It is a long time
since the IBES rules in 1989 were notified, the subordinate Engineering
employees of Akashvani and Doordarshan witnessed the worse kind of stagnation
in their career progress! Or in the name of Qualification Bar! The main
martyrs of this apathy have been the Diploma/BSc Assistant Engineers.
Right from 1989 the Association has been striving to open the promotional
opportunity for stagnating AEs. The Engineering hierarchy has always
opposed such proposals on some pretext or other. This resulted in stagnation.
Today the accumulated stagnation has resulted in a CATESTROPHY.
Various committees constituted by the department right from Bhatikar
committee in early 80s to Bansal Committee in 2002 has recommended for
the opening of Promotional channel for this hopeless Assistant Engineers,
though with some riders. Unfortunately all these recommendations landed
in the dust bin due to great Departmental apathy.
It is significant to note from the various departments for the fresh
appointments that Diploma with some experience is equivalent to the
Degree in Engineering. But in our department the experience is totally
ignored.
It is a reality that such stagnation will adversely affect the morale
of the employees which ultimately hamper the efficiency of the department/organisation
itself.
The frustration and anxiety is visible on the faces unfortunate and
hopeless AEs.
Kerala State Convention and Seminar on " the Relevance of Prasar
Bharati" at Thiruvananthapuram on 16th August 2005.
ARTEE has been putting its best efforts to open the promotion channel
since 1989. But every time it is observed that it has been crushed before
moving it to the Ministry/ Prasar Bharati by our own top brass. Meanwhile
some of our members has approached the court of law for justice and
Hon'ble CAT, Lucknow has directed the Govt. to open the promotional
channel for Diploma holder AE of AIR & DD. But the Hon'ble High
Court has not supported this judgment.
Accordingly ARTEE had fielded senior advocate in the Hon'ble Supreme
Court when we have appealed in the apex court. Unfortunately the Hon'ble
Supreme Court, on 05th December 2003, has dismissed the case but with
an observation that it is upto the Department to find out the ways and
means to remove the stagnation in consultation with the association
(ARTEE) and assured in the same verdict the dismissal f this case will
not come in the way for such any steps. In the light of this observation
ARTEE had an exclusive with CEO, Prasar Bharati on 15th December 2003
to discuss this issue. After a very lengthy meeting, the CEO has agreed
upon to consider the proposal for opening the promotional channel for
the Diploma/BSc AEs on the basis of differential length of service.
O/o DG, AIR had entrusted with the responsibility to prepare the draft
proposal. But one of the senior engineering officer has noted some remarks
in a clandestine manner and the proposal was rejected by the Prasar
Bharati.
Again in the meeting held on 03rd August 2004, CEO advised DG, AIR to
prepare a revised proposal on this matter. The responsibility has again
entrusted to E-in-C, AIR.
Meanwhile the department has been engaged with the preparation of Recruitment
Rules & Service Condition for Prasar Bharati which has slowed down
this particular proposal. The chairman of RR committee meanwhile has
floated an alternative proposal for the opening of promotional channel
but with little relief to huge stagnation though the bar is proposed
to be lifted in a limited manner.
Meanwhile we have submitted the recruitment rules of CPWD for the promotion
of AE to Executive Engineer based on differential length of service
in support of our demand.
We strongly believe that there should be due weightage for the higher
qualification acquired by the staff members. On the other hand due weightage
should also be given to rich experience. This will satisfy a long time
demand of ARTEE and bring a fresh lease of life to hopeless, unfortunate
and stagnating Assistant Engineers.
One
of the letter written to DG(AIR) on opening of Promotional Channel to
Diploma/BSc AEs
ARTEE/GS/ENC(AIR)/2005/06
28/02/05
Sh. Brijeshwar
Singh IAS
Director General, All India Radio,
Akashvani Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
Ref:
Meeting held with CEO on 15th December 2003 & 03rd August 2004.
Meeting held on 2nd February 2005.
Letter No. ARTEE/GS/ENC (AIR)/2005/02 dated 31/01/05
Sub:
Promotion of Diploma holder AEs
Sir,
I request your kind attention to the meetings held with CEO as referred
above in which CEO was kind enough to take decision for removing stagnation
of Diploma holder AEs on long term and short term measures. It was decided
to consider the promotion on the basis of differential length of service
as long term measure in addition to consider the Selection Grade as
a short term measure, in the light of Supreme Court judgment and observation
there in dated 05/12/2003 . The CEO has agreed in the meeting on 15/12/2003
that this issue be de-linked from proposed amendments in Recruitment
Rules for the prospective employees of Prasar Bharati, as it may be
a very lengthy process. Further the Directorate was entrusted to prepare
a comprehensive proposal to promote Diploma Engineers to JTS cadre.
In the meeting held on 15/12/03, it was decided, that the broad principle
to be adopted is to propose a differential length of service between
Diploma engineer and Graduate Engineer in the feeder cadre of Assistant
Engineer.
Again in the meeting held on 03/08/2004, CEO instructed the Directorate
to send the proposal once again to Member (Personnel) on this basis.
Subsequently we met Sh. D. P. S. Lamba, Member (Personnel) in the month
of December 2004, it was informed that he is yet to receive the proposal
from the Directorate.
As it was mentioned in our letter referred above we have been pursuing
the case since long and the positive approach by the Prasar Bharati
and your Good office has raised considerable hopes in the minds of the
Diploma Engineering staff who other wise have to serve in the same designation
for 25-30 years, even after proving the ability by their predecessors
with same qualification who are serving in the JTS/STS cadre with full
efficiency.
In this letter we have proposed an eligibility service of 3 years and
6 years for AE s having the qualification of DR quota JTS and having
qualification of Diploma in Engineering/BSc respectively.
In the meeting held on 02nd February 2005, management side was looking
for similar Recruitment Rule in any other Government Department.
I am hereby attaching the copy of Gazette notification on the Recruitment
Rules of promotion from the Assistant Engineer to the Executive Engineer
of the Central Engineering (Electrical & Mechanical) Group A service.
(kindly refer serial No.4 of Schedule II in page number 14.)
It stated that
i) 33 1/3 percentage
of the vacancies in Executive Engineer be filled from Assistant Executive
Engineer with 4 year service; (D/R Quota)
ii) 33 1/3 will be from Assistant Engineer with eight year regular
service in the grade and possessing Degree in Engineering or other equivalent
qualification. And
iii) 33 1/3 percentage from Assistant Engineer with ten years regular
service in the grade and possessing Diploma in Engineering or any other
equivalent qualification.
This particular
Recruitment Rule has been supported by a judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme
Court. (Copy enclosed for your kind perusal)
Sir, I hope that your good office can make use of this precedence for
drafting the proposal for opening the Promotion channel of Diploma/BSc
Assistant Engineers to the post of JTS cadre.
We request your good self to kindly take necessary steps for sending
the proposal to Member (Personnel) at the earliest.
With deep regards,
(Anilkumar
S)
General Secretary
Ph: 9818759192
Copy to:
Sh. K.S.
Sarma, CEO, Prasar Bharati, New Delhi for kind information.
Sh. D. P. S. Lamba, Member (Personnel), Prasar Bharati for kind information
Sh. K. M., Paul, E-in-C, AIR, New Delhi.
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