Transfer policy for Commissioners’ Cadre in EPFO 2022

1. Introduction:

1.1. This policy may be called “Transfer Policy for Commissioners’ Cadre, 2022”
hereinafter, referred to as TP-CC.

1.2. TP-CC shall be applicable to all Commissioners as mentioned under Section

5D of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act,
1952, except the Central Provident Fund Commissioner.

i. The Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner (ACC) includes the

Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner (Head Quarters) (ACC-
HQ)

ii. It shall cover the concerned Commissioners posted at District/ Special

State/ Regional/Zonal Offices, National Data Centres, Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay National Academy of Social Security, Zonal/ Sub Zonal Training
Institutes and Headquarters and any other offices that may be specified from
time to time.

1.3. This policy supersedes the existing transfer policy for the cadre of Provident
Fund Commissioners contained in the circular HRD/3/2015/Pr.III/34825
dated 6.1.2016 as amended from time to time.

1.4. The Policy is in response to the direction of the Supreme Court of India as
contained in the Writ Petition (Civil) No.82 of 2011(T.S.R Subramanian &
ORS. Vs. Union of India & Ors. Judgement dated 31.10.2013) and the
communications from the Department of Personnel & Training bearing number
11013/10/2013-Estt.A dated December 26, 2013 and January 09, 2014.

1.5. The policy borrows various provisions and contours from the policy applicable
to Indian Revenue Service, other cadres and also the State Governments.

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2. Salient Features of the Policy

2.1. The fundamental premise of TP-CC are fairness, objectivity & transparency,
and through it place Commissioners equitably across different posts and
stations.

2.2. TP-CC attempts to do by so keeping the EPFO as a centre of delivery

apparatus and Commissioners as the essential Human Resource for delivery
of public goods. It is paramount that career pathways of its Commissioners is
developed to fulfil the Organisational goals. While observing the guidelines of
DoP&T, the broad contours of organisational principles for career pathways
are laid out as under: -

i. The Career pathway of a Commissioner entering as an Assistant Provident

Fund Commissioner (APFC) and reaching upto the level of ACC(HQ)
would expect that within the service period will undertake different roles and
responsibilities to evolve and mature into a Human Resource of value for
policy making and its implementation in a seamless way.

ii. For the above a Commissioner of appropriate level is expected to have

served as Officer In Charge at District, Regional and Zonal Level as well as
at least once in the Headquarters and Training & Research area .

iii. A Commissioner is expected to serve first two tenures of service on field

posts unless public interest and administrative exigencies exist. During first
three tenures a Commissioner should not be considered for deputation.

iv. While serving these roles Commissioners should also have an

understanding of the diversity of geographies, industries and people they
serve. Thus, tenures should expose them across the length and breadth of
the country.

v. The career pathways intended to develop a pool of Commissioners that is

well exposed and experienced to contours of work so that they can be
assigned any of EPFO’s critical tasks.

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 vi. Commissioners will also be undergoing various capacity building and
training programmes to fulfil the organisational goals.

2.3. The TP-CC provides direction for career progression in such a way that a
Commissioner at appropriate level over the entire career spell would have
served as OIC at least once at each level - District, Region, Zone subject to
suitability. It is also essential they would have served in different Stations,
States, Zones, Headquarters and Training level.

2.4. All transfer and postings of Commissioners shall be effected by the Competent
Authority in accordance with the instant TP-CC. The Competent Authority will
be advised by the recommendatory body called “Commissioners’ Transfer
Committee”(CTC).

2.5. The CTC will use an objective and technology enabled mechanism for
prioritising transfer posts and drawing the list of Commissioners with suitability
remark for each transfer post.

2.6. A correct and complete database is a sine qua non for operationalising the
TP-CC alongwith a robust IT tool for an end to end computerisation of the
entire process. HR shall ensure that the database containing the complete
placement profiles of all Commissioners are regularly updated electronically
and placed in public domain and made available on the central website of the
Organisation i.e. www.epfindia.gov.in. The IT Tool shall be harmonised with
the criteria for assessing individual applications/ Transfer as per the TP-CC.

2.7. In case the number of Commissioners in a designation are less in comparison

to the sanctioned posts, the HR will undertake a prior assessment on the basis
of workload, urgency and importance to identify posts that can be given
additional charge for some time. These shall be called “Blocked Posts” and
no transfers will be made to these blocked posts in that Financial Year
provided vacancies are filled by way of recruitment/promotion.

