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MASTER CIRCULAR

Master Circular No. 58

Increments - Consolidation of Orders

The instructions issued by the Railway Board from time to time, on the subject of
'Drawal of Increments of Non-Gazetted Staff' were consolidated in Master Circular
No. 46 issued on 29.06.1992. It has now been decided to supplement these
instructions by covering orders applicable to Probationary Officers in various
Railway Services Gr. 'A', Efficiency Bar and other clarificatory instructions about ad
hoc increment to officers stagnating at the maximum of
their pay scales.

2. General :

Drawal of increments is regulated by Rule 1320 (FR 26) R.II. This rule
relates to the counting of service and periods of leave for increments.

The following periods count for increments :

a. Duty
b. Service in another post, other than a post carrying less pay
referred to in clause (a) of Rule 227 (FR 15) R-1
c. All kinds of leave including E.O.L. granted on
i. medical certificate
ii. without medical certificate but due to inability of the railway
servant to join or re-join duty on account of civil commotion,
and
iii. for prosecuting higher technical and scientific studies.
d. E.O.L. taken otherwise than on medical certificate may be allowed
by the President or the competent Authority declared under Rule
1320 (FR 26)R.II to count, if it was taken for any other cause
beyond the control of the railway servant.
e. Deputation out of India under Rule 1339 (FR 51) R.II
f. Foreign service.
g. Joining time in continuation of duty
h. Joining time in continuation of leave if the last day of the leave
immediately before the commencement of joining time counts for
increment in that post.

Note: 1. In respect of a post on which the Railway servant was officiating, service
in a higher post counts for increment in the lower offg. post if he is re-
appointed to the Lower offg. post or is appointed or re-appointed to a post
in the same time scale. The period will however be restricted to the period
during which the railway servant would have officiated in the lower post
but for his appointment to the higher post.

2. Certificate of continued officiation but for proceeding on leave is necessary

in respect of periods referred to in (c) (d) (e) above.
 3. In respect of a post on which the Railway servant was officiating the period
counting for increment will be restricted to the period so long as he would
have continued to officiate in that post or a post in the same time scale,
but for his going on foreign service.

4. Contract officers will be treated as officiating Government servants but the

certificate of continued officiation will not be necessary in respect of posts
in which they are on contract. Such a certificate will however be
necessary, in respect of the posts in which they are officiating.

3. Grant of advance increment to Probationary Officers in Railway Services Gr. A on

passing departmental exams.

Consequent to introduction of Revised Pay Scales, based en

recommendations of 4th Pay Commission, the directly recruited
Probationary Officers in the various Railway Services Gr. 'A' namely
IRAS, IRTS, IRSE, IREE, IRSME, IRSSE, IRSS and IRPS in scale 2200 –
4000 may be granted advance increments as under : —

a. Ist increment raising pay from Rs. 2200 to Rs. 2275 be granted on passing the
Foundation Course (Phase 1) exam. of Railway Staff College, Vadodara.
b. 2nd advance increment raising pay from Rs. 2275 to Rs. 2350/- on passing
either of the exams. listed at (i), (ii) and (iii) given below:
i. First departmental exam.

or

ii. Exam. of Railway Staff College, Vadodara (Phase II)

and

iii. Language exam unless exempted.

In case a Probationer fails to pass any of the above exams, he shall not
be granted further increment till he passes the exam. After the grant of
advance increments as above, the pay of the officer concerned will be
regulator according to his position in the time scale and the next
increment raising pay from Rs. 2350/- to Rs. 2425/- will accrue only on
satisfactory completion of the specified period of probation and
confirmation. Even on confirmation, the increment at Rs. 2425/- will be
admissible only on completion of 3 years service.

