7th Pay Commission : Date of next increment – FINMIN Clarification

7th Pay Commission : Date of next increment – Finmin Clarification

No. 4-21/2017-IC/E.IIIA
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

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North Block, New Delhi – 110001
Dated the 28th November, 2019

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Date of next increment under Rule 10 of Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016- Clarifications-regarding.

The undersigned is directed to invite the attention to Rule 10 of the CCS (RP) Rules, 2016 which provides for the entitlement of employees for drawal of annual increment either on 1st January or 1st July depending on the date of appointment, promotion or grant of financial upgrdation. The Sub-Rule (2) thereof provides that increment in respect of an employee appointed or promoted or granted financial up­-gradation including up-gradation under Modified Assured Carrier Progression Scheme (MACPS) during the period between the 2nd day of January and 1stday of July (both inclusive) shall be granted on 1st day of January and the increment in respect of an employee appointed or promoted or granted financial up-gradation under MACPS during the period between the 2nd day of July and 1st day of January (both inclusive) shall be granted on 1st day of July.

2. A number of references were received in the Ministry of Finance seeking clarifications regarding drawal of next increment by the employees promoted on 1st July, 2016. On consideration of the matter, Department of Expenditure vide it’s Office Memorandum of even number dated 31.07.2018 has clarified that in case an employee is promoted or granted financial up-gradation including up-gradation under the MACP scheme on 1st January or 1st July, where the pay is fixed in the Level applicable to the post on which promotion is made in accordance with the Rule 13 of the CCS (RP) Rules, 2016, the first increment in the Level applicable to the post on which promotion is made shall accrue on the following 1st July or 1st January, as the case may be, provided a period of 6 months qualifying service is strictly fulfilled. The next increment thereafter shall, however, accrue only after completion of one year.

3. Consequent upon issue of Office Memorandum dated 31.07.2018 different Ministries/ Departments have sought clarification on applicability of DOE’s O.M dated 31.07.2018 keeping in view the provisions of Rule 10 of CCS (RP) Rules 2016 , Rule 22(I)(a)(1) of Fundamental Rules & provisions of Stepping up of pay. The issues on which various Ministries/Departments have sought clarifications and decisions thereon are brought in the succeeding paragraphs.

Issue No. 1: Whether after promotion on 1st July and fixation of pay with two increments the date of next increment will be 1st January or 1st July

4. During the regime of 6th CPC, when the annual increment was admissible uniformly on 1st July every year, employees completing 6 months and above in the revised pay structure as on 1st July were eligible for grant of increment. In the 7th. CPC regime there are two dates of increments pt January and 1st July. Keeping in view the spirit of 6th CPC, 0.M dated 31.07.2018 was issued providing for accrual of next increment on 1st July/1st January in respect of employees getting promotion on , 1st January/1st July provided 6 months qualifying service is strictly fulfilled.

5. The instructions contained in the O.M. dated 31.07.2018 are self-explanatory in respect of the cases of promotion/financial up-gradation falling on 1st July or 1st January. These instructions provide that in case of promotion/financial up­ gradation on 1st July and 1st January and getting fixation of pay in the Level applicable to the post in which promotion is made in accordance with Rule 13 of the CCS (RP) Rules 2016, the first increment in the level in which promotion is made shall accrue on the following 1st January or 1st July, as the case may be, provided a period of 6 months’ qualifying service is fulfilled.

Issue No.2 : Accrual of next increment in case of regular promotion/financial up­gradation of an employee on any date other than the date of annual increment and option for pay fixation is exercised under FR 22(I)(a)(1).

6. The opportunity to exercise of option for pay fixation under FR 22(I)(a)(1) is available to employees in case of promotion/financial up-gradation. Therefore, the Central Government Employee promoted on regular basis/granted financial up­ gradation on any date other than the date of his/her annual increment in lower grade and exercises the option under FR 22(I)(a)(1) read with Department of Personnel & Training’s OM No.13/02/2017-Estt.(Pay-I) dated 27.07.2017 for fixation of pay from the date of accrual of next increment in the scale of pay in lower grade, he may be allowed the 1st increment in promotional grade on 1st January/ 1st July as the case may be after completion of 6 months’ qualifying service after such fixation on 1st July/1st January (i.e., the date of increment in lower grade) on the analogy of Department of Expenditure’s OM dated 31.07.2018. The next increment, thereafter, shall however, accrue only after completion of one year.

7. Since there is material change, it has also been approved that the employees who have been regularly promoted or granted financial up-gradation on or after 01.01.2016 and desire to exercise/re-exercise option for pay fixation under FR22(I)(a)(l) shall be given an opportunity to exercise or re-exercise of the option there under. Such an option shall be exercised within one month of issue of this O.M.  [Latest : FinMin Order on 15.04.2021- Opportunity to Central Government Employees to exercise / re-exercise option for pay fixation]

8. These instructions will be applicable with effect from 01.01.2016.

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

10. Hindi version of these orders is attached.

(B.K.Manthan)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Signed Copy (English)

Signed Copy (Hindi)