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National Federation of Atomic
Energy Employees
NFAEE
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
Regn.No.17/9615
Recognised by
DAE vide DAE OM No. 8/1/2007 – IR&W/95 dated 13th June 2007
JCM Office,
Brindavan, Anusaktinagar, Mumbai 400 094
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Ref. No: nfaee/sg/14/179 25.11.2014
To
The Secretary to the Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
Anushakthi Bhavan
CSM Marg, Mumbai 400001
Sub: Request for removal of disparity in
Scientific Assistant Cadre
Sir,
We would like to
put forth a few facts for your kind perusal and favorable action to remove the discrepancies
and anomalies meted out by the Scientific Assistants.
After the
implementation of the recommendations of 6th Central Pay Commission,
Department has carried out cadre restricting of Scientific Assistants which
ended with anomalies.
There were
similarities in the Grades, Promotions and Norms etc in both the departments of
DAE/ DOS since its inception. But after the implementation of the recommendations
of Sixth Central Pay Commission there are differences in the Grades, Pay,
Promotion, etc.
Ø The initial
appointment of Scientific Assistant ‘B’/ Technical Assistant ‘B’ in Department Of
Space having Grade Pay of Rs.4600/- where as in DAE the Scientific Assistant ‘B’
has been given the grade pay of Rs4200/-. It is pertinent to note here that the
SA and TAs in DOS has been appointed afresh where as in DAE they are appointed
after one year rigorous training programme.
v In all Central Government Departments including DOS/DRDO, the Scientific Assistant
Cadre is being recruited based on the Qualification of Diploma in Engineering (3years
and above durations)/ B.Sc followed by all India based written test and
personnel interview . Subsequently they are appointed as Technical Assistant /
Scientific Assistant.
Ø By Considering their rich technical expertise (7 years and
above) they will be declared as Technical
Officer/Scientific Officer with Gazetted Status after reaching Grade Pay of
Rs.5400/- But in Department of Atomic
Energy (DAE) the facility for track change has been taken away after the cadre
restructuring carried out following the implementation of 6th
Central Pay Commission.
v DAE has introduced compulsorily the Additional Qualification
of BE/AMIE/MSc for track change. Not only that Departmental Qualifying
Examination also been introduced to further curtail the facility of track
change.
v As per the information
it is understood that in most of the Central Government Ministries and
Departments the Grade Pay 5400 and above has been notified as gazette.
v Whereas in Department of Atomic Energy, Scientific
Assistants (SA)s holding Grade Pay of Rs.5400/-, Rs.6600/- and Rs.7600/ (Group
A category with PB-3 pay Band) with rich
technical experience of 20-35 years are also treated as Non-Gazetted in contrary to the practice being followed in
all Other Central Government Departments including Scientific Establishments
such as DOS/DRDO.
v Extract of DOPT
handbook for Personnel Officers Chapter 2.3 clearly states that “Group A posts
and Group B non ministerial and executive posts should ordinarily given
Gazetted Status. Even
in our own DAE Scientific Officer B (SO/B), with Grade Pay Rs.4800/-,
Administration Cadre like Assistant Personnel Officer/Assistant Accounts
Officer/Assistant Stores Officer having Grade Pay Rs. 4800/- are declared as
Group B Gazetted Officer.
v Ministry of Education and Social Welfare (Department of
Technical Education) now ministry of HRD, (Government of India) by its order No.
F-18-19/75/T-2 dated 26th May
1977 clearly states that “ the
Government of India decided to recognize a Diploma in Engineering in
appropriate discipline plus total ten years of technical experience in the
appropriate fields is recognized as equivalent to Degree in Engineering.
