could ensure every employee of State Government gets training at regular

intervals of his career. In view of haphazard system certain employees never get a

chance for training through out their career on the contrary, a few get it repeatedly. A

prudent view is to be undertaken in this respect.



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8. Promotion and Selection Grade:

Promotion is one of the modes of filling up a post. The advantage of

promotion as a method is that the promoted person comes to the new job with some

experience of the work and knowledge of the organization and its ethos. On the other

hand where specialized knowledge and qualifications involving academic or technical

disciplines are concerned, promotions may not always be the best method since direct

recruitment is more likely to make available persons well versed in the latest advances

and techniques. In many posts the Rules for filling up of post may, as working

compromise, provide for both direct recruitment and promotion in a definite proportion so

that there is a blend of experience with the fresh blood. From a personnel management

point of view promotions provide incentives for the incumbents and help keep up morale

and efficiency.

8.1 Departmental Promotion Committees:

All cases for regular promotions are to be first considered by the

Departmental Promotion Committees, which have been constituted for each Department

category wise. The D.P.C. is to be guided by the instructions as issued by the Govt. from

time to time and the Department is required to place complete and correct information

before the D.P.C. The D.P.C. has to take care that:-

1) Every person eligible for promotion as per the relevant Promotion Rules and

in the field of choice is considered for promotion;

2) The Standard for promotion i.e. qualifications, service in the feeder

category as prescribed in the Recruitment and Promotion Rules are strictly

adhered to and only eligible persons are considered.

3) A uniform standard is followed for making assessment of all the persons.

4) The proceedings of the D.P.C. and the select-lists are prepared strictly in

accordance with the instructions of the Government.

5) Instructions relating to reservations, sealed cover procedure in respect of

Govt. servants facing departmental/ criminal proceedings and

recommendation for their adhoc promotion, wherever permissible, are kept

in view while preparing the select lists.



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8.5 Frequency at which D.P.C. should meet:

The D.P.C. should be convened at regular annual intervals to draw panels

which could be utilized for making promotions against the vacancies occurring during the

course of a year. It has been observed that Departments do not convene meetings of the

D.P.Cs. annually for various reasons even though eligible officers of the lower grade were

available and the vacancies in the higher grade were also available for their promotion.

Sometimes, meetings of the D.P.C. are also not convened annually under the impression

the a penal, prepared by a D.P.C. for filling “Selection” posts could be kept operative for a

period of one year and six months and that, therefore, action to convene the next

meeting of the Departmental Promotion Committee need the initiated only after the

expiry of that period.

8.8 Classification of posts for purposes of promotion:

For the purpose of promotion, posts should be classified into the following

two categories:-

(i) “Selection” posts, i.e. posts promotions to which are to be made by

selection, based on merit, with due regard to seniority.

(ii) “Non-selection” posts, i.e. posts promotions to which are to be made by

seniority subject to rejection of unfit.

There are different norms for preparing select list for both the categories.

9. Adhoc appointment:

Recruitment and Promotion Rules of all posts are required to be framed under Proviso to

Article 309 of the Constitution of India. Further all appointments are required to be made

strictly according to the provisions of the Recruitment and Promotion Rules and by

following the prescribed procedure. Any appointment which is made without following the



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provisions of the Recruitment and Promotion Rules or the prescribed procedure is to be

termed as “adhoc appointment”.

9.1 Circumstances:

Adhoc appointment is only an exception to meet a certain emergent

situation and has to be for a specified short-term duration. In direct recruitment, since

selection of a suitable candidate is to be made from open market or from amongst the

candidates is to be made from open market or from amongst the candidates sponsored

by the Employment Exchanges, adhoc appointment in direct recruitment is not

permissible.

Adhoc appointments in promotion can be made in the following situations:-

(a) Where seniority list of feeder category posts has not been finalized;

(b) Where the Court/ Tribunal has stayed finalization of seniority list or

restrained regular promotions being made.

(c) The select list prepared by the D.P.C. and approved by the appointing

authority has either been exhausted or is not valid;

(d) Eligible officials/ officers do not possess the requisite service or other

requirement of rules and it is essential to fill the post by promotion;

(e) The Recruitment and Promotion Rules have not been framed for the post ,

but the post is intended to be filled by promotion in consultation with the

Public Service Commission and Department of Personnel; and

(f) The post has been created for a specific short period and the duration is so

short that it is not desirable to frame the R&P Rules, provided the mode of

promotion in concurred in by the Public Service Commission and the

Personnel Department.

