Tag Archives: extensions

An old age problem -DRDO has become ageing body with top scientists on extension

For a country that boasts of one of the youngest populations in the world, it is strange that the field that perhaps deals with the most cutting-edge technology is dominated by scientists past their prime. Most top scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who are tasked with creating future weapons are past the retirement age of 60 and are on service extensions.

Indeed, such is the state of affairs that the head of the research organisation, which encompasses 54 establishments and labs dealing with fields as diverse as ballistic missile defence and insect repellent cream, will get an 18-month contractual tenure from November when he turns 64, the maximum age till which service extensions can be given. This extraordinary contract, beyond the remit of extensions, was specially approved by the previous UPA government more than a year in advance for the present DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander.

Though not new, the old age crisis of the lumbering organisation has worsened as private sector prospects have brightened for young scientists. Internal surveys have found that nearly 87 per cent of the young scientists who join DRDO soon get disenchanted with the archaic, rigid structure of the research body that does not reward extraordinary performance with proportional career growth. Annual intake of new scientists has dropped to just 70, barely enough to replace those who take early retirement, thereby, rapidly increasing DRDO’s age profile.

It is still early to judge the Narendra Modi Government’s policies, but the perception that it is taking a strong stand on the issue has brought cheer to hundreds of young scientists itching to prove their worth in DRDO’s labs across India. A series of events, from the Prime Minister’s remark on promoting young scientists to the cabinet secretariat’s stinging order curbing DRDO’s unilateral age extensions to its scientists, have raised hopes that the problem is finally being addressed.

It’s about time, too. As many as 10 of the 16 top DRDO scientists are on extension. Apart from Chander, nine of the top-graded `Distinguished Scientists should have retired, but most are now on their second extension.

Rules mandate that DRDO scientists must retire at 60. They can, however, be given two two-year extensions under,extraordinary circumstances. Beyond the age of 64, there is no provision for service extension. Yet, the UPA government, in May 2013, approved an Appointments Committee of the Cabinet note to give an 18-month extension to Chander following his “date of retirement of 30.11.2014 on contract basis, with the same terms and conditions as he would be entitled to before the date of retirement”.

By doing this, the UPA went back on its promise to appoint a younger head to DRDO. (Both V.K. Saraswat and M. Natarajan, who preceded Chander, retired at 64.) The special provision made for Chander has become the subject matter of several complaints, the latest by one of DRDO’s own, younger scientists to the cabinet secretariat in August. “The post-retirement contract is not legal and has been made against the rules. A contractual employee can be taken for an advisory role but not to head an organisation,” Navin Gupta, the Kanpur-based DRDO Scientist ‘C’, said in his complaint.

While a convincing argument can be made that age is no criterion for innovation and that experience and continuity is needed to deal with certain technology areas, most scientists on extension in the DRDO are handling primarily administrative positions- from most director generals at the headquarters to the heads of six of DRDO’s 54 labs and establishments.

The impact of the extensions policy on DRDO’s talent pool is immense: an internal survey found that most of its entry-level scientists are unhappy about their career prospects and some 57 per cent of all scientists leave the organisation prematurely due to lack of professional satisfaction. Since 2008, nearly 500 entry and mid-level scientists have resigned or taken early retirement while intake of new scientists has barely kept pace. At a seminar on August 20, Chander admitted this was a problem that required urgent attention. “DRDO’s annual intake of young scientists has dipped to 70 per year, resulting in a rapidly rising average age which certainly is not a good sign for an innovation-centric organisation,” he said. The average age of DRDO scientists is creeping closer to 40.

When Modi, speaking immediately after Chander at the same function, said that at least five DRDO labs should only employ scientists under 35, it was the first indication that his Government was addressing the problem. Many thought that the PM picked the number, five, randomly, unaware that it had come from the most in-depth review of the DRDO ever done.

The review, conducted by the Rama Rao Committee in 2008, had identified five labs working in critical fields such as solid state physics, metallurgy, cryptology and lasers for ‘empowered‘ status in order to give them the liberty to quickly induct young talent, bypassing the cumbersome selection process.

The voluminous report suggested other far-reaching reforms, but the UPA government never fully implemented it. The new Government has dusted it and top officials are studying its recommendations. These include revamping the human resource structure to enable DRDO to hire talent from outside, including Indians working abroad, for key technologies; identifying a set of ’empowered labs’ that have the freedom to hire and fire scientists; lowering the age of entry of talent; and looking abroad for key innovators. “A balance has to be struck. The optimised path may be being selective in granting extensions for specific research projects and not for administrative roles,” says Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani (retd), who was a member of the review committee.

