Posting of husband and wife at the same station.

F. No.28034/9/2009-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

North Block,
New Delhi,
Dated the 30th September, 2009.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Posting of husband and wife at the same station.
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In view of the utmost importance attached to the enhancement of women’s status in all walks of life and to enable them to lead a normal family life as also to ensure the education and welfare of the children, guidelines were issued by DOP&T in O.M No. 28034/7/86-Estt.(A) dated 3.4.86 and No.28034/2/97-Estt.(A) dated 12.6.97 for posting of husband and wife who are in Government service, at the same station. Department had on 23.8.2004 issued instructions to all Mins./Deptts. to follow the above guidelines in letter and spirit.

2. In the context of the need to make concerted efforts to increase representation of women in Central Government jobs, these guidelines have been reviewed to see whether the instructions could be made mandatory. It has been decided that when both spouses are in same Central Service or working in same Deptt. and if posts are available, they may mandatorily be posted at the same station. It is also necessary to make the provisions at Paras 3(iv) and (vi) of the O.M. dated 3.4.86 stronger as it is not always necessary that the service to which the spouse with longer service belongs has adequate number of posts and posting to the nearest station by either of the Department may become necessary.

3. On the basis of the 6th CPC Report, Govt. servants have already been allowed the facility of Child Care Leave which is admissible till the children attain 18 years of age. On similar lines, provisions of O.M. dated 12.6.97 have been amended.

4. The consolidated guidelines will now be as follows:
(i) Where the spouses belong to the same All India Service or two of the All India Services, namely lAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (Group ‘A’);

 

- The spouse may be transferred to the same cadre by providing for a cadre transfer of one spouse to the Cadre of the other spouse, on the request of the member of service subject to the member of service not being posted under this process to his/her home cadre. Postings within the Cadre will, of
course, fall within the purview of the State Govt.

(ii) Where one spouse belongs to one of the All India Services and the other spouse belongs to one of the Central Services:-
- The cadre controlling authority of the Central Service may post the officer to the station or if there is no post in that station, to the State where the other spouse belonging to the All India service is posted.

(iii) Where the spouses belong to the same Central Service:

- The Cadre controlling authority may post the spouses to the same station.

(iv) Where the spouse belongs to one Central Service and the other spouse belongs to another Central Service:-

The spouse with the longer service at a station may apply to his/her appropriate cadre controlling authority and the said authority may post the said officer to the station or if there is no post in that station to the nearest station where the post exists. In case that authority, after consideration of
the request, is not in a position to accede to the request, on the basis of non-availability of vacant post, the spouse with lesser service may apply to the appropriate cadre authority accordingly, and that authority will consider such requests for posting the said officer to the station or if there is no post in that station to the nearest station where the post exists.

(v) Where one spouse belongs to an All India Service and the other spouse belongs to a Public Sector Undertaking:

- The spouse employed under the Public Sector Undertaking may apply to the competent authority and said authority may post the said officer to the station, or if there is no post under the PSU in that station, to the State where the other spouse is
posted.

(vi) Where one spouse belongs to a Central Service and the other spouse belongs to a PSU:-

The spouse employed under the PSU may apply to the competent authority and the said authority may post the officer to the station or if there is no post under the PSU in that station, to the station nearest to the station where the other spouse is posted. If, however, the request cannot be granted because the PSU has no post in the said station, then the spouse belonging to the Central Service may apply to the appropriate cadre controlling authority and the said authority may post the said officer to the station or if there is no post in that station, to the station nearest to the station where the spouse employed under PSU is posted.

(vii) Where one spouse is employed under the Central Govt. and the other spouse is employed under the state Govt.:-
The spouse employed under the Central Govt. may apply to the competent authority and the competent authority may post the said officer to the station or if there is no post in that station to
the State where the other spouse is posted.

(viii) - “The husband & wife, if working in the same Department and if the required level of post is available, should invariably be
posted together in order to enable them to lead a normal family life and look after the welfare of their children especially till the children attain 18 years of age. This will not apply on appointment under the central Staffing Scheme. Where only wife is a Govt. servant, the above concessions would be
applicable to the Govt. servant.

