Gramin Dak Sevaks (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme, 2023

OM. No.17-01/2017-GDS

Government of India

Ministry of Communications

Department of Posts

(GDS Section)

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110 001 Dated: 14.06.2023

To
1. All Chief Postmasters General / Postmasters General
2. Chief General Manager, BD Directorate / Parcel Directorate I PLI Directorate
3. Director, RAKNPA I CGM, CEPT/Directors of all PTCs
4. Addl. Director General, Army Postal Service, New Delhi
5. All General Managers (Finance) / Directors Postal Accounts / DDAP 

Subject: Gramin Dak Sevaks (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme, 2023.

I am directed to refer to this office letters No. 17-1/2017-GDS dated 30.05.2017 whereas the instructions regarding engagement of dependents of deceased Gramin Dak Sevaks on compassionate grounds (the Scheme) were issued.

2.   Based on the references received, a need was felt to further review the scheme to expedite the processing of the compassionate engagement cases. With this view the scheme has been reviewed and it has been decided to introduce revised scheme for compassionate engagement of eligible dependents of deceased Gramin Dak Sevaks to be known as GDS (Compassionate engagement) Scheme, 2023.

3.   The scheme will come into effect from the date of issue of this Scheme and will be applicable in all cases yet to be put up before Compassionate Committee on Engagements (CCE). The cases which have already been settled will not be reopened. A copy of the scheme is attached.

4.  Circles are requested to circulate the revised Scheme to all concerned and ensure its implementation.

Director (G DS)

Copy to: All Recognized Service Associations

GRAM1N DAK SEVAKS (COMPASSIONATE ENGAGEMENT) SCHEME, 2023 

1. Objective

The objective of the Scheme is to grant engagement on compassionate grounds to one of the dependent family members of a regularly engaged GDS who dies in harness while in engagement or missing GDS to relieve the family of the deceased GDS from financial destitution and to help it to get over the emergency. Compassionate engagement would not be a matter of right and it will be subject to the fulfilment of all the conditions, including availability of vacancy, laid down for such engagement under the scheme.

2. Who call apply?

A dependent family member of GDS engaged on regular basis who dies while in engagement (including death by suicide): -

"Dependent Family Member means and includes the following:

(a) Spouse;

(b) Son including legally adopted son/married son;

(c) Daughter including legally adopted daughter/divorced 

daughter/Judicially separated daughter wholly dependent on the GDS,

(d) In the case of death of an unmarried GDS, unmarried brother or sister (unmarried/widow/divorced/judicially separated) wholly dependent on the GDS at the time of his/her death.

(e) Widowed daughter-in-law of the deceased GDS, provided she gives an undertaking that she is not availing the same benefit from her own parenthood,

(0 Widowed daughter of the GDS, provided she gives an undertaking that

she is not availing the same benefit from her husband's parenthood.

Note: A widow/divorced daughter or sister engaged on compassionate grounds will be allowed to continue in engagement even after re-marriage.

3. Order of priority: -

(i) First priority will be given to spouse of the deceased GDS. In such cases consent of the spouse will only be taken.

(ii) Second priority will be given to the dependent nominated by spouse. In such cases the consent of the spouse and the nominated dependent will only be taken.

 (iii) In case there is no spouse or GDS was unmarried at the time of his/her death, the compassionate engagement may be given to any one of the dependent family members with the consent of all other dependents.

4. Authority competent to make compassionate engagement and periodicity of meeting of CCE:

(i) Divisional Head/i lead of Unit (PS Group B and above) will be competent to make Compassionate engagements on the vacant GDS posts, on the basis of recommendations of the Committee on Compassionate Engagement (CCE) and prior approval of Regional Director or DPS (HQ) as the case may be.

(ii) All cases for compassionate engagement will be considered by a CCE and

recommendations of the Committee will be sent for approval of Regional Director or to DPS (HQ) where the Division/Unit report directly to Circle Office.

(iii) The CCE will consist of 3 members for considering compassionate engagement of dependent of deceased GDS as under: -

(a) Head of engaging Division/Unit (PS Group B and above]

(b) In case of Division:

(1) Dy. SP/ASP/IP posted in Divisional Office who looks after compassionate engagement cases in the Division

(2) Senior most sub divisional head of the Division concerned.

