Considering entry as GP Rs.4600/Level-7 for the purpose of MACP to all the directly recruited Graduate Engineers in Design and Drawing Cadre: IRTSA
INDIAN RAILWAYS TECHNICAL SUPERVISORS’ ASSOCIATION
No:IRTSA/Memo-28/MACPS
Date: 21.08.2025
Director General (HR)
Railway Board, New Delhi.
Reseected Sir,
Sub: Considering entry as GP Rs.4600/level-7 for the purpose of MACP to all the directly recruited Graduate Engineers in Design and Drawing Cadre.
Ref: PCPO/ICF letter No. N o. PB/S1A/Misc./MACP, dated 02.08.2025.
-
In Design & Drawing cadre, the recruitment grade (Entry grade) of Graduate Engineers before 01.09.1998 was Rs.1600-2660 in 4th CPC and Rs.5500-9000 in 5th CPC pay scales.
-
Based on recommendations of 5th CPC, to bring uniformity with workshop and open line Technical Supervisors, recruitment grade for Engineering graduates in Design & Drawing cadre was changed to Rs.6500-10500 (Section Engineer) w.e.f. 01.09.1998. (Ref: R.B.letter No. PC-V/97/I/11/3, dt: 28.09.1998).
-
In 5th CPC Pay scale system, Design & Drawing cadre consists of JE-II, JE-I, SE and SSE. JE-II was having direct recruitment with Diploma qualification and SE was having element of 20% direct recruitment with Engineering Graduate qualification.
-
After implementation of 6th CPC recommendations, JE-II & JE-I were merged as JE and SE & SSE were merged as SSE. 20% Direct recruitment element for Engineering Graduates has been placed at Grade Pay Rs.4600 as per sl. No 28 of RBE No.161/2009, dated 03.09.2009 on revised classification and mode of filling up of non-gazetted posts.
-
Changes happened at the entry grade of Graduate Engineers and reduction of four grades to two grades from 4th CPC to 7th CPC is given in table below.
| Direct Recruitment qualification | Hierarchy before 1998 | Hierarchy after 1998 & up to 2009 | 4th CPC | 5th CPC | Hierarchy after 2009 | 6th CPC | 7th CPC |
| Diploma in Engineering | JE-II (100% DR) | JE-II (100% DR) | 1400-2300 | 5000-8000 | GP 4200 | PL-6 | |
| Graduate in Engineering | JE-I (20% DR & 80% Promotion) | JE-I (100% Promotion) | 1600-2660 | 5500-9000 | JE (100% DR) | Both Engg. Degree & Diploma entrant cadres equated. | |
| SE (100% promotion) | SE (20% DR & 80% Promotion) | 2000-3200 | 6500-10500 | SSE (20% DR & 80% Promotion) | GP 4600 | PL-7 | |
| SSE (100% promotion) | SSE (100% promotion) | 2375-3500 | 7450-11500 | ||||
-
ACP & MACPS has been implemented after acceptance of 5th and 6th CPCs recommendations to give relief to employees stagnated in one grade for 12/10 years respectively. MACP Scheme provides financial upgradation to next Grade Pay / Pay Level on completion of 10 years, 20 years and 30 years from the entry grade.
-
Merger of grades and changes implemented in the entry grade of Graduate Engineers placed senior graduate engineers entered in service prior to 01.09.1998 in a disadvantageous position. All SSEs of workshop and open line cadre and SSE (Design & Drawing) entered for the posts with Engineering Graduate entry qualification after 01.09.1998 are eligible to reach level-10 through financial upgradation under MACPS. But a small group of SSEs (Design & Drawing) entered for the posts with Engineering Graduate entry qualification prior to 01.09.1998 are able to reach level-9 only, i.e they are getting financial upgradation under MACPS equal to those who were recruited as JE-II with the entry qualification of Diploma in Engineering.
