Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’ Rules, 2017

• Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’ Rules, 2017
  • 1. Short title and commencement.
  • 2. Definitions.
  • 3. Composition of the Service.
  • 4. Departmental Promotion Committees.
  • 5. Power to hold duty posts in abeyance or to declare them excadre.
  • 6. Power to post against equivalent post.
  • 7. Deputation of members of the Service.
  • 8. Posting of Cadre Officers.
  • 9. Duty posts to be held by Cadre Officers.
  • 10. Recruitment to Grade I (Under Secretary) .
  • 11. Recruitment to Section Officer’s Grade.
  • 12. Recruitment to Assistant Grade.
  • 13. Recruitment to Upper Division Clerk Grade.
  • 14. Recruitment to Lower Division Clerk Grade.
  • 15. Appointment to Principal Staff Officer, Senior Principal Private Secretary and Principal Private Secretary Grade.
  • 16. Recruitment to Private Secretary Grade.
  • 17. Recruitment to Personal Assistant Grade.
  • 18. Recruitment to Stenographer Grade ‘D’.
  • 19. Consideration of Seniors.
  • 20. Seniority.
  • 21. Probation.
  • 22. Candidates must be citizen of India.
  • 23. Other conditions of service.
  • 24. Removal of difficulties.
  • 25. Regulations.
  • 26. Power to relax.
  • 27. Saving.

The Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’ Rules, 2017

Published vide Notification No. G.S.R. 1133(E), 29th August 2017

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Ministry of External Affairs

G.S.R. 1133(E). – In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution and in supersession of the Indian Foreign Service Branch `B’ Rules, 2016, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the President hereby makes the following rules, namely: –
1. Short title and commencement. – (1) These rules may be called the Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’ Rules, 2017.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions. – In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, –

(a) “approved service” in relation to any Grade means –

(i) in respect of an officer recruited directly to that Grade, the period or periods of regular service rendered in that Grade, including period or periods of absence during which he would have held a post on a regular basis in that Grade but for his being on leave or otherwise not being available to hold such post, from the 1st day of July of the year, following the year in which the examination for direct recruitment was held;

(ii) in respect of an officer recruited to that Grade through departmental examination, period or periods of regular service rendered in that Grade, including period or periods of absence during which he would have held a post on regular basis in that Grade but for his being on leave or otherwise not being available to hold such post, from the 1st day of July of the year for vacancies of which such examination was held;

(iii) in respect of an officer recruited to that Grade on the basis of length of service in the lower Grade, period or periods of regular service rendered in that Grade, including period or periods of absence during which he would have held a post on regular basis in that Grade but for his being on leave or otherwise not being available to hold such post, from the 1st day of July of the year for which the recruitment was made;

(b) “cadre” means the group of posts in the Grades of the service specified in rule 3 and includes temporary additions to the strength of the service;

(c) “cadre officer” in relation to any Grade means a member of the Service;

(d) “Commission” means the Union Public Service Commission;

(e) “Controlling Authority” means the Government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs;

(f) “Crucial date of eligibility” for the purpose of promotion referred to in the rules 10 to 17, mean the first day of July of the year of recruitment;

(g) “Direct recruit” means a person recruited on the basis of competitive examination, other than a departmental competitive examination, through the Staff Selection Commission;

(h) “Duty post” in relation to any grade of the service means a cadre post held by officers of the service on a regular basis.

(i) “Grade” means any of the Grades specified in rule 3;

(j) “Staff Selection Commission” means the Staff Selection Commission in the Department of Personnel and Training.

(k) “Regular vacancy” in relation to a grade for a select list year means actual vacancies in that grade as on the 1st July, excluding the vacancies of previous select list years for any mode of recruitment for which selection process is not complete, plus anticipated vacancies in that grade due to promotions, retirements, deputations and long leave during the select list year;

(l) “Select List” in relation to various Grades of the Service, means a list of officers prepared by merging the relevant panels issued for the select list year for all modes of recruitment for that Grade;

(m) “Select List year” means the period from the 1st July of the year to the 30th June of the following year;

(n) “Service” means the Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’.

3. Composition of the Service. – (1) There shall be the following Grades in the Service, namely :-

(i) General Cadre :

* Note: In future, there will be no recruitment to the grade of Cypher Assistant.

(iii) Stenographers’ Cadre

(2) On and from the date of commencement of these rules, the authorized permanent strength of the various Grades shall be as may, from time to time, be notified by the Controlling Authority in consultation with the Department of Expenditure.

