A PhD degree will fetch Rs 30,000 extra money for a government officer: Order

THE Central government on Friday decided to pay an increased payout of incentives for acquiring fresh higher qualifications if those courses are found to be directly relevant to the employee's job. Accordingly, a  PhD or equivalent will fetch a one-time payment of Rs 30,000; post-graduate degree or diploma of duration more than one year will give an officer Rs 25,000; a PG degree/diploma of duration one year or less, Rs 20,000, and finally degree/diploma of duration of more than three years -- Rs 15,000. Also, a degree/diploma of a duration of…

three years or less, or equivalent will fetch Rs10,000. Till 7th Central Pay Commission looked into it, one-time lump-sum amount ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 was provided, as per an order issued in 1999. 

In fact, the 7th Central Pay Commission  reviewed the rates of incentives available to employees on this account in addition to pay, and suggested their rationalisation and simplification. It was then discussed in details by a panel headed by the expenditure secretary under the ministry of finance. 

The incentives will not, however, be available for the qualifications which are laid down as essential or desirable qualifications in the recruitment rules for the post. Also, no incentive shall be allowed for acquiring higher qualification purely on academic or literary subjects. The acquisition of the qualification should be directly related to the functions of the post held by the employee, or to the functions to be performed in the next higher post. Then, the quantum of incentive will be uniform for all posts, irrespective of their classification or grade or the department.