THE much awaited approval for cadre restructuring by Union Cabinet appears to have given the officers of CBEC some hope about their future prospects in the department. But is the CBEC really geared up for the mega exercise?
Much before the approval had come, CBEC had proposed to fill up nearly 150 existing vacancies of Assistant Commissioners during July 2013 by promoting the Central Excise Superintendents, Customs Superintendents and Customs Appraisers. It is more than SIX months and the DPC is yet to be conducted by CBEC. Every day TIOL gets several enquiries from anxious Group B officers with deep anguish and disappointment over the delay in completing the DPC by CBEC. When CBEC is not able to complete the process for an adhoc promotion of 150 officers do you think they will ever promote 3000 officers?
TIOL is informed that all the formalities such as calling ACRs, Vigilance Clearance etc for all those officers in the consideration Zone have been completed and a proposal was sent to the UPSC for conducting DPC. It is noticed that for the last twenty years, all Group A promotions were on ad hoc basis and all the DPCs were held by Board itself. But this time, the task of conducting DPC is handed over to UPSC who had started raising several objections in the last stage. Frustrated officers strongly believe that CBEC top brass has not really shown sufficient interest to resolve the issues.
"She is already the Chairman, why should she bother about promotion of Superintendents?", said an officer in disdain.
We are informed that as of now there are more than 500 vacancies of Assistant Commissioners in the Department and this is more than half of the sanctioned strength of the cadre.
The reason for not promoting the Central Excise Superintendents/Customs Superintendents/Customs appraisers is said to be that UPSC has asked for some clarifications from DOPT and DOPT is yet to give it. CBEC is also said to be handicapped with the UPSC's direction banning ad hoc promotions. But that sacred body DOPT itself recently promoted 104 section officers as 'under secretaries' on ad hoc basis.
In the past,in several cases, CBEC had promoted its officers even during pending Court cases by stating that the promotion is subject to outcome of the proceedings pending in Courts . It is sad to know that several Excise/Customs superintendents have retired from Service in the last few months. And several will in the next few months frustrated and angry with the department that they were denied their rightful promotion, which they richly deserved. It is tragic that officers who have completed 20 years service as Superintendents after being inspectors for 15 years are retiring with just one promotion in their long career - all because their Board does not bother about them - even when vacancies are aplenty!
If you can run your Department without half your sanctioned strength, why can't you abolish those posts?
The Chairperson is retiring this month-end and nobody expects her to find time to promote these officers, but there is hope - well you have to live on hope!
Maybe the Revenue Secretary and/or the FM should do something - it is not healthy for a Revenue Department to have so many frustrated officers.
Much before the approval had come, CBEC had proposed to fill up nearly 150 existing vacancies of Assistant Commissioners during July 2013 by promoting the Central Excise Superintendents, Customs Superintendents and Customs Appraisers. It is more than SIX months and the DPC is yet to be conducted by CBEC. Every day TIOL gets several enquiries from anxious Group B officers with deep anguish and disappointment over the delay in completing the DPC by CBEC. When CBEC is not able to complete the process for an adhoc promotion of 150 officers do you think they will ever promote 3000 officers?
TIOL is informed that all the formalities such as calling ACRs, Vigilance Clearance etc for all those officers in the consideration Zone have been completed and a proposal was sent to the UPSC for conducting DPC. It is noticed that for the last twenty years, all Group A promotions were on ad hoc basis and all the DPCs were held by Board itself. But this time, the task of conducting DPC is handed over to UPSC who had started raising several objections in the last stage. Frustrated officers strongly believe that CBEC top brass has not really shown sufficient interest to resolve the issues.
"She is already the Chairman, why should she bother about promotion of Superintendents?", said an officer in disdain.
We are informed that as of now there are more than 500 vacancies of Assistant Commissioners in the Department and this is more than half of the sanctioned strength of the cadre.
The reason for not promoting the Central Excise Superintendents/Customs Superintendents/Customs appraisers is said to be that UPSC has asked for some clarifications from DOPT and DOPT is yet to give it. CBEC is also said to be handicapped with the UPSC's direction banning ad hoc promotions. But that sacred body DOPT itself recently promoted 104 section officers as 'under secretaries' on ad hoc basis.
In the past,in several cases, CBEC had promoted its officers even during pending Court cases by stating that the promotion is subject to outcome of the proceedings pending in Courts . It is sad to know that several Excise/Customs superintendents have retired from Service in the last few months. And several will in the next few months frustrated and angry with the department that they were denied their rightful promotion, which they richly deserved. It is tragic that officers who have completed 20 years service as Superintendents after being inspectors for 15 years are retiring with just one promotion in their long career - all because their Board does not bother about them - even when vacancies are aplenty!
If you can run your Department without half your sanctioned strength, why can't you abolish those posts?
The Chairperson is retiring this month-end and nobody expects her to find time to promote these officers, but there is hope - well you have to live on hope!
Maybe the Revenue Secretary and/or the FM should do something - it is not healthy for a Revenue Department to have so many frustrated officers.