4. Departmental Promotion Committees. – The composition of the Departmental Promotion Committees for the purpose of promotion and Departmental Confirmation Committees for considering confirmation referred to in rules 10 to 17 shall be such as indicated in the Schedule annexed to these rules.
5. Power to hold duty posts in abeyance or to declare them ex-cadre. – (1) The Controlling authority may hold in abeyance any permanent or temporary cadre post
(2) Any duty post in a Grade may be declared by the Controlling Authority to be excluded from the cadre,

(i) if such a post is required, for the time being, to be filled by the appointment on deputation basis of persons possessing special or technical qualifications or experience, or

(ii) if it is necessary, for the time being, to fill such a post by a person other than a cadre officer from amongst a person belonging to any other Central Government Service or a State Government Service holding analogous post and possessing qualification or experience as may be prescribed by the Controlling Authority, and on such a declaration being made, the post shall remain excluded from the cadre so long as the said declaration remains in force.

Provided that the appointment shall be in-consultation with the Commission where the field of selection is also from amongst State Government Officers or where it involves Group B or both Group A and Group B officers simultaneously to a Group A service or post.
6. Power to post against equivalent post. – (1) The controlling authority, if it is satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so,

(i) may post an employee of the Section Officer of the General Cadre against a post of Private Secretary of the Stenographers’ Cadre and in exchange, post a Private Secretary of the Stenographers’ Cadre against a post in the Section Officer Grade of the General Cadre;

(ii) may post a Cypher Assistant of the Cypher Sub-cadre against a post of Assistant of the General Cadre.

(2) An employee posted under sub-rule (1) shall continue to draw the pay in the Level in Pay Matrix admissible to him from time to time in his own Grade.
7. Deputation of members of the Service. – The Government may, at any time, depute a member of the Service to post, equivalent to or higher than that held by him in the Service, in any other Central Service or in an International Organisation or under a foreign employee and a member of the service so deputed shall be shown against a post in the deputation reserve:
Provided that the period of deputation shall not exceed three years in the first instance although the Government may extend the same by further periods not exceeding two years at a time:
Provided further that the total deputation tenure at a stretch should be not more than five years.
8. Posting of Cadre Officers. – Every officer shall, unless he is on leave or otherwise not available for holding a duty post, be posted against a duty post of the appropriate Grade in the cadre.
9. Duty posts to be held by Cadre Officers. – Every duty post in a Cadre shall, unless declared to be excluded from the Cadre or held in abeyance for any reason under rule 5, be held by a Cadre Officer of the appropriate Grade.
10. Recruitment to Grade I (Under Secretary) . – (1) Regular vacancies in Grade I shall be filled by promotion on selection basis of regular Section Officers of the General Cadre who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than eight years’ approved service in that Grade.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1) any vacancy in Grade I of the General Cadre may, in exceptional cases and in public interest, be filled by the Controlling Authority, in consultation with the Commission, by absorption of an officer holding a permanent Group ‘A’ ex-cadre post in the Ministry of External Affairs.
11. Recruitment to Section Officer’s Grade. – (1) The regular vacancies in the Section Officers Grade shall be filled by (i) 33.33 % through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination to be held by the Commission from officers of Assistant Grade of the General Cadre and Cypher Assistants of the Cypher Cadre and Personal Assistants of the Stenographers’ Cadre who have (a) undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs, (b) possess a Bachelors degree from the recognized University, (c) rendered not less than 5 years approved service and should also have earned at least 4 Annual Performance Appraisal Reports in the Grade(s), as the case may be; and (ii) 66.67 % by promotion of regular Assistants of the General Cadre and those of the Cypher Assistants in position on the date of notification of these rules, in the ratio of 7: 2 who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than 8 years of approved service and as soon as the persons holding posts of Cypher Assistant on the date as indicated vacate these positions, all the vacancies in the Section Officer grade as per this clause shall thereafter be filled by promotion of Assistants of the General Cadre.
(2) The procedures for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination referred to above shall be determined by regulations made by the Central Government in the Ministry of External Affairs.
12. Recruitment to Assistant Grade. – Regular vacancies in Assistant Grade shall be filled in the following manner, namely :-

(i) Eighty per cent (80 %) of the regular vacancies in the Assistant Grade shall be filled by direct recruitment of Graduates from a recognised University possessing computer proficiency as may be notified, on the basis of results of Combined Graduate Level Examination held by the Staff Selection Commission once in a year for this purpose.

(ii) Fifteen percent (15 %) of regular vacancies shall be filled by promotion on the basis of selection from persons included in Upper Division Clerk Grade of the Service who have on the crucial date rendered not less than ten years of approved service in that Grade and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs:

Provided that the eligibility condition for the above purpose shall continue to be five years “approved service” for persons holding UDC Grade posts on regular basis on the date of commencement of these rules.

