Once every 10 years, the Central Government revises the pay grades of
its employees. It is common knowledge that the Cabinet had ordered the
formation of the 7th CPC (CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION) and has also given its
approval to the TERMS OF REFERENCE.
Until then, it was difficult to immediately deduce an employee’s BASIC
PAY. It was often explained on the Government’s behalf that, after the
6th CPC, the BASIC PAY would amount to the sum of GRADE PAY and PAY IN
THE PAY BAND. Since the difference between each GRADE PAY was not uniform, the
employees came under lot of stress. Between 4600 and 4800, the
difference was just Rs. 200. But, after Rs. 4800, the next GRADE PAY was
Rs. 5400. 5400 is in PB-2 & 3 also. These differences continue to remain unacceptable.
‘GRADE PAY HIERARCHY’ was introduced as a crowning feature of it all.
For years, each CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT has its own ‘PROMOTIONAL
HIERARCHY’ in place. Promotions were given only on the basis of this
sequence. Based on their PROMOTIONAL HIERARCHY, in the 5th CPC, each
employee was given an ACP (ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION). ACP is a scheme
under which those who didn’t get any promotions for 12-24 years were
given financial upgradations. This didn’t create any big problem.
The 6th CPC introduced MACP (MODIFIED ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION) in the
place of ACP. A scheme was introduced to give FINANCIAL UPGRADATION to
those who weren’t given any promotions in 10, 20 or 30 years. This was
where the Government ordered that promotions should be given only on the
basis of GRADE PAY HIERARCHY.
The confusion that began with implementing the GRADE PAY HIERARCHY,
which was common to all, instead of PROMOTIONAL HIERARCHY for promotions
continues, and remains unresolved until now.
There is no doubt that most of the anomalies created after the 6th CPC related to MACP stem from the ‘GRADE PAY HIERARCHY’.
Central Government employees now wonder if the ‘GRADE PAY’ method is even required in the first place.
