WB govt's big order for employees above 50, promotions stay but increments put on hold

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has decided not to cancel the promotions of Group C and Group D employees who were elevated to clerical posts without clearing the mandatory Computer Operation and Computer Typing Test after 2019.

However, such employees will not receive their annual increments until they pass the prescribed examination conducted by the Netaji Subhas Administrative Training Institute (NSATI).

In a notification issued on Thursday, the state government clarified that employees who were promoted to LDC/LDA or UDC/UDA posts due to administrative lapses would not be reverted to their previous positions.

Their existing pay will also remain protected. The decision comes in the wake of confusion over the implementation of the West Bengal Services (Recruitment to Clerical Cadre) Rules, 2019, which replaced all earlier recruitment rules.

With the introduction of the new rules, the earlier exemption granted to Group D employees above the age of 50, and certain Group C employees, from the mandatory computer proficiency test was withdrawn.

Despite the change in rules, several employees continued to receive promotions without appearing for the computer examination under the old exemption.

The issue prompted multiple government departments to seek clarification from the state.

The latest notification states that while these promotions will not be cancelled, the employees concerned must clear the NSATI computer examination to become fully compliant with the recruitment rules. Until then, their annual increments will remain on hold.

The government has also issued a strict warning that any promotion granted in violation of the 2019 recruitment rules in the future will be treated as irregular and cancelled.