[No. PC-IV/87/FOP/9 dated 1.10.1987. (RBE 244/1987)]

4. Regulation of increments of Probationers.

Where the normal probationary period itself is more than 12 months on

confirmation, the officer may be given the increments which he would
have drawn but for his probation and arrears in this regard may also be
allowed to the officer. In cases where the period of probation is
extended on account of failure to pass the departmental examination,
while there/is no objection to regulate the Pay and increments, on
confirmation at the end, for the extended probationary period, on the
basis of what the officer would have drawn but for his probation, no
arrears on this account should be allowed to him for the period prior to
the date of confirmation. This would mean that the increment of the
officer is withheld without cumulative effect for failure to pass the
departmental examination and cannot be considered as Penalty under
Railway Servants (D&A) rules.

5. Date of increment after introduction of Railway Servants (Revised Pay) Rules,

 1986, in respect of officers belonging to various Organised Gr. 'A' Railway
Services who were promoted from Junior Scale to Senior Scale on regular basis
from a date prior to 01.01.1986 and whose pay on promotion to senior scale was
fixed under the Concordance Table. If their date of increment in senior scale did
not fall in 1986 under the rules governing concordance table.

In such cases, the pay in the revised scale will be fixed with reference
to the pay drawn on 01.01.1986 and the next increment will be granted
on 01.01.1987. In this regard an illustrative case is given. Cases of
increment having been granted in the revised scale after 01.01.1986
but earlier than 01.01.1987 in the type of cases mentioned above would
require review and suitable action should be taken to recover basic pay
and consequent allowances. In regard to junior scale officers who are
promoted on regular basis in senior scale, on or after 01.01.1986, their
pay in the revised scale should be fixed under the normal rules, i.e.
under Rule (FR 22-C) R.II and the increment in the higher post granted
after completion of 12 months qualifying service.

[No. PC-IV/88/Increment/2 dated 19.9.1988. (RBE 212/1988)]

6. Drawal of increment from 1st of the month in which it falls due.

In the case of initial appointments/promotions accruing after

01.11.1973, it is inherent in the orders that the first increment will be
drawn earlier before completing the normal incremental period of 12
months. All increments falling after 01.11.1973 will be drawn
prematurely from the 1st of the month and will be reckoned for all
purposes as the normal date of increment. These orders are also
applicable to work charged and industrial employees who are not
engaged on a casual basis.

[No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 17.1.1974.]

7. Regulation of increment in cases in which there is postponement due to

employee's proceeding on leave without pay which is not counted for increment.

The postponement of normal increment will be worked out as per extant

rules and orders. If the postponed increment falls on any date of a
month, it will be granted from the 1st of that month.

8. Regulation of increment when certain period of service is treated as 'dies non'

'Dies non' would have as much effect as Extra-ordinary leave without

pay and the increment would be regulated accordingly.

(Rule 1318 (FR 24)R-II,

No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 7.1.1975,
PC. III/75/Inc/2 dated 10.11.1975)

9. Periods of service at the same stage in broken spells:

Period of service at the same stage count for increments. If by counting

broken periods, the date of next increment falls due on a date later than
1st of the month it will be payable from the 1st of the month in which
the next increment falls due, after counting the broken periods equal to
one year, provided the Railway servant has also been holding the post
from the first of that month to the date it falls due. In case he is not
holding the post on the first of the month, the increment will be granted
from the date it falls due.

(No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 7.1.1975)

10. Regulation of increment when the normal increment is withheld for specified
period and the period of such penalty expires after 1st of the month.

Increments in such cases will be granted/restored from the date the

penalty ceases.

(Rule 1318 (FR 24) R.II,

PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 7.1.1975,
PC. III/75/Inc/2 dated 10.11.1975.

11. Increment due shall not be drawn till the Railway servant on leave/joining time
returns to duty/joins the new post.

An increment falling due during leave/joining time shall not be drawn till
the Railway Servant returns to duty. This is because the Railway
Servant during leave is entitled to draw only leave salary/joining time
pay equal to the pay which was drawn before relinquishment of charge
in the old post. This will not however have the effect of postponing the
future increments provided that the portion of the leave period falling
after the due date of increment counts for increments.

