A delegation of Central Secretariat officials met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy, and Space Dr. Jitendra Singh on July 1 to discuss the promotion issues and other service-related grievances.
The Minister gave a patient hearing to the members of the delegation and said that the DoPT tried to sort out all pending matters and also tried to appropriately address the cases pending in courts.
But CSS officers stated that there was a large discontent in the cadre alleging that Cadre Controlling division of CSS in DoP&T deliberately misinterprets Court’s decisions/directions and seeks clarifications, again and again, that too from the highest level i.e. Attorney General of India thereby denying /delaying promotions to the eligible CSS officers. As a result, officers get retired without due promotions. A member of CSS Forum said that in all other Central government departments, regular promotions are happening. But the CSS officers are denied even ad-hoc promotion on the pretext of the matter of reservation in the promotion being in the Supreme Court.
Another member of CSS Forum said that ASOs of 2012 and onwards batches are eligible for promotions to the grade of section officers and there are as many as 1300 vacancies lying vacant in Section Officers grade, ASOs of CSS but they are not being promoted by DoP&T. Further, limited departmental exams were also not held since 2015. In other grades i.e. Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Director, even after clear vacancies and completion of DPC, promotion orders have not been issued.