The department had received complaints that more than 165 sub engineers with bachelor of technology (BTech) degrees from two private universities not recognised by the Pakistan Engineering Council had been promoted. PHOTO: FAZAL KHALIQ.
The Irrigation Department has issued the Punjab Irrigation Department (Engineering Posts) Service Rules 2013 defining recruitment and promotion criteria for posts from sub engineer in BS-14 to chief engineer in BS-20.
The new rules replace the West Pakistan Irrigation Engineering Service rules, 1967, an official told The Express Tribune. “The new rules were framed to discourage the promotion of non-technical officials and of those with unrecognised degrees from private universities who joined the department in lower scales,” he said.
There was an anomaly in the old rules in that the criteria for promotion from the posts of sub engineer and senior sub engineer to sub divisional officer in BS-17 did not specify any required technical qualification. The department had received complaints that more than 165 sub engineers with bachelor of technology (BTech) degrees from two private universities not recognised by the Pakistan Engineering Council had been promoted.
Under the new rules, an SSE requires a BSc engineering (civil or mechanical) degree with three year of service in order to gain promotion to SDO. Officials with BTech (honours) degrees from institutes recognised by the Pakistan Engineering Council and with five years of experience can be promoted after passing a departmental professional examination. Those with BTech degrees from unrecognised private universities are not eligible for promotion.
The new rules state that 65 per cent of SDO posts must be filled through competitive examinations. Of the remaining 35 per cent, 20 per cent shall be filled through promotion of SSEs, and the rest from among serving officials with higher qualifications.
The posts of chief engineer in BS-20, superintending engineer in BS-19 and executive engineer in BS-18 are to be filled through promotion on the basis of seniority and fitness. There will be no direct inductions to these slots.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 1st, 2013.
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