RBE No. 20/2000: Appointment on Compassionate Grounds – Acquisition of Higher Educational Qualification

No.E(NG)-II/99/RR-1/Gen.9/JCM-DC, dated 15.02.2000
No. (SC No.40 to MC No.16)

Sub: Appointment on Compassionate Grounds – Acquisition of higher educational qualification.

1. The scheme of compassionate appointments has been evolved with the idea of providing relief in a situation where the family is subjected to financial distress due to sudden loss of income from the bread-winner, consequent to his death in harness or retirement due to medical invalidation. Request for appointment on compassionate ground are, thus, expected to be made immediately after the event warranting such an appointment. All the same, a period of five year has been laid down as the normal time limit within which request for compassionate appointment can be considered. In cases where the window is unable to take up appointment for herself and the children are minor, this limit can be relaxed for the first son/ first daughter on the merit of the case.

2. However, there can be instances where a ward, even though eligible for compassionate appointment at the time of death of the employee, may be pursuing an educational course, the completion of which would make him eligible for appointment to a grade higher than that for which he would have been suitable as per the qualification possessed by him at the time of the death/ medical invalidation of the Railway employee. Representations have been received in some such cases that the same may be kept open and the screening done after the candidate completes the course he/ she had taken up. This issue has also been raised in the DC/JCM meeting held in May, 1999.

3. The matter has been considered by the Board and it has been decided that an eligible dependent of a Railway employee, who died in harness or is retired due to medical invalidation may be allowed to complete the educational course that he may have taken up, so that he may be considered for appointment on compassionate ground in a grade/ post commensurate with the higher qualification provided he requires the higher qualification and applies for hire grade post within the prescribed period of five years. This will be subject to the condition that only one such chance can be availed by the candidate during the period of five years.