[Memo. No. 475, Genl. Admn. (Ser.-C) Dept., Dt. 20-9-1994]
Ref. :—1. G.O.Ms.No. 1324, G.A. (Ser.C) Dept., Dt. 10-12-64.
Govt. Memo. No. 915/Ser.-C/77-2, G.A. (Ser.C) Dept., Dt. 12-10-77.
Order :—In the G.O. 1st read above, it was ordered that an employee may be exempted for purposes of confirmation and increments on reaching the prescribed age i.e., 45 or 40 years, as the case may be, from passing the Special/ Departmental or Language tests, for which the penalty prescribed in the rules for failure to pass the test or tests is only stoppage of increments.
In the reference 2nd read above, it was clarified that wherever the Special Rules provide for extension of the prescribed period of probation on account of not passing Special/Departmental Tests, no exemption from passing the said tests on the ground of age need ordinarily be granted.
The High Power Committee on employees demands submitted by JAC of Employees, Teachers and Workers and A.P. Secretariat Co-ordination Committee, has recommended that the financial benefits like increments to persons who crossed 45 years of age when they do not pass the prescribed Tests may be allowed.
After careful consideration, and in partial modification of orders issued in the G.O. 1st read above, Government direct that where the Special Rules prescribe passing of a test as a precondition for drawal of increments/declaration of probation, the employees who crossed 45 years of age and if they have not passed the prescribed Tests, the Annual Grade Increments may be released.
The concession allowed in para 4 above, will not entitle the employee to get eligibility for the Automatic Advance Increment Scheme where acquiring qualification is a pre-requisite for promotion to next higher category for which passing of the test is a pre-requisite.