Centre Revises Recruitment And Promotion Process For Scientists

Keeping in view the growing advancements in the field of Science and Technology, the government has revised the recruitment and promotion process of Scientists in different central government departments. 

Changes have been made to the Flexible Complementing Scheme related to the recruitment and promotion of scientists.

The decision to introduce changes in the recruitment process was introduced after various requests by central government ministries and departments.

As per new agency PTI, the Flexible Complementing Scheme (FCS) for scientists, that existed in some of the scientific ministries/departments of the government of India, was modified and instructions on Modified Flexible Complementing Scheme (MFCS) were issued by the Personnel Ministry in September 2010. This was done based  on the recommendations of the sixth Central Pay Commission (6th CPC).  These guidelines are not applicable to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Departments of Atomic Energy and Space, where the scientists are governed by another scheme called merit based promotion scheme.

The Personnel Ministry issued an order stating that there was a need for enhancing the educational qualifications in the MFCS by several ministries/departments. The order also stated that the provisions of revised FCS order to recruit scientists as per their work function would be effective from July 1, 2024. 

What is the revised scheme?

The revised scheme provides for setting up of an inter-ministerial committee under Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) with Secretary, Department of Science and Technology as member and secretary of the concerned ministry/department as the co-opted member.

An order released on March 13, read,  "All scientific ministries/departments presently implementing MFCS and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology shall initiate action for incorporating the provisions of the revised FCS by amending the provisions of relevant recruitment rules so that recruitment rules are brought in conformity with the provisions of the revised FCS."