(No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 7.1.1975)

12. When the officiating pay of a railway servant is fixed below the minimum of
time scale, he must not be treated as having effectively officiated in that post
and the period during which he drew that pay will not count for increment in
that scale.

( Rule 1329 (FR 35) R-11

13. Stagnation Increment :

All Railway Servants in Grade 'A', 'B', 'C' and ’D’ services/posts who
have opted for RS(RP) Rules, 1986, the maximum of whose pay scale
does not exceed Rs. 6700/- and who may reach the maximum of their
revised scale of pay shall be granted one stagnation increment on
completion of every 2 years at the maximum of the respective scales.
The stagnation increment shall be equivalent to the rate of the
increment last drawn by them in their pay scales and shall be treated as
'Personal pay'. A maximum of three such increments shall be allowed.
The pay plus stagnation increment shall in no case exceed Rs. 7300/-

[No. PC-IV/87/INC/3 dated 03.08.1987(RBE 201/1987)]

14. The stagnation increment should also be taken into account for the purpose of
fixation of pay on promotion to higher grade/post. This is effective w.e.f.
30.09.1993.

[No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 30.11.1993 (RBE 169/1993)

PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 30.11.1993 (RBE 170/1993)]

15. Deleted.

16. Regulation of stagnation increment when a person is appointed on promotion to

a higher post but is not allowed the pay in the scale of pay of higher past and
instead is allowed only charge allowance.

In such situations, he may be allowed stagnation increments as and

when it becomes due in the lower post subject to the condition that
charge allowance is reduced to that extent. For example, an officer in
the scale of Rs. 5900-6700 and drawing pay of Rs. 6500/- when
appointed to a post carrying scale of Rs. 7300-7600 will be entitled to
 Rs. 6500 plus Rs. 500 on account of charge allowance. If he were
drawing one stagnation increment in Gr. 5900-6700 or becomes entitled
to the stagnation increment, his pay fixation would be Rs. 6700/- plus
Rs. 200 on account of stagnation increment and Rs. 300 on account of
charge allowance. The charge allowance would get reduced to Rs. 100/-
if he were entitled to two stagnation increments.

[No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 9.1.1991. (RBE 7/1991)]

17. Where a railway servant had stagnated exactly for one/two years at the
maximum of the pre-revised scale of pay as on 01.01.1986, he shall be
granted additional increments on 01.01.1986 under the 3rd or 4th Proviso to
Rule 8 of RS(RP) Rules, 1986.

[No. PC-IV/87/Increment/2 dated 10.9.1987. (RBE 229/1987)]

18. In cases where the Railway servants reached the maximum of the pre-revised
scale (having annual increments) after 1.1.1985 the next increment in the
revised scale shall be granted on the completion of service for the full
incremental period for increment as prescribed under rules, from the date on
which he reached the maximum of the existing scale. In cases where a railway
servant drawing pay in the pre-revised scale having biennial increment
reached the maximum of the scale after 1.1.1985, the next increment in the
revised scale will be admissible on completion of service for the full
incremental period for increment as prescribed under rule 2022 FR 26-RII from
the date of election of revised Scale of pay.

[No. PC-IV/87/INC/3 dated 03.08.1987(RBE 201/1987)]

19. Grant of benefit of ad hoc increment/stagnation increment to employees

drawing fixed pay in the pre-revised set up prior to 1.1.1986

Since a fixed pay is not a time scale and there is no periodical increment
available it cannot be said that the officer had stagnated in that scale at
the maximum as there was no minimum or maximum irrespective of
number of years spent at such pay. Accordingly, the benefit of proviso 3
or 4 to Rule 8 of RS(RP) rules 1986 is not admissible to a railway servant
holding a post with a fixed pay on 1.1.1986 in the pre-revised set up.

20. The period of 2 years for this purpose will count from the date the employee
reaches the maximum of the scale after the grant of last increment.

