HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
‘People are our greatest asset’ is a mantra that companies have been chanting for years. But only a few companies have started putting Human Resources Management (HRM) systems in place that support this philosophy. There are a number of challenges in the Indian industry which require the serious attention of HR managers to ‘find the right candidate’ and build a ‘conducive work environment’ which will be beneficial for the employees, as well as the organization. The industry is already under stress on account of persistent problems such as attrition, confidentiality, and loyalty. Other problems are managing people, motivation to adopt new technology changes, recruitment and training, performance management, development, and compensation management. With these challenges, it is timely for organizations to rethink the ways they manage their people. Managing HR in the knowledge based industry is a significant challenge for HR managers as it involves a multi task responsibility. In the present scenario, HR managers perform a variety of responsibilities. Earlier their role was confined to administrative functions like managing manpower requirements and maintaining rolls for the organization. Now it is more strategic as per the demands of the industry.
HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTCE IN MPT
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
The process of selection involves three stages Recruitment, Selection and Placement. Recruitment refers to making the vacancies known to potential applicants and thereby generating application for the position. In MPT this is generally done through advertisements in newspapers, promotion, deputation, word of mouth and campus recruitment. Once this application are generated, the actual selection begins. A number of methods can be used to select. Theses may include application form, selection test, interviews, physical examination etc. finally the employees are placed in the appropriate positions.
There are different types of post exists in MPT. Each post has its owns recruitment rules, which are commonly known as Recruitment Rules (RR’s). The post is filled up as per the criteria laid down in the RR’s. The RR’s gives details of the post viz, Name of the post, Category, Educational, Qualification, Experience, Age limit required for the said post, Scale of pay, Method of selection appointing authority.
Recruitment in MPT is done by four different methods i.e.
1) Direct Recruitment: Under this method, the vacant post is filled in by inviting application from the suitable candidate from the open market.
2) By Promotion: The vacant post is filled in by promoting the eligible employees from the lower level. Normally, the higher posts are filled in by this method.
3) By Transfer: Under this method of recruitment, the vacant post is filled in by transfer of employees from the different cadre having the similar status, scale of pay etc. of the post. However, it is observed that this method is rarely used in the port.
4) By Deputation: Under this method, the vacant post is filled in by appointing the employees from other organisation mainly from Central/State Govt. other port etc. for a specific period ranging from 1-5 yrs. Generally, the posts of executive level are filed in by this method.
The first step in the recruitment process is assessment of vacancies or the post which are likely to fall vacant during the next year due to the retirements of the incumbent of the post. This process is made in the month of January, of every year by the General Administration Department and as per the recruitment rules, necessary action is taken to fill up the vacant posts, this is better explain in the ANNEXURE.
DIRECT RECRUITMENT:
Direct Recruitment is one of the method of recruitment followed in MPT. It is the mode of selecting the candidate for the vacant post from the open market. Generally, all class III posts except few category of post, which are filed in by promotion and all class IV posts are filled by direct recruitment method.
The method was commonly used during the past years. However, w.e.f. 1/6/2001 as per the directive of Central Govt., direct recruitment was completely banned till 31/3/2004. Subsequently, the Central Govt. has granted permission to MPT to fill up 1% of vacant posts and accordingly direct recruitment was done in the year 2004. Also, as per the vacant directives of the Central Govt., 1% of live vacant posts are filled in by direct recruitment method with the approval of the Central Govt.
In MPT for selection of a candidate for each vacant post Staff Selection Committee (SSC) is constituted depending on the class or the grade of employees i.e. for class I&II and class III&IV has a different committee is constituted.
These committees are as follows:
1) CLASS I&II
a) Chairman--------- Chairman of the committee
b) Members
i) Deputy Chairman
ii) Head of the Department, where the vacancy exists.
iii) Any other Head(s) of Department, nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
iv) Representative of SC/ST nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
2) CLASS III &IV
a) Chairman----------Dy. Chairman/ HOD’s nominated by the chairman of the Board.
b) Members:
i) Secretary of the Board.
ii) Any other Officer nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
iii) Representative of SC/ST nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
VARIOUS STEPS INVOLVED IN DIRECT RECURITMENT
To recruit a candidate for the post by direct recruitment the following steps are involved such as
1) Vacancies register is maintained for determining the number of vacancies to be filled in during the year under each method of recruitment. The numbers of vacancies are taken in to account as well as anticipated vacancies on account of retirement.
2) To fulfill any post in the Mormugao Port prior approval of the Central Government is obtained.
3) After obtaining the approval of Central Government for filling up vacant posts, the Personnel Section of GAD submits a note for approval of the chairman to advertise the vacancy in the local newspaper and also to obtain the names of the eligible candidates from the Regional Employment Exchange.
4) Once the Chairman approves the proposal, the vacancy is advertised by giving the detailed information of the post in three local dailies viz. Gomantak (Marathi), Sunaparant (Konkani) and The Navhind Times (English). GAD also writes a letter to employment exchange in Margao and Panaji to submit the name of the suitable candidate who are fulfilling the criteria laid down in the recruitment rules.