2.8. The transfer policy uses multiple factors to classify each post on the basis of
Tenure, Station, and Nature of the Post while also assessing suitability and
Sensitivity.

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2.9. All postings are categorised under concept of Tenure (Time Span, Geography,
Nature). Thus, a robust system of rotation of Commissioners will be followed
based on the TP-CC wherein, beyond a specific tenure Commissioners will be
transferred and rotated.

2.10. All stations have been divided into three categories as per Government of
India classification of cities for its employees for the purpose of House Rent
Allowance (HRA). Classification of an urban agglomeration, city, town or
place will change as per Government instruction for the purpose of HRA
without such changes being incorporated in the TP-CC.

2.11. All posts are divided into two categories, namely, Sensitive and Non-Sensitive,
as identified by CVO in conformity and as per CVC guidelines of 1999 (as
amended from time to time). The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)
guidelines on tenure for and rotation between sensitive and non-sensitive
posts and tenure in sensitive posts shall be strictly observed by the Competent
Authority.

2.12. The nature of post has been categorised into ‘Field’ and ‘Non-Field’ Posts.

2.13. All Annual General Transfer (AGT) orders shall be issued as per time schedule
of this Policy. The other applications or vacancies arising during the period
that is outside AGT will be screened on a regular basis to be decided by the
Competent Authority.

2.14. All grievances arising out of transfers shall be addressed in a time bound
manner in accordance with the provisions of this TP-CC.

2.15. Composite Transfer Grant, Joining Time and other benefits pursuant to
transfer shall not be admitted, in cases where request for transfer is made and
the same is allowed except in case of tenure postings under AGT.

2.16. Any deviations beyond the TP-CC norms of Tenure, Nature and Geography
on account of administrative exigencies will be restricted to 5% of the total
transfers made. Similarly the requests received from the Commissioners on
account of compassionate grounds will also be dealt with restricted to 5% of
the total transfers.

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3. The Competent Authority

3.1. The Competent Authority for considering applications for transfer, placement
or overstay and effecting all transfers and placement or disposing such
application from a Group A officer in the cadre of Provident Fund
Commissioners shall be as under:

S.No. Authority Extent of description of power

Central Provident Fund For all Commissioners subject to the power
1.
Commissioner vested in the Chairman of the Central Board
as provided in the following row.
Chairman, Central Board All cases of pre-mature transfers, relaxation,
2.
deviation from norms, compassionate
grounds, appeals etc.

3.2. The Competent Authority for making the transfer will duly secure the advice
and consider the recommendations of CTC and exercise its powers in
accordance with the TP-CC.

3.3. The CTC will be a four member body comprising of ACC(HQ)HR, two
ACC(HQ) Level members nominated by CPFC and the ACC(HR) as the
Convenor of the Committee.

3.4. All instances where advice of the CTC is not adhered to or rejected by the
Competent Authority, the reasons in full shall be recorded for such decisions
and uploaded in HRSoft

4. Tenure, Rotation and Classification of Geographies

4.1. A tenure means three years of continuous posting in a particular post, after
which a Commissioner shall be liable for transfer.

i. The period of Tenure shall be counted from the date of joining and
not from the date of the order.

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 ii. The Commissioner should have completed three years by the 1st of
April of a financial year.

4.2. All Commissioners completing due number of tenures shall be considered for
transfer and rotation in a particular geography in accordance with the
following: -.

i. On completion of one tenure at a post;

ii. On completion of three tenures in entire service within a geographical entity

of Zone and in case a State has many Zones (eg.Maharashtra), then from
that State after four tenures in entire service as well;

iii. On completion of three continuous tenures in NCR of Delhi (as notified by

Government of India from time to time);

Explanation 1: All suburbs of towns have been clubbed with the respective
town in this classification.

4.3. All stations have been divided into three categories ( ‘X”, ‘Y’ & ‘Z’ as per Govt.
of India classification of cities for its employees for the purpose of House Rent
Allowance (HRA). The rotational policy will follow the following principles: -

i. Rotation of APFC / RPFC shall follow the norms given below: -

a) A Commissioner upto RPFC-I level shall complete at least one tenure at

Y’ and ‘Z’ Stations (either as APFC/ RPFC).

b) On completion of one tenure at ‘Z’ Category Station, no continuous

rotation to another ‘Z’ Category Station.

c) On completion of one tenure as an OIC at ‘X’ Category Station, no

rotation to another ‘X’ Category Station.

ii. All APFC after training and completion of probation/ promotion should be
posted as an OIC at the District Office level in ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ Category stations.

