INTRODUCTION
Government have taken certain decisions to rationalize the fee structure of staff artists of AIR. These orders were communicated to the Director General in Ministry of I & B’s letter No. 12/4/72-B (A) dated 7th February,1972.2.As these orders affect all categories off staff artists who will be called upon to decide about opting for the
revised fee scales, it was thought that the Government’s decision and its implications should be explained in some detail. This has been done in this brochure. It is hoped that this will facilitate better understanding of Government,s decision by staff artists, and also by other employees of AIR.
RATIONALISATION OF FEE SCALES OF STAFF ARTISTS OF A.I.R.
All India Radio employs a large number of staff artists on contract for variety of work connected with its programmes.They are in addition to the regular Government employees of All India Radio. The question of review of their fee scales had been under Governmennt’s consideration for some time. The Pay Commission will not examine the question of revision of their fee scales. Government have,therefore,considered this question independently of and without waiting for the Pay Commission’s report.
2. There were several categories of staff artists, each with a different fee scale, and these scales did not correspond to the salary scales of Government employees. In considering the question of revision of their fee scales, Government has had regard to the re-organisation of the staff artists system which is contemplated. Accordingly, the various categories have been classified into the groups, each for a distinct sphere of activity.They are follows:-
(i) Clerical Group : (General Assistants, Copyists, Tape Librarians, etc.)
(ii) Production Group: (Production Assistants, Assistant Producers, Producers, Deputy Chief Producers, Chief Producers, etc.)
(iii) Announcers/News-readers’ Group: (Announcers, Comperes, News-readers, News-reader-cum-Translators, etc.)
(iv) Journalistic Group: (Script Writers, Sub Editors, Translators, etc.)
(v) Musicians and Instrumentalists Group: (Conductors. Composers, Instrumentalists, Drama Voices etc.)
3. AT THIS STAGE ONLY RATIONALISATION OF FEE STRUCTURE ON THE BASIS OF THIS GROUPING HAS BEEN DONE.FURTHER STEPS FOR REORGANISATION OF THE PERSONNEL STRUCTURE OF STAFF ARTISTS WILL BE TAKEN SUBSEQUENTLY. THIS WILL INCLUDE FRAMING OF RECRUITMENT RULES FOR VARIOUS CATEGORIES. THE QUESTION OF PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEPARTMENTAL PERSONNEL WILL BE DEALT WITH THEIREIN.
4.The broad approach adopted for rationalizing the fee structure was as follows :-
(i) Multiplicity of categories of staff artists and their fee scales have been reduced by grouping together categories whose work is similar in nature and who function at a certain level of responsibility.
(ii)The next step was to adopt fee scales for different categories in each group which may be in the same range as their existing fee scales but which correspond to recognized scales of Government employees of AIR.
(iii)This has been done having regard to the factor of comparative responsibility and status between the regular Government employees and staff artists.
(iv) This process of reducing multiplicity of scales and adopting rationalized fee scales for different categories of staff artists has meant marginal upward revision of fee scales in most of the cases.
(v) In certain cases, where the existing fee scales were admittedly very low somewhat more than marginal upward revision has been made.
(vi) THIS REVISION OF FEE SCALES IS ESSENTIALLY IN THE NATURE OF RATIONALISATION. The question of further revision of these scales will be considered at a later stage in the light of decisions which Government may take on the recommendations of the Pay Commissions with regard to salary scales of comparable categories of Government employees of AIR.
(vii) The upward revision of fee scales that is made at this stage in the process of rationalization will be taken into account when proposals for revision of fee scales envisaged at (Vi) above are prepared.
5. The revised fee scales approved by Government for each of the above group are given in Annexure I to V. Brief explanations of the benefits that will accrue to each category in terms of the revised scales has also been given.
6. Special mention may, however, be made of the following:
(i) The revised fee scales came into effect from 1-4-1971.
(ii) Arrears that may accrue to any staff artist as a result of his/her fee being fixed in the revised fee scales will also be payable, though the actual payment will be made only after the financial problems arising out of the influx of refugees and their return and rehabilitation have been settled.
(iii)Each staff artist assessed as eligible for being placed in the revised fee scales for his/her category will be given the choice to opt for the revised scale. Although the option will have to be exercised within the prescribed period, the staff artist will have the freedom to make it operative either with effect from 1st April, 1971, or from any subsequent date as may be beneficial to his/her present scale. Once an option has been exercised in this manner, it will be treated as final.
(iv) The method of fixation of the fee of a staff artist brought on to the revised scale will be on the analogy of Fundamental Rule 22(a)(ii), i.e. his fee, on the date his/her option comes into effect, will be fixed at the stage in the revised scale at which he/she is or will be drawing fee in the existing scale. If there is no such stage in the revised scale his/her fee will be fixed at the next lower stage and the difference between the lower stage and the fee he/she is or will be drawing will be sanctioned as personal pay to be absorbed in future increments.
