The DoPT said that the minimum qualifications required for promotion may be incorporated in the recruitment rules or service rules by amending the revised norms of service.
The DoPT also requested all the Ministries and Departments to make necessary changes in the Recruitment and Service Rules by following due process.
Why the minimum eligibility requirement has been revised
Explaining the reason behind the move, the DoPT said, “The instructions to revise the minimum qualifying service required for promotion as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix/Pay Level have not yet been issued and RR/Service Rules to be framed/ Proposals for revision are still ongoing. Consideration is being made based on the requirements laid down in OM dated 24.3.2009. However, the level in the revised Pay Matrix as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix, generally pre-revised Grade Pay/Pay Scale (6th CPC), however, a need was felt to determine the minimum qualifying service for promotion as per the pay level in the revised Pay Matrix.”
The revised criteria for the minimum eligibility service required for promotion for Central Government employees shall be as under:
| sl. No. | From | To | Minimum qualifying service for promotion |
| 1 | level 1 | level 2 | 3 years |
| 2 | level 2 | level 3 | 3 years |
| 3 | level 2 | level 4 | 8 years |
| 4 | level 3 | level 4 | 5 years |
| 5 | level 4 | level 5 | 5 years |
| 6 | level 4 | level 6 | 10 years |
| 7 | level 5 | level 6 | 6 years |
| 8 | level 6 | level 7 | 5 years |
| 9 | level 6 | level 8 | 6 years |
| 10 | level 6 | level 9 | 8 years |
| 1 1 | level 6 | level 10 | 10 years |
| 12 | level 6 | level 11 | Twelve years |
| 13 | level 7 | level 8 | 2 years |
| 14 | level 7 | level 9 | 3 years |
| 15 | level 7 | level 10 | 5 years |
| 16 | level 7 | level 11 | year 9 |
| 17 | level 8 | level 9 | 2 years |
| 18 | level 8 | level 10 | 4 years |
| 19 | level 8 | level 11 | 8 years |
| 20 | level 9 | level 10 | 2 years |
| 21 | level 9 | level 11 | 7 years |
| 22 | level 10 | level 11 | 5 years |
| 23 | level 11 | level 12 | 5 years |
| 24 | level 11 | level 13 | 10 years |
| 25 | level 12 | level 13 | 5 years |
| 26 | level 12 | level 13a | 6 years |
| 27 | level 13 | level 13a | 2 years |
| 28 | level 13 | level 14 | 3 years |
| 29 | level 13a | level 14 | 2 years |
| 30 | level 14 | level 15 | 3 years |
| 31 | level 15 | level 16 | 1 year |
| 32 | level 15 | level 17 | 2 years |
| 33 | level 16 | level 17 | 1 year |
Source: DoPT Official Memorandum
“Recruitment/Service Rules are statutory in nature. Further, any amendment in these Rules generally has potential effect,” it further added.
The Ministry also mentioned that the proposed amendment to the Recruitment/Service Rules may include an “appropriate ‘Security Clause’ to provide for maintaining the existing eligibility service for existing incumbents holding feeder posts on regular basis”. Where the eligibility for promotion to the service prescribed in the extant rules is being extended and where the change is likely to affect the promotion of these incumbents.”
DoPT has asked the Ministries and Departments to complete the review in this regard and submit necessary amendment proposals to DoPT and UPSC within six months from the date of issue of this OM in case of Group A and Group B posts.