As for the old age issue, one of the first things the Modi regime has done, at least, is get the cabinet secretariat to issue a terse circular on September 26, directing DRDO to stop the practice of unilaterally granting age extensions to its scientists without the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which is headed by the Prime Minister. Sources say extensions have been put on hold and all such future requests would be critically examined. Whether the Government is firm in this resolve will be tested by the upcoming grant of a contract extension to the DRDO chairman.

India Today
India Today
  DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

No extensions sans ACC okay: Government to DRDO

By Aman Sharma, ET Bureau | 27 Sep, 2014,

NEW DELHI: In a message to the Defence Research Development Organisation that has over a dozen scientists working on tenures beyond 60, the government has frowned at the tendency of giving extensions to scientists without consulting the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to be unhappy with DRDO’s functioning and had recently advocated that five out of the 52 DRDO labs be manned by young scientists after reports with the government revealed that as many as 358 scientists had quit DRDO between 2009 and 2013.

A government note sent on Friday to nine ministries and departments which have specialists in scientific or medical fields, including DRDO and Department of Space, the Department of Personnel and Training has said that the ACC headed by the prime minister has observed that in some cases, departments have unilaterally extended the service officers beyond the age of superannuation without obtaining the approval of ACC.

“It is reiterated that in absence of specific approval of ACC towards extension of services beyond the date of superannuation, an officer should stand retired on his date of superannuation and under no circumstances should the Ministry/Department extend his services beyond superannuation unilaterally without approval of ACC,” the note says. This also comes on the heels of the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission where Modi had praised scientists at ISRO for the feat.

In Friday’s note, the policy drawn up by the NDA government in 2002 was pointed to, which said that any tenure extensions to scientists should be “only in really exceptional circumstances” and only if the retiring specialist “is not just one of the outstanding officers but is really head and shoulders above the rest”.

That policy also said that too many cases of extensions are likely to cause “frustration and affect morale of upcoming scientists who have exposure to latest technological developments.” In 2012, DRDO admitted that 37 scientists — 12 of whom were in distinguished category — were on extended tenures. This was despite the Rama Rao Committee, which carried out the first external review of DRDO in 2008, calling for a younger profile of top scientists. DRDO secretary Avinash Chander is also working on an extension.

ET had reported on August 23 that Modi was not happy about this situation and had sought all details after he was told about the high attrition rate among younger scientists. Friday’s note also goes out to the departments of Atomic Energy, Science and Technology, Scientific and Industrial Research, Information Technology and Environment Ministry.extension dopt

PM scraps DRDO’s ‘retirement benefits’ committee

ABHINANDAN MISHRA New Delhi | 20th Sep 2014 – The Sunday Gaurdian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to scrap the Departmental Peer Review Committee (DPRCs) of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in an attempt to revamp the outfit. The main job of this committee of DRDO scientists is to grant extensions to fellow scientists. The committee has come under scrutiny after complaints that all that these scientists do is to park retiring and retired colleagues in important posts year after year. “The PM has ordered the scrapping of the committee that reviews cases to grant extension of service to scientists who are superannuating. Giving repeated extensions to scientists, whose capabilities could be questioned, is one of the major problems with the DRDO,” a DRDO official said.sunday gaurdians clip

Sources said that 15 top scientists in DRDO, including Director General (DG) Avinash Chander, are on extension. After getting two extensions, Chander is now on contract. “What should have been an exception, has become a norm here. Every year, six to eight senior people in DRDO get extensions. This has led to an alarming attrition rate in the organisation,” said a scientist who has been working with DRDO for the last 12 years. In the seven years between 2007 and 2013, at least 687 scientists left the organisation, which comes to a rate of 100 scientists leaving the organisation every year.

The DRDO, best known for missing manufacturing deadlines, is gearing up for a hard time after PM Modi told its scientists and officials that their lackadaisical approach would not be tolerated anymore. Last month, while addressing the annual award function of the organisation in the national capital, the PM expressed his unhappiness over the way things were working in the organisation.

“The Prime Minister is clearly unhappy with the way the DRDO has been functioning, as most of our projects are running years behind schedule, resulting in cost overruns and compromising of national security. During the event, he made sure that that senior officials were made aware of his views on the subject and the fact that such lackadaisical approach would not work anymore. With the government approving 49% FDI in defence, we need to start performing now,” said a senior DRDO official. Modi, while commenting on DRDO said that the organisation “should not say in 2014 that a project conceived in 1992 will take some more time”.