(v) The date on which the next increment will accrue to a staff artist who has opted for the revised scale will be the same as in the present scale.In other words, he/she will not have to wait for a further full year to draw the next increment. To illustrate, the fee of a staff artist opting for the revised scale with effect from 1-4-1971 will be fixed in the manner prescribed in (iv) above and if his/her next increment in the present scale fell on, say, 1st may, 1971, he/she will draw rhe next increment on that date.
7.The revision of fee scales now decided upon is only in the nature of rationalization of the existing fee scales and adoption of recognized scales applicable to regular Government servants. The question of further revision of these scales would be considered at a later stage in the light of decisions which Government may take on the recommendations of the Pay Commission with regard to salary scales of comparable categories of Government employees of AIR.
8.The question of promotion opportunities for different categories of staff artists has not been dealt with separately in those orders. That is being dealt with in the process of framing of recruitment rules. These rules will define the promotion avenues open to staff artists in different categories and also provide for the promotion quotas for departmental candidates in addition to direct recruitment. Government orders on this subject are expected to be issued in the near future.
9.A LARGE MAJORITY OF STAFF ARTISTS WILL BENEFIT IN VARYING DEGREES BY OPTING FOR THE REVISED SCALES. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STAFF ARTISTS IS APPROXIMATELY 2,440. IT MAY BE EXPECTED THAT OUT OF THEM ABOUT 2,000 WILL BENEFIT BY OPTING FOR THE REVISED SCALES. THE REMAINING MAY FIND IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE TO RETAIN THE OLD SCALES FOR THE PRESENT.
10. The following observations with regard to the benefit which will accrue to different categories of staff artists as a result of this rationalization of fee structure would be of interest:
Clerical Group
Majority of staff artists in this group, namely, copyists, general assistants, etc. will not derive much benefit. It has not possible to give them a higher fee scale because of the necessity of maintaining parity with the salary scales of clerical cadres who are regular Government servants. Giving them higher fee scales than the pay scales of clerical cadres would result in imbalance in the organization. Revision of fee scales of staff artists in this category will be undertaken along with the revision of the salary scales of Government servants in the light of Pay Commission’s recommendations. Majority of staff artists in this category, who are not likely to derive benefit from rationalization of fee scales at this stage, may, therefore, prefer to retain their old fee scales for the present.
Production Group
Production Assistants in the junior grade will derive substantial benefit by coming over to the revised fee scales. But Production Assistants in the junior scale may not find it profitable to opt for the new scales. Their number is comparatively small and they may prefer to retain their old scales for the present.
The difference between Assistant Producers and Producers has been done away with and all of them have been designated as Producers, and given a scale, equivalent to that of Programme Executives. Assistant Producers will derive a substantial benefit from coming over to the new scale. Producers will also find it profitable to come over to the new scales though the benefit that they derive may be comparatively less than that derived by the Assistant Producers. Introduction of a selection grade will give substantial benefit to a certain number of Producers.
Deputy Chief Producers will benefit from coming over to the new scales.
In the case of Chief Producers the benefit may be marginal.
Announcers/Newsreaders Group
The Announcers and large majority of Comperes will find the organized structure much more satisfactory than the present one and will derive substantial benefit. The distinction between the Announcers at station at four metropolitan cities and other stations has been done away with. Comperes have been brought into the Announcers cadre. All the Comperes and majority of the Announcers at mofussil(Non Metropolitan) stations will derive substantial benefit as a result of the adoption of the new fee scales. Existing Announcers (ordinary grade) at metropolitan stations and in the Commercial Broadcasting Service who do not find a place in the new selection grade may find it to their advantage to retain the old scales for the present.
The benefit of selection grade will be distributed over all language groups so that senior persons in Announcers cadres all over the country can aspire to get into this grade.
As the selection grade of the Announcers is the same as the junior scale of News-readers, provision will be made for Announcers to become News-readers and thereby look forward to promotion to a still higher grade as in the senior scale of News-readers.
All News-readers and News-readers-cum-translators will derive substantial benefit by coming over to the new scales. The benefit of the senior scale for the News-readers and News-readers-cum-translators will be distributed to all language groups.
Journalistic Group
All categories included in this group will find the new scales better than their old scales and may find it to their advantage to adopt for the revised scales.
Musicians and Composers Group
All categories included in this group will derive substantial benefits by opting for the revised scales except that a few composers who are already in the senior scale may, for the present, find it to their advantage opt for their old scales and wait for a further revision of fee scale before coming over to the revised scales.
A progressive feature of the fee scales for Instrumentalists which has been introduced is that promotion to the next higher scales has been linked with their performance and grading and will not be dependent on the number of vacancies.
