ALL INDIA RADIO NEWSCASTERS ASSOCIATIONRoom No.101/A, NBH, NSD, AIR, New Delhi. 110 001___________________________________Cadre Review ofNews Reader-cum-Translator, News Services Division, All India Radio
Necessity of Cadre Review:
There has never been cadre review for News Reader-cum-Translator category since theinception of News Services Division. All that was done was a work study in 1967. Our proposal,therefore, may please be viewed in the context of the acute shortage of professional staff NSD isfacing now. It may not be possible, in the circumstances, to suggest -additional 10 % cut;downsizing;limiting the expenditure at the present level;showing the saving of the matching amount.NSD being a unique organisation does need manpower in full strength and it is achieved bybooking persons on casual basis and, therefore, it becomes necessary to consider the expenditureincurred on casual bookings too. On the other hand, the workload on NRTs has increased, which inan oblique manner, shows saving since expenditure has not gone up in the direct proportion to thework now being performed.
SIU Report:
The News Reader-cum-Translator (NRT) cadre was born out of necessity. All posts in NewsServices Division belonged to CIS. While NSD required a pool of language-knowing journalists,CIS did not recruit candidates on the basis of languages. In order to overcome the shortage of staffNRTs (Staff Artists) were recruited. In mid-1960s, AIR authorities proposed to appoint its ownNews staff but the I&B Ministry did not agree. The Work Study Unit (popularly known as SIU orMasani Committee) accepted the position and declared that NRTs were ‘reckoned’ to be workingagainst the CIS posts, which means, NRTs were required to perform the same tasks as earmarkedfor CIS. The Work Study Unit recommended some staff strength, which could never be deployeddue to the policy of leaving these posts open for CIS. Thus, NSD has been perennially facing theshortage of staff.
Consequences:
The ‘reckoned’word gave NRTs a status of ‘ad-hoc’staff.. The experience, however, showedthat NRT (Staff Artists) not only stayed but were placed on ‘Long Term’ contracts up to the ageof superannuation making them ‘virtual’ Government employees. Later, they became regulargovernment employees who, by virtue of their position with regard to pay scales, were given gazettedstatus, albeit as an ‘isolated’ group, ‘reckoned’ to be working on CIS posts. Without properencadrement NRTs have suffered a lot in their status, pay and promotion.Some time around 1978, some of the posts of sub-editors etc were surendered against whichNRTs were working. It was possible for CIS to do so because these posts belonged to them and notto AIR.
What News Reader-cum-Translators Do: NRTs work in Hindi, Urdu and all Indian Languages, in NSD as well as in state Capitals(Regional News Units - RNUs) and also at some other stations (non-RNUs) as regular permanentstaff members. News Readers in English,now involved in other tasks too, are part of the NRTcategory. Working in different language units, and at RNUs and Non-RNUs, NRTs edit, translate,and broadcast news bulletins in various languages.
Expansion of activities over the Years: NSD has expanded its broadcast activity on a massive scale. While, the main thrust hasbeen on 3 major languages, namely, English, Hindi and Urdu, NSD, however, is yet to capitalize onits USP - the languages. It still broadcasts two, three or four bulletins at long gaps which is hardlydesirable in the present scenario. The number of bulletins needs to be increased and gap reducedbetween bulletins. All the languages too, cover voice-casts in their bulletins Only recently. 49 bul-letins have been launched in different languages. The activity at NSD as well as at RNUs hascertainly increased with the introduction of FM news bulletins.
Change in nomenclature:
In view of the above, the title NRT needs to be changed, with Editors, Senior Editors etcreplacing it since the facts support this change.
SIU Recommendation:
SIU committee calculated the work force requirement in NSD and RNUs based on thenumber of bulletins covered in 4 hrs, 5 hrs and 6 (6.30) hrs.shifts.As recommended by Work Study Unit in 1968 ;
•0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4for a 15-minute bulletin (in some cases, 2 such bulletins)
•10.00 hrs to 16.30 hrs (6.30 hrs) 2 Editors + 1 News Reader = 3for a 10-minute bulletin.
•1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4for a 15-minute bulletin(If more than one bulletin were to be covered in a particular shift, the number ofstaff would remain the same).
SIU also recommended that wherever, the Editors from CIS were willing and qualified toread the bulletin, no News Reader be booked. Average workload, then, ranged from 30 to 55 min-utes in languages.The broadcasts did not, however, include Sanskrit bulletins which is a latter daydevelopment.
Today, NSD suffers from serious, all-round staff crunch and incurs heavy expendi-ture on Casual bookings. We, therefore, suggest the following which will show that the workloadwe prescribe is 90 minutes - three times of the present workload - per language perday whileintroducing 25% economy of staff over what the SIU report suggests (Here, we would like tohighlight the fact that the present staff strength cannot be taken as yardstick for suggestingany economy-driven modification).
Requirement of Staff per Shift
Overall, if the system of broadcasting more bulletins per shift is adopted, it would give amatching saving in the form of additional work without additional expenditure.
0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
1000 hrs to 1630 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
Total 9 per language in NSD.
At present there are 13 units, therefore, working strength should be 9 x 13= 117. This shows thatby increasing the staff by about 50% of the existing sanctioned strength the work can be increasedby three times. This is the optimum and efficient use of manpower. Additional expenditure is desir-able from the cost-benefit angle. The existing skeletal broadcasting format is a sheer wastage.
NOTE: •NRTs should be redesignated as Editors, Senior Editors etc according to their length ofservice. •The strength shown above does not include Urdu, Hindi and English as they have almostreached the saturation point and, therefore, our suggestions are based on the presentsystem prevailing in these units. There will be 4 shifts in these 3 languages.The combinedstrength in 3 shifts (Morning to late Evening) should be 18 of the Editorial staff (6 in each of thethree units).In the fourth (additional) shift (2200 hrs to 0430 hrs) the work could be on the lowkey requiring only 3 Editors. Each of the unit will thus require 18 editors per day (or 54altogether). •Leave reserve staff:In addition to the above working strength, every unit (including Urdu, Hindi and English) shouldbe given 25 % of the extra staff since a working year consists of 274 days or roughly 9 months.91 days or 3 months are used as leave-days including weekly off days.Total Strength: Languages - 117 +26 (leave reserve) = 143Urdu/English/Hindi: 72 + 18 (leave reserve) = 90Overall strength of NRTs in NSD: 233 (excluding RNUs)
Regional News Units (RNUs):
There are 45 RNUs where too the above format of bulletins should be implemented in 2shifts: morning and evening. Their strength should be worked out in line with the staffing pattern inNSD i.e. 3 members per shift and 2 leave reserve which will come to 8 per RNU which means,370 for 45 RNUs.Total strength: 603.
Senior Positions: There will be Joint Directors, Directors and ADGs ( in all 132 posts) above the SeniorEditors and Editors at NSD and RNUs.
Promotional Avenues: There should be regular promotional channel for NRTs (under new nomenclature) up to thelevel of ADG. There should be judicious and decentralized distribution of the higher ranking postsamong NSD and RNUs in the following manner: •ADGs at NSD and also at regional level. •Directors at NSD and at RNUs •Joint Directors at NSD and at RNUs •Senior Editors and Editors who should be divided into 2:3 ratio with pay-scale of Rs.8,000/- (pre-VI Pay Commission) at the base level (Editors):
The National Productivity Council Report on the staffing pattern in Prasar Bharati is, to say theleast, not at all growth-oriented. Nor does it take into account the real picture of the NSD programmes.Based on its study of AIR Bangalore, the conclusions are applied on the national scale. This ishardly the correct method to evaluate the actual need of NSD. While it may be true of any stationthat originates programmes but NSD’s requirement cannot be assessed on the basis of the positionobtaining in one RNU. It may be useful, to some extent, to assess the strength of other RNUs, but toapply the results on a wider scale is a questionable exercise.It may be of consequence to say that thestaff strength suggested by NPC Report will not be sufficient even to run the half of the programmesthat NSD is, at present, putting out. It is pertinent to say that NSD has to induge in a liberal bookingof Casual Assignees to manage its day-to-day affair.
Growth should be the Goal
What we have presented is a picture of further growth without imposing big burden of staff. Theincrease we have suggested is not proportionate to the suggested increase in workload.. The figureis modest and reasonable in view of the fact that there is editorial staff, at present working in, butnot borne on AIR/DD and also a large number of Casual Assignees. The figure given here is to beviewed in that perspective.
Hi This is offcourse most pressing need of the hour.But is there any serious effort on ourmeans NRTs part to put it at the doors of those who can do some thing . Could we approach 6th pay commission. I think we all should pull whatever strings we have and we use to pull to get personal favours. This is an orphan cadre so unless we become our own Godfathers nobody is going to adopt us.
