7th Pay Commission: Govt Revises Minimum Qualifying Service for Promotion Ahead of DA Hike

The government has decided to revise the rules defining the minimum eligibility service required for the promotion of Central Government Employees as per the 7th CPC Pay Matrix and Pay Levels ahead of the expected Dearness Allowance (DA) rate hike.

The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) stated in an Office Memorandum (O.M.) dated September 20, 2022, "...it has been determined to amend the standards prescribing minimum eligibility service necessary for promotion, as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix and Pay Levels).”

According to DoPT, things considered in the Recruitment Rules and Service Rules may be made to reflect the updated standards needed for promotion. Additionally, it urged all Ministries and Departments to amend the Recruitment Rules and Service Rules as needed after following the proper procedure.

What are the minimum eligibility services for promotion?

According to the updated rules, 3 years of qualifying service is required before being promoted from Level 1 to Level 2 in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.

The minimum amount of service required for promotion from Level 6 to Level 11 is 12 years. Just two years of service are required to go from Level 7 to Level 8.

By replacing the then-existing Pay Band and Grade Pay with the new pay structure based on "Level in the Pay Matrix" in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, the DoPT had advised all Ministries and Departments to amend the Service Rules and Recruitment Rules. This was stated in its O.M. dated 9-8-2016.

"Instructions revising the minimum qualifying service needed for promotion as per the 7th CPC Pay Matrix/Pay Levels, have not yet been issued, and proposals for framing/amending of RRs/Service Rules are still being considered, based on requirements prescribed in OM dated 24.3.2009," reads the statement.

See the full list of minimum service requirements for promotions from one Level to another below:

Although the levels in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix's Amended Pay Matrix mainly correspond to the 6th CPC's previously revised Grade Pays/Pay Scales, the DoPT observed that it was necessary to specify the minimum amount of qualifying service for promotion as per the Revised Pay Matrix's Pay Levels.