4.4. All postings are divided into “Field” and “Non-Field” postings. Postings in
Regional, District Offices and Special State Offices in the field shall be treated

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 as “Field” postings. Postings in the Head Office, Zonal Office, PDNASS, the
Zonal Training Institute, the Sub-Zonal Training Institute, National Data Centre
shall be treated as “Non-Field” postings. The ACC as an OIC of Zonal Office
shall be treated as on “Field” Posting. All periods spent on deputation, foreign
assignment or study leave shall not be counted for the purpose of tenure.

4.5. All Commissioners need to be rotated between “Field” and “Non-Field” posting
regularly. The principles of rotations shall be as follows:

i. Each APFC / RPFC shall be an OIC of District Office / Regional Office for
at least one tenure.

ii. Each APFC / RPFC shall serve at least one “Field” and one “Non Field”
Posting in a block of three continuous Tenures.

iii. Each RPFC-I/II shall serve at least one tenure at Headquarters or Training
Institute in a block of 4 tenures.

iv. Each ACC shall be rotated between “Field” and “Non-Field” posting
alternately. In no case an ACC will be posted back to the same State.

v. No Commissioner shall be posted for more than two tenures in the same
office, whether on promotion or transfer or otherwise in entire service career.

vi. No Commissioner shall be posted for two terms as Officer-in-Charge (OIC)

of the same Regional office or of a Political State, whether on promotion or
transfer or otherwise.

4.6. Tenure of posting in North-Eastern Region (NER) and Andaman & Nicobar
Islands shall be guided by the policy of Government of India on transfer and
tenure for such places.

4.7. Posting of spouses/ Persons with Disability etc: Posting of spouses and
persons with Disability / Persons who are caregivers of Disabled Dependents
etc shall be regulated as per Govt. of India policy on the matter as applicable
from time to time.

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 4.8. The norms for transfer in respect of Officers due to retire within two years to
the extent administratively feasible shall be guided by the norms of DoP&T.

4.9. All the above tenure/ rotation norms shall be strictly adhered to unless in
administrative exigencies and broader public interest requiring approval of the
Competent Authority.

5. Transfer procedure:

5.1. The Transfers are categorised into two Categories of Annual General
Transfers (AGT) and Transfers other than AGT (Non AGT).

Annual General Transfers: -

5.2. AGT is defined as the annual exercise of examining the tenure and placement
of officers and to order transfer or permit overstay of those who have
completed tenures either on post, station, geographies, or nature of the post
tenure. Transfer in pursuance to promotion shall not form part of the AGT.

5.3. Based on number of available officers and vacancies and after assessing
workload HR will earmark posts that will remain under Additional Charge.
These will be termed as Blocked Posts, for which transfer under AGT will not
be undertaken and hence no options will be called.

5.4. Before options for AGT are called, CTC will undertake the following pre- AGT
assessment and freeze the information:

i. Identify posts wherein transfers will be made and are currently vacant, under
additional charge but are not in blocked posts category.

ii. Identify posts that are under zone of consideration of transfer as based on
the norms laid in Para 4 of TP-CC and thus are available for AGT.

iii. Prepare a list of officers who would be under consideration of AGT as per
TP-CC norms.

iv. Develop a list of stations available for transfers from the above set of
information.

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 v. Further, oversee a IT tool which supports categorisation of each post as per
(i) Nature (Field/ Non-Field), (ii) Sensitivity (Vigilance Angle) , (iii) locational
and publish them for option calling.

5.5. All options for transfer shall be only for a station, and shall be received through
online-IT tool, a Commissioner who is due for transfer shall be able to exercise
option of five stations within the norms of the TP-CC.

5.6. Anyone who is seeking transfer in relaxation of the policy (whether due for
transfer or not) shall apply for a station with the reasons and evidence thereof.
These shall be accorded points as per the priority matrix under Annexure -I.

5.7. CTC will then, within the limit of 5% applications, take the topmost requests
received in 5.6 and tabulate on the basis of available stations and recommend
such applications.

5.8. CTC will categorise each option received under para 5.5 into station-wise
table. It will identify those stations/posts for which no options are received.