5) The applications received from the interested candidate are recorded in the inward register and the officer in-charge of personal cell marks the application to the concerned dealing hand. The application received after the due date is not taken into consideration.
6) The dealing hand scrutinizes the application with reference to the criteria laid down for the post, in the recruitment rules and a list of eligible candidate who fulfills recruitment rules is prepared. Also, the names recommended by both employment exchanges are included in the said list. In case no candidates are available with employment exchange then a necessary certificate in this regard is obtained from the employment exchange.
7) Thereafter a note along with the list of the eligible candidate is prepared and submitted to the competent authority to fix the date for interview/test.
8) A call letter is sent to the eligible candidate by register and these letters are sending to the candidates with minimum 12 to 15 days before the test.
9) The candidate has to appear for either written or oral/interview depending upon the criteria prescribed in the recruitment rules of the said post.
10) The candidates are interviewed by the Staff Selection Committee (SSC) comprising of Chairman of the committee and other different members. Different SSC are constituted for Class I & II officers and Class III & IV employees depending upon the post to be filled up.
11) The SSC selects the candidate through the written test/oral interviews and the successful candidates are empanelled on the select list on the merit basis.
12) Once the candidates are selected, the GAD sends a nomination letter of selected candidate to the department in which the vacancy arises.
13) On receipt of nomination, the concern HOD sends an offer of appointment letter giving the terms and the conditions of appointment to the selected candidate. He is also directed to furnish his willingness within the prescribed time limit. In case a particular candidate is not willing to accept the offer then the second person on the select list is given offer of appointment.
14) If the candidate accepts the offer of appointment, then he has to send the acceptance letter to the concerned department where the vacancy arises.
15) The candidate who has given the acceptance letter is sent to the chief medical officer of the Port Hospital for medical examination. If the candidate is fit, the appointment letter is issued but if he is not fit, then he is not eligible for the post.
16) After the candidate is declared medically fit by the Chief Medical Officer then appointment order is issued to him by the HOD concerned and the candidate has to take charge of the post.
The Reservation for the post of direct recruitment as per the section, 2% for the scheduled caste, 1% for the scheduled tribes and 27% for other backward classes. This category of reservation for any vacant post is applicable. The concern selection committee takes into the consideration this reservation for any vacant post within the port.
CHANGES IN RECRUITMENT
The method of Direct Recruitment was commonly used during the past years. However, w.e.f. 1/6/2001 as per the directive of Central Govt., direct recruitment was completely banned till 31/3/2004. Subsequently, the Central Govt. has granted permission to MPT to fill up 1% of vacant posts and accordingly direct recruitment was done in the year 2004. Also, as per the vacant directives of the Central Govt., 1% of live vacant posts are filled in by direct recruitment method with the approval of the Central Govt. But now new recruitment policy has come into existence called Recruitment Drive, wherein all the post pending with respect to the SC/ST should be filled.
In MPT for selection of a candidate for each vacant post Staff Selection Committee (SSC) is constituted depending on the class or the grade of employees i.e. for class I&II and class III&IV has a different committee is constituted.
These committees are as follows:
CONSTITUTION OF STAFF SELECTION COMMITTEE :
A Staff Selection Committee shall be constituted for each grade as indicated below:
CLASS I POSTSChairman :
Chairman of the Board.
Members :
1. Dy. Chairman
2. Head of the department, where vacancy exists.
3. Any other Head (s) of department, nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
CLASS II POSTSChairman :
Dy. Chairman of the Board.
Members :
1. Head of the department, where vacancy exists.
2. Any other HOD/Officer in Class I category nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
CLASS III POSTS
Chairman :
Dy. Chairman/Head of Department nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
Members :
1. Industrial Relation Officer or Dy.Secretary or Sr.Asst.Secretary.
2. Another Officer nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
CLASS IV POSTSChairman :
Head of the department nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
Members :
1. Industrial Relation Officer or Deputy Secretary or Deputy/Asst.Secretary of the Board.
2. Another Officer nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
Reasons for not filling the vacant post.
Most of the posts were lying vacant since 1/6/2001, consequent upon rolling back of retirement age from 60 to 58 years and implementation of Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme (SVRS). The resultant vacancies had not been filled up for the following reasons:
i. As a matter of policy, all posts, which have fallen vacant due to SVRS, are to be abolished. The work load is to be rationalised amongst existing staff.
The manning scales of various ports are being examined by National Tribunal set up in January 2001. Unless the award of Tribunal is received it would not be prudent to fill up vacancies because if the Award reduce manning scales in some port activities, there will be surplus manpower for redeployment".
PROBATION:
Every person appointed to grade or post by direct recruitment, promotion or transfer shall be on probation for a period of two years from the date of his appointment.
CONFIRMATION OF EMPLOYEES ON PROBATION
When an employee appointed on probation to any grade or post (has passed the prescribed test and) has completed his probation to the satisfaction of appointing Authority, he shall be eligible for confirmation in that grade or post, Until an employee on probation is confirmed under this regulation or is discharged or reverted under regulations (9), he shall continue to have the status of an employee on probation. Confirmation will be made only once in the service of an employee (which will be at the entry, grade).
