Government Employee? Split Option under Saving Clause for CSS cadre officers relaxed

Officers of CSS cadre promoted on ad-hoc basis are allowed the option as laid down in saving clause.

As per the Office Memorandum (OM) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions dated August 27, 2020, the matter relating to extending the benefit of split-option’ available under Saving Clause of FR-22(1)(a)(1) to the serving officers of all grades of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) cadre promoted on ad-hoc basis has been examined in consultation with Department of Expenditure.

All Ministries/Departments may decide the issue of allowing the benefit of split-option’ as a one-time measure, to the eligible and willing officers of CSS cadre who were promoted on an ad-hoc basis and are still in service on a case to case to basis, in consultation with their Financial Advisers and subject to fulfilment of the conditions and other conditions prescribed under the Rules.

According to above clause to FR-22(I)(a)(1), save in cases of appointment on deputation to an ex-cadre post, or to a post on an ad-hoc basis’, the Government employee shall have the option, to be exercised within one month from the date of promotion or appointment, as the case may be, to have the pay fixed under the said rule from the date of such promotion or appointment or to have the pay fixed initially at the stage of the time scale of the new post above the pay in the lower grade or post from which he is promoted on regular’ basis, which may be refixed in accordance with the said rule on the date of accrual of next increment in the scale of pay of the lower grade or post.

After giving due consideration to the special circumstances in which regular appointments could not be made in various grades of CSS Cadre for a long time and in the meanwhile many of the officers of CSS cadre were promoted on an ad-hoc basis and are continuing as such without being reverted, it has been decided to relax one-time the condition of promotion/appointment on regular’ basis.

The employees have been allowed the option as laid down in saving clause below FR-22(I)(a)(1) in case of officers of CSS cadre promoted on an ad-hoc basis subject to the following conditions:

i) An undertaking may be obtained from each officer, who exercises the option in terms of Saving Clause below FR-22(i)(a)(1) to the effect that in case, his name is not approved for a regular appointment, he would be liable to refund the overpayment, if any, on this account.

No recovery will, however, be made in case of a person continuing on an adhoc basis, who retires before his case is considered for regular appointment.

ii) The relaxation will apply to those cases where an officer has continued on adhoc basis for more than a year without break.