[No. PC-IV/87/Increment/2 dated 18.5.1987. (RBE 122/1987)

No. PC-IV/87/INC/3 dated 03.08.1987(RBE 201/1987)]

21. The personal pay being of the nature of an ad hoc benefit and having regard to
the need for simplifying calculations, it has been decided that all such periods
of leave including E.O.L., Joining time and period of suspension could also be
included while computing the two years period from the date of reaching the
maximum of the scale.

22. The period of officiation in the higher post on an ad hoc basis will also be taken
into account for counting the 2 years stagnation at the maximum of the scale
of the tower post and on reversion, the employees will be granted benefit of
stagnation increment if the period of stagnation is 2 years or more.

[No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 2.1.1989 (RBE 4/1989)]

23. The benefit of stagnation increment will also be admissible in the selection
grade (non-functional)

3/1 [No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 2.1.1989 (RBE 4/1989)]

24. In case of employees who have opted for grade pay plus Deputation (duty)
allowance, (while on deputation), deputation (duty) allowance will be
determined with reference to the basic pay alone and stagnation increment
will not be taken into account for this purpose. However, the benefit of
stagnation increment will be admissible in the scale of the cadre post, subject
to fulfilment of all other conditions. In case the employee has opted for the
scale of the deputation post, the stagnation increments will also be admissible
in the scale, subject to fulfilment of all other conditions.

25. The employees against whom disciplinary cases are pending will be allowed the
stagnation increment in the same manner as annual increment.

[PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 30.09.1993 (RBE 144/1993)]

26. An employee on being eligible for this benefit of Personal pay cannot refuse it,
on the ground that he will be put to hardship because of reduction in his total
emoluments by grant of Personal Pay.

(No. E(P&A)I-70/88/6 dated 26.8.1970.)

27. An official who has declined promotion to next higher post permanently or
temporarily would also be entitled to ad hoc increment, if he has continued to
draw the maximum of the scale for 2 years.

28. The benefit of ad hoc increment may be given to a railway servant who is
debarred from further promotion due to bad record of service.

29. The pay of a railway servant who elects revised scales of pay from the date he
would have become entitled to stagnation increment in the pre-revised scale
shall also be fixed under Rule 7 of RS(RP) Rules, 1986 and the date of his
subsequent increment will be fixed under Rule 8 of RS(RP) Rules, 1986. This
option will be available only to those Gr. B, C & D railway employees who would
have become entitled to stagnation increment during 1986.

[ No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 25.9.1990. (RBE 166/1990)]

30. Premature Increments. Where the application of normal rules gives rise to
extreme hardship or difficulties, the competent authorities may in their
discretion fix the pay of a railway servant at a stage higher than that
permissible under Rule 1313 (FR 22(1))-R. II by invoking powers under Rule
1321 (FR 27) R. II. There are however certain limitations to the use of their
discretion, for example it is a long established convention that Rule Rule 1321
(FR 27) R. II should not be resorted to, in any case in order to give higher initial
pay than that recommended by the U.P.S.C. The powers to disregard the
provisions of Rule 1313 (FR 22(1))-R. II must be exercised with discrimination.
Recourse should not be taken to Rule 1321 (FR 27) R. II so often to reduce Rule
1313 (FR 22(1) to a mere nullity.

31. The powers under Rule 1321 (FR 27) R. II shall not be used to grant premature
increments in the following cases:

i. as reward for meritorious work.

ii. in disregard of the advice given by Ministry of Finance/associate Finance, in
any individual case of fixation of pay.
iii. in disregard of the normal rules governing fixation of pay except in cases of
hardship or where the circumstances are unusual.
iv. to take into account the monetary equivalent of certain prerequisites
allowed, special pay drawn or deputation allowance granted in a previous
post for the purpose of fixing the initial pay on appointment to another post
where such monetary benefits are not permissible.
 These orders do not however, effect the use of Rule 1321 (FR 27) R. II where
specifically allowed under special Government Orders already in existence.,
e.g. Grand of advance increments to stenographers for acquiring higher speed,
incentive increments to accounts staff for passing App.II, App. III and App. IV
exams, incentive increments to railway employees for acquiring higher
technical, scientific and accounts qualifications such as Graduate Diploma in
Engineering (AMIE), Personnel management, industrial relations, ICWA,
Materials Management etc. and incentives for promotion of small family norms
etc.

