Selection: Zone of Consideration for Promotion to Group ‘B’

No.E(GP)81/1/18, dated 29.09.1981

Sub: Selection for promotion of Group ‘C’ (Class III) to Group ‘B’ (Class II) – Principles of determining zone of consideration.

Reference is invited to this Ministry’s letter of even number dated 09.04.1981 laying down the principles for determining the zone of consideration and drawing panels on the basis of selections for promotion from Group ‘C’ to Group ‘B’.

In terms of para 2.1 of the letter, where SC/ST employees are not available for consideration against reserved vacancies within the normal field as determined on the basis of the sliding scale, the field may be extended to five times the number of vacancies to consider the SC/ST employees (and not the others) coming within the extended field. A question has been raised in this context as to what would constitute an adequate number. After a consideration of the question, in consultation with the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, it has been decided that as long as the number of SC/ST employees considered for promotion from within the normal zone is not less than the number of reserved vacancies the field should be considered as adequate. Where it is not so and also where on the results of the written examination, the number of SCs/STs qualifying for viva-voce is less than the number of reserved vacancies the field may be extended to five times the number of vacancies.

A doubt has also been raised in this context as to whether employees belonging to general community from within the zone, corresponding in number to the SC/STs admitted from the extended zone, should be deleted in order to keep the size of the zone in conformity with the sliding scale. It is clarified that where the zone has necessarily to be enlarged to five times the number of vacancies for the purpose of considering SCs/STs (and not the others), it will naturally result in the number of the employees in the zone being more than the number obtained by applying the sliding scale. In such a situation it will not be correct to exclude a corresponding number of general community employees from within the normal zone, as it will deprive the opportunity legitimately due to them.

Download Railway Board Circular Dated 29.09.1981                                             

Forward reference ⇒ Dated 19.03.2010,