ANNEXURE I
CLERICAL AND ROUTINE GROUP
Categories of posts Exxisting fee scales Revised scales
1 2 3
1.Assistant/Copyists
in external services Rs.215-10-245-15-365 Rs.210-10-290-15-380
Division
2.(i)General Assistants
(ii)Tape Librarians (i)Rs.110-3-131-4-155-
(iii)Copyists(in AIR Rs. 110-7-166-10-286 EB-5-175-5-180
Offices other than (ii)Rs.130-5-160-8-200-EB-
ESD) 8-256-EB-8-280-10-300.
3.Caretakers
(Musical Instrument) Rs. 110-7-145-10-295
Instrument Repairer
The total number of posts in the categories mentioned at 2 and 3 will be distributed between the two grades in the proportion of 3 : 2, i.e., for every 3 posts in the lower scale, there will be 2 in the higher scale. As all existing Staff Artists in these categories are already drawing fee in the scales of Rs. 110-286 or Rs. 110-295, they will be placed, subject to the number of posts available, in the senior grade on the basis of seniority-cum-fitness. Those who cannot be accommodated in the senior scale will be allowed to draw fee in their present fee scales until vacancies in the higher scale become available for their absorption.
2.All future recruitment in these categories will be in the grade of LDC’s and UDC’s as regular Government servants.
ANNEXURE II
PRODUCTION GROUP
Categories of posts Existing fee scales Revised scales
1 2 3
1.(i)(Production Asstt. Junior scale
Rs.170-10-260-15-335
(ii)Recordists Rs. 210-10-290-15-320-
15-425-EB-15-470
(iii)Newsreel Asstt. Senior scale
Rs. 235-15-340-20-480
2.(i)Assistant Producer Rs. 280-20-400-400- Rs. 350-25-500-30-590-
25-575 EB-30-800
(ii)Producer Rs. 425-25-650-30-740- Selecton Grade
740-30-770 Rs.620-40-900
(10% of the ordinary
grade)
3.Dy. Chief Producer Rs.770-30-920-40-1000- Rs.700-40-1 100-50/2-
50/2-1050 1250
4.Chief producer Rs.960-40-1200-50-1450 Rs.1100-50-1400
(1)Production Assistant, Recordist, Newsreel Assistant : These categories have been grouped as Production Assistants and given the same scale as Transmission Executives who are regular Government servants. A large majority of the existing Staff Artists in these categories are at present in the Junior Scale of Rs. 170-335. All of them will be considered for being placed in the revised scale of Rs.210-470. Those who are assessed as unsuitable for the revised grade will retain their present scale. All Staff Artists in these categories who are at present drawing fee in the Senior Scale of Rs. 235-480 will have the option of retaining their existing scales, if they so desire.
(2)Assistant Producer, Producer: These two categories have been grouped as producers and given the same scale as Programme Executives who are regular Government servants. All Producers will be brought over to the new scale of Rs. 350-800 as a matter of course, from the date their option becomes effective. The majority of Staff Artists in these two categories are now Assistant Producers. All of them will be brought over to the revised higher scale of Rs. 350-800 subject to their standard coming up to that of a Producer or a Programme Executive.
It may be noted that a Selection Grade of Rs. 620-40-900 has now been introduced in this category. Incumbents of the revised Junior Grade will also be considered for promotion to the Selection Grade against the posts available.
ANNEXURE III
NEWSREADERS/ANNOUNCERS GROUP
Categories of Posts Existing fee scales Revised scales
1 2 3
1.(a)Announcers in Delhi Ordinary Grade
Bombay,Calcutta,and Rs. 235-15-370-20-530
Madras
Selection Grade Junior scale
Rs. 425-25-650-30-770 Rs. 170-10-280-15-335
(b)At other stations Rs. 170-10-260-15-335 Senior scale
Rs. 210-10-290-15-470
2.Announcer-cum-translator Rs.260-15-350-20-630 Selection Grade
(Indian languages) in ESD Rs. 350-25-500-30-800
(10% of Senior Grade)
3.Comperes Rs.133-7-175-10-265-
15-340
4.Presentation Announcer Rs.235-15-370-20-530
5.News-reader Junior scale
Rs. 235-15-370-20-530 Junior scale
Rs. 350-25-500-30-800
6.Newsreader-cum- Rs. 280-15-370-20-530 Senior scale
Translator Rs. 700-40-1100-
Selection Grade 50/2-1250
for (5) and (6)
Rs. 425-25-650-30-770
(1) Announcers, Announcers-cum-Translators, Comperes : All Staff Artists in these categories have been grouped together and designated as Announcers and will be brought over to these scales mentioned in column 3 above. Hereafter, there will be no difference between the fee scales drawn by Announcers employed at stations at Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Bombay on the one hand and other stations in the country, on the other. Also, the category of Compere which had a low scale and no promotion prospects, has been done away with and Comperes have been included in Announcers, grade.