We all should think over it stealing sometime from our other all important activities and intraunit sqables. One amongst u
This is the final version somewhat different from the previous one given here. Please read carefully. ALL INDIA RADIO NEWSCASTERS ASSOCIATION Room No.101/A, NBH, NSD, AIR, New Delhi. 110 001 ______________________________________________________________________________ Cadre Review of News Reader-cum-Translator Category of News Services Division, All India Radio Necessity of Cadre Review: There has never been a cadre review for News Reader-cum-Translator category since the inception of News Services Division. All that was done was a work study in 1967. Our proposal, therefore, may please be viewed in the context of the acute shortage of professional staff NSD is facing now. It may not be possible, in the circumstances, to suggest - n additional 10 % cut; n downsizing; n limiting the expenditure at the present level; or n showing the saving of the matching amount. NSD being a unique organisation does need manpower in full strength and it is achieved by booking persons on casual basis and, therefore, it becomes necessary to consider the expenditure incurred on casual bookings too. On the other hand, the workload on NRTs has increased, which in an oblique manner, shows saving since expenditure has not gone up in the direct proportion to the work now being performed. SIU Report: The News Reader-cum-Translator (NRT) cadre was born out of necessity.despite the fact that all posts in News Services Division belonged to CIS. Though, NSD required a pool of language- knowing journalists, CIS recruited candidates on the basis of languages only in the early years but discontinued the practice. In order to overcome the shortage of staff, NRTs (Staff Artists) were recruited. In mid-1960s, AIR authorities did propose to appoint its own News staff in place of CIS, the I&B Ministry turned down the proposal. The Work Study Unit (popularly known as SIU or Masani Committee) accepted the position and declared that NRTs were ‘reckoned’ to be working against the CIS posts, which means, NRTs were required to perform the same tasks as earmarked for CIS. The Work Study Unit recommended some staff strength, which could never be deployed due to the policy of leaving these posts open for CIS. Thus, NSD has been perennially facing the shortage of staff. Consequences: The ‘reckoned’ word gave NRTs a status of ‘ad-hoc’ staff.. The experience, however, showed that NRT (Staff Artists) not only stayed but were placed on ‘Long Term’ contracts up to the age of superannuation making them ‘virtual’ Government employees. Later, they became regular government employees who, by virtue of their position with regard to pay scales, were given gazetted status, albeit as an ‘isolated’ group, ‘reckoned’ to be working on CIS posts. Without proper encadrement NRTs have suffered a lot in their status, pay and promotion. Some time around 1978, some of the posts of sub-editors etc were surrendered against which NRTs were working. It was possible for CIS to do so because these posts belonged to them and not to AIR. What News Reader-cum-Translators Do: NRTs work in Hindi, Urdu and all Indian Languages, in NSD as well as in state Capitals (Regional News Units - RNUs) and also at some other stations (non-RNUs) as regular permanent staff members. News Readers in English, now involved in other tasks too, are part of the NRT page 1 of 5 scenario. The number of bulletins needs to be increased and gap reduced between bulletins. All the languages too, cover voice-casts in their bulletins Only recently. 49 bulletins have been launched in different languages. The activity at NSD as well as at RNUs has certainly increased with the introduction of FM news bulletins. Change in nomenclature: In view of the above, the title NRT needs to be changed, with Editors, Senior Editors etc replacing it since the facts support this change. SIU Recommendation: SIU committee calculated the work force requirement in NSD and RNUs based on the number of bulletins covered in 4 hrs, 5 hrs and 6 (6.30) hrs.shifts. As recommended by Work Study Unit in 1968 ; • 0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4 for a 15-minute bulletin (in some cases, 2 such bulletins) • 10.00 hrs to 16.30 hrs (6.30 hrs) 2 Editors + 1 News Reader = 3 for a 10-minute bulletin. • 1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4 for a 15-minute bulletin (If more than one bulletin were to be covered in a particular shift, the number of staff would remain the same). SIU also recommended that wherever, the Editors from CIS were willing and qualified to read the bulletin, no News Reader be booked. Average workload, then, ranged from 30 to 55 minutes in languages.The broadcasts did not, however, include Sanskrit bulletins which is a latter day development. Today, NSD suffers from serious, all-round staff crunch and incurs heavy expenditure on Casual bookings. We, therefore, suggest the following which will show that the workload we prescribe is 90 minutes - three times of the present workload - per language per day while introducing 25% economy of staff over what the SIU report suggests (Here, we would like to highlight the fact that the present staff strength cannot be taken as yardstick for suggesting any economy-driven modification). Requirement of Staff per Shift Overall, if the system of more bulletins per shift is adopted, it would give a matching saving in the form of additional work without additional expenditure.(Note: Here we presume that the staff member is capable of news-reading). n 0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 3 30 minutes of broadcast: 2 bulletins of 10-mt duration 2 bulletins of 5-mt duratio n 1000 hrs to 1630 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 3 30 minutes of broadcast: 2 bulletins of 10-mt duration page 2 of 5 category. Working in different language units, and at RNUs and Non-RNUs, NRTs edit, translate, and broadcast news bulletins in various languages. Expansion of activities over the Years: NSD has expanded its broadcast activity on a massive scale. With the main thruston 3 major languages, namely, English, Hindi and Urdu, NSD is yet to capitalize on its USP - the languages. It still broadcasts two, three or four bulletins at long gaps which is hardly desirable in the present NOTE: • NRTs should be redesignated as Editors, Senior Editors etc according to their length of service. • The strength shown above does not include Urdu, Hindi and English as they have almost reached the saturation point and, therefore, our suggestions are based on the present system prevailing in these units. There will be 4 shifts in these 3 languages.The combined strength in 3 shifts (Morning to late Evening) should be 18 of the Editorial staff (6 in each of the three units).In the fourth (additional) shift (2200 hrs to 0430 hrs) the work could be on the low key requiring only 3 Editors. Each of the unit will thus require 18 editors per day (or 54 altogether). • Leave reserve staff: In addition to the above working strength, every unit (including Urdu, Hindi and English) should be given 25 % of the extra staff since a working year consists of 274 days or roughly 9 months. 91 days or 3 months are used as leave-days including weekly off days. Total Strength: Languages - 117 +26 (leave reserve) = 143 Urdu/English/Hindi: 72 + 18 (leave reserve) = 90 Overall strength of NRTs in NSD: 233 (excluding RNUs) Regional News Units (RNUs): There are 45 RNUs where too the above format of bulletins should be implemented in 2 shifts: morning and evening. Their strength should be worked out in line with the staffing pattern in NSD i.e. 3 members per shift and 2 leave reserve which will come to 8 per RNU which means, 370 for 45 RNUs. Total strength: 603. Senior Positions: There will be Joint Directors, Directors and ADGs ( in all 132 posts) above the Senior Editors and Editors at NSD and RNUs. Promotional Avenues: There should be regular promotional channel for NRTs (under new nomenclature) up to the level of ADG. There should be judicious and decentralized distribution of the higher ranking posts among NSD and RNUs in the following manner: • ADGs at NSD and also at regional level. • Directors at NSD and at RNUs • Joint Directors at NSD and at RNUs • Senior Editors and Editors who should be divided into 2:3 ratio with pay-scale of Rs. 7500/- (pre-VI Pay Commission) at the base level (Editors): Overall All India Set-up 12 ADGs: 48 Directors : 72 Joint Directors:244 Sr. Editors : 379 Editors Ratio: 1 ADG: 4 Dirs :1.5 Jt. Dirs:3.4 Sr. Editors: 1.06 Editors page 3 of 5 2 bulletins of 5-mt duration n 1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2 Editors = 3 30 minutes of broadcast: 2 bulletins of 10-mt duration 2 bulletins of 5-mt duration Total 9 per language in NSD. At present there are 13 units, therefore, working strength should be 9 x 13= 117. This shows that by increasing the staff by about 50% of the existing sanctioned strength the work can be increased by three times. This is the optimum and efficient use of manpower. Additional expenditure is desirable from the cost-benefit angle. The existing skeletal broadcasting format is a sheer wastage. How to Achieve it: The above structure takes a holistic view of the staff requirement in NSD under Prasar Bharati which has its own staff comprising NRTs and personnel from IIS. As such, NRTs are ‘reckoned’ to be working on the CIS (now IIS) posts and they possess the same characteristics and they perform identical or complementary functions of IIS functionaries in NSD AIR. Moreover they are Broadcasters too. Truly speaking, NRTs, (being Editors, Translators and Broadcasters and News Anchors) are more suitable to perform all tasks that are an essential part of Radio journalism. In the modern Broadcasting, we need a complete Radio News personality. There is no place for an editor in today’s broadcasting set-up, who does not possess all requisites of a broadcaster. What we are suggesting, will give a great opening to Language-knowing people all over the country with more people becoming available for functions in organizations such as, AIR and DD, Monitoring(domestic and foreign), Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (at District level) and all other Central government Services all spread across the country as these organizations have to have a bias for languages. It may be pertinent to say, that though, ‘Information’ and ‘Broadcasting’ are clubbed together under one Ministry, the cadre structure on ‘Broadcasting’ side has not been developed. Even after the introduction of ‘Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service’ and ‘Indian Broadcasting (Engineering) Service’, the overall cadre structure in AIR and DD is yet to acquire homogeneity. NRTs belong to a different genre as news professionals and, therefore, it would be in the fitness of the things that they are absorbed in IIS as their Brodcasting arm which can be utilized both in Akashvani and Doordarshan. The language and broadcasting skill that NRTs possess could be useful in more meaningful way to, not only Prasar Bharati but the Information segment as a whole. We, therefore, propose the following steps : • NRTs should be given the option to merge into IIS at appropriate level of their existing pay-scales: • Looking at the existing overall strength of NRTs merger may create not more than a couple of ripples at micro level; • IIS will also be able to fill the gap wherever there is specific requirement of languages such as Monitoring, Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (at District level) and all other Central government Services all spread across the country; • On the other hand, All India set-up of AIR too can be rationalized by using the newly absorbed NRTs and existing staff of IIS, like Field Publicity Officers, who have got all the amenities available as district level officers to provide news feeds instead of using unreliable services of Part-time Correspondents; • This is very much possible as IIS cadre has seen such mergers earlier too. For example, personnel engaged in publication of ‘Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi’, Border Field Publicity Officers, Staff of All India Radio Journals and the most importantly, DAVP.It is in the interest of IIS cadre as a whole. Stop-gap Arrangement for seamless merger Hold DPC It is also important to make suitable arrangements for a seamless merger. We, would like to suggest some modification in the present structure of NRT category. At present, there are only 3 grades in the ratio of 20:60:180 (or the existing posts) .as per the Fifth Pay Commission viz. n 12,000-375-16,500, Grade-1: vacancies 19 out of 20 n 10,000-325-15,200, Grade-II: vacancies 46 out of 60 n 6,500-200- 10,500/- Grade-III. vacancies 78 Page 4 of 5 (RAVINDER KOUL) (RAMAN KESAR) PRESIDENT SECRETARY 24..9.08 Growth should be the Goal What we have presented is a picture of further growth without imposing big burden of staff. The increase we have suggested is not proportionate to the suggested increase in workload.. The figure is modest and reasonable in view of the fact that there is editorial staff, at present working in, but not borne on AIR/DD and also a large number of Casual Assignees. The figure given here is to be viewed in that perspective. Page 5 of 5 Actually, the no-recruitment policy affects the entry level but that should not affect the grade 2 and grade 1. Unfortunately, in the case of NRTs there have been no promotions in grade 2 and grade1 since 1996, though, ACP has been granted which is not equal to promotions. We propose that the eligible candidates should be promoted to their respective next higher grades with effect from 1997 calculating the vacancies on yearly basis so that the maximum number gets full benefits of promotions. This may call for one-time waiver so that the DPC rule could be applied with retrospective effect. Add one Higher Grade It is clear that the Grade-1 NRT is at Joint Director (IIS) level. Now we propose that a Director level grade 14,000-400-18,300 be introduced and NRTs at Joint Director and Director level may be given additional responsibilities by suitably amending Recruitment Rules so that at these levels the functions can become identical with those in IIS. The ratio should be the same as 1:3::9 for Director (IIS) level, Joint Director(IIS) level and NRT grade-II (as at present) level. The strength would be : 7 at Director level, 21 at Joint Director level, 63 at NRT Grade-II level and the rest will be at NRT Grade-III level. NPC Report The National Productivity Council Report on the staffing pattern in Prasar Bharati is, to say the least, not at all growth-oriented. Nor does it take into account the real picture of the NSD programmes. Based on its study of AIR Bangalore, the conclusions are applied on the national scale. This is hardly the correct method to evaluate the actual need of NSD. While it may be true of any station that originates programmes but NSD’s requirement cannot be assessed on the basis of the position obtaining in one RNU. It may be useful, to some extent, to assess the strength of other RNUs, but to apply the results on a wider scale is a questionable exercise.It may be of consequence to say that the staff strength suggested by NPC Report will not be sufficient even to run the half of the programmes that NSD is, at present, putting out. It is pertinent to say that NSD has to induge in a liberal booking of Casual Assignees to manage its day-to-day affair.