9.2 Adhoc appointments in the absence of R & P Rules:

The Government has considered this matter and has felt that it is not

necessary to consult the Commission for appointment to a temporary post for a period

not exceeding six months only where the recruitment and promotion rules stand notified.

However, where the method of recruitment has not been determined in consultation with

the Commission such action of the Department would be violation of the provision

contained in Article 320 (3) (a) and (b) of the Constitution of India.



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9.3 Departmental Examination & Adhoc appointments:

Such gazetted officers as are required to pass the Departmental

Examination according to the provisions of the Rules and have not passed such

examination are not promoted to higher posts, even on adhoc basis, unless and until they

pass such examination or exemption is accorded in their case by the Government after

prior consultation with the Commission.

10. Deputation:

In the R& P Rules, deputation is generally been kept as one of the method

of recruitment in case of non-availability of an eligible candidate in the feeding cadre post

or otherwise.

10.1 Scope:

The detailed guide lines issued by Finance Department, H.P. in 1999 and

revised in 2006 clarifies that the term „Deputation‟ will cover only those appointments

that are made by transfer on temporary basis provided the transfer is outside the normal

field of deployment and is in the public interest. In case of appointment on deputation/

foreign service from State Government to State Govt. and in those cases whose the scale

of pay and dearness allowance in the parent cadre post and ex-cadre post are similar, a

person in a higher scale of pay shall not be appointed on deputation to a post in lower

scale of pay.

No deputation allowance is admissible in the state. Finance Department in

the year 2001 has replaced the term deputation with the word Secondment to maintain

the financial discipline. The employees will go on deputation/secondment in their own pay

scales and no deputation allowance will be allowed. The resultant posts in the lending

department(s) will not be filled by any mode of recruitment. It was also clarified that the

borrowing department will bear all expenses on account of salary and other entitlements

of the employees sent on secondment. The term secondment is not tagged with any

financial benefit like deputation allowance. More over to impose strict financial discipline,

Finance Department has also clearly specified that the posts falling vacant on account of



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incumbents going on secondment basis to other department, will not be filled up by any

mode of recruitment.

10.4 Tenure:

The period of deputation/secondment shall be subject to a maximum of

three years in all case except for those posts where a longer period of tenure is

prescribed in the Recruitment Rules. The AD/borrowing organisation may grant extension

beyond this limit upto one year after obtaining orders of their secretary in the case of the

State Govt. and in respect pf all other cases the equivalent level, whose such extension is

considered necessary in public interest.

The borrowing departments/ organisations may grant extension for the fifth

year or for the second yea in excess of the period prescribed in the R&P Rules where

considered absolutely necessary. Any relaxation of these terms and conditions will require

prior concurrence of Finance Department and Department of Personnel.

Challenges:

1. The state government has formulated the suitable policy on deputation but the

focus issue in the policy is to certain the financial burden on the state

exchequer. The policy was introduced and revised, both by the Finance

Department, however, an appropriate policy could have been drafted by the

Personnel Department who have a mandate for it.

2. The core issue i.e. selection procedure for inviting a candidate for selection is

completely missing in the policy.

3. The roles and responsibilities of both lending and borrowing departments have

not equally weighed which has resulted into and in-balance between the two

parties.

4. The financial accruals to the person going on deputation have been stopped by

the government, there is need to make deputation postings more attractive.

RECOMMENDATIONS:



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1. A balanced and appropriate policy on deputation needs to be drawn

considering all the aspects i.e. equal weight-age to both the parties as well as

the applicant, time period is sufficient for the NOC by the landing department

and its revalidation etc.

2. In the policy, the selection procedure to be specified clearly giving suitable

weightage to educational qualification, experience and training received etc.

3. A transparence system could be evolved by inducting person through a written

test and an interview.

4. The State Government has curtailed all the financial benefits for the persons

going on deputation thus, the next lower grade candidates should also be

considered for such deputation as per the provisions laid down in the Handbook

of Personnel Matters, i.e. “The field for deputation/transfer should, as far as

possible, consist of officers holding analogous posts but may be widened to

include officers working in the next lower grade also with the qualifying service

normally as prescribed for promotion.”

11. REGULARIZATION OF DAILYWAGERS:

There are a large number of employees recruited in the government on

daily wages basis. The government has also framed a policy for their regularization in

different departments against the available vacancies.