(c) In case of Units, one ASP/[P looking after compassionate engagement cases in the Unit and one senior most ASP/IP working in the Unit. In case of non availability of ASP/IP in the unit, ASP/IP posted at the same station in other units/divisions may be co-opted.

(iv) The Committee will meet quarterly, i.e., in April, July, October and January to consider the cases arising during the previous quarter.

Note-1: - "Gramin Dak Sevak" for the purpose of these instructions means a GDS engaged on regular basis after undergoing prescribed engagement process or on compassionate grounds. Those engaged on provisional basis or as a substitute or trainee are not covered in the definition of GDS for the purpose of this scheme.

Note.2: - The deceased GDS for whom verification of educational certificates, caste certificates, Police verification etc. were not completed at the time of his/her death, family members of such deceased GDS will not be eligible for engagement on compassionate grounds till successful verification of all relevant/required documents.

5. Posts to which such engagements can be made: - The compassionate engagement can be made only against the vacant posts of GDS covered under GDS [Conduct & Engagement) Rules, 2020 on regular basis.

6. Eligibility: -

(a) Applicant for compassionate engagement should be eligible as per the criteria prescribed for engagement of GDS in GDS (Conduct & Engagement) Rules, 2020 (revised from time to time) and suitable for the post in all respects as per the conditions prescribed for normal regular, selection to the GDS post for which being considered.

(b) Relaxed Criteria: - If a dependent of deceased GDS, willing for compassionate engagement does not possess requisite educational qualification at the time of submission of application on compassionate grounds, he/she may still be considered for engagement to the post of Dak Sevak on provisional basis provided-

(i) He/she will be given upto a maximum of 3 years to acquire minimumrequired educational qualification for engagement as regular GDS as prescribed under GDS (Conduct & Engagement) Rules, 2020.

(ii] During his/her provisional engagement as Dak Sevak, he/she will be given only the minimum of the TRCA (Level-I) applicable to Dak Sevak and will not be entitled to annual increment till he/she attains the requisite educational qualification.

(iii) Engagement of such Dak Sevak shall be provisional and liable to be terminated, as per provisions under Rule-8 of GDS (Conduct and Engagement) Rules, 2020.

(iv) In the event of not acquiring minimum required educational qualification in the prescribed 3 years time from date of provisional engagement, the provisional engagement of the GDS will stand automatically terminated.

(v) Transfer of such provisionally engaged GDS shall not be considered under Rule 3 of GDS (Conduct & Engagement) Rules, 2020 till completion of one year from regularization of engagement.

Notel: Age eligibility shall be determined with reference to the date of application and not the date of engagement.

Note2: - Head of Division/Unit will keep a record of GDS engaged under relaxed criteria and will be responsible for ensuring that such GDS are not continued in engagement after 3 years if they fail to acquire the requisite educational qualification.

7. Exemptions: - Compassionate engagements are exempted from regular engagement procedure such as notification by the Department of Posts for engagement of GDS and other processes.

8. Relaxation: - There will be no relaxation in the upper age for the engagement on compassionate grounds. There will, however, be no upper age limit in respect of applicant spouse of the deceased.

9. Pasting f tl-gA/Sertgaged on compassionate ground: -

After having received the requisite approvals, vacant GDS post be offered to the applicant in the following order of priority: -

(i) Post on which deceased GDS was working, if vacant.

(ii) All GDS posts vacant in the sub division in which the post of deceased GDS lies.

(iii) All other posts in the same Division/Unit.

(iv) The vacant posts shall be offered to the applicant in writing and preference obtained in writing from the said applicant. In case, more than one applicant prefers the same vacant GDS post, the elder applicant will be given the preference.

10. Time limits for eligible dependent of deceased GDS for submission of application: -

(i) In case there is eligible candidate in family and wants to apply, he/she has to submit application in all respect to IP/ASP of Sub Division/Unit at the earliest possible opportunity but not later than two years from the date of death of the GDS.

(ii) In case there is no one eligible family member in the family, such member can apply for compassionate engagement within two years of attaining the requisite eligibility criteria.

11. Belated requests: - Any request for engagement on compassionate ground received after two years from the date of death of the GDS or two years of attaining the requisite eligibility criteria (in case non-availability of eligible dependent at the time of death) will be considered as belated request of which no cognizance will be taken by the Department.

Download Source File and signed Copy of OM. No.17-01/2017-GDS from DOP GDS section dated 14.06.2023

https://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=8034