It is considered valid for the purposes
of selection to Gazetted posts and services under the Central Government or
State Government.” .
v Recently based on the above Notification the Hon’ble Central
Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Principal Bench, New Delhi in its judgement pronounced on 26.04.2013
with respected to OA No. 2651/2012
between Shri T. R. Sharma and Others Vs Union of India and upheld the plea for gazette status.
v Where as in our DAE, the diploma in engineering /B.Sc
qualified candidates are being recruited after all India written test followed
by the interview of excellently performed candidates with sound health. They
will be absorbed as per their performance after successful completion of the rigorous
On Job Training of One year duration which includes operational, maintenance,
analysis and safety aspects required in Highly Hazardous and Toxic areas.
Majority of them work in Round the Clock (RTC) Shifts which involves Night
shift.
The following
Table shows DOS Promotion/Track Change for Diploma/ BSc holders
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From
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Pay Band & Grade Pay
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Status
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Technical Assistant
/Scientific assistant
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9300-34800 + 4600
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Non-Gazetted
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Sr.Technical Assistant
/Sr.Scientific assistant
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9300-34800 + 4600
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Non-Gazetted
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Technical Officer
/Scientific Officer-C
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15600-39100 + 5400
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Gazetted
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Technical Officer
/Scientific Officer-D
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15600-39100 + 6600
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Gazetted
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Technical Officer
/Scientific Officer-E
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15600-39100 + 7600
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Gazetted
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Technical Officer
/Scientific Officer-F
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37400-67000 + 8700
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Gazetted
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Technical Officer
/Scientific Officer-G
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37400-67000 + 8900
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Gazetted
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The Table below shows the Promotional channel
for Diploma/ BSc holders in DAE
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Designation
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Pay Band +
Grade Pay Rs.
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Educational
Qualifications and eligibility Criteria
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Cumulative
Minimum Service Requirement
( in years)
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Status
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Category-1
trainee
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On Stipend
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Diploma in
Engineering (3 years above duration)/B.Sc
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New recruitment
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One year
training programme
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Scientific
Assistant B (SA/B)
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PB2
(9300-34800) + 4200
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Completion of
One year category-1 training programme
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1
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Non-Gazetted
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Scientific
Assistant C (SA/C)
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PB2
(9300-34800) + 4600
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SA/B + 3 years
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4
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Non-Gazetted
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Scientific
Assistant D
(SA/C)
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PB2
(9300-34800) + 4800
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SA/C+3 years
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7
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Non-Gazetted
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Scientific
Assistant E
(SA/E)
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PB3
(15600-39100) + 5400
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SA/D+ 4 years
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11
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Non-Gazetted
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Scientific
Assistant F
(SA/F)
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PB3
(15600-39100) + 6600
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SA/E+ 5 years
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16
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Non-Gazetted
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Scientific
Assistant G
(SA/G)
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PB3
(15600-39100) + 7600
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SA/F+ 6 years
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22
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Non-Gazetted
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v The above table
shows that even after attaining grade pay of Rs.7600/- (Group A) Scientific Assistants are being kept under
Non-Gazetted Status until superannuation without considering for Gazetted
Status which is supposed to be given
after 10 years of relevant experience.
v From the history of the pay structure it can be seen that DAE
has introduced one new Posts for Scientific Assistants under Non Gazetted status in every Pay Commission since 4th Central Pay Commission. The
same can be seen in the below given chart:-
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Pay Commission
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Designation/Posts introduced for the first time
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Grade pay applicable to the post
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4th CPC
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SA/E (Group A)/Non Gazetted
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Rs.5400/-
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5th CPC
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SA/F (Group A)/Non Gazetted
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Rs.6600/-
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6th CPC
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SA/G (Group A)/Non Gazetted
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Rs.7600/-
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7th CPC
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?
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?
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v The above table clearly expose that DAE is ignoring the
Scientific Assistants continuously and are being deprived of the Grade, Pay Promotion,
Status, etc in contrary to all other central government departments.
Ø Though the Department assured and committed that there will
not be any difference in status, pay and allowances among the Scientific
Assistants and the Scientific Officers corresponding to those SAs, DAE themselves
deviated from their commitment while introducing two increments to SO/D and
above, update Allowance to SO/C and above and the introduction of different
yard stick for consideration of promotional post, etc
All this discrepancies and anomalies are continuing and thus
the Scientific Assistant become the disrupt group of employees in the whole DAE.