After careful consideration, the Government has decided that the Daily

Waged/Contingent paid workers in all the Departments, including Public Works and

Irrigation & Public Health Departments, who have completed 8 years of continuous

service (with a minimum of 240 days in a calendar year except where specified otherwise

for the tribal areas) as on 31.3.2004 may be regularized against vacant posts in various

departments. However, where the vacancies do not exist in the department, the question

of creation of posts for regularization of such eligible daily wagers may be considered on

merit on a case to case basis by the Government. Completion of required years of service

makes such daily wager/contingent paid worker eligible for consideration to be

regularized. Regularization in all cases will be from prospective effect i.e. after the date,

the order or regularization is issued after completion of codal formalities. The

regularization will be subject to the observance of the following terms and conditions:-



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11.1 NORMS/PRINCIPLES

The norms and principles regarding regularization of daily waged/ contingent paid

workers applicable in the state are as under:-

a) Daily waged/contingent paid workers who have completed 8 years of continuous

service (with a minimum of 240 days in a calendar year except where specified

otherwise for the tribal areas) as on 31.3.2004 may be considered for

regularization against the available vacancies in various departments and the

terms & conditions for such regularization shall be governed as per the instructions

of the government.

b) 8 years of continuous service is only an eligibility criteria and regularization shall

be only from prospective effect i.e. after the date the order of regularization is

issued after completion of codal formalities.

c) The daily waged/contingent paid workers being considered for such regularization

shall possess minimum educational qualification as prescribed in the Recruitment

& Promotion Rules of such post.

d) In case of a Daily waged/contingent paid worker, who has worked for less than 8

years on higher wages, on a higher pay scale post, he will be considered for

regularization by combining the service both in the lower scale post and higher

scale post but he shall be regularized on a lower post because for regularization on

a higher post, 8 years complete daily wage service on the higher pay scale post

shall be essential.

e) The daily waged/contingent paid workers may be regularized against the

posts/vacancies of relevant categories purely on seniority basis subject to rejection

being unfit and by doing so incase any roster point for reserved/feeder category

remains under utilized, these shall be made good in future recruitments by filling

up the backlog first.

f) Such daily waged/contingent paid workers, who were within the age limit

prescribed for direct recruitment at the time of engagement on daily wages basis,

may be given relaxation in age limit while regularizing their service, if they have

crossed the maximum age limit as prescribed in the Recruitment and Promotion

Rules.



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g) Such daily waged/contingent paid workers, who have been engaged without being

sponsored by the Employment Exchange, may be given relaxation while

regularizing their services.

h) The department(s) are not required to make prior consultation with the HP Public

Service Commission for regularization of services in case of those posts which fall

within the purview of the HP Public Service Commission.

i) The Seniority of the “Daily Waged/Contingent Paid Workers” as are regularized

under this policy vis-à-vis employees appointed on regular basis shall be

determined on the date of issue of these policy instructions. The inter-se-seniority

of such “Daily Waged/Contingent Paid Workers” shall be determined in accordance

with order of regularization of such daily wager based on seniority as daily wager.

j) There shall be no resultant vacancy by way of such regularization because such

vacancies shall be abolished.

12. ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION SCHEME:

As a result of a revision of pay scales w.e.f. 1.1.1996, assured career

progression scheme for regular employees of government was introduced by Finance

Department Notification in 1998 which was effective from 1.1.1996. Clarification on

various terms used in the notification have been issued from time to time. The silent

features of this scheme are as under:

i)(a) After a service of 8 years in a post or posts in the same cadre an employee

who is not promoted to the next higher level on account of non availability

of vacancy at such higher level or non existence of a promotional level in

the cadre shall be granted the pay scale which is next higher in the

hierarchy of pay scales given in the scheduled next to rules 1998. An

employee becoming an entitled to a higher pay scale on account of

protection under the said rules, pay shall be grant such higher pay scale.

