Assured Promotion Prospects for JCO's, NCO's and Sepoys

PIB Monday, April 26, 2010 19:52 IST
Government has not restricted promotion opportunities for the Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBOR) in the Armed Forces. The Government has, in fact, improved the career prospects by approving grant of three Assured Career Progression (ACP) to PBOR at 8, 16 and 24 years of service as against three Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPs) for the Central Government Civilian Employees at 10, 20 and 30 years of regular service. At the time of each financial upgradation under ACP, the PBOR would get an additional increment and next higher Grade Pay in hierarchy.

Army: PBORs (including Jawans) are eligible for grant of commissioning into Officer Cadres through various In Service entries i.e. Army Cadet College (ACC) / Special Commissioned Officers (SCO) / Permanent Commission Officers (Special List) [PC(SL)].

Navy: Adequate promotion avenues exist through time based, roster based and selective promotion for sailors. Promotion upto the rank of Leading Seaman/equivalent for non-Artificers and upto the rank of Artificer 3rd class for artificers are time based. Roster based and selective promotions are for higher ranks against the available / anticipated vacancies. Promotion avenues also exist for sailors to be promoted to officer rank through the Commission Worthy Scheme and the Special Duty List Scheme.

Air Force: A PBOR during his service career can be promoted upto the rank of Master warrant Officer (MWO) subject to fulfilling eligibility criteria and availability of vacancies.

Government proposes to review the promotion policy for PBOR to ensure greater opportunities for PBORs. In the Army, review of the promotion policy for PBOR is under process to ensure better opportunities. A cadre review for the PBOR has been ordered in May 2009. The Navy is also working on a proposal for cadre restructuring of sailors, which would enhance their promotional avenues.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Arjun Ray in Lok Sabha today. PK / RAJ
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Promotion Prospects for PBOR

Time to change "Sepoy" to "Jawan"

A sepoy (IPA: /ˈsipɔɪ/) (from Persian سپاهی Sipâhi meaning "soldier") was a native of India, a soldier allied to a European power, usually the United Kingdom. Specifically, it was the term used in the British Indian Army, and prior to that in the Honourable East India Company, for an infantry private (a cavalry trooper was a Sowar), and is still so used in the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army. The same Persian word has reached English via another route in the form of Spahi.

Sixth Central Pay Commission: Intriguing Question
As per para 5 of MACP, promotion earned/ up gradations granted under the ACP scheme in the past to those grades which now carry the same grade pay due to merger of pay scales/ up gradations of posts recommended by the 6th CPC shall be ignored for the purpose of granting up gradations under MACPS.

As per para 8 of MACP, promotions earned in the post carrying same grade pay in the promotional hierarchy as per recruitment rules shall be counted for the purpose of MACPS. With regard to the above instructions, please clarify the following situations:

grade pay of sepoy is 1800

grade pay of havildar is also 1800

as per recruitment rules, sepoy is feeder cadre for promotion to the grade of havildar.

as per para 5 of MACP, whether the havildar is eligible for next ACP, ignoring the promotion?

as per para 8 of MACP, whether the havildar is not eligible for next ACP?

This is the most common query raised by many Jawans. Para 5 of MACPS only refer to cases of pre revised scale of pay of Rs 5000-8000/, 5500-9000/- and 6500-10500/-, since all these three scales have been merged after 6th CPC. But this is not the case in other pay scales. These scales have come in to same Group due to up gradation of some feeder grade scale. THESE CANNOT BE TREATED AS MERGER OF PAY SCALES. Hence, Promotion from Sepoy to Havildar post will be counted and ACP will not be admissible though promotion is in same pay scale Band. This situation has come in several pre- revised pay scales especially applicable to Group D.

What is MACP?
As assured by Government, for implementing modified ACP scheme after elections, the order for modified ACP Scheme in line with Sixth Pay Commission Recommendations has finally been issued by Government.

Features of MACPS- Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme
There shall be three financial upgradations under MACPS counted from the direct entry grade on completion of 10, 20 and 30 years.
Financial upgradation under the scheme will be admissible whenever a person has spent 10 years continuously in the same grade pay.
The grade pay at the time of financial up gradation under MACPS can in certain cases where regular promotion is not between two successive grades, be different than what is available at the time of regular promotion. In such cases the higher grade pay attached to next promotion post in the hierarchy of the concerned cadre/organization will be given only at the time of regular promotion.
The financial up gradation under the MACPS would be admissible up to the highest grade pay of 12,000 in PB-4.
The pay shall be raised by 3% of the total pay in the pay band and the grade pay drawn before such up gradation. There shall be no further fixation at the time of regular promotion if it is the same grade pay as granted under MACPS.