Facing stagnation for 58 years, Delhi Government’s Grade-I (DASS) Officer, needs urgent reforms as despite repeated appeals and the formation of committees to address these issues, the situation remains unresolved, sources said here on Friday.

Flagging these challenges, they also said officers are demotivated and underutilised.

Moroeover, due to the continued stagnation and lack of career progression, approximately 100 officers voluntarily retire every year. Elaborating upon the issue, they said the Grade-I DASS officers has not seen any restructuring since its inception in 1967.

This stagnation is a clear violation of the guidelines set by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Cabinet Secretary’s orders, which mandate a review of every organised cadre in every five years.

Also, directly recruited Grade-II (DASS) officers of Delhi Government get only one substantial promotion during their entire service, further exacerbating career stagnation.

After 25 to 30 years of dedicated service, Grade-I (DASS) officers face induction or promotion into the DANICS cadre at a lower pay scale, which has created frustration and dissatisfaction.

The Sahai Committee, set up by Lt. Governor of Delhi, submitted its recommendations for restructuring the DASS cadre in 2018.

However, these proposals have been systematically delayed and sabotaged by vested interests within the bureaucracy, preventing the much-needed reforms from taking place, sources said.

The committee proposed the creation of two new promotional grades with Grade Pay `6600/- and `7600/- for Grade-I (DASS) officers, aimed at addressing stagnation.

Faced with systemic neglect, DASS officers were forced to approach Delhi High Court.  In its direction dated  on August 11, 2023, the court directed for creation of approximately 500 posts in Senior Scale (Grade Pay 6600, Level 11) within GNCTDSS Cadre, in-situ promotion in Level 12 (Grade Pay 7600) and giving past service benefit for the service rendered as Grade-I (DASS) at the time of induction to DANICS Cadre.

On November 10, 2023, 217 posts in Senior Scale (Grade Pay 6600, L-11) were created after extensive deliberations with the stakeholders including DANICS Association, which has filed applications in the High Court, and concurrence from Ministry of Home Affairs and Services Rules were notified on 24.12.2024.

Despite this, some officers as well as the DANICS Association with vested interests continue to obstruct the Cadre Restructuring of DASS Cadre citing false and frivolous facts since creation of these posts, notification of Service Rules and now for filling up of these posts, sources said. Even after directions of Hon’ble High Court, the Association trying all techniques including frivolous litigation on one or other grounds at different authorities or forums to derail the cadre restructuring of DASS Cadre.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also delayed the process further, citing irrelevant concerns raised by the Kutty Committee, which has failed to provide any substantial solutions.

They sought immediate Implementation of directions of Hon’ble High Court read with Sahai Committee’s Recommendations for the creation of two promotional grades (`6600/-and `7600/-) for Grade-I (DASS) officers.

“Due to the continued stagnation and lack of career progression, approximately 100 officers voluntarily retire every year.

In the past three years, around 700 Grade-I officers have retired without receiving any benefits from the Sahai Committee’s recommendations.