Ya Akhil, Its really an orphan category...but If adopted r v ready to be adopted ? if being transfered to any border field publicity...? we must think and work out..
haresh bhai sabse pehle to badhai is nek kaam ke liye aur kuch nahin to kam se kam apne man ki baat kehne ka manch to mila As far as this spectare of transfer is concerned, We have taken enough refuge against this. We should not compare ourselves to those who never knew what for they are applying and what job they are going to do. We have been appointed by the same president of India for a very specific job and we should ask for our rightful place.
Akhil and Haresh, Is it not strange that our friends have nothing to say so far? Anyway, I hope they all read. The question of transfer should not worry us. The thing is, Transfer is in two modes.One, you may go to another department (not city) may change after promotion and, the other, you may go to another city (may be department too). The thing is, can I prevent someone else who is willing to go on transfer? I cannot form a rule against transfeer just because I am afraid of it. People do go on transfer and people do forgo their promotions only to avoid transfer. While, drawing up abroad plan you cannot fix some norms that bind future generations too. During our discussions with the IIS Association people, it was revealed that they are not afraid of transfer but they think of disturbing their seniority list.Something has to happen. By remaining outside any organised cadre we have lost much more than what we have saved that is, we are better placed only in one sense - we do not face the spectre of transfer. How long shall we stick to this one benefit at the cost of so many?
I think ours is adevided house, when matter of transfer comes. It is natural and r ready too, but this must not be the chance to omit us from this organisation.
I want to stress for the another thing. Our only identity this dept has taken in to consideration i.e. News reader. If we are taken out of that,we can show our skills as a journalist or communicator or media person. But,the million doller question is, how many of us will survive? Their faulty translations are broadcast and wiped out. If they are out side what will be of their shadow as News reader AIR, the glamour in our mind. What development is afterwards? Are they really ready to merge our cadre? Is prasarbharati to create a seperate cadre for the media out of AIR/DD?
I suggest to organize a symposia, inviting news readers from every corner as part of our curricula. Ask this CEO to allow at training institute and ask him to preside over the same. Invite some seniour Secy. level officers so that they understand our skills apart from news reader and also understand problems too.
Dear Friends , You might have gone through the piece on ou cader review.How did you find it. I request all of you to read it, ponder on it and give us your feedback.
It is not a question of how would they absorb us NRTs in IIS. It is also not relevant at this point of time to think of Prasar Bharati forming its own cadre and take over employees. Even if such athing arises in future, everyone, including IIS staff members will be entitled to exercise their options under section -11(1) and Section 11(2). They can choose to remain with PB or stay with Govt. It is, after all an individual's choice. Right now, the question is, do we have a cadre? Can we survive like this?
I read a copy of representation sent by IIS Association. Who is Mr.B.Narayanan ? As Mr.Dhatwalia and co. had responded to the letter by Ms. Stuti Kacker,a Joint Secy in MIB to PIO on 27th August, and in that they haven't mentioned any thing about us- NEWS READERS
Secondly they are against the upgradation of Sr.group B so that direct recruit have minimal competition FROM PROMOTEE
Ms. Stuti Kacker wrote: 1. Merger of IIS Group B-Junior with Sr. Grade G-B; they oppposed it and asked to feel it by SSB, not only that they suggested to cut posts in Sr. Grade from 423 to 200 and enhance the post of Jr. Grade from 134 to 300. 2. They suggested to drop the recruitment 0f Sr. Grade through UPSC and instead promote Jr.Grade. 3. The association opposed the adhoc creation of 100 JTS posts saying it as unrealistic ( because no STS posts are created so their promotional avenues are curtailed)
Actually the proposal is approved by Minister of MIB and is being proccessed.
WHAT I FEEL : WE MUST REPRESENT OUR CASE TO THIS JOINT SECY MS STUTI KACKER OR MEET AHMAD PATEL TO FORWARD OUR DEMANDS TO MINISTER OF MIB, SO THAT AT THIS STAGE OF FRAMING OF CADRE REVIEW, OUR POINT OF VIEW IS CONSIDERED AND THAT TO WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL BURDEN. THIS ASSOCIATION WILL OPPOSE AS THEIR PROMOTIONAL AVENUES ARE BLOCKED BY OUR MERGER. I THINK WE MUST NOT EXPECT ANY THING FROM IIS ASSOCIATION.
I think they know the problems such merger may cause. I am, however, tempted to think that they will accept it because AIRNCA is not suggesting a simple merger. It is less a cadre review and more a restructuring of News set up itself.Merger is just a small part of it.Here it has proposed an extended structure which will be beneficial to all. Let us think from a different point of view. Suppose, Government or Prasar Bharati decides to recruit NRTs directly through open competition. What will happen in that case? They will join with no prospects of growing. The thing is, NRTs have to have their base in an organised cadre without which they cannot hope to improve their lot.And at this point of time, it is IIS. Or else, think of the now-in-abeyence Prasar Bharati Recruitment Rules. PSA wants IIS to go but for NRTs, they want only TrExes to join at base level who will rise and become PExes(because they will be in an organised cadre), and therefore, bosses of NRTs who will continue to suffer due as working on posts that do not belong to them. It is like Bharat preserving Ram's Paaduka waiting for his return from vanvaas. This is exectly what we have been doing just because people were afraid of transfers.We have preserved these posts for others and kept on working as a stopgap arrangement. Happy with good upgradations. (now, for the last 10 years we are waiting for it but it does not come. Our thinking was wrong. Financial upgradation is never equal to change in status - let us frankly admit it). The thing is, it is too much to expect others to speak for us. And, in this case, it is for the first time the idea - that IIS raise demand to restore their posts that existed in AIR - has come up. AND IT IS PROPOSED BY AIRNCA. I hope, its leaders Raman Kesar and Ravinder Koul will break their silence and come out openly to debate the issue. I do not know why they are silent. After all, the blog is now some day old!
Deepakbhai, can u write about appointment of Vasubhai Acharya,Lemual Harry,Devakinandan Pande and others? They joined prior to SIU report, means there were posts for News readers seperately. May be newsreaders as an Artist category.
Yes, I can give you some idea. Hindi and English had News Readers on the staff. Devaki Nandan Pandey,Ashok Vajpayee, Shiv Sagar Mishra, Urmila Mishra, Vinod Kashyap, Ramanuj Prasad Singh, Indu Vahi, Jai Narayan Sharma, all were News Readers in Hindi. Then, Shoorajit Sen, Latika Ratnam, Sushi Jhaveri etc were News Readers in English. Even today, there are only News Readers in English and the bulletin is prepared by IIS staff in GNR. There were Translators too in Hindi who later became government servants under Vasan Sathey's scheme like so many others, i.e. Producers, Prod. Asst.s, Copyists, General Assistants etc. I remember some faces in Hindi (NSD) but cannot recall their names. Hindi did have CIS staff and even today there are CIS (now IIS) people in HNR. Some names: Subhash Setia, O.P. Datta, K.K. Pant, Rajendra Upadhyay, Durg Narayan Deep, Tauhid Khan etc.They were in and out of Radio frequently. It was difficult to recruit News Readers or Translators or CIS people in languages. This led to the invention of News Reader-cum-Translators. So, there were NRTs and CIS persons in languages. Some names of CIS people who worked in Languages: Digambar Swadia, Hari Vadan Desai, Rasik Mehta, Navrang Dholakia Dushyant Mankad (Gujarati,Tapoja Sharma (Bengali) Mr. Chaudhari (Marathi), Mr. Ganahar(Kashmiri), Fida Mohd. (Urdu), Sundareshwara (Kannada). There may be some more but I do not recollect their names right now. When I joined NSD in Dec. 1974, only the last 3 were in language Units. In fact, NRTs in Hindi too had begun to berecruited at fast pace that time. So, there was a mix of NRs, NRTs and CIS everywhere. Since NRTs were doing additional work they used to get an advance increment at the time of appointment. NRs' intial pay was 235/- whereas NRTs were appointed witha higher start at 270/-. The difference was wiped out by 4th Pay Commission. By 1984(as far as I remember) only Mr. Ganahar was there in Kashmiri unit. Language units were completely manned by NRTs.
What I wish is about Newsreaders in RNU and at Languages unit at Delhi. Vasubhai and Lemual Harry were as Newsreaders since 1949. What was their status? They must be NRT or NR. These posts must have seperate status than CIS. It May be that these posts of CIS were merged with. The ministry or Section viii may have these history.