(iii) Five percent (5 %) of regular vacancies shall be filled through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Upper Division Clerk Grade of the Service who, on the relevant date, has undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than six years’ approved service in the grade to be conducted by the Staff Selection Commission:

Provided that if sufficient numbers of persons do not become available in a particular select list, the vacancies shall be filled in the manner prescribed in clause (ii) above.

(iv) The rules for the Combined Graduate Level Examination and Limited Departmental Competitive Examination referred above shall be determined by regulations made by Central Government in the Ministry of External Affairs.

13. Recruitment to Upper Division Clerk Grade. – All vacancies in Upper Division Clerk Grade of the Service shall be filled by promotion on the basis of Seniority-cum-Fitness from persons included in Lower Division Clerk Grade of the Service who have on the crucial date rendered not less than eight years of approved service in that Grade and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
14. Recruitment to Lower Division Clerk Grade. – (1) Regular vacancies shall be filled in the following manner, namely:-

(i) Fifteen percent. (15 %) of regular vacancies may be filled by appointment of Multi Tasking Staff in Group ‘C’ working in the Ministry of External Affairs, in the following manner, namely:-

(a) Five percent (5 %) of the regular vacancies shall be filled on the basis of Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Multi-Tasking staff in Group ‘C’ conducted for this purpose by the Staff Selection Commission in which Multi-Tasking staff who have passed the 12th Standard Examination from a recognized Board or equivalent and have rendered not less than 3 years regular service as Group ‘C’ employee having pay in Level 1 in the Pay Matrix and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs shall be eligible to participate subject to such regulations as may from time to time made by the controlling authority.

(b) Ten percent. (10 %) of the regular vacancies may be filled on Non-Selection basis from amongst those Multi-Tasking Staff in Group C working in the Ministry of External Affairs who have on the crucial date rendered not less than 3 years regular service and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and are within the range of seniority prescribed by the Controlling Authority and are educationally qualified for appointment as Lower Division Clerks, i.e. who have passed the Matriculation or an equivalent qualifications as prescribed in model recruitment rules for Group ‘C’ posts:

Provided that if sufficient number of persons do not become available, the vacancies shall be filled in the manner prescribed in clause (ii);

(ii) Eighty Five per cent. (85 %) of the vacancies or such higher percentage as may be determined by the Controlling authority in accordance with the proviso to clause (i), shall be filled by the direct recruitment on the basis of competitive examination held for the purpose by the Staff Selection Commission:

Provided that to the extent to which a sufficient number of qualified candidates of the competitive examination, referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) are not available for appointment on the result of such examination, the vacancies may be filled, provisionally or on a regular basis in such manner as may be determined by the Controlling Authority.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Controlling Authority may fill such percentage, arising in a year, otherwise than as provided for in the rules on compassionate grounds in accordance with the relevant instructions from time to time notified by the Central Government.
15. Appointment to Principal Staff Officer, Senior Principal Private Secretary and Principal Private Secretary Grade. – (1) Regular vacancies in the Principal Staff Officer Grade shall be filled as per the guidelines issued for Non-Functional Selection Grade applicable in case of organised Group `A’ Services with officers of the Senior Principal Private Secretary Grade who have on the crucial date rendered not less than five years of approved service in that Grade failing which by promotion of Senior Principal Private Secretary with 10 years combined regular service in the Grade of Senior Principal Private Secretary and Principal Private Secretary out of which minimum three years shall be in the Grade of Senior Principal Private Secretary.
(2) Regular vacancies in the Senior Principal Private Secretary Grade shall be filled by promotion through selection of regular officers of the Principal Private Secretary Grade who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than five years’ approved service in that Grade.
(3) Regular vacancies in the Principal Private Secretary Grade shall be filled by promotion through selection of regular officers of the Private Secretary Grade who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than eight years approved service in that Grade.
16. Recruitment to Private Secretary Grade. – (1) (i) 66.67 per cent of the regular vacancies in the Grade of Private Secretary shall be filled by promotion (seniority quota) on seniority basis from amongst Personal Assistants of the Stenographers’ Cadre of the Service who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than eight years approved service in that grade; and

(ii) 33.33 per cent through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination to be conducted by the Commission from regular Personal Assistants of the Stenographer Cadre of the service who on the crucial date possess a Bachelor Degree of a recognised University and have rendered not less than five years approved service in that grade and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs.