(b) On the grant of higher pay scale as in the para (a) above, the pay of the

employee shall be fixed at the next higher stage in the master scale and he

shall be allowed next increment from the date he would have earned his

next increment had he continued in the lower pay scale. If the minimum of

the higher scale is higher than the stage arrived at, his pay shall be fixed at



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such minimum and next increment shall be allowed after qualifying service

of 12 months.

ii) A proficiency step up shall be grant such an employee after 16 years of service

and a second proficiency step up shall be granted after 24 years of service if the

employee still continues in the same post. Service rendered by an employee in the

lower and higher pay scale granted as per para (a) above shall be reckoned as

service in the same post for this purpose.

iii) In case an employee continues to serve in the same post even after 32 years of

service he shall be placed in the next higher pay scale in the hierarchy of pay scale

as indicated in the first schedule next to the rules.

iv) Service in the same post rendered before 1.1.1996 or the date opted for by an

employee shall count for the purpose of this scheme, subject to the fulfillment of

other conditions.

v) Pay of an employee who was in service before 1.1.1996 shall be first fixed in the

revised pay scale admissible to him under Rules 1998 and than regulated as

under:-

a) An employee who has render 8 years but less than 16 years service in the

same post and has availed the benefit of one proficiency step up under the

existing instructions shall be placed in the higher scale without benefit of

any increment i.e. his pay will be fixed at the same stage in the master

scale, since he has received one progression and has received a

commutative benefit at the time of pay fixation in lower revised pay scale.

He shall be treated to have been placed in the higher pay scale on the date

he has given the proficiency step up. He shall be eligible for further benefits

under this scheme as per paras (ii) & (iii) above.

b) An employee who had completed 16 years of service but less than 18 years

of service in the same post and has been allowed benefit of one proficiency

step up under the existing instructions shall be placed in the higher pay

scale after giving him benefit of one increment. He shall be deemed to have



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been placed in the higher scale after 8 years of service and grant first

proficiency step up after 16 years of service he shall be eligible for second

proficiency step up and grant of higher pay scale as per (ii) & (iii) above.

c) An employee who had completed 18 years of service in the same post and

has been allowed benefit of 2 proficiency step up under the existing

instructions shall be placed in the higher scale without benefit of increment

by adjusting his proficiency step up granted after 8 years of service. He

shall be notionally treated to have been placed to the higher pay scale after

8 years and granted first proficiency step up after 16 years. He shall be

eligible for second proficiency step up and placement in the higher scale

when he completes 24 years and 32 years in the same post.

vi) If an employee promoted to the next higher promotional post in the regular way at

any time before one of the benefit under the scheme become due, the grant of such

benefits shall stand postponed accordingly and shall be granted after completion of

service of 8 years in such promotional post. If the promotion of an employee to higher

post occurs after having got placement in higher scale or the proficiency step up under

this scheme, the benefit of only one increment in stead of 2 increment normally

admissible on promotion shall be given in fixing his pay in the scale of pay of the

promotional post.

vii) An employee shall be entitled to the maximum of two placement in the higher

scale and a maximum of two proficiency step up in his entire service career under this

scheme.

viii) ELIGIBILITY AND PROCEDURE

The eligibility and procedure for placement in higher scale/proficiency step

up has been specified as under;-

a) Placement in higher scale and proficiency step up under this policy shall be

granted only to those employees whose overall service record is adjudged as

“GOOD”. If a departmental test is prescribed or acquisition of higher

qualification is a pre-requisite for promotion to the higher level, then only



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those employees who clear such test or acquire such qualifications should be

eligible for benefits under this scheme. The clarification with regard to term

“Over-all Service Record is adjudged as GOOD” has been explained that

50% report shall be good and above, including at least two of the last three

annual confidential reports. The rest of the annual confidential report may be

satisfactory.

b) The competent authority for the grant of benefits under this scheme shall be

the same as in the case of promotion. Representation/Appeals against the

grant of higher pay scale/proficiency step up under this scheme shall also lie in

the same manner as in the case of promotion.

ix) On placement to the next higher pay scale under this scheme an employee to do

the same work with same designation. Their will be no need for creation of any

separate posts etc. and the employee shall remain on the strength of the same

cadre.

12.1 Career progression scheme Junior Engineer of PWD and IPH

Departments

The above scheme is not applicable to Junior Engineer in the department of Public Works

and IPH for whom a separate career progression scheme has been circulated as under;-

1. SALIENT FEATURE OF SCHEME:

a) After a service of 8 years in a post in the same “Cadre” , a Junior Engineer in the

existing Revised Pay scale of Rs. 5800-9200 in the State, who is not promoted to

the next higher level on account of non availability of a vacancy at such higher

level or due to non –existence of a promotional level in the “Cadre‟, shall be

granted next higher scale in the hierarchy of Pay Scales give in column No. 3 of

the First Schedule annexed to the Himachal Pradesh Civil Service (Revised Pay)

