RBE No. 137/2019: Joining Time Rules – Master Circular No.6

No.E(G)2019 JT 1/9 (Master Circular), dated 21.08.2019
[Circulated under No.E(G)2019 JT 1/9 (Master Circular), dated 22.08.2019]

Sub: Joining Time.

Please find enclosed herewith a copy of Master Circular No.6 regarding Joining Time for information and necessary action.
Please acknowledge receipt.

MC No. 6 (Joining Time)
[No.E(G)2019 JT 1/9 (Master Circular), dated 21.08.2019]

Sub: Joining Time.

1. Master Circular No.6 on “JOINING TIME”, a compilation of instructions on the subject was last brought out and circulated vide Railway Board letter No.E(G)90/JTI/1 (Master Circular), dated 20.11.1990 (RBE No. 170/1990). Railway Board have now decided to re-issue the same with certain clarification/ additions/ references for the information and guidance of all concerned.
2. Extent of application:
2.1 Joining time is granted to a Railway servant transferred in public interest, to enable him to join the new post either at the same station or at a new station.

[Ref: Para 1101 of IREC Vol-I and

letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

2.2 Joining time is not admissible to a Railway servant for temporary transfer. Only the actual transit time as admissible in the case of journey on tour will be allowed.

[Ref: Para 1102 of IREC Vol-I and

Letter No.E(G)83 JT1/1, dated 26.11.1983]

2.3 Joining time is not admissible to Railway servants transferred at their own request.

[Ref: letter No.E(G)79 JT 1/1, dated 14.03.1983]

3. Commencement of joining time:
Joining Time commences from the date of relinquishment of charge of the old post, if the charge is made over in the forenoon or on the following date, if the charge is made over in the afternoon.

[Ref: Para 1105 of IREC Vol-I and

Letter letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

4. Time and place from which Joining Time calculated:
Joining time will be calculated in all cases from the headquarters station where the Railway servant was serving, including the cases where the Railway servant received transfer or makes over charge of the old post at a station other than his old headquarters or where the headquarters is changed to the station to which he has proceeded on tour or where his temporary transfer is converted into permanent transfer.

[Ref: Para 1106 of IREC Vol-I]

5. No. of days admissible as Joining Time:
5.1 Same station or no change of residence:
Joining time is restricted to not more than one day when the transfer is within the same station or where the transfer does not involve a change of residence from one station to another. Same station for this purpose will mean the area falling within the jurisdiction of the same municipality or corporation including such of the suburban municipalities, notified areas of Cantonment as are contiguous to the named Municipality.

[Ref: Para 1107 of IREC Vol-I and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

5.2 Change of station and residence:
If transfer involves change of station and change of residence the railway servant is entitled to joining time with reference to the distance between the old headquarters and the new headquarters by the direct route and ordinary mode of travel as given below:

Distance between the old and the new headquarters		Joining time admissible
(i)	1000 kms. or less	10 days
(ii)	More than 1000 kms.	12 days
(iii)	More than 2000 kms.	15 days

[Ref: Para 1108 of IREC Vol-I and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

5.3 Holidays – Preceding or following:
5.3.1 Where holidays precede the joining time, there is no need for extending the joining time.

[Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 03.07.1982]

5.3.2 When holidays follow the joining time, the normal period of joining time should be deemed to have been extended to cover the holidays.

[Ref: Para 1108 of IREC Vol-I, and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 07.02.1983]

5.4 Combining with Vacation/ Leave etc:
Joining time can be combined with vacation and/or regular leave of any kind or duration except casual leave.

[Ref: Para 1111 of IREC Vol-I, and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

5.5 Extension of period of Joining time:
Extension of joining time beyond the limits mentioned in para 5.2 above can be granted up to a maximum of 30 days by the Head of Department/ Divisional Railway Manager in case of non-gazetted Railway servants. Beyond 30 days, the case should be referred to the Ministry of Railways. The guiding principle for dealing with cases of extension of joining time is that the time for preparation should be approximately equal to 8 days plus reasonable transit time plus holidays if any following the extended joining time. While computing the transit time, allowance could be made for time unavoidably spent due to the disruption of transport arrangements caused by strike/ natural calamities or the period spent awaiting departure of the steamer.

[Ref: Para 1109 of IREC Vol-I, and
letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

6. Crediting leave account with un-utilized Joining Time:
Where the full joining time is not availed of, the number of days of joining time admissible to the Railway servant (subject to a maximum of it 15 days) reduced by the number of days actually availed of will be credited to his leave account as LAP, subject to usual restriction of accumulation of LAP.

