No.2/41/97-PIC
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension
Department of Personnel & Training
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New Delhi,dated 9th Nov., 1998
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Sub: Flexible Complementing Scheme for Scientists in various scientific departments - recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission for modification of the Scheme- regarding.
The undersigned is directed to say that in Chapter 51 of its report, the Fifth Central Pay Commission has made a number of recommendations for modifying the existing Flexible Complementing Scheme in operation in Scientific & Technological Departments for in-situ promotion of scientists/ technical personnel, with a view to removing the shortcomings/inadequacies in the Scheme highlighted by the Commission. The recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission in this regard have been examined in consultation with the Secretaries of the Department of Science & Technology and some other major scientific Departments and the following decisions have been taken:
1. The recommendation of the Pay Commission that the modified Flexible Complementing Scheme proposed by it should be applicable in all the Departments, including the Departments of Space, Atomic Energy and DRDO without any special dispensation for any individual Department, has not been accepted. The existing scheme of merit-based promotion system covering the Groups A, B & C personnel, as presently applicable in the Deptt. of Atomic Energy, the Deptt. of Space and the DRDO shall continue.
2. The recommendation of the Pay Commission to define "scientific administrators" and to exclude them from the benefit of in-situ promotions under Flexible Complementing Scheme and to bring them under the ambit of "Assured Career Progression Scheme" formulated by the Pay Commission has not been accepted. However, it has been decided that the Flexible Complementing Scheme should, as per its original objective, be made applicable only to scientists and technologists holding scientific posts in scientific and technology departments and who are engaged in scientific activities and services. It has also been decided that assessment norms for promotions under the Flexible Complementing Scheme should be rigorous with due emphasis on evaluation of scientific and technical knowledge so that only the scientists who have to their credit demonstrable achievements or higher level of technical merit are recommended for promotion under the Flexible Complementing Scheme. For achieving these objectives, the following decisions have been taken:
a) The criteria for identifying institutions/organisations as scientific and technological institutions as well as for defining scientific activities and services, scientists and engineers and the scientific posts shall be as prescribed in Annexure I to this Office Memorandum. The FCS shall not be applicable where the criteria specified vide this Office Memorandum are not fully met.
b) A revised assessment procedure as prescribed in Annexure II to this Office Memorandum shall henceforth be followed by all scientific Ministries/Departments for considering advancement under FCS.
3. The recommendations of the Pay Commission that the existing disparities in the operation of Flexible Complementing Scheme in various scientific and technical departments in the matter of designation of posts, the number of pay scales and the residency period should be removed and there should be uniformity in this regard has been accepted. Accordingly, all the posts covered under the Flexible Complementing Scheme shall carry the following uniform scales of pay, designations and the minimum residency period linked to performance:-
Scales of pay Designation Minimum Residency Period linked to performance
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(a) Rs.8000-13500 Scientist B 3 Years.
(b) Rs.10000-15200 Scientist C 4 years.
(c) RS.12000-16500 Scientist D 4 years.
(d) RS.14300-18300, Scientist E 5 years.
(e) Rs.16400-20000 Scientist F 5 years.
(f) Rs. 18400-22400 Scientist G
In order to give immediate effect to the decision contained in this para, an umbrella Notification has been issued vide G.S.R. No. 660(E) dated 9.11.1998.
4. The recommendation of the Fifth Central Pay Commission for introducing a 'cooling off' period of 3 years before an officer is considered for the Flexible Complementing Scheme on the second occasion at the same level has not been accepted. The recommendation for disqualification of the candidate permanently from the FCS in case of failure to qualify thrice at the same level, etc., has also not been accepted. Therefore, the existing system of assessing the officer every year would continue.
5. It has further been decided that in order to extend the benefit of in-situ promotions under the Flexible Complementing Scheme to other Scientific Organisations that are demanding the extension of FCS in their case, the administrative Ministry of such institutions shall satisfy itself that such institutions are scientific and I technical institutions and the officers are scientists I holding scientific posts and are involved in scientific and technical acivities as defined in the Annexure I to this Office Memorandum and make its recommendations to the Department of Science & Technology. On receipt of such a request the Department of Science & Technology shall set up a Committee, including the representatives of the Department of Personnel & Training and of the Department of Expenditure as well as erainent scientists relevant to the discipline, for examining the proposal referred by the administrative Ministry concerned. A final decision on the proposal of an administrative Ministry for extension of FCS to other scientific organisations shall be taken based on the recommendations of this Committee. Since it is not necessary that all the pay scales under the Flexible Complementing Scheme should be applicable in all the scientific organisations, as the size of the organisation may not justify introduction of the entire group of scales, the Committee, while making its recommendation, would take a specific view as to the number of scales that should be operated in the organisation as well as the appropriate residency period for ensuring an even pace of promotion.However, the progression under Flexible Complementing Scheme will only be as per scales indicated in para 3 of this Office Memorandum.
6. It is requested that all the Ministries/Departments, where the Flexible Complementing Scheme is in operation, may initiate action for review of the provisions of the Flexible Complementing Scheme and amend the provisions of the relevant recruitment rules so that the scheme is brought in conformity with the decisions/guidelines being conveyed vide this Office Memorandum. Results of the review may also be conveyed to the Department of Science & Technology, the nodal department for operation of the Flexible Complementing Scheme. Action for extension of the Flexible Complementing Scheme to other scientific organisations, where the same is not in operation at present, may be taken in accordance with the decision contained in para 5 of this Office Memorandum.
7. The relevant provisions of Department of Science & Technology Office Memorandum No.A.42014/2/86-Admn.1(A) dated the 28th May, 1986 stand amended to the extent the provisions of this Office Memorandum are at variance with the provisions of the said Office Memorandum.
(Smt. Bhavani Thyagarajan)
Director