Vasubhai was NR, Lamuel Harry was NR. But in languages they were all absorbed as NRTs at some point of time and they accepted it because, as I have stated, Language NRTs were getting a higher start of one increment of Rs.35/-. In fact Vasubhai was a Record Keeper in Gujarati External Service Library. The programme was shifted to Mumbai some time in late 50's and Vasubhai was surplus and therefore was adjusted in Gujarati unit as it was possible to recruit anyone as staff Artist. I did not want to write all such personal details since it does not help NRTs' cause. Simple thing is: the posts belonged to CIS and in absence of CIS staff staff Artists as NRT were taken, Wherever there was no shortage, like Hindi and English CIS continued(even now they are there as IIsstaff).Later, SAs were put on Long Term contract which made it impossible for govt. to remove them.Also, this led to gradation scheme. But they remained isolated. SC declared them as Govt. employees saying that it was erroneous to consider them as working on contract. They became Govt Gazettted officers but still remain isolated. They must find a place in some organised cadre, either Programme Staff or IIS. There is no other way.
Some of our collegues ask me about Pay fixasion and difference or arrears....I advise all to go through the web site i.e. www.gconnect.com ...it has tables and calculator too,through that one can get exact amount of arrears
I think there is some problem with ACP. Suppose you got your ACP in 2006 later than January 06 and opt for the new scale from 1.1.2006 you lose whatever you got as ACP. I think in such case you should choose wef your date of ACP
deepak bhai and haresh achcha hei, aapas mein bahas karke saari bhadas nikal rahi hei amma kiske liye lad rahe ho itni lambi mailing list mein kisi ko itna bhar likhne ki fursaat nahin hei ki gaali guftaar ke liye hi sahi achcha manch hei. aap donon gandhi ke desh so ho isliye ekla chalo ki neeti achchi lagti hei. Apne rajju bhaiya bhi sabko padne ka homework dekar agali class lene chale gaye hein. Mera vichaar yeh hei ki hume bhi ek mem jt sec ko bhej dena chahiye. Waise aap gyani aur guni log hein soch samajh kar nirnay lein. AB EK MADAD MERI KAREIN MAIN I AM LOOKING FOR AVINAASH PAIGUDE> IF ANYBODY KNOWS HIS WHEREABOUTS,PH No. Or mail or ADD. Please let me know Urgently.
Akhil, We are exectly what you have said. Why nobody takes interest is really intriguing. This is something inexplicable. Seems like conspiracy of silence. All those who have email ID are in touvh with computers. They know English. They know Hindi. After all we are not writing in Greek and Latin. This lack of interest has caused us serious loss of status. Haresh did well to launch this blog but our friends do not care to participate and discuss our issues.
Ya..Deepakbhai,Because the CPC recomanded only change in Grade Pay in case of ACP. so one will loss. We can count the difference inthewebsite....www.gconnect.com..and by that one can see if any loss is incurred
Hi, I am still positive about our brother colleagues. Perhaps they feel still as poor news readers and so no use at home and can't dare to use in office... may God give strength to us.
Deepakbhai,Its not that.We must not lose the hope.As I talk to Bharatbhai, he had seen and read that all, but find no time to respond. May be so many of us are not have courage or banefit from this activities.....The day will, when they will feel to take interest
Yes. Anyway. DG had called a meeting of the Association representatives today to discuss the cadre review proposal but due to his engagement,he postponed it. The new date will be intimated later.
Its nice..but we must opt for a specific path. The paper u wish to represent will not be acceptable to IIS and the IBPS ALSO don't want us to be merged..They want our cadre as stagnant and dieing...but do not wish to broader their base
Only the other day you advised me to be optimistic! What is the reason that IIs will not accept the proposal? Let us try, what is necessary. What other specific path do you suggest?
I am sory but I have to write for the other cadre. The cadre Review submitted by IIS Association is rather divisive for their own promotional cadres. They don't wish to get their own bretheren to get promotion and get up to senior time scale so that direct recruities get more cream. They suggested to curtail Grade-3 posts and so few gets the other scales.
Now how can we expect a share from a narrow minded Associationists. They don't wish their base to expand and get a big share
Prog. Staff is also of the same state of mind. They also shed tears for the merged cadres which curtailed their promotions. They see the eatables in others plate but don't get satisfied by what in their plates. Today even they count the heads which are Promoted from Producers or Science Officers...may be Jaylal or D. Lal
Actually we blong to both the sides...Indian Broadcast News Service...Its a brain child we own and nobody bothers, as we can't present this idea to any holders. Even policy framers don't know our problems, because we represent it up to D.G. till today. I recall meeting with Mr.Varadan,the then Addl.Secy,I & B, when I along with Prma Awasthy, and Arindam represented our case to be deemed as Govt. Servents (in 1990). He was very much ignorant about a cadre like ours though looking after AIR & DD. He was delighted meeting a person listening everyday through Radio, a person through whom he corrected his pronunciations ( he accepted even ). We have one Deepak Dholakia, we need more....like him. Mr. Kulkarni, Sh. Ashok vajpayee and so many had contributed a lot and so we are getting this status (?) and atleast pay scales.
What effort we had done for our own survival? we just do part time job here and get more for that. (every cadre have the same story)
The need is to put our case to the authority, who is in search of a holy hen.
Let us forget about internal problems of IIS. It does not pay. I am aware of the rift since I have worked with the the group of ANEs and NEs. Those who have risen from the rank. Some of them at a particular stage did benefit. Mr. D. C. Bahumik was an ANE , JD-n and DG(N). Shri Subhash Setia also began as ANE, NE, Joint Director and in the last month of his career was ADG. They do feel this. The system is faulty, no doubt.But, you cannot help it. you may have a young 27 year old District collector and a 55 year old clerk. What to do about it? The question is:A young man wants to join IAS to become an Administrator. He fails to achieve his goal since he did not get sufficient marks in personal interview. He is now placed in Allied services and government asks him to be a journalist! He has to join IIS. so, they do not acquire professional skills as a journalist and their mental make up is also that of an administrator. This does not mean that all of them are like that. Those who have worked in AIR for a considerable period understand it. But, after all there is something called 'personal'. If they get a promotion outside AIR, you cannot fault them for accepting it. The result,of course,for AIR is too bad. The thing is, the very basic policy of the government is wrong. IAS aspirants should not get opening in IIS. About Programme staff, they call themselves 'Programme Management' cadre on the line of Business Management. Now, TrEx and PEx are only at a lower level and they cannot be called a part of 'Management'. In fact, SDs too are Managers only in a narrow sense, like a branch manager of a big company or a bank. They too are only Executive officers and not a part of 'Decision making' process.Those above them always needed a stick to keep Station Engineers and Chief Engineers or E-in-Cs under their thumb. so they created a myth of programme management. But myths do not survive without a crowd that is ready to believe in it. This can be seen even in our society. Leaders create myths and people accept them as final truths. So, PExes and TrExes are their crowd. They have believed in this myth. And the nature of PSA makes it clear. In fact, Prog. Exes and Transmission Exes should have a separate association not under the influence of DDGs. But, it is not the case. What the AIRNCA has proposed will be ironically opposed by promtee IIS staff (which they should not) and not by the Direct Recruits. On the other hand it will be higher ranking Prog. Officials who will oppose the proposal and not the PExes and TrExes (but they will!).
You have mentioned some names who served NRT cadre. you have missed one name. He single handedly, challenged the system and got the Supreme Court judgment that Staff Artists are Government Servants. It is Shamim Qureshi. Not that I agreed with him at that time when he went to court since I believe we must rely upon our strength. But, I know, if I am able to talk about the restructuring of News Cadre by bringing NRTs under IIS, it is thanks to him. As an impartial historian of Employee related activities in AIR I cannot ignore Shamim's role.
44 comments:
ALL INDIA RADIO NEWSCASTERS ASSOCIATIONRoom No.101/A, NBH, NSD, AIR, New Delhi. 110 001___________________________________Cadre Review ofNews Reader-cum-Translator, News Services Division, All India Radio
Necessity of Cadre Review:
There has never been cadre review for News Reader-cum-Translator category since theinception of News Services Division. All that was done was a work study in 1967. Our proposal,therefore, may please be viewed in the context of the acute shortage of professional staff NSD isfacing now. It may not be possible, in the circumstances, to suggest -additional 10 % cut;downsizing;limiting the expenditure at the present level;showing the saving of the matching amount.NSD being a unique organisation does need manpower in full strength and it is achieved bybooking persons on casual basis and, therefore, it becomes necessary to consider the expenditureincurred on casual bookings too. On the other hand, the workload on NRTs has increased, which inan oblique manner, shows saving since expenditure has not gone up in the direct proportion to thework now being performed.
SIU Report:
The News Reader-cum-Translator (NRT) cadre was born out of necessity. All posts in NewsServices Division belonged to CIS. While NSD required a pool of language-knowing journalists,CIS did not recruit candidates on the basis of languages. In order to overcome the shortage of staffNRTs (Staff Artists) were recruited. In mid-1960s, AIR authorities proposed to appoint its ownNews staff but the I&B Ministry did not agree. The Work Study Unit (popularly known as SIU orMasani Committee) accepted the position and declared that NRTs were ‘reckoned’ to be workingagainst the CIS posts, which means, NRTs were required to perform the same tasks as earmarkedfor CIS. The Work Study Unit recommended some staff strength, which could never be deployeddue to the policy of leaving these posts open for CIS. Thus, NSD has been perennially facing theshortage of staff.
Consequences:
The ‘reckoned’word gave NRTs a status of ‘ad-hoc’staff.. The experience, however, showedthat NRT (Staff Artists) not only stayed but were placed on ‘Long Term’ contracts up to the ageof superannuation making them ‘virtual’ Government employees. Later, they became regulargovernment employees who, by virtue of their position with regard to pay scales, were given gazettedstatus, albeit as an ‘isolated’ group, ‘reckoned’ to be working on CIS posts. Without properencadrement NRTs have suffered a lot in their status, pay and promotion.Some time around 1978, some of the posts of sub-editors etc were surendered against whichNRTs were working. It was possible for CIS to do so because these posts belonged to them and notto AIR.