DRDO, founded in 1958, has a network of 54 laboratories, employs close to 35,000 employees including 7,500 scientists. In July this year, the BJP-led NDA government increased DRDO’s budget from Rs 5,985 crore — as provided by the UPA’s interim Budget in February — to Rs 9,298 crore, the largest ever increase in the organisation’s history.

However, despite being treated with extreme care by successive governments, DRDO has still not been able to shake off the negative image associated with it. Most of its projects, ranging from Tejas light combat aircraft and long-range surface-to-air missile systems to NAG missiles are running years behind schedule.

According to officials, at least ten major projects that are being worked on by the DRDO have exceeded their stipulated date. “The major ones among these are the light combat aircraft, naval light combat aircraft, aero engine Kaveri, airborne early warning and control aircraft, long range surface-to-air missile, air-to-air missile Astra, advanced lightweight torpedo, dual colour missile approach warning system for fighter aircraft. If you include the minor ones, like the NAG missile system, then the number of incomplete projects will become even more,” the official stated.

According to a former bureaucrat, who had worked in the Ministry of Defence, the government has been always generous when it came to funding the DRDO. “The DRDO has never suffered from any paucity of funds. The main problem with the organisation is at the top. No accountability is fixed on them. There is no other place where you will find senior officials being given repeated extensions despite doing nothing.”

The former bureaucrat added that he had come across instances where the country’s defence preparedness suffered because the DRDO first made a commitment that it would manufacture the product, but when the deadline arrived, it did not have the product. And in cases where the product was there, the quality was not acceptable. “It is a shame that due to DRDO’s inefficiency the country has to import more than half of its defence requirements,” he said.

Even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has time and again come down heavily on the DRDO. “Year after year, the CAG has revealed the kind of mismanagement that has been happening in the DRDO. In February this year, CAG audits revealed that the DRDO spent Rs 52 crore to buy a cooling substance, which was to be used in the NAG missile system in 2007. The interesting part is that the NAG was not operational at the time and it is still not operational. Can you expect such kind of mismanagement from any other defence organisation in the world elsewhere?” an official with the DRDO said.

According to him, the onus of revamping the DRDO is with the Defence Minister. “The DRDO officials and the defence ministry bureaucrats will not take the bull by the horn; no one wants to disturb the status quo. It is the Defence Minister who needs to do it. The minister needs to implement the recommendation of the first-ever external review report of the DRDO, which was prepared by an independent committee of experts headed by P. Rama Rao, former secretary, Department of Science & Technology, and former ISRO man Dr Brahm Prakash. It had recommended a massive restructuring of the 50-year-old body to make it more effective,” the official said.

However, Ravi Kumar Gupta, Director, Directorate of Public Interface, DRDO, said that the PM was very appreciative of the work being done by the organisation during his interaction with the officials last month. “He has positive views about the organisation and said that the organisation had a lot of potential and whatever we were doing, we were doing it in a professional way. He also said that just as it holds true for any other organisation, we too should not lose focus and follow the chalta hai attitude,” Gupta said.

Narendra Modi extremely unhappy with DRDO’s failure to meet deadlines in delivering products

BHAVNA VIJ AURORA,ET Bureau | Aug 23, 2014, 12.19 PM IST – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: When defence minister Arun Jaitley commissions Indian Naval Ship Kamorta on Saturday in Vizag, it will be bereft of the critical mediumrange surface-to-air missile (SAM) and advanced light towed array sonars (ALTAS) — both of which Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has failed to deliver.
This is not the first failure for DRDO, the only body in the country doing research in the field of defence systems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commissioned INS Kolkata on August 16 in Mumbai.

That too was without the crucial long-range SAM systems and ALTAS.drdo award 2014

Extremely unhappy about the state of affairs, Modi has put DRDO on notice. With the government approving 49% FDI in defence, the PM has asked the tardy organisation to shape-up in the face of competition from the private sector. Officials in the security setup of the country told ET that Modi has asked the defence minister to conduct a detailed review of the organisation, and if need be come out with a white paper on it.

Modi personally delivered a stern message to DRDO, asking the officers to give up their “chalta hai” (lackadaisical) attitude, during the annual award ceremony of the organisation on August 20. The PM had started the DRDO clean-up project even before he attended the award function. He ordered scrapping of a committee that was reviewing cases to grant extension of service to scientists, who had superannuated. The committee sent its recommendations to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

As many as 15 top scientists of DRDO, including Director General (DG) Avinash Chander, are on extension. Chander, in fact, is now on contract after two extensions. Incidentally, he holds three posts — Secretary (Defence) R&D, DG (DRDO) and Scientific Advisor to the defence minister. It was the previous ACC, under the UPA government, comprising Manmohan Singh, AK Antony and Sushil Kumar Shinde that had granted him extensions and finally appointed him on contract in November 2013. About six to eight people were believed to be getting extensions each year in DRDO.