(2) The procedures for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination referred to above shall be determined by the regulations made by the Central Government in the Ministry of External Affairs.
17. Recruitment to Personal Assistant Grade. – (1) The regular vacancies in the Grade of Personal Assistant shall be filled (i) 62.5% by direct recruitment through Competitive Examination held by the SSC, (ii) 25% by promotion (seniority quota) on selection basis from amongst Stenographer Grade ‘D’ of the Service who have on the crucial date undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs and rendered not less than ten years approved service in that grade and (iii) 12.5% through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination held by the SSC who have rendered not less than 06 years approved service and undergone and successfully completed such mandatory training programme(s) as may be prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs:
Provided that eligibility service for the above purpose shall continue to be five years approved service for persons holding Stenographer Grade ‘D’ posts on regular basis before the date of commencement of these rules.
(2) The rules for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination referred to above shall be determined by the regulations made by the Central Government in the Ministry of External Affairs.
18. Recruitment to Stenographer Grade ‘D’. – (1) Regular vacancies in Stenographer Grade ‘D’ of the service shall be filled by direct recruitment on the basis of competitive examination conducted for the purpose by the Staff Selection Commission.
(2) The rules for the Competitive examination referred to in sub-rule (1) may be prescribed by regulations as may be made by the Ministry of External Affairs.
19. Consideration of Seniors. – Notwithstanding the provisions contained in rules 10 to 17, where juniors who have completed their eligibility service and fulfil all other prescribed requirements including training are being considered for promotion, their seniors would also be considered provided they fulfil all other prescribed requirements for promotion and are not short of the requisite eligibility service by more than half of such eligibility service or two years, whichever is less, and have successfully completed probation period for promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such eligibility service.
20. Seniority. – (1) The relative seniority of members of the Service appointed to any Grade before the commencement of these rules shall be regulated by their relative seniority as determined before the said date: Provided that, if the seniority of any such officer had not been specifically determined before the said date, it shall be as determined by the Central Government in the Ministry of External Affairs in consultation with the Commission.
(2) The seniority of persons appointed to any Grade after the date of commencement of these rules shall be determined in accordance with the General instructions issued by the Central Government on the subject from time to time.
21. Probation. – (1) Every officer, (i) in the General Cadre either directly recruited or promoted to Lower Division Clerk Grade or directly recruited or promoted to Assistant Grade or promoted to Grade I and, (ii) directly recruited to Stenographer Grade D or promoted or directly recruited to the post of Personal Assistant or promoted to the post of Principal Private Secretary of the Stenographers’ Cadre shall initially be appointed on probation, the period of probation being two years from the date of appointment:
Provided that the Controlling Authority may extend the period of probation in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government from time to time.
Provided further that any decision for extension of a probation period shall be taken ordinarily within eight weeks after the expiry of the previous probationary period and communicated in writing to the concerned officer together with the reason for so doing within the said period.
(2) On completion of the period of probation or any extension thereof, officers shall, if considered fit for permanent appointment, be retained in their appointments on regular basis and be confirmed in the due course as the case may be.
(3) If, during the period of probation or any extension thereof, as the case may be where Controlling Authority is of the opinion that an officer is not fit for permanent appointment, the Controlling Authority may discharge or revert the officer to the post held by him prior to his appointment in the service, as the case may be.
(4) During the period of probation, or any extension thereof, candidates may be required by the Controlling Authority to undergo such courses of training and instructions and to pass examinations, and tests (including examination in Hindi) as Controlling Authority may deem fit, as a condition to satisfactory completion of the probation.
(5) As regards other matters relating to probation, the members of the Service shall be governed by the instructions issued by the Central Government in this regard from time to time.
22. Candidates must be citizen of India. – (1) A candidate for appointment to the service must be a citizen of India or must belong to such categories of persons as may, from time to time, be notified in this behalf by the Central Government in the Department of Personnel and Training.
(2) No person, –

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having his spouse living; or

(b) who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person,

shall be eligible for appointment to the Service.
Provided that the Central Government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to person and the other party to the marriage and there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this sub-rule
23. Other conditions of service. – The condition of service of the members of the Service in respect of matters for which no provision exists in these rules or for which no specific rules have been made separately, shall be the same as are applicable from time to time of officers of the Central Civil Services Groups `A’ to’ C’.
24. Removal of difficulties. – The Central Government may, from time to time, issue such general or special directions as may be necessary to remove difficulties in the operation of any of the provisions of these rules.
25. Regulations. – In pursuance of these rules, regulations may be made, not inconsistent with these rules, to provide for all matters for which provision is necessary or expedient, for the purpose of giving effect to these rules.
26. Power to relax. – Where the Central Government is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the Commission, relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of persons or posts:
Provided that this dispensation shall be exercised by the Controlling Authority in respect of Group C posts except the provisions of the recruitment rules governing upper age limit or qualifications for direct recruitment.
27. Saving. – Nothing in these rules shall affect reservations, relaxation and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Ex-servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Central Government from time to time in this regard.

Annexure

Schedule

Composition of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) for Promotion/Confirmation with reference to rule 4 of the rules.