What News Reader-cum-Translators Do:
NRTs work in Hindi, Urdu and all Indian Languages, in NSD as well as in state Capitals(Regional News Units - RNUs) and also at some other stations (non-RNUs) as regular permanentstaff members. News Readers in English,now involved in other tasks too, are part of the NRTcategory. Working in different language units, and at RNUs and Non-RNUs, NRTs edit, translate,and broadcast news bulletins in various languages.
Expansion of activities over the Years:
NSD has expanded its broadcast activity on a massive scale. While, the main thrust hasbeen on 3 major languages, namely, English, Hindi and Urdu, NSD, however, is yet to capitalize onits USP - the languages. It still broadcasts two, three or four bulletins at long gaps which is hardlydesirable in the present scenario. The number of bulletins needs to be increased and gap reducedbetween bulletins. All the languages too, cover voice-casts in their bulletins Only recently. 49 bul-letins have been launched in different languages. The activity at NSD as well as at RNUs hascertainly increased with the introduction of FM news bulletins.
Change in nomenclature:
In view of the above, the title NRT needs to be changed, with Editors, Senior Editors etcreplacing it since the facts support this change.
SIU Recommendation:
SIU committee calculated the work force requirement in NSD and RNUs based on thenumber of bulletins covered in 4 hrs, 5 hrs and 6 (6.30) hrs.shifts.As recommended by Work Study Unit in 1968 ;
•0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4for a 15-minute bulletin (in some cases, 2 such bulletins)
•10.00 hrs to 16.30 hrs (6.30 hrs) 2 Editors + 1 News Reader = 3for a 10-minute bulletin.
•1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4for a 15-minute bulletin(If more than one bulletin were to be covered in a particular shift, the number ofstaff would remain the same).
SIU also recommended that wherever, the Editors from CIS were willing and qualified toread the bulletin, no News Reader be booked. Average workload, then, ranged from 30 to 55 min-utes in languages.The broadcasts did not, however, include Sanskrit bulletins which is a latter daydevelopment.
Today, NSD suffers from serious, all-round staff crunch and incurs heavy expendi-ture on Casual bookings. We, therefore, suggest the following which will show that the workloadwe prescribe is 90 minutes - three times of the present workload - per language perday whileintroducing 25% economy of staff over what the SIU report suggests (Here, we would like tohighlight the fact that the present staff strength cannot be taken as yardstick for suggestingany economy-driven modification).
Requirement of Staff per Shift
Overall, if the system of broadcasting more bulletins per shift is adopted, it would give amatching saving in the form of additional work without additional expenditure.
0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
1000 hrs to 1630 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2 Editors = 330 minutes of broadcast:2 bulletins of 10-mt duration2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
Total 9 per language in NSD.
At present there are 13 units, therefore, working strength should be 9 x 13= 117. This shows thatby increasing the staff by about 50% of the existing sanctioned strength the work can be increasedby three times. This is the optimum and efficient use of manpower. Additional expenditure is desir-able from the cost-benefit angle. The existing skeletal broadcasting format is a sheer wastage.
NOTE:
•NRTs should be redesignated as Editors, Senior Editors etc according to their length ofservice.
•The strength shown above does not include Urdu, Hindi and English as they have almostreached the saturation point and, therefore, our suggestions are based on the presentsystem prevailing in these units. There will be 4 shifts in these 3 languages.The combinedstrength in 3 shifts (Morning to late Evening) should be 18 of the Editorial staff (6 in each of thethree units).In the fourth (additional) shift (2200 hrs to 0430 hrs) the work could be on the lowkey requiring only 3 Editors. Each of the unit will thus require 18 editors per day (or 54altogether).
•Leave reserve staff:In addition to the above working strength, every unit (including Urdu, Hindi and English) shouldbe given 25 % of the extra staff since a working year consists of 274 days or roughly 9 months.91 days or 3 months are used as leave-days including weekly off days.Total Strength: Languages - 117 +26 (leave reserve) = 143Urdu/English/Hindi: 72 + 18 (leave reserve) = 90Overall strength of NRTs in NSD: 233 (excluding RNUs)
Regional News Units (RNUs):
There are 45 RNUs where too the above format of bulletins should be implemented in 2shifts: morning and evening. Their strength should be worked out in line with the staffing pattern inNSD i.e. 3 members per shift and 2 leave reserve which will come to 8 per RNU which means,370 for 45 RNUs.Total strength: 603.
Senior Positions:
There will be Joint Directors, Directors and ADGs ( in all 132 posts) above the SeniorEditors and Editors at NSD and RNUs.
Promotional Avenues:
There should be regular promotional channel for NRTs (under new nomenclature) up to thelevel of ADG. There should be judicious and decentralized distribution of the higher ranking postsamong NSD and RNUs in the following manner:
•ADGs at NSD and also at regional level.
•Directors at NSD and at RNUs
•Joint Directors at NSD and at RNUs
•Senior Editors and Editors who should be divided into 2:3 ratio with pay-scale of Rs.8,000/- (pre-VI Pay Commission) at the base level (Editors):
Total: (All India Set-up)
12 ADGs: 48 Directors : 72 Joint Directors:244 Sr. Editors : 379 Editors
Ratio:1 ADG : 4 Dirs : 6 Jt. Dirs : 20.33 (say 20) Sr. Editors : 31.583(say 32) Editors
NPC Report
The National Productivity Council Report on the staffing pattern in Prasar Bharati is, to say theleast, not at all growth-oriented. Nor does it take into account the real picture of the NSD programmes.Based on its study of AIR Bangalore, the conclusions are applied on the national scale. This ishardly the correct method to evaluate the actual need of NSD. While it may be true of any stationthat originates programmes but NSD’s requirement cannot be assessed on the basis of the positionobtaining in one RNU. It may be useful, to some extent, to assess the strength of other RNUs, but toapply the results on a wider scale is a questionable exercise.It may be of consequence to say that thestaff strength suggested by NPC Report will not be sufficient even to run the half of the programmesthat NSD is, at present, putting out. It is pertinent to say that NSD has to induge in a liberal bookingof Casual Assignees to manage its day-to-day affair.
Growth should be the Goal
What we have presented is a picture of further growth without imposing big burden of staff. Theincrease we have suggested is not proportionate to the suggested increase in workload.. The figureis modest and reasonable in view of the fact that there is editorial staff, at present working in, butnot borne on AIR/DD and also a large number of Casual Assignees. The figure given here is to beviewed in that perspective.
RAVINDER KOUL,PRESIDENT;
RAMAN KESAR,SECRETARY
Courtsey:Deepak Dholakia
This is a very useful thing to happen to Newscasters of AIR> Hopefully,our friends will share their views.
Ya, kindly convey to all
Dear Newsreaders,
I have sent link to some of our friends. Hope they will visit the blog.
This year our friends Madhva Raya, Bangalore and Sheila Mehra, HNR,Delhi retired.
Chamraj Bangi,Dharwar is to retire by the end of this month.
Our group is shrinking continuously.
I heard from Vijay Verma, Dogri, Delhi that Parasivamoorthy is back to Bansalore after a long 'vanvaas' in Dharwar.
Regards to all those who read this.
I wish a happy retired life and welcome them all as casual or consultant there.
Haresh Pandya, NRT, Ahmedabad
Hi
This is offcourse most pressing need of the hour.But is there any serious effort on ourmeans NRTs part to put it at the doors of those who can do some thing . Could we approach 6th pay commission.
I think we all should pull whatever strings we have and we use to pull to get personal favours.
This is an orphan cadre so unless we become our own Godfathers nobody is going to adopt us.
We all should think over it stealing sometime from our other all important activities and intraunit sqables.
One amongst u
Akhil is right. we must start thinking. It will help our orphan category. What I found, we did notstand on solid ground.
This is the final version somewhat different from the previous one given here. Please read carefully.
ALL INDIA RADIO NEWSCASTERS ASSOCIATION
Room No.101/A, NBH, NSD, AIR, New Delhi. 110 001
______________________________________________________________________________
Cadre Review of
News Reader-cum-Translator Category of
News Services Division, All India Radio
Necessity of Cadre Review:
There has never been a cadre review for News Reader-cum-Translator category since the
inception of News Services Division. All that was done was a work study in 1967. Our proposal,
therefore, may please be viewed in the context of the acute shortage of professional staff NSD is
facing now. It may not be possible, in the circumstances, to suggest -
n additional 10 % cut;
n downsizing;
n limiting the expenditure at the present level; or
n showing the saving of the matching amount.
NSD being a unique organisation does need manpower in full strength and it is achieved
by booking persons on casual basis and, therefore, it becomes necessary to consider the
expenditure incurred on casual bookings too. On the other hand, the workload on NRTs has
increased, which in an oblique manner, shows saving since expenditure has not gone up in the
direct proportion to the work now being performed.
SIU Report:
The News Reader-cum-Translator (NRT) cadre was born out of necessity.despite the fact
that all posts in News Services Division belonged to CIS. Though, NSD required a pool of language-
knowing journalists, CIS recruited candidates on the basis of languages only in the early
years but discontinued the practice. In order to overcome the shortage of staff, NRTs (Staff Artists)
were recruited.
In mid-1960s, AIR authorities did propose to appoint its own News staff in place of CIS,
the I&B Ministry turned down the proposal. The Work Study Unit (popularly known as SIU or
Masani Committee) accepted the position and declared that NRTs were ‘reckoned’ to be working
against the CIS posts, which means, NRTs were required to perform the same tasks as earmarked
for CIS. The Work Study Unit recommended some staff strength, which could never be deployed
due to the policy of leaving these posts open for CIS. Thus, NSD has been perennially facing the
shortage of staff.
Consequences:
The ‘reckoned’ word gave NRTs a status of ‘ad-hoc’ staff.. The experience, however, showed
that NRT (Staff Artists) not only stayed but were placed on ‘Long Term’ contracts up to the age
of superannuation making them ‘virtual’ Government employees. Later, they became regular
government employees who, by virtue of their position with regard to pay scales, were given gazetted
status, albeit as an ‘isolated’ group, ‘reckoned’ to be working on CIS posts. Without proper
encadrement NRTs have suffered a lot in their status, pay and promotion.