“The PM was not happy about it. As per a department of personnel and training (DoPT) ruling, only the best scientists of international stature should be considered for extensions. He asked for all the details. He was told about the high attrition rate among the younger scientists,” disclosed a senior defence ministry official.

The review committee, scrapped by the government, comprised secretaries of Department of Atomic Energy, DRDO and ISRO as members. Modi is believed to have said that the secretaries of the same departments could not review extensions of their own personnel. He has now constituted the committee to include the Cabinet Secretary and secretaries of unrelated departments of science and technology and earth sciences.

“It is to weed out the dead wood that Modi made the announcement about employing only young scientists, not over the age of 35, in five of the 52 DRDO labs. It is a beginning and will send the message to everyone working in DRDO to deliver,” explained the defence ministry official.

DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta could not be contacted for a comment.

Every fortnight launching a missile – hidden agenda of DRDO

Sh. Narendra Modi ji, Honorable Prime Minister when asked about Indo-Pak relations he said “Talks get lost in the noise of bomb blasts.” It was a simple and effective way to convey the message to our neighbor.

Since 1999, when DRDO credentials were on stake due to the exposure of its strength in KARGIL WAR, the then Genral Malik openly criticized the role of DRDO.

DRDO planned to create a thunderous noise to divert the attention of the government and common people of India by simply launching missiles. After smelling the effect, it started missile launching roughly at the interval of fortnights with different variant of missiles like Prithvi, I, II, III, Akash, Agni I, II, III, IV, V, IV Nag, Trishul and ………….

All the developed nations have demonstrated the ability to analyze the failures and incorporated the corrective measures and are able to sell and generate revenue out of their research.

DRDO, however justifies the failures and with thunderous noise tries to divert the attention of government and common people of India who in turn pay crores and crores rupees for the development of missiles.

No practical data showed on photographs of missile launching or hitting the target has been shown to the nation. DRDO always released the launching flight scene but never demonstrated the kill probability. Why the matter of fact as per sources that last month Sh. Avinash Chandra witnessed the target hitting of a 100 KW laser Aditya which was suppose to hit moving targets. It was not able to hit static target, in fact it missed it by meters. The case of 20 KW Coil laser is also an example that without delivering the required output project main 16.58 Cr. equipment was mysteriously burned in fire accident but surprisingly DRDO announced that the project was successful and a successful completion letter from under secretary, MOD, Mr. Deb was put in project file to fool the government and common men of India who are paying the money for their misadventure. And the best part of this is that he project leader Dr. R K Tyagi got scientist of the year award from DRDO.

In 1991 Gulf war, Americans demonstrated the capability of Patriot missile’s hitting and intercepting the Scud missile and the scene was witnessed across the globe.

Can SA to RM demonstrate the same capability to our new Prime Minister Sh. Modi Ji? It will help him plan the defence preparedness to secure the boundary.

DRDO by far has a hidden agenda of launching a missile in every fortnight just to divert the attention of the government and common people of India from the rampant corruption of DRDO misappropriation of funds, misinterpretation of rules, the common practices noticed by the CGDA in special audit of DRDO.

Since the KARGIL WAR, incompetency has flourished in DRDO and has created a void as a result. Those who were supposed to retire from active service have managed during UPA government two to even three extensions with promotions ignoring Honorable Supreme Court and violating DoPT guidelines.

They are involved with 1000 crores of programs (of course without any end result) the commission/omission does not permit them to lose the extra income and perks and they are blessed by the competent authorities.

India has voted for a strong government in the centre and expecting new government will sense the weaker points and fix the accountability of DRDO. The government will look what was the compulsion of previous governments or in which circumstance they gave such unprecedented extension to such selected group of people like

Dr A S Pillai, CC&D, CEO, Brahmos touching 67 years CCR&D since 13th Sep. 1999.

Dr. SK Vasudeva, Ex Director, SPIC, DRDO after three successive extensions now working in contract

Sh Avinash Chander, SA to RM, DG, DRDO, Secretary, DRD presently in second extension and after November 2014 on contractual appointment.