Efficiency Bar

32. Efficiency Bar is regulated by provisions of Rule 1319 R.II (FR 25)

33. It is a mechanism whereby Competent Authorities can deny further increments

to an employee, beyond the stage at which Efficiency Bar is prescribed in a
time scale if his performance is unsatisfactory.

34. Crossing of Efficiency Bar requires the specific sanction of the authority
empowered to withhold increments under Rule 1318-RII (FR 24) or the
relevant disciplinary rules whom the Competent Authority may, by general or
special order authorise in this behalf.

35. However, stoppage of an official at the efficiency Bar stage in the time scale of
pay on the ground of unfitness to cross the bar is not a punishment under the
D&A rules, but the concerned employee has a right to prefer an appeal against
such an order and the Appellate authority shall consider all the circumstances
of the case and make such orders as it may deem just and equitable.

36. The decision to enforce the Efficiency Bar should be formally communicated to
the official concerned.

[No. PC-IV/92/EB/1 dated 10.9.1992. (RBE 149/1992)]

37. Procedure for application/consideration of cases of crossing of E.B.

Cases of officials approaching Efficiency Bar stage, in a time scale of pay, shall
be considered by a standing committee of three officers for various categories
of staff. The Committee shall be the same, as the DPC constituted for the
purpose of considering cases of confirmation of the railway servants
concerned, provided that if the DPC for considering cases of confirmation had a
member of UPSC thereon, it shall not be necessary to associate him again for
considering cases for crossing of Efficiency Bar. It is not essential for the
Committee to sit in a meeting to consider cases for crossing of Efficiency Bar.
Consideration by circulation of papers, for this purpose, is sufficient. The
Committee shall make its recommendations to the Competent Authority who
will take a decision and pass an Order under Rule 1319 (FR 25) RII.

[No. PC-IV/92/EB/1 dated 10.9.1992. (RBE 149/1992)]

38. For the purpose of considering cases for crossing the Efficiency Bar, up-to-date
records of performance available at the time of such consideration shall form
the basis. In respect of railway servants in Gr C & D.

i. trade tests wherever these are being conducted for crossing the E.B. should
continue.
ii. where Confidential Reports are not maintained, the review by the Committee
shall be on the basis of service record and the report of the immediate
superior of the concerned employee.
iii. where confidential reports are maintained the Committee of three officers
appointed for the purpose shall make a report on the basis of reports of the
immediate superior as well as confidential reports.
 iv. Oral/written tests will not be held in (ii) & (iii) above.
v. Also, the artisan staff shall not be subjected to a trade test as in (a) above,
and their case shall be processed according to (ii) & (iii) above.

39. In order to avoid delays in consideration of efficiency Bar cases, the following
time schedule may be adopted:

Months during which the date of Months in which EB cases should

crossing E.B. falls beconsidered by D.P.C.
Jan to March Jan
Apr to July Apr
Aug to Oct July
Nov & Dec Oct.

It would be necessary to get the Confidential reports written on priority basis,

during the first fortnight of January (if ACR period is Calendar year) or April (if
ACR period if financial year) for the immediately preceding year, in respect of
persons whose cases have to be considered in Jan/April, so that there is no
delay. In the event of the Committee being convened after a gap of time
following the date on which the official became due to cross the Efficiency bar,
the Committee should consider only those Confidential Reports which it would
have considered, had the D.P.C. been held as per the prescribed schedule.