Some time around 1978, some of the posts of sub-editors etc were surrendered against
which NRTs were working. It was possible for CIS to do so because these posts belonged to them
and not to AIR.
What News Reader-cum-Translators Do:
NRTs work in Hindi, Urdu and all Indian Languages, in NSD as well as in state Capitals
(Regional News Units - RNUs) and also at some other stations (non-RNUs) as regular permanent
staff members. News Readers in English, now involved in other tasks too, are part of the NRT
page 1 of 5
scenario. The number of bulletins needs to be increased and gap reduced between bulletins. All the
languages too, cover voice-casts in their bulletins Only recently. 49 bulletins have been launched in
different languages. The activity at NSD as well as at RNUs has certainly increased with the introduction
of FM news bulletins.
Change in nomenclature:
In view of the above, the title NRT needs to be changed, with Editors, Senior Editors etc
replacing it since the facts support this change.
SIU Recommendation:
SIU committee calculated the work force requirement in NSD and RNUs based on the
number of bulletins covered in 4 hrs, 5 hrs and 6 (6.30) hrs.shifts.
As recommended by Work Study Unit in 1968 ;
• 0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4
for a 15-minute bulletin (in some cases, 2 such bulletins)
• 10.00 hrs to 16.30 hrs (6.30 hrs) 2 Editors + 1 News Reader = 3
for a 10-minute bulletin.
• 1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2. Editors + 1 News Reader = 4
for a 15-minute bulletin
(If more than one bulletin were to be covered in a particular shift, the number of
staff would remain the same).
SIU also recommended that wherever, the Editors from CIS were willing and qualified to
read the bulletin, no News Reader be booked. Average workload, then, ranged from 30 to 55 minutes
in languages.The broadcasts did not, however, include Sanskrit bulletins which is a latter day
development.
Today, NSD suffers from serious, all-round staff crunch and incurs heavy expenditure
on Casual bookings. We, therefore, suggest the following which will show that the workload
we prescribe is 90 minutes - three times of the present workload - per language per day while
introducing 25% economy of staff over what the SIU report suggests (Here, we would like to
highlight the fact that the present staff strength cannot be taken as yardstick for suggesting
any economy-driven modification).
Requirement of Staff per Shift
Overall, if the system of more bulletins per shift is adopted, it would give a matching
saving in the form of additional work without additional expenditure.(Note: Here we presume that
the staff member is capable of news-reading).
n 0400 hrs to 1030 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 3
30 minutes of broadcast:
2 bulletins of 10-mt duration
2 bulletins of 5-mt duratio
n 1000 hrs to 1630 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr. Editor + 2 Editors = 3
30 minutes of broadcast:
2 bulletins of 10-mt duration
page 2 of 5
category. Working in different language units, and at RNUs and Non-RNUs, NRTs edit, translate,
and broadcast news bulletins in various languages.
Expansion of activities over the Years:
NSD has expanded its broadcast activity on a massive scale. With the main thruston 3 major
languages, namely, English, Hindi and Urdu, NSD is yet to capitalize on its USP - the languages. It
still broadcasts two, three or four bulletins at long gaps which is hardly desirable in the present
NOTE:
• NRTs should be redesignated as Editors, Senior Editors etc according to their length of
service.
• The strength shown above does not include Urdu, Hindi and English as they have almost
reached the saturation point and, therefore, our suggestions are based on the present
system prevailing in these units. There will be 4 shifts in these 3 languages.The combined
strength in 3 shifts (Morning to late Evening) should be 18 of the Editorial staff (6 in each of the
three units).In the fourth (additional) shift (2200 hrs to 0430 hrs) the work could be on the low
key requiring only 3 Editors. Each of the unit will thus require 18 editors per day (or 54
altogether).
• Leave reserve staff:
In addition to the above working strength, every unit (including Urdu, Hindi and English) should
be given 25 % of the extra staff since a working year consists of 274 days or roughly 9 months.
91 days or 3 months are used as leave-days including weekly off days.
Total Strength: Languages - 117 +26 (leave reserve) = 143
Urdu/English/Hindi: 72 + 18 (leave reserve) = 90
Overall strength of NRTs in NSD: 233 (excluding RNUs)
Regional News Units (RNUs):
There are 45 RNUs where too the above format of bulletins should be implemented in 2
shifts: morning and evening. Their strength should be worked out in line with the staffing pattern in
NSD i.e. 3 members per shift and 2 leave reserve which will come to 8 per RNU which means,
370 for 45 RNUs. Total strength: 603.
Senior Positions:
There will be Joint Directors, Directors and ADGs ( in all 132 posts) above the Senior
Editors and Editors at NSD and RNUs.
Promotional Avenues:
There should be regular promotional channel for NRTs (under new nomenclature) up to the
level of ADG. There should be judicious and decentralized distribution of the higher ranking posts
among NSD and RNUs in the following manner:
• ADGs at NSD and also at regional level.
• Directors at NSD and at RNUs
• Joint Directors at NSD and at RNUs
• Senior Editors and Editors who should be divided into 2:3 ratio with pay-scale of Rs.
7500/- (pre-VI Pay Commission) at the base level (Editors):
Overall All India Set-up
12 ADGs: 48 Directors : 72 Joint Directors:244 Sr. Editors : 379 Editors
Ratio:
1 ADG: 4 Dirs :1.5 Jt. Dirs:3.4 Sr. Editors: 1.06 Editors
page 3 of 5
2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
n 1600 hrs to 2230 hrs (6.30 hrs) 1 Sr.Editor + 2 Editors = 3
30 minutes of broadcast:
2 bulletins of 10-mt duration
2 bulletins of 5-mt duration
Total 9 per language in NSD.
At present there are 13 units, therefore, working strength should be 9 x 13= 117. This shows that
by increasing the staff by about 50% of the existing sanctioned strength the work can be increased
by three times. This is the optimum and efficient use of manpower. Additional expenditure is desirable
from the cost-benefit angle. The existing skeletal broadcasting format is a sheer wastage.
How to Achieve it:
The above structure takes a holistic view of the staff requirement in NSD under Prasar
Bharati which has its own staff comprising NRTs and personnel from IIS. As such, NRTs are
‘reckoned’ to be working on the CIS (now IIS) posts and they possess the same characteristics
and they perform identical or complementary functions of IIS functionaries in NSD AIR. Moreover
they are Broadcasters too. Truly speaking, NRTs, (being Editors, Translators and Broadcasters
and News Anchors) are more suitable to perform all tasks that are an essential part of Radio
journalism.
In the modern Broadcasting, we need a complete Radio News personality. There is no
place for an editor in today’s broadcasting set-up, who does not possess all requisites of a
broadcaster. What we are suggesting, will give a great opening to Language-knowing people all
over the country with more people becoming available for functions in organizations such as,
AIR and DD, Monitoring(domestic and foreign), Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (at
District level) and all other Central government Services all spread across the country as these
organizations have to have a bias for languages.
It may be pertinent to say, that though, ‘Information’ and ‘Broadcasting’ are clubbed
together under one Ministry, the cadre structure on ‘Broadcasting’ side has not been developed.
Even after the introduction of ‘Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service’ and ‘Indian
Broadcasting (Engineering) Service’, the overall cadre structure in AIR and DD is yet to acquire
homogeneity. NRTs belong to a different genre as news professionals and, therefore, it would
be in the fitness of the things that they are absorbed in IIS as their Brodcasting arm which can be
utilized both in Akashvani and Doordarshan. The language and broadcasting skill that NRTs
possess could be useful in more meaningful way to, not only Prasar Bharati but the Information
segment as a whole.
We, therefore, propose the following steps :
• NRTs should be given the option to merge into IIS at appropriate level of their existing
pay-scales:
• Looking at the existing overall strength of NRTs merger may create not more than a
couple of ripples at micro level;
• IIS will also be able to fill the gap wherever there is specific requirement of languages
such as Monitoring, Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (at District level) and
all other Central government Services all spread across the country;
• On the other hand, All India set-up of AIR too can be rationalized by using the newly
absorbed NRTs and existing staff of IIS, like Field Publicity Officers, who have got all
the amenities available as district level officers to provide news feeds instead of using
unreliable services of Part-time Correspondents;
• This is very much possible as IIS cadre has seen such mergers earlier too. For example,
personnel engaged in publication of ‘Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi’, Border
Field Publicity Officers, Staff of All India Radio Journals and the most importantly,
DAVP.It is in the interest of IIS cadre as a whole.
Stop-gap Arrangement for seamless merger
Hold DPC
It is also important to make suitable arrangements for a seamless merger. We, would like to suggest
some modification in the present structure of NRT category. At present, there are only 3 grades in
the ratio of 20:60:180 (or the existing posts) .as per the Fifth Pay Commission viz.
n 12,000-375-16,500, Grade-1: vacancies 19 out of 20
n 10,000-325-15,200, Grade-II: vacancies 46 out of 60
n 6,500-200- 10,500/- Grade-III. vacancies 78
Page 4 of 5
(RAVINDER KOUL) (RAMAN KESAR)
PRESIDENT SECRETARY
24..9.08
Growth should be the Goal
What we have presented is a picture of further growth without imposing big burden of staff. The
increase we have suggested is not proportionate to the suggested increase in workload.. The figure
is modest and reasonable in view of the fact that there is editorial staff, at present working in, but
not borne on AIR/DD and also a large number of Casual Assignees. The figure given here is to be
viewed in that perspective.
Page 5 of 5
Actually, the no-recruitment policy affects the entry level but that should not affect the grade 2 and
grade 1. Unfortunately, in the case of NRTs there have been no promotions in grade 2 and grade1
since 1996, though, ACP has been granted which is not equal to promotions. We propose that the
eligible candidates should be promoted to their respective next higher grades with effect from 1997
calculating the vacancies on yearly basis so that the maximum number gets full benefits of promotions.
This may call for one-time waiver so that the DPC rule could be applied with retrospective
effect.