(2) The proportion of the strength between the Junior and Senior Scales will be 2:3 i.e. of the existing total strength of 602 in all the categories mentioned above (as on 1-1-1971), 325 posts will be in the Senior Scale of Rs. 210-470 and only 241 will be in the Junior Scale of Rs. 170-335. The number of posts in the Selection Grade will be 36.
(3) Most of the Staff Artists in these categories are expected to benefit as a result of the revision of fee scales. For instance, the Comperes at present in the scale of Rs. 170-335. A large majority of Announcers at other than metropolitan canters will be brought over to the revised Senior Scale of Rs. 210-470. Announcers at Metropolitan stations and in the Commercial Broadcasting Service who are now drawing fee in the Ordinary Scale of Rs. 235-530 will have to option to retain their present scale. All Announcers drawing fee in the present Selection Grade of Rs. 350-800 against the Selection Grade posts now sanctioned. The remaining vacancies in the Selection Grade will also be filled from among Announcers in the SENIOR Scale on the basis of DPC’S Recommendation.
(4) Newsreaders, newsreaders-cum-translators : All the present incumbents in these categories are expected to benefit as a result of the revision of fee scales,as a substantially large majority of the present incumbents are at present drawing fee in the scales of Rs. 235-530 or Rs. 280-530 and will be eligible for being considered for the revised Junior Scale. Staff Artists at present in the selection Grade will be considered for the revised Senior Scale. The strength of the revised Junior Scale and the Senior scale will be in the proportion of 3:1. Vacancies in the revised Senior Scale will be filled on promotion from incumbents in the Junior Scale on the basis of DPC’s recommendation.
ANNEXURE IV
JOURNALISTIC GROUP
Categories of posts Existing fee scales Revised scale
1 2 3
1.(i)Research Assistant
(ii)Script Writer Rs.170-10-260-15-335 Rs.210-10-290-15-470
(Junior Grade)
2.(i)Sub-Editors
(Regional News Units) Rs. 235-15-370-20-530
(ii)News Reporters
(Regional News Units)
(iii)Newsreel Correspondent Rs. 235-15-370-20-530 Rs.325-15-475-20-575
(iv)Translators Rs. 215-10-245-15-380-
(Regional News Units) 20-480
(v)Script Writers Rs. 235-15-340-20-480
(Intermediate Grade)
3. (i)Parliamentary Rs. 425-25-650-30-770
Reporter(Hindi) Rs. 350-25-500-30-800
(ii)Script Writer Rs. 425-25-625
(Senior Grade)
All categories of Staff Artists enumerated at 1 and 2 above are expected to benefit as a result of revision of the fee scales. All existing incumbents will be assessed for eligibility to the new scales. A Staff Artist drawing fee in the scales of Rs. 425-770 or Rs. 425-625 will also benefit because of the higher ceiling and a better incremental structure.
ANNEXURE V
MUSICIANS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS GROUP
Categories of posts Existing fee scales Revised scales
1 2 3
1.Conductors Rs.960-40-1200 Rs.700-40-1100-50/2-1250
2.Composers Junior Scale Junior Scale
Rs.170-10-260-15-335 Rs. 210-10-290-15-470
Senior Scale Senior Scale
Rs. 245-15-335-20-555 Rs. 350-25-500-30-800
Selection Grade
Rs. 700-40-1100-50/2-1250
3. Instrumentalists Junior Scale Junior Scale
And Vocalists Rs. 110-7-145-10-295 Rs. 210-10-290-15-470
Intermediate Scale Intermediate Scale
Rs. 133-7-175-10-265- Rs. 325-15-475-20-575
15-340
Senior Scale Senior Scale
Rs. 215-10-245-15-380- Rs. 350-25-500-30-800
20-540
4. Drama Voices Junior Scale Junior Scale
Rs. 110-7-145-10-295 Rs. 130-5-160-8-200-8-
280-10-300
Intermediate Scale Senior Scale
Rs. 133-7-175-10-265- Rs.210-10-290-15-425
15-340
Senior Scale Selection Grade
Rs. 245-15-380-20-540 Rs. 325-15-475-20-575
2. Instrumentalists and Vocalists : Fee scales of the existing incumbents in these categories will be fixed in the revised scales indicated in column 3 on the basis of their grading , orders in regard to which are being issued separately. It is, however, expected that all present incumbents will benefit substantially as a result of the revision of fee scales .Even those at present in the Junior Scale and who may be below the minimum grading fixed by the Government will benefit as they will be given a special fee of Rs. 170-10-260-15-335. Further promotion will be automatic on the basis of improvements in their grading.
3. Drama Voices : The entire category will benefit as a result of the revision of fee scales as the revised scales are substantially larger than the present fee scales.
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