We would like to bring to your notice that even the DAEs directive itself flouted
by the Department and thus denied the justice.
Ø
Please refer DAE OM No. 32/1
(2)/2008-SCS/R-198 dt.12th Sept 2008 issued by the principal
secretary DAE while appointing the Committee for the implementation of Part B of
the 6th CPC. First Para instructs the committee, not to disturb the
vertical and horizontal relativity of any category. Last para, instructs to
compare similar Departments like the Department of Space for comparable
categories of employees while arriving at its conclusions.
v
The guide lines of Principal Secretary
were not taken into account while recommending Part B of 6th CPC
with respect to Scientific Assistant cadres even after knowing the latest
changes incorporated by DOS.
v
DAE adopted only Non Gazetted grades
upto SA/G (the last Grade) with grade pay of Rs.7600/-. This has created many
repercussions and ripples among Scientific Assistant category which are yet to
be settled. Only in DAE Diploma holders/BSc graduates are joining as Scientific
Assistant and superannuating as Scientific Assistant even after putting rich
and valuable services for more than 30-35 years.
v
By making additional qualification,
Departmental Qualifying exam, etc compulsory for track changing the Department neglected
the senior most SAs who have completed their service for 25 or more years and
for them no scope for getting additional qualification
v
DAE selected the entry scale of
Rs4200/- for SA/B. At a later stage inducted new recruitment policy by adopting
two years training programme for Category I trainees and appointed them as SA/C
with grade pay of Rs4600/-. By adopting the unethical approach DAE cheated the entire
Scientific Assistants working in the Department. Three to five or more year’s
seniority and service has been put in waste bin by changing the recruitment
from SA/B to SA/C.
Ø Director BARC has been constituted a committee vide the OM dated
5th October 2012 to
reemphasize the need of addressing discrepancies of merit based promotion
scheme currently in vogue in DAE and DOS.
v The said Committee also was not curious to find way to
remove the discrepancies and anomalies exists in the pay structures of SAs of
DAE and DOS
v During an informal discussion with Dr. Suri and other
members of the Norms committee was tried to explain that the track change
linked to additional qualification and DQE for developing competitive mind
among the Scientific Assistants only. But the practical difficulties of senior
most employees to acquire additional qualification has not considered. If the
same was considered prospectively, it can be understand that the employees who
joining in the Department well averse with the recruitment/promotion policy.
Based on the above mentioned explanation and the factual
position we request you to initiate action to carry out the following:
Ø Revise the entry level pay for SA/B with grade pay of
Rs4200/- and upgrade other grades.
Ø Consider the third promotion, ie, SA/D to SA/E into
Technical officer based on the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare
(Department of Technical Education) order No. F-18-19/75/T-2 dated 26th May
1977 that the Government of India decided to recognize a Diploma in Engineering
in appropriate discipline plus total ten years of technical experience in the
appropriate fields is recognized as equivalent to Degree in Engineering.
Ø Consider the minimum eligibility period for promotions of Scientific
Assistants for similar grades to be kept in between ‘ITI qualified technicians’
and directly recruited ‘Graduates in Engineering /Technology Scientific
Officers’ as they are middle category of employees which is kept now equal with
ITI qualified technicians.
Ø Ensure parity on Allowances, increments and other monitory benefits
to SAs and the Scientific/Technical Officers placed in the equal grades.
It is very much
essential to carry out the above mentioned exercise to ensure the removal of discrepancies
and anomalies exist after 6 CPC before the implementation of 7th CPC
recommendations:
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(Jayaraj KV)
Address for Correspondence: Jayaraj.
KV, Secretary General, NFAEE
PESS/UED; BARC, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085
Tel. No: (O): 022
– 25596519; (Res): 022 – 25554179; (Mobile): 9869501189