Add one Higher Grade
It is clear that the Grade-1 NRT is at Joint Director (IIS) level. Now we propose that a Director level
grade 14,000-400-18,300 be introduced and NRTs at Joint Director and Director level may be
given additional responsibilities by suitably amending Recruitment Rules so that at these levels the
functions can become identical with those in IIS. The ratio should be the same as 1:3::9 for Director
(IIS) level, Joint Director(IIS) level and NRT grade-II (as at present) level. The strength would
be : 7 at Director level, 21 at Joint Director level, 63 at NRT Grade-II level and the rest will be at
NRT Grade-III level.
NPC Report
The National Productivity Council Report on the staffing pattern in Prasar Bharati is, to say the
least, not at all growth-oriented. Nor does it take into account the real picture of the NSD programmes.
Based on its study of AIR Bangalore, the conclusions are applied on the national scale. This is
hardly the correct method to evaluate the actual need of NSD. While it may be true of any station
that originates programmes but NSD’s requirement cannot be assessed on the basis of the position
obtaining in one RNU. It may be useful, to some extent, to assess the strength of other RNUs, but to
apply the results on a wider scale is a questionable exercise.It may be of consequence to say that the
staff strength suggested by NPC Report will not be sufficient even to run the half of the programmes
that NSD is, at present, putting out. It is pertinent to say that NSD has to induge in a liberal booking
of Casual Assignees to manage its day-to-day affair.
Ya Akhil, Its really an orphan category...but If adopted r v ready to be adopted ? if being transfered to any border field publicity...? we must think and work out..
What do we mean when we say "We" ? how many of us are there? how long are 'we' going to survive? Who will take over? Let us be reasonable.
I have few letters,which were sent by IIS to the ministry.They only want cake not the burden...
You can post them here. They are good readable documents.
haresh bhai
sabse pehle to badhai is nek kaam ke liye
aur kuch nahin to kam se kam apne man ki baat kehne ka manch to mila
As far as this spectare of transfer is concerned, We have taken enough refuge against this. We should not compare ourselves to those who never knew what for they are applying and what job they are going to do. We have been appointed by the same president of India for a very specific job and we should ask for our rightful place.
Akhil and Haresh,
Is it not strange that our friends have nothing to say so far?
Anyway, I hope they all read.
The question of transfer should not worry us. The thing is, Transfer is in two modes.One, you may go to another department (not city) may change after promotion and, the other, you may go to another city (may be department too). The thing is, can I prevent someone else who is willing to go on transfer? I cannot form a rule against transfeer just because I am afraid of it. People do go on transfer and people do forgo their promotions only to avoid transfer. While, drawing up abroad plan you cannot fix some norms that bind future generations too. During our discussions with the IIS Association people, it was revealed that they are not afraid of transfer but they think of disturbing their seniority list.Something has to happen. By remaining outside any organised cadre we have lost much more than what we have saved that is, we are better placed only in one sense - we do not face the spectre of transfer. How long shall we stick to this one benefit at the cost of so many?
I think ours is adevided house, when matter of transfer comes. It is natural and r ready too, but this must not be the chance to omit us from this organisation.
I want to stress for the another thing. Our only identity this dept has taken in to consideration i.e. News reader. If we are taken out of that,we can show our skills as a journalist or communicator or media person. But,the million doller question is, how many of us will survive? Their faulty translations are broadcast and wiped out. If they are out side what will be of their shadow as News reader AIR, the glamour in our mind.
What development is afterwards?
Are they really ready to merge our cadre?
Is prasarbharati to create a seperate cadre for the media out of AIR/DD?
I suggest to organize a symposia, inviting news readers from every corner as part of our curricula. Ask this CEO to allow at training institute and ask him to preside over the same. Invite some seniour Secy. level officers so that they understand our skills apart from news reader and also understand problems too.
I have created our group in google. Their one can upload files or paste pages too.
so many mails have come back due to eroneous mail address...it must be conveyed to all, then only they can participate
Dear Friends ,
You might have gone through the piece on ou cader review.How did you find it. I request all of you to read it, ponder on it and give us your feedback.
Rajendra Chugh
It is not a question of how would they absorb us NRTs in IIS. It is also not relevant at this point of time to think of Prasar Bharati forming its own cadre and take over employees. Even if such athing arises in future, everyone, including IIS staff members will be entitled to exercise their options under section -11(1) and Section 11(2). They can choose to remain with PB or stay with Govt. It is, after all an individual's choice. Right now, the question is, do we have a cadre? Can we survive like this?
Hi Rajinderji, ki hale ? welcome to a blog of three. Now u r the fourth...carry on..
I read a copy of representation sent by IIS Association. Who is Mr.B.Narayanan ? As Mr.Dhatwalia and co. had responded to the letter by Ms. Stuti Kacker,a Joint Secy in MIB to PIO on 27th August, and in that they haven't mentioned any thing about us- NEWS READERS
Secondly they are against the upgradation of Sr.group B so that direct recruit have minimal competition FROM PROMOTEE
Ms. Stuti Kacker wrote:
1. Merger of IIS Group B-Junior with Sr. Grade G-B; they oppposed it and asked to feel it by SSB, not only that they suggested to cut posts in Sr. Grade from 423 to 200 and enhance the post of Jr. Grade from 134 to 300.
2. They suggested to drop the recruitment 0f Sr. Grade through UPSC and instead promote Jr.Grade.
3. The association opposed the adhoc creation of 100 JTS posts saying it as unrealistic ( because no STS posts are created so their promotional avenues are curtailed)
Actually the proposal is approved by Minister of MIB and is being proccessed.
WHAT I FEEL : WE MUST REPRESENT OUR CASE TO THIS JOINT SECY MS STUTI KACKER OR MEET AHMAD PATEL TO FORWARD OUR DEMANDS TO MINISTER OF MIB, SO THAT AT THIS STAGE OF FRAMING OF CADRE REVIEW, OUR POINT OF VIEW IS CONSIDERED AND THAT TO WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL BURDEN. THIS ASSOCIATION WILL OPPOSE AS THEIR PROMOTIONAL AVENUES ARE BLOCKED BY OUR MERGER. I THINK WE MUST NOT EXPECT ANY THING FROM IIS ASSOCIATION.
I think they know the problems such merger may cause. I am, however, tempted to think that they will accept it because AIRNCA is not suggesting a simple merger. It is less a cadre review and more a restructuring of News set up itself.Merger is just a small part of it.Here it has proposed an extended structure which will be beneficial to all.
Let us think from a different point of view. Suppose, Government or Prasar Bharati decides to recruit NRTs directly through open competition. What will happen in that case? They will join with no prospects of growing. The thing is, NRTs have to have their base in an organised cadre without which they cannot hope to improve their lot.And at this point of time, it is IIS. Or else, think of the now-in-abeyence Prasar Bharati Recruitment Rules. PSA wants IIS to go but for NRTs, they want only TrExes to join at base level who will rise and become PExes(because they will be in an organised cadre), and therefore, bosses of NRTs who will continue to suffer due as working on posts that do not belong to them. It is like Bharat preserving Ram's Paaduka waiting for his return from vanvaas. This is exectly what we have been doing just because people were afraid of transfers.We have preserved these posts for others and kept on working as a stopgap arrangement. Happy with good upgradations. (now, for the last 10 years we are waiting for it but it does not come. Our thinking was wrong. Financial upgradation is never equal to change in status - let us frankly admit it).
The thing is, it is too much to expect others to speak for us. And, in this case, it is for the first time the idea - that IIS raise demand to restore their posts that existed in AIR - has come up. AND IT IS PROPOSED BY AIRNCA. I hope, its leaders Raman Kesar and Ravinder Koul will break their silence and come out openly to debate the issue. I do not know why they are silent. After all, the blog is now some day old!
An e- mail sent to Raman has come back, may be he has another mail address.
This is the humiliating situation, we are given financial upgradation but not the status.The other cadres jealous to us but we have to be a spectator.
Deepakbhai, can u write about appointment of Vasubhai Acharya,Lemual Harry,Devakinandan Pande and others? They joined prior to SIU report, means there were posts for News readers seperately. May be newsreaders as an Artist category.
Yes, I can give you some idea. Hindi and English had News Readers on the staff. Devaki Nandan Pandey,Ashok Vajpayee, Shiv Sagar Mishra, Urmila Mishra, Vinod Kashyap, Ramanuj Prasad Singh, Indu Vahi, Jai Narayan Sharma, all were News Readers in Hindi. Then, Shoorajit Sen, Latika Ratnam, Sushi Jhaveri etc were News Readers in English. Even today, there are only News Readers in English and the bulletin is prepared by IIS staff in GNR. There were Translators too in Hindi who later became government servants under Vasan Sathey's scheme like so many others, i.e. Producers, Prod. Asst.s, Copyists, General Assistants etc. I remember some faces in Hindi (NSD) but cannot recall their names. Hindi did have CIS staff and even today there are CIS (now IIS) people in HNR. Some names: Subhash Setia, O.P. Datta, K.K. Pant, Rajendra Upadhyay, Durg Narayan Deep, Tauhid Khan etc.They were in and out of Radio frequently.
It was difficult to recruit News Readers or Translators or CIS people in languages. This led to the invention of News Reader-cum-Translators. So, there were NRTs and CIS persons in languages. Some names of CIS people who worked in Languages: Digambar Swadia, Hari Vadan Desai, Rasik Mehta, Navrang Dholakia Dushyant Mankad (Gujarati,Tapoja Sharma (Bengali) Mr. Chaudhari (Marathi), Mr. Ganahar(Kashmiri), Fida Mohd. (Urdu), Sundareshwara (Kannada). There may be some more but I do not recollect their names right now. When I joined NSD in Dec. 1974, only the last 3 were in language Units. In fact, NRTs in Hindi too had begun to berecruited at fast pace that time. So, there was a mix of NRs, NRTs and CIS everywhere. Since NRTs were doing additional work they used to get an advance increment at the time of appointment. NRs' intial pay was 235/- whereas NRTs were appointed witha higher start at 270/-. The difference was wiped out by 4th Pay Commission. By 1984(as far as I remember) only Mr. Ganahar was there in Kashmiri unit. Language units were completely manned by NRTs.