Rules, 1998 (hereinafter referred to as the Rules, 1998) i.e. shall be granted next

higher scale of Rs. 6400-10640 with same designation;

b) On the grant of higher pay scale in sub-para (i) above, the pay of the employee

shall be fixed at the next higher stage, i.e. his pay shall be stepped up to ensure



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benefit of at least one increment at the time of such placement in the higher scale

so allowed and he shall be allowed next increment from the date he would have

earned his next increment had he continued in the lower pay scale. If the

minimum of the higher scale is higher than the stage arrived at, his pay shall be

fixed at such minimum and next increment shall be allowed after a qualifying

service of 12 months;

c) After a service of 16 years in a post in the same “Cadre” , Junior Engineer in the

scale of Rs. 6400-10640 in the State, if he still continues in the same post, shall

be granted next higher scale of Rs. 7200-11320 with Class-II (Gazetted) status

and designation of additional Assistant Engineer. Service rendred by an employee

in the lower and higher pay scale granted as per (i) above shall be reckoned as

service in the same post for this purpose, and his pay shall be fixed as mentioned

in sub para (ii) above.

d) With the grant of Class-II (Gazetted) status and designation of Additional Assistant

Engineer, there will be no additional to the „cadre strength of Junior Engineer.

e) The officials placed in the higher scale and granted status of Additional Assistant

Engineer will continue to discharge the same duties and exercise same powers.

2. Pay of an employee shall be fixed subject to the provisions of Revised Pay Rules

notified from time to time. If the promotion of an employee to higher post occurs after

having got placement in the higher scale under these instructions, benefit of only one

increment instead of two normally admissible on promotion shall be given in fixing his

pay in the scale of the promotional post.

a) Where an employee has already completed more than 8 years but less than 16

years of service and has availed benefit of placement under the instructions

bearing No. Fin(PR)B(7)51/98, dated 15th December 1998, he shall be placed in

the scale of Rs. 6400-10640 with effect from the date of implementation of

these decisions without benefit of any increment i.e his pay shall be fixed at the

same stage in the higher scale since he has received one progression on

placement to the next higher pay scale under the “Assured Career Progression

Scheme” i.e under the instruction dated 15th December, 1998(ibid).

b) Where an employee has already completed 16 years of service and has already

been allowed the benefit of placement in higher scale and proficiency step up

under the Assured Career Progression Scheme in view of the instructions

bearing No. Fin(PR)B(7)51/98, dated 15th December, 1998 as on the date of



140

implementation of these decisions or who has been allowed a revised equivalent

of Rs. 7220-11320 under the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Revised Pay)

Rules, as a measure personal to him, such incumbents shall be placed in the

Revised Pay Scale of Rs. 7220-11320 with Class-II (Gazetted) status and

granted designation of „Additional Assistant Engineer‟ without benefit of any

increment i.e. his pay shall be fixed at the same stage in the higher scale so

allowed under these instructions.

3. Only regular service rendered by an employee in the “Cadre” of Junior Engineers

before the issue of these instructions shall count for the purposes of these decisions.

4. The entire service adjudged as satisfactory from entry scale of Junior Engineer

onwards shall be taken into consideration. The procedure for assessing the work and

conduct for placement in the higher scale shall be the same as is applicable to a case of

promotion. The placement in the higher scale shall be allowed only to those employees

whose overall service record during the span of satisfactory service is adjudged as “Good”

and the employee is otherwise suitable for promotion. “Good” record shall mean that

more than 50% Annual Confidential Reports are good and out of last three years available

reports at least two are “Good”. For all the remaining years the benchmark may be

“Average”.

5. The case for placement to the next higher scale shall be taken up at least three

months before the due date. For a case becoming eligible before 30th June of a financial

year, the annual confidential reports up to the 31st March of the preceding year only shall

be considered.

6. In case an employee is found unsuitable for the grant of higher scale on a

particular date, his case will be reviewed thereafter for the grant of benefit under these

instructions on year to year basis and he will be granted that benefit from the date when

he is found suitable for the same. The suitability for this purpose shall be determined

after taking into consideration the Annual Confidential Reports of the employee concerned

upto the 31st March, of each year.

7. Non-grant of benefit under these instructions shall not be considered as a

punishment under the Central Civil Service (CCA) Rule, 1964.



141

8. Competent authority for the grant of benefit under these instructions shall be the

same as in the case of promotion. Representations/Appeals etc. against the order of non-

grant shall also be dealt in the same manner as in the case of promotion.