40. A railway servant against whom an E.B. has been in force or whose increment
has been withheld for failure to pass a prescribed exam, may be allowed to
draw the pay at the stage which he would have ordinarily reached but for his
detention at the bar or withholding of increment and he may be allowed to
draw his future increments from the original date of increment. In other words,
ordinarily the detention at the E.B. stage or withholding of increment for failure
to pass a prescribed exam will only have the effect of postponing the drawal of
increment above that stage by the time taken in qualifying for crossing that
stage. In particularly bad cases, however, the authority competent to sanction
increment may allow the railway servant to recommend his ascent in the time
scale from the stage at which he was detained only from the date in which bar
is removed or on which he passes the exam.

41. If an employee is not allowed to cross the E.B. on due date, his case may be
reviewed again next year, with a view to determine whether the quality of his
work has improved and generally whether the defects for which he was
stopped at the bar have been remedied to an extent sufficient to warrant the
removal of the bar.

42. In exceptional circumstances of the type mentioned below, where it may not
be possible to adhere to the limit of one year strictly, action may be taken to
review the cases even before annual review becomes due:-

[No. PC-IV/92/EB/1 dated 10.9.1992. (RBE 149/1992)]

i. when the appellate authority has reasons to believe that the decision already
taken is incorrect, and
ii. where the annual increment at the EB falls in the latter half of the year and at
the time of deciding the case, the reports were considered upto the end of
the previous year and the subsequent report justified review of the case

43. If an official is found unfit to cross the Efficiency bar from the original due date,
the same D.P.C. can consider the report for subsequent year also, if available,
to assess his suitability in the subsequent year. When allowed to cross the
Efficiency Bar at a later date, as a result of subsequent review, his pay shall
normally be fixed at the stage immediately above the Efficiency Bar unless the
 competent authority, with the approval of next higher authority, decides to fix
his pay at a higher stage by taking into account the length of service from the
due date of efficiency bar. The increased pay will have effect from the date of
removal of the bar and cannot have retrospective effect and he cannot be
allowed arrears prior to that date. Subject to these limitations regarding
fixations of pay after removal of E.B. he may be allowed to draw the next
increment on the usual date and not after rendering one year's service.

44. The above ruling applies only to the fixation of pay in the time scale in which
E.B. has been applied. A bar applied in the junior time scale of service should
not, therefore, affect an officer's pay in the senior time scale. He should be
paid in the latter scale according to length of his service unless his pay in such
scale itself is affected by the operation of Efficiency Bar or by a disciplinary
order passed in accordance with the rules.

45. No orders are necessary for crossing the Efficiency Bar in lower scale for the
purpose of fixing the pay in the higher post. Similarly, in the case of an
employee whose officiating pay on refixation carries his pay above the E.B.
stage in the time scale of the offg. post, he should be deemed to have
automatically crossed the E.B. at the time of refixation of offg. pay in the time
scale of the offg. post and the question of application of E.B. will not arise.

46. The disabilities under Rule (FR 17-A)-R II should not stand in the way of an
official, if he is otherwise found suitable to cross E.B.

47. Cases where an employee becomes due for crossing E.B. even before earning a
single report.

When an employee officiating in a higher post becomes due for crossing the
Efficiency Bar in the scale attached to the higher post even before earning a
single report regarding his performance in the higher post, consideration of his
case for crossing the Efficiency Bar in the scale attached to the higher post in
which he is officiating should be deferred till at least one report about his
performance in that post becomes available and thereafter his case may be
taken up for consideration which should be on the basis of the entire record of
service. If he is found fit as a result of such consideration he may be allowed to
cross the Efficiency Bar retrospectively from the due date.

48. Effect of advance increments taking the official above Efficiency Bar stage.

If the grant of advance increments absorbable in future increments takes the

employee above the E.B. stage, it may be granted to him only when he is
found fit to cross the E.B. after consideration of the case.

On the other hand, if an officer qualifies for advance increments not absorbable
in future increments and the grant of such increments would take him beyond
the Efficiency Bar stage in the time scale, he would be considered for crossing
the Efficiency Bar w.e.f the date of accrual of the advance increments itself.