5. Complaints are sometimes received that even if posts are available in the station of posting of the spouse, the administrative authorities do not accommodate the employees citing administrative reasons. In all such cases, the cadre controlling authority should strive to post the employee at the station of the spouse and in case of inability to do so, specific reasons, therefor, may be communicated to the employee.

6. Although, normal channels of representations/complaints redressal mechanism exist in the Min./Deptts., added safeguards to prevent non- compliance may be provided by ensuring that the complaints against non-adherence to the instructions are be decided by the authorities at least one
level above the authorities which took the original decision when they are below the level of secretary to the Govt. of India/Head of the PSU concerned and all such representations are considered and disposed off in time bound manner.

7. Hindi version will follow.

(C.B. Paliwal)
Joint Secretary to the Govt. of india

Original pdf-http://www.persmin.nic.in/WriteReadData/Estt/28034_9_2009-Estt.(A).pdf

Posting of husband and wife at the same station

No. 28034/2/97-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)

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New Delhi the  12th June, 1997

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Posting of husband and wife at the same station.

     The undersigned is directed to say that on the subject mentioned above, Government had issued detailed guidelines vide O.M.NO. 28034/7/86-Estt. (A) dated 3.4.86.  The Fifth Central Pay Commission has now recommended that not only the existing instructions regarding the need to post husband and wife at the same station need to be reiterated, it has also recommended that the scope of these instructions should be widened to include the provision that where posts at the  appropriate level exist in the organisation at the same station, the husband and wife may invariably be posted together in order to enable them to lead a normal family life and look after the welfare of the children, especially till the children are 10 years of age.

2.     The Government, after considering the matter, has decided to accept this recommendation of the Fifth Central Pay Commission.  Accordingly, it is reiterated that all Ministries/Departments should strictly adhere to the guidelines laid down in O.M.NO. 28034/7/86-Estt.(A)  dated 3.4.86 while deciding on the requests for posting of husband and wife at the same station and  should ensure that such posting is invariably done, especially till their children are 10 years of age, if posts at the appropriate level exist in the organisation at the same station and if no administrative problems are expected to result as a consequence.

3.     It is further clarified that even in cases where only the wife is a government servant, the concession  elaborated in para 2 of this O.M. would be admissible to the government servant.

4.     These instructions would be applicable only to posts within the same department and would not apply on appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme.

5.     A copy of this Department’s O.M. No. 28034/7/86-Estt. (A)  dated 3.4.86 is enclosed for ready reference and guidance.

6.     Hindi version of the OM is enclosed.

                                        Sd/-
(HARINDER SINGH)
Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India
Tel.No. 301 1276

Original pdf-http://www.persmin.nic.in/WriteReadData/Estt/28034_2_97_Estt(A).pdf

Posting of husband and wife at the same station

No.  28034/7/86-Estt. (A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
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New Delhi the  03.04.86

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Posting of husband and wife at the same station.

     The question of formulation of a policy regarding the posting at the same place of husband and wife who are in Govt. service or in the service of Public Sector Undertakings has been raised in Parliament and other forums on several occasions.  Govt.’s position has been that requests of Govt. servants and employees of public sector undertakings for posting at the same station usually receive sympathetic consideration, and that each case is decided on merits, keeping in view the administrative requirements.

2.     The Govt. of India have given the utmost importance to the enhancement of women’s status in all sectors and all walks of life. Strategies and policies are being formulated and implemented by different Ministries of the Central Govt. to achieve this end.  It is also considered necessary to have a policy which can enable women employed under the Govt. and the Public Sector undertakings to discharge their responsibilities as wife/mother on the one hand and productive workers on the other, more effectively.  It is the policy of the Govt. that as far as possible and within the constraints of administrative feasibility, the husband and wife should be posted at the same station to enable them to lead a normal family life and to ensure the education and welfare of their children.