5 Top DRDO senior officials are in second extension

Few directors of Labs are on second extension

And 60 to 62 years extension countless in DRDO

Extension business has created a vacuum in DRDO Hqrs. and if it continues probably there won’t be manpower available from active service to head the Lab and shoulder the responsibility of DRDO’s plan of action. “Here at present nobody is responsible for any outcome”

DRDO disowns chief controller, says he is retired

DRDO claims Dr Pillai has retired even though its website shows otherwise

ABHINANDAN MISHRA New Delhi | 17th Nov 2012               Sunday Guardian

The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has refused to acknowledge that Dr Sivathanu Pillai is the chief controller of research and development in the organisation, despite the fact that Pillai is still very much a part of DRDO. Pillai’s post is regarded as the second most senior defense scientist post in the country, just after the position of Scientific Adviser to the Defense Minister.

Dr Sivathanu Pillai

His name also does not feature on the list of senior scientists who are presently serving on an extension with DRDO. Pillai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Brahmos Aerospace, was granted his third post retirement extension last year.

When contacted, Ravi Gupta, the spokesperson of DRDO said that Pillai’s name is not on the list of senior scientists who have got extension because he has retired from DRDO after getting two extensions as no further extension is possible beyond the age of 64.

However, the DRDO telephone directory of 2012 mentions Pillai’s name and carries his designation as CC of R&D in DRDO on page number 4 and his Delhi number has been listed there. Similarly, the invitation card of National Institute of Technology, Kozhikode, that was held last month, where Dr Pillai was the chief guest, mentions his designation as CC, R&D in DRDO.

Gupta also added that Pillai’s name will be removed from DRDO’s website. However, even after three weeks of this correspondent speaking to Gupta, DRDO’s website still shows Pillai as the CC of R&D.

This mysterious disappearance of the name from the seniority list and the fact that DRDO is denying that Pillai is still a part of DRDO has raised questions about why the government is not “acknowledging” that a third extension has been given to Pillai.

Third extensions are given very rarely, if at all. This was acknowledged by Gupta too, who said that third extension beyond the age of 64 is not possible. Pillai was given his first extension in 2007 by Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

Oldies of DRDO cling on to their jobs post retirement

 Gautam Datt   |   MAIL TODAY  |   New Delhi, October 25, 2012 

P.S. Krishnan and Avinash Chander.

Dozens of top scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are working on extended tenures despite the government disfavouring the policy of retaining officers or specialists after their retirement.

According to guidelines, tenures can be extended only in “exceptional circumstances”. The DRDO, however, justifies the extensions, saying only valued experts whose replacements are not easy to find are given the privilege.

In response to an RTI query, sought by Rajeev Chauhan of Meerut, the DRDO released a list of 37 scientists – 12 of them in the distinguished category – who are working on extended tenures. This was disclosed only after the intervention of the chief information commissioner following an appeal.

Defence scientists retire at the age of 60. The department of personnel and training (DoPT) rules for extension of specialists in the medical and scientific fields mention the problems in giving such experts extra tenure.

Oldies of DRDO

“Not only does the next man miss promotion but often several people miss consequential promotions all along the hierarchy,” the department noted.

Keeping this in mind, procedures were evolved to ensure that extensions to the superannuating scientists are resorted to only in really exceptional circumstances, the guidelines said.

The main conditions are that the “retiring specialist should not just be one of the outstanding officers but is really head and shoulders above the rest, or the other specialists are not ripe enough to take over the job”. The DRDO, however, claims that while it largely adheres to the DoPT rules, they are not strictly applicable to the strategic community which also includes ISRO and atomic energy.

Sources said the DRDO has 7,000 scientists out of which extension to 37-odd experts is “minuscule”. The DRDO follows merit- based flexible complementing scheme for promotions which is not linked to availability of vacancies, they said. They feel that most people at 60 are still active and gain substantial wealth of experience in highly specialised areas that needs to be tapped.

Some big names are on extended terms and are vital to the success of their respective programmes.

Topping the list is Avinash Chander, chief controller of missiles and strategic system, who is steering the long range strategic missiles programme.

The list of 37 scientists includes 12 distinguished scientists, 13 scientists “H” and remaining 12 scientists “G”. While detractors allege that extensions indicate a system of favouritism, the DRDO says every case passes through two expert panels which approve the move.

According to govt guidelines, tenures can be extended only in exceptional circumstances.

DRDO – Revenue and Build up

14th November 2011

To
The Defence Minister
Room No -104, South Block
New Delhi – 110011

Reference: a)  Your letter No 1409-VIP/RM/2011 dated 21st March 2011
                       b)  Your letter No 1409-VIP/RM/2236 dated 20th May 2011

Honorable Sir,

During UPA-I you assured the nation to fixing accountability on DRDO an organisation which has never been questioned since its inception in 1958.

