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CANARA BANK                                                     <>        Cir.No.                :  82/99

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SECTION         <>        INDEX                :  STAFF : 8  

PERSONNEL WING : 112 : J C ROAD               <>        DATE                  :   6th April 1999 

HEAD OFFICE : BANGALORE – 2                     <>        A FEZ          

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SUB:      GUIDELINES UNDER REGULATION 17 OF CANARA  BANK OFFICERS’ SERVICE REGULATIONS 1979 – REQUIREMENT OF RURAL / SEMI-URBAN POSTING FOR OFFICERS.

The Government of India guidelines with regard to compliance of Rural / Semi-Urban Service for promotion to Middle Management Grade Scale II and III, in terms of Regulation 17 of Canara Bank Officers’ Service Regulations 1979 (CBOSR 1979), were operative in respect of promotions effected from 1.6.88 onwards. In terms of above, an Officer has to put in 7 years of satisfactory service in JMGS I provided the Officer has put in a minimum of 2 years of service in Rural Branch for becoming eligible to be considered for promotion to MMGS II. Similarly, for becoming eligible to be considered for promotion to MMGS III, an Officer has to put in 5 years of service in MMGS II with a minimum of 3 years in a Rural/Semi-Urban branch.

We have been stipulating, after obtaining permission from the Ministry of Finance, the above conditions as post promotion condition every year, as providing opportunity to all the eligible employees to comply with the stipulation before promotion, was found to be difficult due to the availability of limited number of Rural/Semi-Urban branches.

Recently, the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, after having examined the above mandatory provision, have advised the following modifications with regard to compliance of Rural/Semi-Urban service by the Officers.

‘… The Board of each Bank may formulate a transparent and well defined policy for ensuring that each Officer of the Bank has sufficient exposure of Rural/Semi-Urban service atleast for Three years, before his promotion to Senior Management Grade Scale IV. It should also be ensured that all the Rural/Semi-Urban branches are adequately manned.

In case any Bank wishes to give exemptions from Rural/Semi-Urban posting in view of specialised nature of duties of certain Officers, they may do so subject to laying down a well defined and clear cut policy in this regard so as to ensure that there is no discrimination in giving such exemptions.’

In the light of above, we have since formulated a well defined policy for ensuring that the Officers acquire sufficient exposure of Rural/Semi-Urban service for atleast 3 years before their promotion to SMGS IV. The instructions as specified with regard to availability of Managers in all Rural/Semi-Urban branches were also borne in mind while formulating the policy. The revised guidelines of the Government have since been adopted and the policy was approved by the board.

The policy guidelines as approved by the Board are furnished here below: (The requisite service means and include 3 years service in Rural or Semi-Urban or both in total for a period of 3 years either in JMG Scale I or MMG II or III).

1.     The services rendered in branches in Rural/Semi-Urban centres shall only be computed for the purpose of compliance of requisite service. The service rendered at Rural/ Semi-Urban branches included under the Urban aglomeration centres shall not be counted for the purpose of stipulated service even if such centres are classified as Rural/Semi-Urban based on the population of the centre.

2.     Classifications of the branch shall be as advised by RBI from time to time on the basis of the population of the centre.

3.     Branches classified as Rural/Semi-Urban, situated at the peripheral of Metro/Urban centres but not within the Urban aglomeration shall be treated as such and the service rendered in such centres shall be reckoned as requisite service.

4.     The service rendered by an Officer either in Scale I or Scale II or Scale  III in Rural/Semi-Urban branches or both put together for a period 3 years shall be treated as the requisite service.

5.     Only the service in the usual place of work i.e., the branch where the Officer is attached to will be taken into account for the purpose of the service. In other words, the period of service on special assignment such as Inspection, Audit etc shall not be treated as requisite service even though the centre is classified as Rural/Semi-Urban.

6.     The requisite service need not be for a continuous period of 3 years. However such services can be calculated in terms of completed months.

Reckoning of the services rendered by the Officers on deputation to other Organisations:

7.     The services rendered on deputation at RUDSETI, NFRD projects, other Organisation irrespective of the fact whether the place of work is classified as Rural/Semi-Urban shall not be construed as requisite service.

However, the services rendered at RRBs, Farmers’ Co-operative Societies (FCS), District Industries Centre (DIC) shall be counted as requisite service provided the actual place of posting is at Rural/Semi-Urban Centre and at a branch in the case of RRBs.

