Commercial Clerks - 6th ( VI ) Central Pay Commission Report

7.36.13   Insofar   as   the   issue   of   parity   of   pay   scale   of  Senior Commercial clerks with that of Senior Clerks is concerned, it is seen that Office Clerks, Commercial  Clerks, Ticket Checkers & TNCs popularly known as Non-Technical are recruited in the Railways through a common examination conducted by Railway Recruitment Board. The recruitment grade is Rs.3050-4590 except for commercial clerks whose entry grade was upgraded by the Fifth CPC to Rs.3200-4900 in view of multifarious functions performed by them. Earlier, the next promotion scale for all these categories was Rs.1200-2040 (corresponding to the Fifth CPC revised pay scale of Rs.4000-6000). However, due to 25% DR quota for graduates in the post of Senior Clerks, the Fifth CPC allotted them the higher grade of Rs.4500-7000, while for others, the scale of Rs.4000-6000 was allotted. This has led to the demand from Senior Commercial Clerks/equivalent for the same higher pay scale of Rs.4500-7000 on the ground that their job carries higher responsibilities, risk, strain & public interface, round the clock duties and difficult conditions of work in yards, sidings, coaching & goods terminals etc. There is merit in these arguments. While it is true that there is an element of graduate entry at Senior Clerk level, this alone may perhaps not justify grant of a higher grade vis-ŕ-vis other categories which are recruited along with them and whose nature of duties are perhaps more difficult. In fact it is due to this reason that the entry grade of Commercial Clerk is higher (Rs.3200-4900) vis-ŕ-vis other categories including office clerks (Rs.3050-4590). Thus a lower scale in the next grade for this post is not justified for this category. Even otherwise, the Commission is of the view that posts in the field offices have to be given their due as these posts are at the delivery level and, therefore, are crucial. The Commission, accordingly, recommends that category of Senior Commercial Clerks may be upgraded and placed in the scale of Rs.4500-7000 corresponding to the revised pay band PB-1 of Rs.4860-20200 along with grade pay of Rs.2800.

7.36.14 Similar situation also exists in respect of Transit Clerks where, too, the initial recruitment is in the pay scale of Rs.3200-4900 but the first promotion is in the grade of Rs.4000-6000 as Senior Transit Clerk.   The next promotion is that of Head Transit Clerk in the scale of Rs.4500-7000. The functions of the posts of Senior Transit Clerk and Head Transit Clerk are comparable. As such these posts can be merged. Accordingly, the Commission recommends merger of the posts of Senior Transit Clerk and Head Transit Clerk. Transit Clerks will then automatically be eligible for first promotion in the scale of Rs.4500-7000 corresponding to the revised pay band PB-1 of Rs.4860-20200 along with grade pay of Rs.2800.

7.36.15 Insofar as the demand for grant of the scale of Rs.7450-11500 to the category of Commercial Clerks is concerned, it is observed that this apex grade has been given to categories where there is an element of direct recruitment of Degree holders at the Supervisory level. Ministry of Railways have clarified that an element of direct recruitment to the extent of 25% in the scale of Rs.5500-9000 (Head Commercial Clerk) exists even in the case of this category. In fact, Ministry of Railways had also mooted a proposal for introducing this scale but the same could not be finalized. Keeping in view the relativities concerned, the Commission is of the view that the category of Commercial Clerks also deserves to be granted the apex Group C pay scale of Rs.7450-11500. The Commission, in a subsequent paragraph, has recommended restructuring of the posts in different grades in the four clerical streams in Railways to bring them on par with the structure being proposed in various field organizations of the Central Government. As per this, the posts of Head Commercial Clerk and Chief Commercial Clerk will be merged in the scale of Rs.6500-10500 corresponding to the revised pay band PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800 along with grade pay of Rs.4200. The post of Commercial Superintendent will then be placed in the scale of Rs.7450-11500 corresponding to the revised pay band PB-2 of Rs.8700-34800 along with grade pay of Rs.4600. This will automatically meet the demand for introduction of higher scale of Rs.7450-11500 in this cadre. The Commission is, however, unable to recommend Health Hazard Allowance/similar allowances for Commercial Clerks as their work is not of such a nature as would necessitate grant of these allowances. The element of handling cash is part of the duties and any risk on this account has already been factored in the pay scales prescribed for this category. Accordingly, no separate Cash Handling Allowance is necessary.