CADRE RESTRUCTURING DRAFT

• After detailed discussion with GS and on the demand of members of IP/ASP, following proposal for cadre restructuring has been formulated for submission to directorate. All are requested to go through it and advise if any amendment is required to make it more effective in the interest of IP/ASPs cadre.
• DRAFT

1. IPASP association has been continuously seeking 2^nd cadre restructuring for the last 30 years. The second cadre review committee for the purpose was constituted in 1986 and was finalized in the year 1990 to give effect for upgradation of 245 posts of IP & ASP to Supdt.  PSS Group “B”. These orders  are even having Presidential approval but have not been executed till now. The proposal which has gone several changes in principle is hanging in the files of Directorate since long.
2. While by some means the general line staff had managed to get upgradation of 1772 posts of HSG II, HSG I without any commensurate increase in responsibility. The Department has also taken care of the interest of the IPoS and they have derived the benefits of 5 periodical cadre reviews from 1981 to 1989.But the worst part of it is that the entire exercise was separately done for other cadres except IP/ASP, thus taking away the basic thrust for simultaneous career planning for all.
3. Some of the measures proposed by the department like creation of cluster, creation of inspection cells, reorganization of Sub Divisions with simultaneous upgradation of some posts to PSS Gr B to the extent necessary to match the recommendations of Cadre Review Committee have only met a slow death with the proposal ultimately relegated to the cold storage.
4. The last initiative taken by the Department just before the announcement of 6 CPC has only extended with the advice from MOF to refer the proposal to 6 CPC. It was only a ploy to delay the proposal from reaching its logical end. Though the Deptt has referred to the 6 CPC, the 6 CPC has refrained from even examining the proposal and in Para 3.3.17 of recommendations, it has categorically stated as “the commission as a general rule, has refrained from conducting cadre reviews of individual services. Accordingly demand made by Individual Service associations has not been taken up.”
5. With the invent of technology on DOP and Consequent upon introduction of new business branches, the Department of Posts is on the verge of conversion into a dynamic organization with projects like changing ambience of the offices, providing good working environment to the staff, providing comfort to potential customers or visitors and various long lasting projects like Digitization of Records, Core Banking, Mail Optimization, Consumer Price Index, Aadhaar Technology, Biometric systems etc. All these projects are being implemented with the support and incessant hard work of IP cadre. Thus it will not be wrong to say that the total responsibility for successful implementing the various innovative schemes has virtually devolved on the IP and ASP. But when it is the question of career progression of the cadre, the file is consigned to back seat.
6. There has been no upgrading or cadre restructuring of the apex Grade of our cadre. Consequently there is extreme stagnancy and resultant frustration amongst the incumbents of the cadre. Even after acquiring long years of experience and expertise they remain and mostly retire in the ASP cadre. Even the new entrants in the cadre have realised the attitude adopted by the Department towards IP cadre and are therefore, leaving the Deptt and joining other organizations for better prospects.
7. Now under pressure from other unions, department has set up restructuring committee to look into the career progression of each cadre leaving behind IP cadre. The cadre has been ignored once again. This is the kind of justice delivery system prevalent in Directorate. All these are not only the root cause of frustration amongst the IP cadre but these are also an impediment in effective execution of administrative policies and plan. This is bound to have an adverse impact on the efficiency of the department.
8. It will be in the betterment of things if cadre restructuring is done in the revised format in view of changed scenario. The IP cadre can now be classified into three categories: 

    a) General administration: The posts of ASP (HQ) and that of sub     divisional heads can be included in this category under the control of SSP/SP (Division) at every division level.
     b) Inspection & investigation: This can be given the same shape as suggested by 2^nd CRC.
    c) Business, technological & allied works: The present incumbent   working as System Manager &MEs can be posted as IP(Technology & BD) on the basis of some benchmark to be fixed by department on justifed posts immediately by creating equal number of Post and thereafter IP examination may be fixed for them. They can put under the supervision of SP (HQ) by creating of post of SP (HQ or Tehnology) in each division under cadre review. Under this process the association is ready to forgo 141 post of Postmaster (HSG-I) in case all post of system managers are created in IP line.

9.       The association has no problem if 50% of vacancies in the grade of Sr. Postmaster are filled up by promotion of Postmaster Gr.III with 2 years of regular service in the grade including regular service in HSG- I subject to the condition that 6% PSS Group “B” examination is immediately dispensed with. The rest of 50% vacancies may be filled from Inspector Posts with 6 years of regular service in the grade on the basis of LDCE. Once this is done there will not be any justification of 19% examination for IP line official. Hence department should  do away with this examination system which is otherwise also giving rise to litigations.

          In the last but not least I ask you to take immediate step to implement the second cadre review recommendations. The members of the association have repeatedly proved their true commitment to various policies and programmes of the department by ensuring its successful implementation but the department is not sincere toward its demands. The associations has reasons to believe that the Deptt has already seized of this issue and fervently hope that the hurdle imported only to shuttle the implementation of second Cadre Review be removed by the present postal board so that things may not go beyond control of association. In such circumstances the department will be utterly responsibility.The implementation of these orders is the only way to avoid confrontation between IP/ASP cadre and the department. The members of the association have lost their patience as such their patience has been tested to the last extent. All the members are feeling otherwise and are asking to resort to initiate union action.