NFIR – Allotment of Qualification based Pay Matrix — ECG Technicians in Railways
No.II/1/2018
Dated: 30/07/2018
The Secretary(E) Railway Board, New Delhi.
Dear Sir,
Sub: Allotment of Qualification based Pay Matrix — ECG Technicians in Railways.
Ref: (i) NFIR’s PNM item No. 60/2012.
(ii) NFIR’s letter No. II/1/Part XI dated 26/09/2016.
(iii) NFIR’s letter No. II/ 1/Part XII dated 23/01/2017.
(iv) Railway Board’s letter No. PC-VII/2016/R-U/40 dated 06/03/2017 to GS/NFIR.
(v) NFIR’s letter No. II/l/Part XII dated 08/11/2017.
In reply to the Federation’s proposal contained in NFIR’s letter dated 26/09/2016 for revision of entry qualification of ECG Technician and to provide Level-6 in 7th CPC Pay Matrix to the ECG Technicians (in Level-4), following points have been raised by the Railway Board vide its reply dated 06/03/2017.
- In respect of ECG Technician of the Railways, no specific recommendations have been made by 7th CPC in Chapter 7.7 of the Report of which deals with Para-Medical cadre under Ministry of Railways.
- The parity of different categories of Para-Medical Staff in Railways with Para-Medical staff of other specified Central Government Hospitals cannot be made due to functional requirements. The service conditions in the Institutions of National Eminence like AIIMS, JIPMER cannot always be compared with smaller Railway Hospitals/Dispensaries keeping in view the number of cases and critical nature of cases being attended by them.
The Railway Board has however admitted that the minimum entry qualification of ECG Technician in the Railways has been revised (Board’s letter dated 29/09/2015 RBE No. 118/2015 which is also not the same as those in other Hospitals/Institutes cited by the Federation.
While disputing with above views, Federation places the following facts for taking judicious decision at the level of Railway Board:-
(i) Federation invites Board’s attention to Para 6.6.8, of 7th CPC where following recommendations have been made which need to be considered positively.
“While the Commission notes that career and promotional prospects of these cadres may vary across organizations, there should be broad uniformity in the public sector, as far as entry level qualifications and pay scales, of cadres with similar job content are concerned ….. In respect of cadres not dealt in this Report, a similar approach by the ministries/departments is recommended”.
Federation suggests that the Railway Board can take action as per the above recommendation for rendering justice to ECG Technicians whose number is very small.
(ii) Federation further desires to add that the Railways have also been running Cardiac treatment and Research Institute at Railway Hospital, Perambur, Chennai since the year Similar unique role is performed in the Zonal Railway Hospitals on Indian Railways mainly located in Metro Cities and other big cities in every Zone. Functional requirement/role and service conditions of ECG Technicians in these Railway Hospitals are definitely comparable with the Institutions of National Eminence and cannot be rated inferior. The infrastructure is also available in these Railway Hospitals for treatment of Railway patients. Thus the duties and responsibilities of ECG Technicians in Railway Hospitals are in no way less than those working in Institutions of National Eminence, therefore they need to be given parity.
(iii) The entry qualification of ECG Technicians recruited by the Railways has been enhanced and therefore the ECG Technicians in Railways are required to be placed in erstwhile GP 4200/Level-6 (7th CPC Pay Level-6) which has been denied by the Railway Ministry. The Railway Board’s view that only the identical nomenclature, without comparable qualification and job responsibilities cannot be the basis for parity in pay level citing Para 6.9 of 7th CPC report is therefore not valid.
NFIR, therefore, once again urges upon the Railway Ministry to consider the above points and also justification contained in the Federation’s proposal dated 26/09/2016 and seek approval of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (the nodal Ministry for all Para-Medical Staff) for allotment of Pay Level-6 to the ECG Technicians of Railways.
A copy of proposal sent to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare be made available to the Federation for taking further follow up action.
Yours Faithfully,
S/d,
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary
Source: NFIR