If crossing the EB is sanctioned in pursuance of Rule 1319 (FR 25)-RII, the

officer would get the advance increments from the due date. If not the officer
will come on to such stage in the time scale of pay as the competent authority
may fix when the E.B. is subsequently lifted, taking the date of accrual of
advance increments as the due date of crossing the Efficiency Bar.

49. Sealed cover Procedure :

In case of railway servants

i. under suspension; or
ii. in respect of whom disciplinary proceedings are pending or a decision has
been taken to initiate disciplinary proceedings, or
 iii. in respect of whom prosecution for a criminal charge is pending or sanction
for prosecution has been issued or a decision has been taken to accord
sanction for prosecution, or
iv. against whom an investigation on serious allegation of corruption, bribery or
similar grave misconduct is in progress.

The D.P.C. shall assess their suitability without taking into consideration the
disciplinary case/criminal prosecution pending or contemplated against them.
However, the recommendation of the D.P.C. shall be kept in a sealed cover. If
on conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, the railway servant is
exonerated of the charges against him, the recommendations in the sealed
cover may be considered by the competent authority who may lift the
Efficiency Bar retrospectively from the date it originally became due. If the
proceedings end in imposition of one of the miner penalties, the E.B. case may
be reviewed by the DPC with reference to the original recommendations kept in
the sealed cover and the circumstances leading to the disciplinary action and
the penalty imposed. The review D.P.C. shall in such cases, having regard to
the circumstances of the case like the date of the cause of action for the
disciplinary proceedings and the nature of penalty specifically give their
recommendations whether the crossing of E.B. can be allowed from the
original due date or from a prospective date only. In cases where the
disciplinary proceedings end in imposition of a major penalty, the
recommendations of the D.P.C. kept in the sealed cover shall not be acted
upon.

50. A railway servant who is recommended for crossing of E.B. by the D.P.C. but in
whose case any of the circumstance referred to above arise after the
recommendation of the D.P.C. are received but before he is actually due for
crossing the Efficiency Bar will be considered as if his case had been placed in
a sealed cover by the D.P.C.

51. In a case where railway servant who becomes due for crossing of E.B. is
already undergoing a miner penalty, the D.P.C. shall consider his case taking
into account the overall record, including the circumstances leading to the
disciplinary proceedings and the nature of penalty imposed, and give their
recommendations regarding his suitability for crossing the bar. If however, the
railway servant is undergoing the penalty of withholding of the increment, the
crossing of E.B. shall be given effect to only after the expiry of the period of
penalty.

52. When penalty of withholding of increment imposed while official held up at E.B.
stage.

If an official on consideration is not found fit to cross the E.B., and before his
case could be reviewed annually, is placed under suspension, and the
disciplinary proceedings against him end up with imposition of penalty of
withholding of increments for a specified period, the case of railway servant for
crossing the E.B. should be reviewed on a date immediately following the date
of the order of penalty and if he is found fit to cross the Efficiency Bar, the
stage at which he would draw pay above the E.B. should also be decided. Once
it is done, the no. of increments commencing from the date of next increment
after being allowed to cross the E.B. can be withheld and the penalty thus
enforced. In case he is not found fit to cross the E.B. from a date immediately
after the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, his case should be
reviewed with reference to every subsequent anniversary of the original due
date until he is found fit to cross the E.B. Thereafter the stage at which he
should draw the pay above Efficiency Bar should also be decided upon and the
penalty order enforced, as explained above.

53. When increment above E.B is allowed inadvertently.

 Increments granted above the E.B. by mistake should be withheld at once.
Simultaneously, the official's case for crossing the E.B. from the due date
should be considered by the appropriate Committee, taking into account the
records of performance up-to-date. If he is found fit to cross the E.B. from due
date, the withheld increments should be released to him with arrears, if any,
pertaining to the period from the date of release of those increments. If
however he is not found fit to cross the E.B. from the due date, the amount
paid to him by way of increments which were not due to him should be
recovered in easy instalments.

