ALL INDIA CENTRAL EXCISE INSPECTORS ASSOCIATION VISAKHAPATNAM ZONE BRANCH: VISAKHAPATNAM.

(RECOGNISED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF FINAMCE, VIDE CBEC F.NO.12017/1/2004 Ad.IV Dated 31.02.07 & 14.01.08)
Date: 02.05.2012 To The Commissioner, Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Visakhapatnam I Commissionerate, Visakhapatnam. Sir, Sub: - Proposal for unified seniority list of inspectors to remove regional disparity for promotion to the next cadre Regarding. **** Kind reference is invited to the Boards letter F.No.8/B/44/HRD (HRM) 2011(pb.I) dt.28.03.2012 on the subject matter. Accordingly, comments of this Association are submitted hereunder. 1. Prior to 2004 the posts of Inspector are filled through a common all India competitive examination conducted by Staff Selection Commission (direct recruitment) and one third of the posts are filled up internally through promotion among the STAs/Stenos etc. However, the selection of direct recruit candidates are made zonal wise (CCA Zone) taking into account the vacancies prevailing in each zone. (b) From 2004 onwards, direct recruitment for the post of Inspector is made through a common competitive examination based on a common all India merit list. Though they have been selected based on a common all India merit list, postings are made zone wise and their seniority is maintained in their respective zones. Though the qualifying service for promotion from Inspector to Superintendent is 8 years, normally it takes 16 to 23 years for an Inspector to get his first promotion (the period varies from zone to zone depending on various factors). This creates a lot of anomalies in the promotional career of the

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For removal of regional disparities, base cadre seniority, i.e. total years of service rendered in both the cadres, i.e. Inspector and Superintendent should be taken into account for giving promotion to the cadre of Assistant Commissioner, which is an All India Cadre Post. By doing so the date of joining in the cadre of Inspector will be the criteria for the promotion to the cadre of Assistant Commissioner and it will remove all the regional disparities for promotion to the cadre of Assistant Commissioner. For this purpose Recruitment Rules are to be changed. Entry to the cadre of Inspector is through direct recruitment as well as through promotion channel. Presently there are many court cases involving disputes regarding seniority, between Direct Recruits and promotees. Hence in these circumstances it is very difficult to maintain All India Seniority list. It is well known that cadre review in CBEC is in final stages. If this issue is taken up at this stage, the entire Cadre Restructuring will be further delayed. Hence, at this belated stage the proposal of common seniority is not feasible and if taken up it should be de-linked with the present Cadre Review.

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Yours faithfully,

(R.PRABHAKAR) GENERAL SECRETARY