8.     In the case of services rendered at extension counters, the classification of the main branch to which the extension counter is attached shall be the basis for computation of requisite service i.e. if the main branch is situated in a Rural/Semi-Urban centre, the services rendered at extension counter shall also be treated as requisite service even if the extension counter is situated in centres other than Rural/Semi-Urban centre but outside the Urban aglomeration. Similarly, if the main branch is situated in Urban/Metro centres and the extension counter is situated in Rural/Semi-Urban centres, the services rendered at extension counter shall not be treated as requisite service.

Specialist Officers:

The Specialist Officers such as Law Officers, Technical Field Officers, Junior Economists, Chartered Accountants, Financial Analysts, Computer Programmers, Security Officers, O L Officers, System Managers etc., recruited as such and continuing as such shall be exempted from compliance of Rural/Semi-Urban service so long as they continue as Specialist Officers and opt for promotion under separate career path in vogue in the Bank.

However, Specialist Officers recruited and continuing as such shall be required to undergo the requisite service in case they opt for switch over to Generalist Officers.

Lady Officers:

Lady Officers shall also undergo the requisite Rural/Semi-Urban service.

Officers belonging to Physically Handicapped category:

On a case to case basis, the Officers belonging to Physically Handicapped category may be considered for exemption from compliance of Rural / Semi-Urban service provided the Competent Authority is satisfied with the background of the individual case.

Officers working in Specialised Areas.

The Competent Authority may consider extending relaxation to the Officers working / handling specialised nature of work/job such as FOREX DEALINGS, EDP CPPD, INVESTMENTS, MERCHANT BANKING or such other departments as such from compliance of Rural/Semi-Urban service subject to the following:

a)     In case the Officer working in the above departments have not complied with the requisite service before promotion, the compliance of requisite service in their cases may be relaxed by the Competent Authority so long as they continue in the same set up.

b)    If the Officer has already completed 5 years at the time of promotion in a specialized set up, the relaxation shall be by exception. Otherwise, all Officers will be required to undergo the requisite service immediately on promotion in case they have not complied with the requisite service before promotion.

c)     In case the Officers has not completed 5 years tenure in the specialised area, subject to the permission from the Competent Authority, the relaxation can be considered to the extent of period permitted.

d)    The Officers if permitted relaxation from compliance of Rural/Semi-Urban service by the Competent Authority shall be required to comply with the requisite service before they become eligible for promotion to the next higher scale/grade.

   Sports Persons:

The Officers recruited under Sports category or otherwise shall be exempted from compliance of requisite service by the Competent Authority so long as they remain active in the sports/games field / coaching at National / International Level in the recognised games. However, the Officers will be required to acquire the exposure in Rural/Semi-Urban Centres as when they cease to play at the level indicated if the Officer is working in the relevant scales.

The games indicated by Banks’ Sports Board of Indian Bank Association would be treated as recognised games.

Reckoning the services on account of change of classification of the centre on population group:

When an Officer is posted to a Rural/Semi-Urban branch on promotion for compliance of requisite service, and if the centre is reclassified as Urban during the course of the term, the entire service of 3 years put in by him at the above centre shall be treated as requisite service for the purpose under the guidelines.

Waiver of shortfall in requisite service:

An Officer is required to acquire Rural/Semi-Urban branch exposure for a minimum of 3 years before becoming eligible for consideration to promotion to SMG Scale IV. As such, all Officers except those who have been specifically exempted under this policy as enumerated shall undergo the requisite service for the full term of 3 years. However, in case of any administrative exigencies, the Officer could not complete the requisite service of 3 years and there is a shortfall not exceeding 90 days, the shortfall in such cases could be waived by the Competent Authority on case to case basis depending upon the merits of individual cases. The Competent Authority for the purpose shall be Board of Directors.

Competent Authority:

The Competent Authority wherever the context so provides under the policy shall be the Chairman and Managing Director.

Procedure for providing opportunity for compliance of requisite service:

It shall be the endeavor of the Bank to post all the Officers / Managers to the Rural / Semi-Urban branches there by providing opportunity to acquire exposure in Rural/Semi-Urban branches before they become eligible for consideration for promotion to SMGS IV.

The Officers selected for promotion to MMGS II and MMGS III shall be posted to Rural/Semi-Urban branches immediately on promotion in case they have not complied with the requisite service earlier.

Even if the Officers have complied with the requisite service of 3 years, the Bank can at its discretion post the Officers/ Managers at Rural/Semi-Urban branches depending upon the administrative requirement and exigencies.

The above policy shall be implemented with immediate effect.

All the Officer employees are requested to make a note of the policy guidelines and ensure that they comply with the requisite service at the earliest, as it will be a stipulated hereafter to become eligible for consideration for promotion to SMGS IV.

M V KAMATH

GENERAL MANAGER