Crisis over promotions brews among CSIR scientists

A new promotional assessment norm has irked scientists at the Bangalore-based Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, which commands one of the largest scientific manpower in the world and has over 4,000 highly-qualified scientists.

At least 49 scientists, who were eligible for promotion between 2002 and 2004, will now be losing money by way of promotional benefit, thanks to a new norm.

The scientists, who were eligible for promotion in these two years, were assessed by the recruitment board of the CSIR between August and October 2005. The board was constituted in January 2001 to streamline the promotion procedures with an aim to make it faster in the face of multinationals luring scientists with attractive pay packets.

These scientists were declared promoted stating that their promotion will be in effect from April 3 2006 onwards. This would mean that the 49 scientists are set to lose benefits they should have received during the interim period between 2002-03 and 2003-04 till April 2006.

A copy of the Rules for Recruitment and Assessment Promotion of Scientists Gr. IV in CSIR, which is possession of rediff.com, states that 'scientists recommended by the committee as fit for promotion shall be so promoted from the due date of eligibility for assessment.'

The 49 scientists were promoted to be eligible for a payscale ranging between Rs 18,400 and Rs 22,400, while the earlier pay scale (of Group IV(5) from where they were promoted) was in the range of Rs 16,400 to Rs 20,000.

"Before a candidate completes the stipulated residency period in his present post, the process of evaluation should be completed so that those who are declared promoted can resume duties in the higher posts from the date on which his promotion is due," a scientist points out, adding, "Now we stand to lose in terms of benefits from 2003 to 2006."