9. The decisions contained in these instructions will primarily be implemented in the

department of Public Works and Irrigation and Public Health Department. In the

Department where specific higher/different pay structure has been allowed the decisions

contained in these instructions shall not be application.

13. Annual Confidential Reports:

The ACR of a Govt. servant is a performance appraisal by his superiors of his official

work. The reports give an account of the good and bad qualities of a Govt. servant with

regard to his official assignments, temperament, behaviours, character, integrity, conduct

etc. while performing his official duties and in context of his behaviour with his

colleagues, superiors and public. In the case of gazetted officers, the annual targets/

assignments and the corresponding achievements are given as self-appraisal by the

officers concerned, which are commented upon by the superiors. The ACR‟s recorded over

a period of time is a dissertation of the traits and abilities of a Government servant which

are used to consider his career advancement plan.

13.2 Purposes

Purposes for which Annual Confidential Reports are considered Annual confidential reports

of a Govt. servant are or can be made use of in his service career in the following

matters: -

(i) Determination of working/conduct during probation period;

(ii) Confirmation;

(iii) Suitability for a particular type of post or assignment;

(iv) Grant of Senior Scale(s) in the present service/post;

(v) Grant of Selection Grade in the present service;

(vi) Crossing of efficiency bar;

(vii) Promotion to higher service/post;



142

(viii) Punishment, appeal, memorial etc.‟

(x) Premature retirement;

(x) Grant of extension/re-employment;

(xi) Grant of awards;

(xii) Approval of service for the grant of full Pensionary benefits etc.

The Annual Confidential Reports are accordingly be maintained properly and the

confidential reports dossier are should always be kept updated.

The need for maintaining up-to-date confidential reports had been stressed by the Govt.

from time to time. The confidential reports of an officer have to be consulted for various

purposes e.g. promotion, confirmation, punishment, appeals, memorials or the

preparation of pension papers. If there is failure to maintain these reports properly, such

failure can cause serious inconvenience in connection with the disposal of cases

concerning the above matters and thus lower the standards of administration. It is

therefore emphasized that the due dates on which the reports are to be written and

submitted to the higher authorities must be strictly adhered to and that a certificate

should be furnished by all Heads of Departments to their Administrative Secretaries

concerned to show that all confidential reports have been recorded in their respective

departments on or about the due dates.

It has been observed by the Government that the ACRs were not written in

time and the adverse remarks appeared in the ACR were not being communicated to the

officials concerned well before the report for the subsequent year are drawn up. It has

also been stressed that the main purpose of communicating adverse remarks was to

afford an opportunity to the concerned government servant to amend their faults and

deficiency before the next year.

PROVISION OF ANNUAL TARGETS:

The State Government decided that the ACRs of all Class-I and Class-II

officers including heads of departments (excluding the IAS and HAS officers) shall contain

physical and financial targets/ objectives/ goals fixed during the year and actual

achievements their against with reasons for short comings as also the targets for

inspection/tours with actual achievements with regards to inspection and tours.

CHALLENGES:



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It has been generally observed that the ACRs of the employees remaining

pending for a long period of time and the prescribed dates for writing ACR are not actually

followed. The situation further deteriorates when the controlling officers are transferred

and the subordinate staff is deprived off promotion due to non-completion of ACRs. At

certain times there are adverse remarks in the ACRs which are either not conveyed to the

affected persons or conveyed at a later stage of time resulting into harassment to the

employee. It has also been noticed that some times personal retaliation also comes as a

player for writing ACRs and the matter becomes sub-judicious.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

It should be made a mandatory column in the charge handing over format

to clearly indicate that the departing officer has written the ACRs of all the employees

under him and nothing is pending on account of ACRs. The time limit prescribed for

writing ACRs needs to be monitored in a time bound manner by the next officer in the

hierarchy.

EXTENSION AND RE-EMPLOYMENT

The term ”extension” is different from the term “re-employment”.

Extension in service is continuance in service and the incumbent does not superannuate

or retire on reaching the date of superannuation. Further the period of extension counts

for qualifying service for the purpose of pension, gratuity and other retirement purposes,

besides entitling the incumbent to full pay and allowances and increment etc. in addition

to this the incumbent remains a member of the service to which he was appointed and is

governed by specific rules governing the service.