Sir, until 1980 the cost of projects were few crores but due to the visionary thought of then Prime Minister late Smt. Indira Gandhi the projects/programs were planned for self reliance in south east Asia and in particular in the Indian sub continent. The neighbors Pakistan and China were supporting each other to keep their upper hand but nothing deterred Smt. Gandhi to take decisions which may culminate to self reliance in the defence sector.

Initially the projects were planned collecting inputs from the literature available elsewhere. The proposals worked out where the cost benefit ration never assessed.

The changing technology was constraint and therefore projects/ programs during 90’s were given extensions time repeatedly, in some cases without enhancing the cost, where the cost was enhanced with proper justification were made. The examples are LCA, MBT, SAMYUKTA (EW) etc.

Easy methods were worked out under the guys defence secret to persue the projects beyond sanctioned time, without financial implications. Today in the last ten years the projects/ programs for which PDC extended did not consume more than 7000 crores rupees an amount equal to the annual budget of DRDO.

What is the fall out?

The revenue and buildup money sanctioned for running the projects were diverted to meet the day to day expenses of the projects the projects/ programs, which were running on PDC extensions. The manpower, the infra structure, the electricity bills, the salary, the TA/DA expenses were more than the cost of build up.

This imbalance between revenue and buildup was supposed to be checked by finance ministry.

Without active project and constant engagement of manpower in dead project resulted in to growing incompetency of laboratories.

What to talk about the Scientist ‘G’, Scientist ‘B’ were started giving justifications for the failures and compared the annual expenditure of DRDO as the expenditure meet to counter the natural calamity like earth quake.

Then the top brass of DRDO says 100 crores projects is not a big amount for DRDO. Indian Air Force is losing every alternate day on a MIG-21.

Let SA to RM justify the extensions of services to his beloved/blue eyed boys.

Sir, there are hope of Indian people with you please fix accountability on DRDO.

At least the finance ministry should cross check the equal flow of money in revenue and build up.

Thanking you 

Regards     
Prabhu Dayal Dandriyal
21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun-248008
Phone – 2787750, Mobile- 9411114879,
E-mail id prabhudoon@gmail.comprabhu@dandriyal.com Website –  www.corruptionindrdo.com
 
Copy to
1.       Prime Minister, PMO, south Block, New Delhi – 110011
2.       Finance Minister, North Block, New Delhi – 110011
3.       Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, United Progressive Alliance  Fax no.23018651

Appeal to all young Scientists of DRDO to save DRDO from Blackmailers

Dear friends you are observing in your respective labs that a new trend of extension in service is increasing day by day and the eligible people are missing the goal of top post of lab.   Surprisesly the increasing trend is due to blackmailing of higher-ups. Friends carefully observe the list; you will not find any single deserving candidates who are getting extension, because the deserving scientists are not able to get chance of extension in list recommended from DRDO.    You will be  shocked to know that extension awardees are facing vigilance inquiries and lot of complaints are pending with Criminal cases/civil cases/CVC/Women Cell/CBI/DRDO vigilance cell but due to blackmailing power SA & CC’s are bound to overlook all these and recommend all blackmailers for extensions.

So what is the solution?

All extensions are given on the basis of criteria for grant of extension/re employment to Central Government employees beyond the age of superannuation are laid down in the DoPT O.M.No. 26011/1/77-Estt. (B)  Dated the 18th May, 1977

Please go through the following and send your observation about those blackmailer scientists from your respective labs. These blackmailer scientists put others work in their name and you people only can expose their tactics because the ministry officials who process the file are non technical they cannot assess the game plan of these intellectual scientific mafia’s.

Regards

Prabhu Dayal Dandriyal 
21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun-248008
Phone – 2787750, Mobile- 9411114879,
E-mail id prabhudoon@gmail.com ,  prabhu@dandriyal.com
Website –  www.corruptionindrdo.com/

No. 26012/6/2002-Estt. (A)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions

(Department of Personnel & Training )

New Delhi, dated 9th December, 2002

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Grant of extension/re-employment to Central Government  servants  beyond the age of superannuation – issue of  instructions regarding.

The undersigned is directed to say that the criteria for grant of extension/re employment to Central Government employees beyond the age of superannuation are laid down in the DoPT O.M.No. 26011/1/77-Estt.(B)  dated the 18th May, 1977.  After May, 1998 and when the age of retirement  of the Central Government employees increased from 58 to 60 years, some  of the instructions contained in the O.M. dated 18th May, 1977 referred to above have lost their relevance.  Accordingly, it has been decided to revise the instructions relating to extension/re-employment to Central Government employees.