3.     In Feb., 1976 the then Department of Social Welfare had issued a circular D.O. letter to all Ministries and Departments requesting them to give serious consideration to the question of posting husband and wife at the same station.  However, representations continue to be received by the Department of Women’s Welfare in the Ministry of Human Resources Development from women seeking the intervention of that Department for a posting at the place where their husbands are posted.  It has, therefore, now been decided to lay down a broad statement of policy at least with regard to these employees who are under the purview of the Govt./Public Sector Undertakings.  An attempt has, therefore, been made in the following paragraphs to lay down some guidelines to enable the cadre controlling authorities to consider the requests from the spouses for a posting at the same station.  At the outset, it may be clarified that it may not be possible to bring every category of employees within the ambit of this policy as situations of husband/wife  employment are varied and manifold.  The guidelines given below are, therefore, illustrative and not exhaustive.  Govt. desire that in all other cases the cadre controlling authority should consider such requests with utmost sympathy.

4.     The classes of cases that may arise, and the  guidelines for dealing with each class of case, are given below:-

(i)   Where the spouses belong to the same All India Service or two of the All India Services namely IAS, IPSA and Indian Forest Service (Group ‘A’);

-     The spouse will be posted to the same Cadre by providing for a cadre transfer of one spouse to the Cadre of the other spouse subject to their not being posted by this process to their home cadre.  Postings within the cadre will, of course, fall within the purview of the State Govt.

(ii) Where one spouse belongs to one of the All India Services and the other spouse belongs to one of  the Central Services:-

-       The cadre controlling  authority of the Central service may post the officer to  the station or if there is no post in that station, the State where the other spouse belonging to the All India Service is posted.

(iii)   Where the spouses belong to the same Central Service;

-        The Cadre controlling authority may post the  spouses   to the same station.

(iv) Where the spouse belongs to one Central Service and the other spouse belongs to another Central Service:-

       -      The spouse with the  longer service at a station may apply to the appropriate cadre controlling authority and the said authority may post the said officer to the station, or if there is no post in that station to the State where the other spouse belonging to the other Central Service is posted.

(v) Where one spouse belongs to an All India Service and the other spouse belongs to a Public Sector Undertakings;

-     The spouse employed under the Public Sector  Undertaking may apply to the competent authority and said authority may post the said officer to  the  station, or if there is no post under the  PSU in that station, to the State where the  other spouse is posted.

(vi) Where one  spouse belongs to a Central Service and the other spouse belongs to PSU:-

-     The  spouse employed under  the PSU may apply to  the competent authority and the said authority may post the officer to the station or if there is no post under the PSU in that station, to the  State where the other spouse is posted.  If,  however, the request cannot be granted because the PSU has no post in the said station/State, then the spouse belonging to the Central Service may apply to the appropriate cadre controlling authority and the said authority may post the  said officer to the station or if there is no post in that station, to the state where the spouse  employed under PSU is posted.

(vii) Where one spouse is employed under the Central Govt. and the other spouse is employed under the State Govt.

- The spouse employed under the Central Govt. may apply to the competent authority and the competent authority may post the said officer to the  station or if there is no post in that station to the State where the other spouse is posted.

5.     As will be sseen from the illustrations given above, they do not cover all possible categories of cases which may arise.  In fact it is not possible to anticipate all the categories of cases.  Each case, no covered by the  above guidelines will have to be dealt with keeping in mind the spirit in which these guidelines have been laid down and the larger objective of ensuring that a husband and wife are, as far as possible and within the  constraints of  administrative convenience, posted at the same station.

6.     Ministry of Finance etc. are requested to bring the above instructions to the notice of  all administrative authorities under their control and ensure compliance.

7.     In so far as persons serving in Indian Audit and  Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

8.     This issues with the concurrence of the Department of Public Enterprises.

9.     Hindi version will follow.

                                  

                                          Sd/-
(Mrs. Aarti Khosla)
Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India

Original pdf   -http://www.persmin.nic.in/WriteReadData/Estt/28034_7_86_Estt(A).pdf