Re-employment is quite different employment after actual superannuation

or retirement is called is re-employment. A re-employed person gets pension and his pay

his fixed under special orders. A reemployed person is governed by the general rules

governing service condition of a government servant and such a other rules as may be

specified in the terms of re-employment. The period of reemployment does not qulify as

service for pension and other benefits on retaining the age of superannuation, retirement

is automatic and in the absence of his specific order to the contrary by the competent



144

authority, a government servant must retire on the due date. Each case of extension or

re-reemployments, it is not only the next man who misses promotion but often several

people miss consequent promotion or allowed the hierarchy strata. Criteria and

procedure have been evolved with a view to ensure that extension and reemployment of

superannuated officers are resulted to only in really a exceptional a circumstances.

CRITERIA

The instructions issued with regard to the grant of extension /

reemployment, following provision have been specified:

1. No proposal for extension of service/reemployment beyond the age of

superannuation should ordinarily be considered.

2. Extension of service/reemployment can be justified only in very rare cases and

exceptional circumstances. Even in such cases a deadline of attainment of 60 years of

age has been fixed for non-scientific/non technical posts and 62 years in case

scientific/technical posts.

3. The over ridding consideration for the grant of extension of service/reemployment

is that it must be clearly in the public interest and in addition it must satisfied one of the

following two conditions:

a. That officer/officers/ are not right enough to take over the job or

b. That the retiring officer is of outstanding merit.

4. No extension of service/reemployment should be considered on ground that a

suitable successor is not available unless it is established that action to select a successor

has been taken well in advance but the selection could not be finalized in time for

justifiable reasons.

5. A proposal for grant of extension of service/ reemployment based merely on the

consideration that the predecessors of the officers had been given an

extension/reemployment should not obviously be accepted.

6. In case of the honorary appointment i.e. appointments on the board of Directors of

public sector undertakings, the age limit may be 65 years provided that the

reemployment is really does not carry any substantial remuneration.

PAY



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The pay of the superannuated government servant reemployed in the State

civil department which was earlier a regulated in accordance with the instructions issued

by Ministry of Finance, Government of India will now be fixed and regulated under HP

State Civil Services (Fixation of Pay of re-employed pensioners) orders 1988.

CHALLENGES

A tendency has been percolated in the State where a large number of

retiring employees seek extension or re-employment. The political nexus and influence is

the main player of this game. It has been generally found that extension /reemployment

has been provided to different categories of employees without adopting any norms or

criteria. No transparent or justifiable system has been adopted for this purpose and just

to woo the intimate relations extensions have been provided irrespective of the class or

category of the post. This has led to great resentment among the different strata of

hierarchy.

SUGGESTION

As a matter of principle and policy extensions/reemployment

should be totally banned. There is no body indispensable for the system and no one is

above the system. In case government finds it is most genuine to give extension or

reemployment, it should be once again given reconsideration and to be dropped finally.

This will establish a transparent system and strengthen the faith of other employees in

government that every body will get his due time and due right without discrimination.

TRANSFERS AND POSTINGS

Initially consolidated instruction on transfer and posting were issued in the

year 1972 by Department of Personnel Government of Himachal Pradesh. Later

government constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Sh. Narayan Singh

Sawamy, MLA to advice on the transfer policy and on the basis of the report of the

committee government formulated a policy for posting and transfer of government

servants in the year 1979 which in force till date. Subsequent tot his government from

time to time has issued amendments and clarifications in this regard but all this is a

matter of ideal and principles only. Thereafter many committees have been constituted by



146

the different governments at different times but a consensus policy could not be arrived

at till date. The reason for this is lack of prudent zeal and discerning effort.

The policy which is applicable in paper provides that the matter of posting

and transfer has the public interest as upper most consideration. The policy also aims at

taking into account the personal problems of the government servant and also provides

facilities with regard to married couples, widows, handicapped employees etc. A lee way

has also been provided for transfers on request or mutual transfer on request subject to

the conditions that no transfer traveling allowance or joining time and financial

implication is allowed in such cases. The reasonable tenure for posting according to the

service requirement will be three to five years in general cases and no officer/official can

remain posted on a sensitive post such as establishment, account, purchase-sale etc. for

a period exceeding three years. In principle the policy has also made declaration for

postings of police guards posted on bridges, treasuries, sub-treasuries and barriers for 6

months, police constable in general for two to three years, inspectors for three years and

two years for barrier/brewery duty official of Excise and Taxation Department and so

on. The policy has also made prescription for tenure transfer and concession etc in tribal,

difficult and backward areas.