2. In the absence of specific orders to the contrary by the competent authority, a Government servant must retire on the due date.  The date of superannuation of a Government servant is known in advance and ordinarily there should not be a question of failure to make arrangements for his release sufficiently in advance.  It is the responsibility of the administrative authority concerned to ensure that the Government servants under their control retire on the due date.

3.  Extension: F.R. 56(d) states that no Government servant shall be granted extension of service beyond the age of 60 years.  However,  provisions exist in the rules to grant extension of  service to certain  category of Government servants only.  Therefore, it must be ensured that no  Ministry/Department  should propose to grant extension in service unless the case is covered by the Rules.

4. The proposal for grant of extension in service to the categories of  personnel referred to in the first, second and third proviso to F.R. 56(d)    -2- shall be referred to the Estt. Division of Department of Personnel and Training two months prior to the date on which the individual concerned is  due for superannuation.   The procedure for grant of extension to the Scientists is laid down in DoPT d.o. letter No. 28/19/2000-EO(SM-II) dated the 10th July, 2000.

5. Procedure for consideration of cases for extension of specialists in the medical and scientific fields:- It should be appreciated that even in the case of extension to specialist in the medical or scientific fields, it is not only the next man who misses promotion but often several people miss consequential promotions all along  the hierarchy.  Thus, too many cases of extension in service or reemployment are likely to cause frustration and affect the morale of the upcoming scientists who have exposure to latest technological developments in connecting fields.  Keeping in view these circumstances, the following criteria and procedure has been evolved with a view to ensure that extensions in service to the superannuating scientists are resorted to only in really exceptional circumstances.  The overriding consideration for the grant of extension is that it must be in the public interest and in addition satisfy one of the following two conditions:-

i)    that the retiring specialist is  not just one of the outstanding officers but is really head and shoulders above the rest; or

ii)   that other specialists are not ripe enough to take over the  job.

Test (ii) would be satisfied only if there is shortage in particular specialization, or if it is not possible to find a suitable successor or if the specialist is engaged on a work or project of vital importance, which is likely to produce results in a year or two.  If specialists in the next lower post are not eligible for promotion on the ground that they have not put in the minimum service in the lower grade prescribed under the rules, no promotions can be made to the higher grade, unless such specialists put in the requisite length of service.  But specialists who are eligible for promotion  to the post against which extension is recommended, should not be rejected solely on the ground that they do not have as much experience as the retiring specialist.  They should be considered for promotion according to the -3- recruitment rules and if they are found suitable they should be promoted to the posts being vacated by the retiring specialists.

6. Whenever any specialist is considered for grant of extension, his character roll and personal file should be carefully scrutinized and all other relevant information that may be available should be taken into account to judge whether the specialist had good reputation for integrity and honesty.   In cases where the specialist is not considered to have good reputation for integrity and honesty, he should not be considered for grant of extension in service.  The appropriate authority in the Administrative Ministry should furnish a certificate of Integrity along with the Annexure-I as follows where it proposes to grant extension of service.

“Having scrutinized in character roll and personal file of

Shri/Smt./Kum._____________________ and having taken into account all other relevant available information, I certify that he/she has a good reputation for integrity and honesty.”

7. While making proposals for extension of service in higher posts, it is all the more necessary to apply higher standards of efficiency to persons whose appointments to the higher posts are recommended for approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.  The number of top posts is bound to be very limited and a few persons should not have them for too long.  No Government servant who is on extension of service after the prescribed date of retirement should be promoted to another post during the period of extension of service.

8. No extension of service should be considered on the ground that a suitable successor is not available unless it is established that action to select a successor had been taken well in advance but the selection could not be finalized in time for justifiable reasons.  A proposal for the grant of extension of service based merely on the consideration that the specialist’s predecessor had been given extension should obviously not be accepted. -4-

9.  Re-employment: No proposal for employing a government servant beyond the age of superannuation of 60 years shall be considered.  It is also clarified that no person can be appointed/ reappointed to Central Government service after the age of superannuation of 60 years through contract.

10. Re-employment of military pensioners who have not reached the age of superannuation for Central Government employees will not be governed by these instructions.

11. Appointment of Consultant:-

Detailed instructions have been issued for appointment of consultant vide DoP&T’s Office Memorandum No. 16012/7/97-Estt.(Allowance) dated 13th  February, 1998. Hindi version will follow.

                Sd/-

Mrs. Pratibha Mohan

Director (E-II)

To

 All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India.

(As per standard list)

 

 

Annexure-I

 

Performa for sending proposals  for approval of Department of Personnel & Training for grant  of extension to Government servants beyond the age of superannuation.