[Ref: Para 1110 of Vol-I]

7. On discharge for taking appointment at another station:
Railway servants discharged from one office due to reduction of establishment and posted to another Railway office are entitled to joining time, if the orders of appointment to the new post are received by them before discharge. If appointed after discharge, the period of break may be converted into joining time without pay provided the break does not exceed 30 days and the Railway servants have rendered not less than 3 years of continuous service on the date of discharge. The power in this regard shall be exercised by the Head of the Department.

[Ref: Para 1103 of IREC Vol-I, and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

8. On first appointment – For appointment to posts under the Railways on the basis of competition and/or interview open to Railway servants and others:
Railway servants and others, Central Government employees and permanent/ provisionally permanent Central and State Government employees will be entitled to:

(a) Joining time which will be included as qualifying service in the new job.
(b) Transfer Travelling Allowance.

Note: Temporary Central Government employees with less than 3 years of regular continuous service would not be entitled for TTA, as they are not entitled to joining time pay under joining time rules.

[Ref: Para 1104 of IREC Vol-I, and
Board’s letter No.E(NG)-2016/AP/2, dated 07.03.2017 (RBE No. 21/2017)]

9. Joining Time Pay and Allowances:
Government servants on joining time shall be regarded as on duty during that period and shall be entitled to be paid joining time pay equal to the day which was done before relinquishment of charge in the old posts. He will also be entitled to Dearness Allowance, if any, appropriate to the joining time pay. In addition, he can also draw compensatory allowances like House Rent Allowance as applicable to the old station from which he was transferred. He shall not be allowed Conveyance Allowance for Permanent Travelling Allowance.

[Ref: Para 1113 of IREC Vol-I]

10. When transfer orders are modified:
A Railway servant while in transit, on transfer, if directed to proceed to a place different from the one to which he was initially transferred, will be entitled to joining time already availed of upto the date of receipt of revised transfer orders plus a fresh spell of full joining time from the date following the date of receipt of the revised transfer orders. The fresh spell of joining time will be calculated from the place at which he received the revised orders.

[Ref: Para 1112 of IREC Vol-I, and
Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

11. Cases of transfer at own request:
11.1 A Railway servant transfer at his own request may be granted regular leave by the competent authority, as may be admissible under the leave rules applicable, to cover the period between the date of handing over charge at the old station and the date of taking over at the new station, provided he applies for it and the competent authority is willing to sanction.

[Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 14.03.1983]

11.2 If such a Railway servant relinquishes charge at the old station on the eve of a holiday/ holidays and reports at the new station on the forenoon of the day immediately after the holiday(s), the intervening period may be treated to have been availed of as holidays and he is not required to take leave for the period. Pay for holidays intervening the date of relief and the date of joining the new place will be borne by the department where they Railway servant joins after his transfer.

[Ref: letter No.E(G)79 JT 1/1, dated 29.05.1989 (RBE No. 127/1989)]

12. On deputation outside Railways and on deputation to Railways:
Railway servant joining Central Govt./ Defence Services or other organizations having their own separate rules in regard to joining time will be governed by those rules while proceeding to join the post and also while returning there from to the parent office, unless different provisions are expressly made in the terms of the deputation/ secondment as may be mutually agreed upon between the lending and borrowing authorities. Similarly, employees of Central and State Governments, Armed Forces Personnel, those paid from Defence estimates or other organizations, appointed to posts in the Railway will be governed by the instructions contained herein in respect of joining time, unless different provisions expressly made in terms of deputation/ Foreign Service exist.

[Ref: Para 1114 & Para 1115 of IREC Vol-I, and
RB letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980]

13. Officers and personnel of Railway Engineer units of the Territorial Army, when embodied for military duty in order to civil power/ military power, may be allowed joining time under the Railway rules applicable to the officers and employees concerned in terms of Board’s letter No.E(G)79 JT1/1, dated 21.02.1980. The facility of joining time will be admissible to the officers and personal after disembodiment also.

[Ref: Board’s letter No.E(ML)70 ML3/39(i), dated 22.03.1971]

14. (i) While 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 instructions issued so far and should not be treated as a substitution to the originals. In case of doubts the original circulars should relied upon as authority.

(ii) The instructions contained in the original circulars referred to have only prospective effect from the date of issue unless specifically indicated otherwise in the concerned circulars. For dealing with old cases, the instructions in force at the relevant time should be referred to; and

(iii) If any circular on the subject which has not been superseded, has not been taken into consideration in preparing this consolidated letter, the said circular, which has been missed through oversight, should be treated as valid and operative.

Hindi version will follow.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 137/2019

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.