5.9. CTC will list all the first options on the matrix of stations. In case the number
of options are higher than the number of vacancies, then it will categorise
stations into field and non-field posts, field posts will be further categorised as
OIC and Non OIC posts. After division of options into these three categories,
in case the number are higher than the posts available, a panel will be
prepared with following numeric rubric;

i. For the purpose of OIC posts in that station, first priority to a

Commissioner who has served the least period as an OIC and
thereafter in that State, Zone, Region in that order. However, each
such consideration shall be subject to suitability and sensitivity of that
post.

ii. For the purpose of Non OIC Field posts in that station, first priority to
a Commissioner who has served the least period in a that category
of station ( ‘X’ , ‘Y’ ‘Z’) and thereafter in that State, Zone, Region in
that order.

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 iii. For the purpose of Non Field posts in that station, first priority shall
be given to a Commissioner based on grounds of Disability /
Retirement / Spouses ( and could not be considered in para 5.7) in
that order. Thereafter priority shall be based on who has served the
least period in that category of station ( ‘X’ , ‘Y’ ‘Z’) and thereafter in
that State, Zone, Region in that order.

iv. However each such consideration shall be subject to suitability and

sensitivity of that post.

5.10. For the stations and Commissioners that are not considered after running the
iteration of first options similar exercise will be undertaken for second option,
third option, fourth option and fifth option in that order.

5.11. For the stations and Commissioners that are not considered after running the
fifth iteration, the CTC will examine over all profile and recommend them for
transfers such that all posts are considered. While doing so the CTC will try to
accommodate the nearest of the available stations given in any of the options.

5.12. The above shall be prepared with the help of IT tool as per various norms and
parameters of the TP-CC and the CTC shall prepare the final recommendation
to be submitted to the Competent Authority.

5.13. Each AGT shall consist of two lists of transferees: (a) officers who are due for
transfer on completion of post / station / Geographical Tenure and (b) officers
transferred on request / compassionate ground.

5.14. When a certain number of officers are due for moving out of a station to a new
station or to new postings in the same station for reason of having completed
their tenure, but cannot be so moved due to inadequate number of vacancies
available at the destination station/office, the officer who has served for longer
periods will be moved first.

5.15. Time schedule for various procedures/actions related to the Annual General
Transfer shall be as prescribed in the Table below. An authority shall dispose

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 of the function indicated under the table within a reasonable time subject to
limit prescribed herein.

Date Exercise
Preparatory work of AGT
January 15
Calling of option by the Competent Authority. 31st January
January 15 -
shall be last date for submission of option.
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CTC to prepare the panel and submit recommendations to

By February
Competent Authority
28
Order for AGT to be issued
March 15
Online grievance representation by those aggrieved by
March 15-18
order of AGT.
Comments of the CTC on grievance representations to be
By March 25
forwarded to the Competent Authority.
Disposal of grievance representation by Competent
By March 31st
Authority by passing a speaking order.
Date of the effect of the order of AGT i.e. officer to join new
April 01
posting as per AGT order.

Note 1: Reference to a date in this table shall be taken as the next working day
in case the indicated date happens to be a public holiday or a weekend.
Note 2: For the AGT year 2022, time lines will be circulated separately.

Transfers other than AGT

5.16. Premature Transfers on Administrative Grounds

i. In case of an Administrative Exigency the Competent Authority may transfer

a Commissioner without the recommendation of CTC.
ii. Any order for premature transfer shall be done by the Competent Authority for
good and sufficient reasons to be recorded in writing and uploaded in HRSoft.

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5.17. Transfers on Requests

i. Every application made for transfer, placement or overstay may be made

directly to the Competent Authority through electronic medium. The same
shall be referred to the CTC and the CTC shall submit its recommendations
to the Competent Authority as per the policy guidelines.
ii. The competent authority shall take action on the recommendations of CTC
within a reasonable period from the date of receipt of such application.

5.18. Postings on Promotion and Appointment

i. The norm is posting on promotion that would entail mandatory rotation from
the station. This norm shall be subject to consideration of “tenure” and
“rotation” as specified in Chapter 4 of the TP-CC.
ii. Directly recruited / newly promoted Group ‘A’ officers shall be posted to ‘Y / Z’
stations for three years after completion of training.
iii. Officer promoted from Group ‘B’ to Group ‘A’ shall, on promotion, be
transferred out of the station in which he/she was working at the time of his/her
promotion, unless the balance service is less than two years or administrative
exigencies and public interest warrants otherwise.
iv. Transfers on promotion shall be made by Central PF Commissioner (CPFC).
v. CTC shall examine the overall profile of Commissioners and to the extent
possible within norms of Chapter 4 of TP-CC, it will draw a panel of three
Commissioners for each post, recommended in the order of priority.