54. If the E.B. test could not be held in time due to administrative reasons or due to
the illness of the railway servant, whether he is governed by the Payment of
wages Act or not, the competent authority is empowered to grant the same
from the due date only when the Railway servant passes the test at the first
opportunity. This would mean that while no increment will be drawn till the
railway servant passes the test, this will be drawn as soon as he does so, with
effect from the due date.

55. Where a railway servant who was due an increment next above the E.B. quits
service after the date from which the increment was due but before the E.B.
test could be held and where a railway servant proceeds on L.P.R. and the
increments next above the EB falls due while he is on LPR (irrespective of the
reasons why he has proceeded on LPR) the railway servant concerned may be
granted the increment next above the EB if the competent authority is
satisfied that the Railway servant would have crossed the EB but for quitting
service or proceeding on LPR.

56. Authority Competent to sanction increment above the E.B. in the case of
deputationists and those on foreign service.

In the case of a State Government employee, on deputation to the Railways or

vice versa, and a Govt. servant on deputation from one department to another
or on foreign service, the authority competent to permit the crossing of E.B.
shall be the parent department or the new employer, according as the
Government servant draws pay in the parent scale plus deputation allowance
or in the scale of pay attached to the post held by him on deputation.

57. Periodical reviews:

At regular intervals, which may be prescribed by the Railway Board/GMs

concerned, the Divisional Railway Managers, Heads of Departments and GMs
and Competent authorities should review the position obtaining in that
Ministry/Railway regarding sanction of increments above the EB stage in order
to see whether the authorities concerned are being objective and not either
too lenient or too strict in enforcing the E.B.

58. A method study may be undertaken by the Administrative Ministry/Dept, every

three years or so, to see the working of the system of considering railway
servants suitability for crossing the E.B. and suggest improvements therein.

59. An illustrative schedule of revised scales introduced under RS(RP) Rules 1986 is
annexed, showing rates of increment in different scales of pay and the stages
of EB for ready reference.

60.

a. White referring to this circular, the original letters referred to herein should
be read for a proper appreciation. This circular is only a consolidation of the
orders issued from time to time and should not be treated as a substitute of
the originals. In cases of doubt, the original circular should only be relied
upon as an authority
b. Instructions contained in the original circulars referred to have only
 prospective effect from the date of issue, unless specifically indicated
otherwise in the concerned circular. For dealing with the cases, the
instructions in force at the relevant time should be referred to, and
c. If any circular on the subject has not been superseded but has not been
taken into account white preparing this Master Circular through oversight, the
same should be treated as valid and operative.

Letters/ Circulars relied upon for preparing the Master Circular on Increments &
Efficiency Bar.

1. No. E(P&A)I-70/88/6 dated 26.8.1970.

2. No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 17.1.1974.
3. No. PC. III/74/Inc/1 dated 7.1.1975.
4. No. PC. III/64/Inc/1 dated 3.6.1975.
5. No. PC. III/74/EB/1 dated 14.2.1975.
6. No. PC. III/75/Inc/2 dated 10.11.1975.
7. No. PC. III/76/EB/1 dated 11.8.1978.
8. No. PC. III/76/EB/1 dated 31.5.1979.
9. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/2 dated 18.5.1987. (RBE 122/1987)
10. No. PC-IV/87/INC/3 dated 03.08.1987(RBE 201/1987)
11. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/2 dated 10.9.1987. (RBE 229/1987)
12. No. PC-IV/87/FOP/9 dated 1.10.1987. (RBE 244/1987)
13. No. PC-IV/88/Increment/2 dated 19.9.1988. (RBE 212/1988)
14. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 2.1.1989 (RBE 4/1989)
15. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 7.8.1990. (RBE 132/1990)
16. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 25.9.1990. (RBE 166/1990)
17. No. PC-IV/87/Increment/3 dated 9.1.1991. (RBE 7/1991)
18. No. PC-IV/92/EB/1 dated 10.9.1992. (RBE 149/1992)