 

1. Designation of the post:

2. Duration of the post     :

3. Scale and terms of the post and perquisite attached, if any:

4. Whether financial sanction for the creation of the post/continuance of post for the    duration shown at (2) has been obtained:

5. Method of recruitment:

6. Name and the terminal date of appointment of the outgoing incumbent of the post:

7. Name of the specialist proposed for appointment and the service to which he belongs:

8. Full service particulars of the Officer with date of birth and pay drawn:

9. Names of other Officers considered:

10. If promotion post, whether copies of proceedings of a D.P.C. are being enclosed? If not, why not?

11. Whether character roll of the specialist proposed and those considered are being sent.  If not, why not?

12. Please indicate:

(i) (a) Whether the post  is scientific or medical specialist.

(b) Periods of extension granted earlier to the officer, if any

(c) Date from which extension is to be granted.

(d) Period of extension of service.

(ii) Justification for grant of extension:

(a)  The date from which it was known that vacancy would occur.

(b) Action taken to select a successor with chronological details.

(c) If selection is being made, reasons why this could not be finalized in good time.

(d) Can some officiating or ad-hoc arrangements be made, pending fresh appointment by proper selection? If not, why not?

(iii) Whether orders of the Minister-in charge have been obtained?

13. Whether the prescribed Integrity Certificate, from the appropriate authority, is enclosed.

Ramshastri Justice Foundation

Ramshastri

Justice Foundation

(Regd. No.:   Mah. 723 / 2010 / Pune)

Adv. B. R. Barge                                                                            Dr. R. G. Taware
President                                                                                        Secretary
Cell No. 9881750682                                                                  Cell No. 9423015022

Office: 16, Mata Chambers, Anandnagar, Old Sangvi, Pune: 411027.   Phone: 020-27282647.

No. CG/Defence/03                                                 Date: 13th May2011

To,
Mr. A K Antony,
Defence Minister,
Government of India,
104, South Block,
New Delhi – 110 105.

Sub. : Lawlessness and irregularities in the Administration of DRDO

 

Respected sir,
It is our observation that the esteemed organization of DRDO is being infested with the incapable, inefficient and corrupt officers. Nationalistic spirit is being lost fast and selfish and ego-centric attitude is being cropped up among the ranking officers of DRDO. Many of them are the patients of Acquired Immunity of Inefficiency Syndrome!

Mr. Prabhu Dayal Dandriyal from Dehradun is incessantly bringing out the anomalies and corruption in DRDO through his Website ‘Corruption in DRDO’. He is cleansing the DRDO. He has created awareness among the citizens of India about what is going on in DRDO.

For the efficient administration of DRDO, the administration part of it should be handed over to the IAS Officers. Presently the administration of DRDO is done by the Scientists. Actually, the Scientist should work as Scientist only. They are trained in Research work but not in administration. They lack basic legal knowledge. Even they don’t know the Constitution, CCS (CCA) Rules or CCS (Conduct) Rules.  That is why there is inefficiency as well as lawlessness in DRDO.                     

It has been observed that presently more than 80% of the Scientists of DRDO come from Engineering background / faculty. They are proficient at technology but not at Research work. Technology itself is not a science; it is the application of science.  On the contrary, many Science graduates / post-graduates / Doctorates are forced to work as Technical Officers. Thus the Human Resources are not properly utilized in DRDO. The Research workers with Science background should be appointed in as Research Officers / Scientists and not in Technical cadre.

It has also been observed that the Emeritus / Distinguished Scientists are doing the Administrative job without any knowledge of Administration. They are given extensions in service while they are doing administrative job. Actually, extension in service is to be given to the Scientists to complete the Research work in hand. But it is seen that the Directors, CCR&Ds are unnecessarily given extensions. Some of them are working up to the age of 65 years!  The IAS Officers are retired at 60 but these administrators, under the guise of Scientists are enjoying extensions even for 5 to 6 years after retirement age. These anomalies need to be stopped immediately in the national interest.

If the DRDO is not cleansed in time, the defence scenario will be different. We do not afford to neglect the danger which is posing a threat to the security of our nation. The corrupt officials are the enemies of the nation. They will not hesitate even to sell out the Country if they get a chance. This scoundrel sect must be dealt with severely.

As a Defence Minister, it is your paramount duty to pay heed to the cleansing process of DRDO taken up by Mr. Prabhu Dayal Dandriyal. Our NGO is firmly backing him for his noble work.

The reins of Defence Ministry of India are in your able hands and the whole nation believes in your leadership.

Thanking you,

President / Secretary
Ramshastri Justice Foundation, Pune

Copy to:-
Dr. V K Saraswat,
SA to RM, DGR&D,
DRDO, New Delhi.