5.19. Transfer of Office bearers : Any two principal officer bearers of the E.P.F.
Officers’ Association may be allowed to be posted at the National
Headquarters/NCR, if such a request is made in writing by the Association
provided the Chairman, of the Central Board may decline such request on
ground of administrative exigencies/public interest to be recorded in writing.

6. Redressal of Grievances :

6.1. Every Commissioner aggrieved by an order of transfer of a request has a right

to make application before the Competent Authority within three days of issue
of such order.

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6.2. Grievance from a Commissioners whose request for transfer is not heeded
within reasonable time can also make such a request.

6.3. All such grievances shall be received online through HRSoft.

6.4. The Competent Authority shall refer all such grievances to three senior-most
ACC(HQ) who shall go into the merits of both the transfer order and the
grievance. In case it requires to take view of any other Commissioner who
may be affected owing to such request, then their view point should also be
considered.

6.5. The ACC(HQ)s after taking considered view and subjecting it to suitability and
sensitivity considerations may advise the Competent Authority on the merits
of the case.

6.6. The Competent Authority may on the basis on above advise and other
administrative considerations dispose the grievance.

6.7. The decision of the Competent Authority shall be communicated to the

concerned Commissioner through HRSoft.

6.8. All such grievances shall be disposed off in reasonable time frame normally
not exceeding three months.

6.9. When a Commissioner is transferred prematurely or in deviation from the TP-

CC, he/she can prefer to represent or appeal before the Chairman of the
Central Board against such transfer who shall decide the representation.

7. Miscellaneous:

7.1. The basis of the recommendations in terms of norms and justifications used
by CTC shall be placed on the HRSoft.

7.2. All subsequent amendments to the Transfer Policy shall be incorporated in

this Policy and a consolidated Transfer Policy shall be duly published on the
web site.

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7.3. ACC(HR) shall serve as nodal officer and shall be responsible to initiate the
process of AGT as per timelines. The Nodal officer shall also be charge with
the duty of seeking views of stakeholders regarding difficulties faced by them
under or improvement to be made to this Policy and to compile and process
them further.

7.4. Residential / leased Accommodation of the Board: Any transfer ordered in

public interest beyond the schedule prescribed shall entitle the officer for the
continued retention of the residential accommodation owned by the Board till
the end of the financial year in which such transfer is ordered or till the period
prescribed under Residence Rules applicable for the officers and the
employees of the Board, whichever is later. Under exceptional circumstances
relaxation to retain accommodation can be given by the Competent Authority.
The rule relating to retention of leased accommodation shall be applied as
prescribed

7.5. Power to remove difficulties:

i. In case of any doubt regarding any of the provisions of the TP-CC, the matter
shall be placed before the CPFC for consideration. The decision of CPFC shall
be final in regard to matters thus referred. The same shall be placed before the
Central Board of Trustees in its next meeting for information.
ii. In case of any difficulty in the implementation of the Policy that may be noticed,
amendments may be recommended in the TP-CC and placed before the
Central Board for approval. Each such amendment of the Policy along with a
consolidated Transfer Policy, after incorporating such changes, shall be
formally notified and shall also be placed in the public domain.

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 ANNEXURE I

PRIORITY MATRIX FOR REQUEST CASES :

Sl Criterion Weightage
no.
Age in Completed Years as on 31st December preceding 15
1. the AGT. Admissible only for officers aged > 58 years.

Single female employee 10

2.
Single employee with minor children 10
3.
Spouse ground ( Defined as per DoP&T guidelines) 5
4.
Divyangjan – Self or dependant as specified by 30*
5. Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment,
Government of India.

Chronic Diseases – self or dependant as certified by 20**

6. appropriate medical authorities under CGHS/ CS (MA)
Rules.

Officers with children due to appear for Class X / XII exam 10

7. in next academic year.

*Note 1. CTC shall consider the percentage of disability for making

recommendations.
**Note 2. Cardio-vascular, Renal, Cancer or any other life-threatening disease
or disorder severely hampering outstation movement.

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