| Entry grade | Diploma in Engg | Graduate in Engg (Work shop & open line) | Graduate Engg (Design and Drawing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry as JE-II & JE | Entry as SE & SSE | Entry as SE & SSE, after 01.09.1998 | Entry as JE-I & SE, prior to 01.09.1998 | |
| 5th CPC entry | Rs.5000-8000 | Rs.6500-10500 | Rs.6500-10500 | Rs.5500-9000 |
| Progression by MACP in 7th CPC Pay level | 6 | – | – | 6 Pay upgradation equated to Diploma entry cadre. |
-
Practical illustration on disadvantageous position of Graduate Engineers of Design and Drawing cadre appointed prior to 01.01.1998 in ICF Chennai is given in table below.
| S.N | Name of the Employee | Date of Joining as JE-I with the entry qualification of Engg degree (Rs.1600-2660 & Rs.5500-9000) | Date of joining as SE with entry qualification of Engg degree (Rs.6500-10500) | Promotion / MACP equal to 7th7th CPC Pay level |
| 1. | T. Hariharan | October 1990 | 1) 1996 Feb – Promotion to PL-7 2) 2006 Sep – MACP-2 to PL-8 3) 2016 Sep – MACP-3 to PL-9 |
|
| 2. | G. Nageswaran | July 1996 | 1) 2008 Sep – MACPS-1 to PL-7 & 2008 Nov Promotion 2) 2017 – MACP-2 to PL-8 3) 2027 – MACP-3 to PL-9 |
|
| 3. | J. Jayanthi | September 2004 | 1) 2015 Sep – MACP-1 to PL-8 2) 2025 Sep – MACP-2 to PL-9 3) 2035 Sep – MACP-3 to PL-10 |
-
Basic principle of ACP/MACPS needs to be applied – “An employee who got promoted from lower pay-scale to higher pay-scale as a result of promotion before merger of pay-scales shall be entitled for upgradation under ACP/MACP ignoring the said promotion as otherwise he would be placed in a disadvantageous position vis-à-vis the fresh entrant in the merged grade”. Same principle of MACPS gets violated in case of Graduate Engineers recruited prior to 01.09.1998 in Rs.5500-9000 scale placed in a disadvantageous position than the fresh entrant Graduate Engineers after 01.09.1998 in Rs.6500-10500 scale.
-
For grant of Financial Upgradation to Pharmacists, in the clarification issued by the Railway Board through its letter No: PC-V/2011/M/4/NFIR, dated 25.09.2013, it was stated that, “Evidently there is no change in direct recruitment / entry grade of pharmacists. Further, in terms of policy instructions on MACPS entry grade is the grade which employee has joined on direct recruitment basis. Since there was no change in direct recruitment grade / entry grade, the demand to treat Grade Pay of Rs.4200 / PB-2 as entry grade for the purpose of MACPS for Pharmacists category is not feasible for acceptance”. But, in case of Design / Drawing category, the direct recruitment grade / entry grade with the Graduate in engineering qualification was changed from the pre-revised scale of Rs.5500-9000 to Rs.6500-10500.
-
The injustice in brief and way forward,
a) Graduate entry grade in Design wing is upgraded from 01.09.1998 from scale of Pay Rs.5500-9000 to Rs.6500-10,500 (GP Rs.4600).
b) For Graduates recruited before 01.09.1998, their entry grade was merged with Rs.5000-8000 (GP Rs.4200) which is the Grade Pay of Diploma Engineers entry. MACPS benefits for this small group of SSEs numbering around 100 is being counted from GP Rs.4200 instead of GP Rs.4600.
c) On the merits of explanations in above para, it is requested to treat Pay level-7 (Grade Pay of Rs.4600 / PB-2) as entry grade for the purpose of MACPS for all the direct recruited Engineering Graduates recruited before 01.09.1998 by ignoring the promotion earned from the pay scale of Rs.5500-9000 to Rs.6500-11500.
Thank you, in anticipation
Yours’ truly
Sd/-
K.V.RAMESH
General Secretary, IRTSA
9003149578
COMMENTS