Increment Rules [Rule 31]

This document outlines the rules governing increments for government officers as per Rule 31 and related provisions.

Increment Rules

1. General Rule for Increment: An increment shall ordinarily be drawn unless withheld as per Rule 31.

2. Departmental Test Qualification: An officer is not eligible for an increment until they acquire the obligatory departmental test qualifications, if prescribed [Note 1].

3. Insurance Scheme Subscription: An officer is not eligible to draw their first increment until they subscribe to the State Life Insurance Scheme and Group Insurance Scheme as specified in Rule 22A and 22B, respectively [Note 3].

4. Increment Grant Date: An increment shall be granted from the first day of the month in which it falls due [GD-1].

5. Increment After Probation: Increments accruing due to probation declaration shall be drawn only from the date of probation completion, but subsequent increments shall be drawn on the first day of the month they fall due [GD-2].

6. Stagnation Increments: A maximum of five stagnation increments are allowed, with four annual increments and one biennial, provided the maximum basic pay, including stagnation increments, does not exceed Rs.1,20,000/- as per the master scale [GO(P).No.07/2016/Fin Dated 20/01/2016, Para-12].

7. Dies Non Period: Periods classified as Dies Non shall be counted for increment purposes [Rule 14A Part-I].

8. Training Periods: Time spent in training and on journeys to and from the training location is treated as duty for purposes of leave, increments, and pension [Rule 26 Note-I, Part-I, KSR].

9. Duty in Time-Scale Post: All duty in a post on a time-scale counts for increments in that time-scale [Rule 33(a)].

10. Service at Same Pay Stage: Only periods of service in a post on a time-scale at the same pay stage count for increments in that time-scale [Rule 33, Ruling].

11. Leave and Deputation: All leave (except leave without allowances taken otherwise than on medical certificate) and service on deputation count for increments in the time-scale applicable to the post an officer was officiating in before proceeding on leave or deputation [Rule 33(b)(2)].

12. Maternity Leave Extension: Leave without allowances taken without a medical certificate in continuation of maternity leave, as per the proviso to Rule 102, counts for increments [Rule 33(b)(2)].

13. Joining Time: Joining time counts for increments [Rule 33(c) Note-1].

14. Premature Increment: The Government may grant a premature increment to an officer on a time-scale of pay [Rule 34].

15. Meritorious Service Recognition: Good service entries and incentive awards may be granted as advance increments to recognize meritorious service by Government servants, applicable to both Gazetted and non-Gazetted Officers [Rule 34(2), Rule 34(4) GD-3].