The Union government has revised the norms of minimum qualifying service required for promotion of central government employees as per the 7th CPC Pay Matrix and Pay Levels. In an Office Memorandum dated September 20, 2022, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) said, “… the instructions issued vide DOPT OM dated 24.3.2009 has been reviewed, in consultation with the UPSC and with the approval of the competent authority it has been decided to revise the norms prescribing minimum eligibility service required for promotion, as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix and Pay Levels.”

The revised norms of minimum qualifying service required for promotion may be incorporated in the recruitment rules or service rules by making amendments, the DoPT said.

The DoPT also requested all the ministries and departments to make the necessary changes in the recruitment and service rules following due procedure.

Why minimum eligibility requirement has been revised
Explaining the reason behind this move, DoPT said, “Instructions revising the minimum qualifying service required for promotion, as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix/ Pay Levels, have not been issued so far and proposals for framing/ amendment of RRs/Service Rules are still being considered, based on the requirements prescribed in OM dated 24.3.2009. Though the levels in Revised Pay Matrix as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix, generally correspond to the pre-revised Grade Pays/ Pay Scales (6th CPC), however, a need was felt to prescribe minimum qualifying service for promotion as per Pay Levels in the Revised Pay Matrix.”

The revised norms of minimum eligibility service required for promotion for the central government employees will be based as follows:

Source: DoPT official memorandum

“The Recruitment/Service Rules are of statutory nature. Moreover, any amendment in these Rules generally have prospective effect,” it further added.

The ministry also mentioned that a “suitable ‘protection clause’ may be incorporated in the amendment proposed in the recruitment/service Rules, providing for retention of existing eligibility service for existing incumbents holding the feeder posts on regular basis, where the eligibility service for promotion prescribed in the existing rules is being enhanced and where the change is likely to affect the promotion of these incumbents.”

The DoPT has asked the ministries and departments to complete the review in this regard and furnish necessary amendment proposals to the DOPT and the UPSC in the case of Group A and Group B posts within six months from the date of issue of this Office Memorandum.