What I wish is about Newsreaders in RNU and at Languages unit at Delhi.
Vasubhai and Lemual Harry were as Newsreaders since 1949. What was their status? They must be NRT or NR.
These posts must have seperate status than CIS. It May be that these posts of CIS were merged with.
The ministry or Section viii may have these history.
Vasubhai was NR, Lamuel Harry was NR.
But in languages they were all absorbed as NRTs at some point of time and they accepted it because, as I have stated, Language NRTs were getting a higher start of one increment of Rs.35/-. In fact Vasubhai was a Record Keeper in Gujarati External Service Library. The programme was shifted to Mumbai some time in late 50's and Vasubhai was surplus and therefore was adjusted in Gujarati unit as it was possible to recruit anyone as staff Artist. I did not want to write all such personal details since it does not help NRTs' cause. Simple thing is: the posts belonged to CIS and in absence of CIS staff staff Artists as NRT were taken, Wherever there was no shortage, like Hindi and English CIS continued(even now they are there as IIsstaff).Later, SAs were put on Long Term contract which made it impossible for govt. to remove them.Also, this led to gradation scheme. But they remained isolated. SC declared them as Govt. employees saying that it was erroneous to consider them as working on contract. They became Govt Gazettted officers but still remain isolated. They must find a place in some organised cadre, either Programme Staff or IIS. There is no other way.
Some of our collegues ask me about Pay fixasion and difference or arrears....I advise all to go through the web site i.e. www.gconnect.com ...it has tables and calculator too,through that one can get exact amount of arrears
I think there is some problem with ACP. Suppose you got your ACP in 2006 later than January 06 and opt for the new scale from 1.1.2006 you lose whatever you got as ACP. I think in such case you should choose wef your date of ACP
deepak bhai and haresh
achcha hei, aapas mein bahas karke saari bhadas nikal rahi hei
amma kiske liye lad rahe ho itni lambi mailing list mein kisi ko itna bhar likhne ki fursaat nahin hei ki gaali guftaar ke liye hi sahi achcha manch hei. aap donon gandhi ke desh so ho isliye ekla chalo ki neeti achchi lagti hei. Apne rajju bhaiya bhi sabko padne ka homework dekar agali class lene chale gaye hein. Mera vichaar yeh hei ki hume bhi ek mem jt sec ko bhej dena chahiye. Waise aap gyani aur guni log hein soch samajh kar nirnay lein.
AB EK MADAD MERI KAREIN MAIN I AM LOOKING FOR AVINAASH PAIGUDE> IF ANYBODY KNOWS HIS WHEREABOUTS,PH No. Or mail or ADD. Please let me know Urgently.
Akhil,
We are exectly what you have said. Why nobody takes interest is really intriguing. This is something inexplicable. Seems like conspiracy of silence. All those who have email ID are in touvh with computers. They know English. They know Hindi. After all we are not writing in Greek and Latin. This lack of interest has caused us serious loss of status. Haresh did well to launch this blog but our friends do not care to participate and discuss our issues.
Ya..Deepakbhai,Because the CPC recomanded only change in Grade Pay in case of ACP. so one will loss. We can count the difference inthewebsite....www.gconnect.com..and by that one can see if any loss is incurred
Hi, I am still positive about our brother colleagues. Perhaps they feel still as poor news readers and so no use at home and can't dare to use in office... may God give strength to us.
Hi, I post here some of the e-mail addresses for contact. Thanks Deepak Dholakia
Akhil Mittal,akmittal05@yahoo.com
Ashok Raina,akraina53@gmail.com
Anilkumar,president@arteeindia.org
Ashtosh Jain,atosh_1999@yahoo.com
AshokPanigrahi,
ashokkpanigrahi@gmail.com
B. L. Sankar ,blsankar@yahoo.com
B. N. Betab,bnbetab@yahoo.co.in
Chamaraj Bangi,arnra_dwd@yahoo.com
Ashwini Dagar,dagar_a@yahoo.co.in
Dilip Karamta,dak1919@sify.com
Debashis Chowdhury,
dc_unionist@rediffmail.com
Hansa Rathore,hansa4air@in.in
Narayanan, Secretary IIS Association,iisassociation@yahoo.co.in
Jagannath Mallik,
greenhill.jagannath@gmail.com
JPA Delhi,jpadelhi@yahoo.co.in
Joseph Martin,
martin_chal@yahoo.co.in
K. S. Dhatwalia, President IIS Association,adgnews4@air.org.in
Kul Bhushan Bhatia
bhatiakulbhushan@gmail.com
Sangam Thakur,
mailingsangam@yahoo.com
Maitrayee Mehta
,mainakimehta@yahoo.co.in
Milind Deshpande
,milind1112@gmail.com
,milind1962@yahoo.co.in
Mridula Ghodke,mridug@sify.com
Prasanna
,prasannakumar_s@hotmail.com
Pritam Rupal,pritamrupal@gmail.com
Rajendra Chugh
,rajendrachugh@rediffmail.com
Raman Kesar,kesarraman@yahoo.com
Raman Kesar,kesarraman@yahoo.co.in
Ravinder Koul,ravinderkoulravi@gmail.com
Salim Akhtar,saq36@yahoo.com
Shubhra Sharma,shubhra25@gmail.com
Umamageswaran
,lakshmysriram@yahoo.com
No use. nobody responds.
Deepakbhai,Its not that.We must not lose the hope.As I talk to Bharatbhai, he had seen and read that all, but find no time to respond. May be so many of us are not have courage or banefit from this activities.....The day will, when they will feel to take interest
Yes. Anyway. DG had called a meeting of the Association representatives today to discuss the cadre review proposal but due to his engagement,he postponed it. The new date will be intimated later.
Its nice..but we must opt for a specific path. The paper u wish to represent will not be acceptable to IIS and the IBPS ALSO don't want us to be merged..They want our cadre as stagnant and dieing...but do not wish to broader their base
Only the other day you advised me to be optimistic! What is the reason that IIs will not accept the proposal? Let us try, what is necessary. What other specific path do you suggest?
I am sory but I have to write for the other cadre.
The cadre Review submitted by IIS Association is rather divisive for their own promotional cadres. They don't wish to get their own bretheren to get promotion and get up to senior time scale so that direct recruities get more cream.
They suggested to curtail Grade-3 posts and so few gets the other scales.
Now how can we expect a share from a narrow minded Associationists. They don't wish their base to expand and get a big share
Prog. Staff is also of the same state of mind. They also shed tears for the merged cadres which curtailed their promotions. They see the eatables in others plate but don't get satisfied by what in their plates.
Today even they count the heads which are Promoted from Producers or Science Officers...may be Jaylal or D. Lal
Actually we blong to both the sides...Indian Broadcast News Service...Its a brain child we own and nobody bothers, as we can't present this idea to any holders. Even policy framers don't know our problems, because we represent it up to D.G. till today.
I recall meeting with Mr.Varadan,the then Addl.Secy,I & B, when I along with Prma Awasthy, and Arindam represented our case to be deemed as Govt. Servents (in 1990). He was very much ignorant about a cadre like ours though looking after AIR & DD. He was delighted meeting a person listening everyday through Radio, a person through whom he corrected his pronunciations ( he accepted even ).
We have one Deepak Dholakia, we need more....like him. Mr. Kulkarni, Sh. Ashok vajpayee and so many had contributed a lot and so we are getting this status (?) and atleast pay scales.
What effort we had done for our own survival? we just do part time job here and get more for that. (every cadre have the same story)
The need is to put our case to the authority, who is in search of a holy hen.
Let us forget about internal problems of IIS. It does not pay. I am aware of the rift since I have worked with the the group of ANEs and NEs. Those who have risen from the rank. Some of them at a particular stage did benefit. Mr. D. C. Bahumik was an ANE , JD-n and DG(N). Shri Subhash Setia also began as ANE, NE, Joint Director and in the last month of his career was ADG. They do feel this. The system is faulty, no doubt.But, you cannot help it. you may have a young 27 year old District collector and a 55 year old clerk. What to do about it? The question is:A young man wants to join IAS to become an Administrator. He fails to achieve his goal since he did not get sufficient marks in personal interview. He is now placed in Allied services and government asks him to be a journalist! He has to join IIS. so, they do not acquire professional skills as a journalist and their mental make up is also that of an administrator. This does not mean that all of them are like that. Those who have worked in AIR for a considerable period understand it. But, after all there is something called 'personal'. If they get a promotion outside AIR, you cannot fault them for accepting it. The result,of course,for AIR is too bad. The thing is, the very basic policy of the government is wrong. IAS aspirants should not get opening in IIS.
About Programme staff, they call themselves 'Programme Management' cadre on the line of Business Management. Now, TrEx and PEx are only at a lower level and they cannot be called a part of 'Management'. In fact, SDs too are Managers only in a narrow sense, like a branch manager of a big company or a bank. They too are only Executive officers and not a part of 'Decision making' process.Those above them always needed a stick to keep Station Engineers and Chief Engineers or E-in-Cs under their thumb. so they created a myth of programme management. But myths do not survive without a crowd that is ready to believe in it. This can be seen even in our society. Leaders create myths and people accept them as final truths. So, PExes and TrExes are their crowd. They have believed in this myth. And the nature of PSA makes it clear. In fact, Prog. Exes and Transmission Exes should have a separate association not under the influence of DDGs. But, it is not the case.
What the AIRNCA has proposed will be ironically opposed by promtee IIS staff (which they should not) and not by the Direct Recruits. On the other hand it will be higher ranking Prog. Officials who will oppose the proposal and not the PExes and TrExes (but they will!).
You have mentioned some names who served NRT cadre. you have missed one name. He single handedly, challenged the system and got the Supreme Court judgment that Staff Artists are Government Servants. It is Shamim Qureshi. Not that I agreed with him at that time when he went to court since I believe we must rely upon our strength. But, I know, if I am able to talk about the restructuring of News Cadre by bringing NRTs under IIS, it is thanks to him. As an impartial historian of Employee related activities in AIR I cannot ignore Shamim's role.
Hi all....HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL
Happy Diwali... on behalf of all who do not write but hopefully read everything that is being posted here.
Post a Comment