CHALLENGES:

What so ever has been mentioned in the policy has always remained as a

principle but in practice it has hardly been followed. The transfers and postings have

emerged as biggest industry in the State with patronage of political bosses and pecuniary

powers. The labeling of employees in the name of political parties and their victimization

on the same grounds is a common fashion. The powers of transfers and postings,

contrary to the provisions prescribed in the policy, have been centralized in one supreme

political executive heading the State. The workers and supporter of the party in power is

the main instrument to facilitate the postings, transfers and adjustments. The employees

due to their vested interests also join the game since adequate demonstration of such

successful patronage has been presented to them. In the Chief Minister office four

branches have been constituted and the main function of these branches are to process

the transfer notes/requests received from different quarters and then to issue

orders/approvals/rejections on such requests. Senior officers posted in the CM Secretariat

have to devote their maximum time in examining and processing such cases which could

have been better utilized elsewhere. In such a warranting situation the role of financial



147

forces can not be ignored and it is not to the astonishment of anybody that in future the

involvement of some rackets is discovered in such cases.

SUGGESTIONS

Keeping in view the above alarming situation, it is the need of the time to

discard with the filthy forces and think of an appropriate policy with a visionary political

will, administrative support and ideology of providing better citizen centric administration.

With the support of above ingredients, a policy may be drafted on the analogy of transfer

policy applicable in Public Sector, Banks and Life Insurance Corporation of India where a

proper heed is given to the stakeholders and everybody gets its due.

DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATION

Himachal Pradesh Departmental Examination Rules were notified in the

year 1976 with the approval of the Public Service Commission and the Government of

Himachal Pradesh. The rules govern the departmental examination in respect of

i) the members of Himachal Pradesh Administrative

Services

ii) the members of Himachal Pradesh Forest Services.

iii) Tehsildars/Niab Tehsildars

iv) All gazetted officers working in Himachal Pradesh and not

including in categories (i) to (iii) above.

v) Any other class or category of officers which may be

included by the government from time to time.

The departmental examination prescribed in these rules. In its relation to

Indian Administrative Services and Indian forest Service Officers, is deemed to be the

departmental examination or examination contemplated in rule 6(1) of the IAS (pay)

Rules 1954 and Rules 6(1) of the Indian Forest Service (pay rules), 1968 respectively.

The government has decided that every gazetted officers working in connection with the

affairs of the state shall pass a departmental examination at least once during his service.

The government has issued directions to all the departments to make provisions in

various service rules relating to Recruitment and Promotion of gazetted officers in the

State for incorporating the clause of qualifying the departmental examination. The

provision in the services rule of the gazetted posts/services prescribes that every member



148

of the service shall pass departmental examination as prescribed in the Himachal Pradesh

departmental Examination Rules 1976 as amended from time to time, failing which he

shall not be eligible to

(i) cross the efficiency bar next due,

(ii) confirmation in the service even after completion of the probationary

period and

(iii) promotion to the next higher posts.

The departmental examination needs to be qualify by the technical officers

as well non technical officers of the different departments. Here technical officers means

an officer who at the time of the entry into the gazetted service is require to posses a

professional qualification for example Bachelor degree in agriculture, engineering,

veterinary science etc. or is imparted training at specialized institutions and the training

was deemed to complete only after the completion of course.

In the matters relating to relaxation, the concerned department after fully

satisfying the merits of the case of relaxation will refer the matter to department of

personnel (Training & Foreign Assignment) which after consulting the Board of

Departmental examination, if necessary, shall take a decision and convey the same to

the concerned department. However, the matters relating to interpretation, the

department concerned may correspondence directly with the Himachal Pradesh Board of

Departmental Examination.

CHALLENGES:

It has been observed that the officers of different categories seek

relaxation from passing the departmental examination on numerous grounds which is

generally accepted as a result of canvassing by the officer itself and following the

movement of file from person to person in the government. Earlier a blanket exemption

was provided to the officers who have attain an age of 55 years from passing the

departmental examination which has been amended recently. The tendency leads to a

practice of escaping from the principle laid in the policy on one hand and leads to in

efficiency of the employees on the other.



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RECOMMENDATIONS:

The departmental examinations needs to be strengthened in a more

effective way and should be made foundation for the eligibility for promotion to the next

higher post. The promotion on the basis of departmental examination will provide suitable

candidate on the higher post as well as a competent and deserving officer to decorate the

chair. It will not only provide the promotion to the deserving one but will also put a check

on the dead woods to reach the higher levels in the hierarchy.

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personnel system

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