Fixation of seniority are primarily covered under Rule 33. Important points for determining seniority
under various scenarios like promotion, transfer, reappointment, and reservation-based
appointments, while balancing merit, administrative needs, and equity are given
below -
(a) General Principle
- Seniority
in a service, class, category, or grade is determined by the date of first
regular appointment to that service/class/category/grade.
- Exception:
Reduction in rank due to punishment may alter seniority.
(b) Simultaneous Appointments
- When two
or more persons are appointed simultaneously, the appointing authority may fix
the order of preference, especially to satisfy reservation rules or other
administrative reasons.
- Important:
The merit order assigned by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission
(APPSC) or other selecting authority shall not be disturbed. Notional dates of
probation may be assigned accordingly.
(c) Notional Promotion
- If notional
promotion is granted, that notional date shall be used to:
· Compute qualifying service for the next higher
promotion, and
· Count service for probation declaration in the feeder
category.
(d) Inter-category Transfers (Same Pay Scale)
- Transfer
between classes/categories within the same service carrying the same scale of
pay shall not be treated as a fresh appointment.
- Seniority
is reckoned from the date of regular appointment in the original class/category.
- In case
of difficulty, Government (if appointing authority) or the next higher
authority shall decide.
(e) Reduction and Re-promotion
- If
reduction does NOT postpone future increments: Seniority on re-promotion is as
if no reduction had occurred.
- If
reduction DOES postpone increments: Seniority on re-promotion includes credit
for prior service in the higher post.
(f) Retrenched and Reappointed Persons
- Seniority
is fixed from the date of reappointment, unless:
- Reappointment was in consultation with
APPSC/other selecting authority → seniority follows merit/order of preference;
- Otherwise → seniority based on total prior
service in equivalent/higher posts.
(g) Military Service Interruption
- For candidates who joined military service before assuming civil post, seniority is based on the order of preference in the approved candidate list.
Rule 34: Integrated/Common Seniority List
- When
preparing a common seniority list for persons from different units of
appointment, the provisions of Rule 33(a) apply.
- Inter-se seniority within the same unit shall not be disturbed.
Rule 35: Seniority in Case of Transfers
(a) Transfer on Administrative
Grounds
- Seniority is fixed from the date of joining the new unit.
Rule 36: Inter-se Seniority Where Probation Start
Dates are Same
- For direct
recruits: Seniority based on ranking in selection list (APPSC/other authority),
not probation start date.
- For promotees/transfers
(involving promotion): Use probation start date.
- If
probation start dates are identical, older person is senior.
- For transfers
on administrative grounds: Seniority retained from original department
probation date.
- For transfers on request: Seniority from joining date in new unit.
Rule 37: Seniority of Re-allotted Direct Recruits
- Candidates re-allotted (with APPSC concurrence) are placed below the last regular candidate in the receiving unit's seniority list.
Rule 38(v): Transfer from Local Cadre to State-Level
Offices
- Seniority
is retained from the original unit if transfer is not on own request.
