APPONTIMENT ON COMPASSIONATE GOUNDS
Appointment on compassionate grounds are made to the wards of the Railway servants who die while on duty or who are medically incapacitated or who die in harness while in service or who are missing.
Normally the father of the family is taken as the breadwinner.However, in the case where both the husband and wife are employed in Railways, appointment on compassion is given on account of the death of either husband or wife which ever occurs first.There is no bar in giving such appointment to the husband of the female Railway servants on the same conditions.
Appointments on compassionate ground is made preferably to the widow or widower.Where the widow /widower cannot take up employment, son/daughter/Adopted child/Dependent in the case of Bachelors/Married or Widowed or divorced daughter with GMs approval are considered for appointment.Minor son is also considered even though at the time of the event there is a daughter attained majority and or a major son is already employed.
Appointment on compassionate ground is made preferably to the near relative.When compassionate appointment is given to an adopted son or daughters it should be ensured that it is legally valid, the adoption is legally recognized under the personal law governing the Railway servant and the adoption process has been completed and has become valid before the death/incapacitation of the employee.
Grades of appointment
Compassionate appointments are normally made in recruitment of grades non-technical popular categories.No appointment on compassionate grounds can be made in intermediate grade.Appointment on compassionate ground is also not normally permissible in categories like Traffic/Commercial/Engineering Apprentices where the element of direct recruitment is proportionately less.Where a candidate is found eligible for Group- C posts but not offered the same for want of vacancy may also be considered for appointment in Group-D posts on the condition that they will be considered for Group-C posts as and when vacancy arises.
Pay
Pay is fixed as usual in terms of rules in force.However, in rare cases of distress pay may be fixed at a higher stage with the approval of Railway Board.
Time limits
Normally all the appointments on compassionate ground should be made within five year from the date of occurrence of the event entitling the ward for compassionate appointments.
This period of five years can be relaxed up to 20 years provided that-
·The circumstances to the case warrant relaxation of the time limit.
·The request is for first son/daughter and is made within two years after attaining majority.
·The widow of the employee has not remarried.
·The benefit of compassionate appointment was not given at any time to any other member of the family.
Priority
The following is the priority followed in making appointments on compassionate grounds.
·dependents of employees who die or totally crippled while on duty.
·Dependents of employees who die in accidents while in service.
·Dependents of employees who are totally incapacitated.
Educational qualifications
Normally the persons seeking appointment on compassionate ground should fulfill the conditions of the eligibility related to educational qualifications prescribed for appointment. However, in the cases of merit the Railway Board on the recommendations of the General Manager can relax it on the conditions-
·The prescribed qualification should be acquired in a period of two years.
·Such persons will be confirmed only after acquiring the qualification.
·Such persons will be considered for promotion only after acquiring the qualification.
·Such persons will be ranking junior to all persons promoted before he acquires the prescribed qualifications.
Eighth standard is the qualification prescribed for Group-D services and it is relaxed in the case of widows where they can perform duties satisfactorily.
Age relaxations
Persons seeking appointment on compassionate ground should fulfill the conditions of the eligibility related to age prescribed for appointment. However, the upper age limit may be relaxed on merits of the case.The General Manager may also relax the lower age limit of 18 years in exceptional cases up to one year for Group-C posts. The Divisional Railway Managers for Group-D posts can make such relaxation. Relaxation of the lower age limit beyond one year requires the approval of Railway Board
Procedure
The candidate applying for appointments on compassion will be subjected for a suitability test by a committee of officers, one of whom will be a Personnel officer. The suitability is adjudged by a test and it need not be rigid. Failed candidates are given an additional chance to pass the examination and a third chance is given rarely to widows with the approval of the General Manager. Appointment is finally made subject to availability of vacancies, medical examination, production of certificates etc.
General Manager consider the requests for compassionate appointments to the wards of casual labour who dies while on duty and is eligible for compensation under WCA.Similar consideration is also shown in the case of a casual labour who has attained temporary status. Such wards of casual labour are appointed as casual labour or substitute.
Compassionate appointments to the wards of Gazetted officers are considered by the General Manager.
While making compassionate appointments to the dependents of bachelors Pass, Ration card, report of the welfare Inspector and the family composition declared by the employee in the Pass declaration register etc. are verified.
Cases of missing employees are considered after two years provided FIR has been lodged with Police and it is certified that the employee could not be traced.The benefit is not admissible where the employee has less than two years of service to retire or where the case appears to be a fraudulent one or on the grounds that the employee has gone abroad /engaged in terrorist activities.Payment of settlement dues in the case of missing employees should be delinked from the appointment.
Authorities competent to make
Appointments on Compassionate Grounds
The powers of making appointments on compassionate grounds in normal circumstances have been delegated to DRMs /CWMs and in certain cases approval from GM /Railway Board should be obtained.
General Manager’s permission is to be obtained in the case of –
·Missing employees.
·Appointment to married /divorced /widowed daughter.
·Appointment to the wards casual labour.
·Appointment to the wards of Gazetted officers.
·Relaxation of lower age limit up to one year
·Third chance to the widows to appear suitability test etc.
Railway Board’s permission is to be obtained in the case of-
·Cases more than 20 years old.
·Relaxation of lower age limit beyond one year.
·Relaxation of educational qualification.
·Fixation of higher pay and any other deviations from the normal rules.
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