With quota up, promotions in govt depts being reworked

BENGALURU: Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma on Friday sent out a letter, instructing all department heads not to convene department promotions committee meetings till roster issues, which have cropped up because of the increase in reservation from 18 to 24 per cent, are fixed.

The state has 6 lakh government posts, of which around 2 lakh are vacant. Promotions have to be reworked as the government recently increased the reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15 to 17 per cent and Scheduled Tribes from 3 to 7 per cent.

Vandita Sharma, in her letter, asked all additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries not to call for promotions committee meetings till the roster point weightage decision is finalised by the government.
Two senior retired officials -- one of the joint secretary rank and the other of the deputy secretary rank -- have been entrusted with the responsibility of examining the weightage system, which was in operation for the last 44 years.

Two officers, who prefer to remain anonymous, have already started the process, while some say it could take five to six months. Once the new government comes to power after the Assembly elections, the issue will be addressed depending on the priorities of the new dispensation, the source said.

Experts said until this issue is settled, there will be no promotions in any department, board, corporation, university or wherever the rules apply.

Officials, who are on the verge of retirement and are due for promotion in November or December or in the early part of 2023, have been complaining that they would retire with the same positions without promotion, unless the process is expedited, the sources added.