FILLING UP OF VACANCIES ON ADHOC
When no suitable employee is available for appointment, by promotion or direct recruitment, the appointing authority may fill such vacancy for such time as may be necessary by the deputation of an officer employed under another port authority, the Central Government, State Government or any local authority, statutory undertaking or any Government Company as defined in the Companies Act 1956 (1 of 1956), or any institution receiving grants from Government.
(2) The appointing authority may also make such other temporary arrangements as may deem necessary to fill any post for a period not exceeding one year which may further be extended under compelling circumstances.
PROMOTION
Promotion is the upward reassignment of an individual in an organizational hierarchy, accompanied by increasing responsibility, enhanced status, and usually with increased income. The employees are promoted purely on seniority basis provided they fulfill other condition prescribed for promotion in the Recruitment Rules
SENIORITY :
In other words, to the extent direct recruits are not available the promotees will be bunched together at the bottom of the seniority list below the last position up to which it is possible to determine seniority, on the basis of rotation of quotas with reference to the actual number of direct recruits who become available. The unfilled direct recruitment quota vacancies would, however, be carried forward and added to the corresponding direct recruitment vacancies of the next year (and to subsequent years where necessary) for taking action for direct recruitment for the total number according to the usual practice. Thereafter in that year while seniority will be determined between direct recruits and promotees, to the extent of the number of vacancies for direct recruits and promotees as determined according to the quota for that year, the additional direct recruits selected against the carried forward vacancies of the previous year would be placed in block below the last promotee (or direct recruits as the case may be) in the seniority list based on the rotation of vacancies for that year. The same principle holds good for determining seniority in the event of carry forward, if any, of direct recruitment or promotion quota vacancies (as the case may be) in the subsequent year.
COMPOSITION OF DEPARTMENTAL PROMOTION COMMITTEE
Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) is the committee constituted to select the candidate to fill up the vacant post by promotion. In MPT, employees are promoted on the basis of seniority. The DPC meets once or twice in a year to select the candidate for promotion to fill up vacancies that may arise during the course of the year. The DPC conducted for different categories are as follows:
1) CLASS I
a) Chairman ---------- Chairman of the board.
b) Members
i) Dy. Chairman
ii) Head of the Department, where vacancy exist.
iii) Any other Head(s) of Department, nominated by the chairman of the Board.
iv) Representative of SC /ST nominated by chairman of the board.
2) CLASS II
a) Chairman ---------- Dy. Chairman of the board.
b) Members
i) Head of the Department, where vacancy exist.
ii) Any other Head(s) of Department or officer in class I category, nominated by the chairman of the board.
iii) Representative of SC /ST nominated by the Chairman of the board.
3) CLASS III &IV
a) Chairman --------- Dy. Chairman /HOD nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
b) Members
i) Industrial Relation Officer or Dy. Secretary or Sr. Asst. Secretary of the Board.
ii) Another officer nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
iii) Representative of SC /ST nominated by the Chairman of the Board.
Different types of documents considered while selecting candidate for promotion
1) Seniority List: The seniority list is a list of employees showing the position of each employee. The seniority of employees is determined as per the ranking given by the SSC and not on the basis of the date of their joining the port services. The updated list is circulated amongst the employees every year in the month of January for their information.
2) Roster: Roster is a register which shows the number of post in a particular cadre reserved for the employees belonging to the SC/ST/OBC. A roster shall be maintained for each grade to determine whether a particular vacancy should be filled by direct recruitment or promotion.
There are mainly two type of roster:
a. Min Roster: This roster is comprises of 13 points, where one point is for SC/ST i.e. point 7 & 14. As per the recruitment rule roster should contained one point for ST so 14 point are maintained.
b. Main Roster: This roster comprises of more than 13 points to max extends. Here different points are allocated to each candidate as well as reserved points are also kept.
3) Vigilances Clearance (VC): Vigilance Officer checks the detail of employees with regard to any disciplinary proceeding, criminal cases pending or contemplated against any of the officials who are due for promotion. If there are no such cases then employees are cleared from vigilance angle. However if cases are pending then no vigilance clearance is given.
4) Departmental clearance (DC): Departmental clearance is a certificate which is given by the concerned HOD’s. Its mainly specifies any departmental disciplinary action is contemplated or pending against the employees. Departmental clearance is given in favour of the employees if there are no departmental cases pending or contemplated against the employees.
5) Confidential Report (CR): All the CR in respect of official to be considered for promotion is completed in all respects and submitted before the DPC. This report is written by the immediate superior of the employees and his HOD. A CR dossier mainly contains the grading given to the employees and their overall performance, attitude in the office, willingness to carry out work etc. This is very important document considered by the DPC while recommending the name for promotion.
6) Recruitment Rules: It is rules which are need for promoting any employees for the post i.e. a copy of the RR relevant to the post should be placed before the DPC.
METHOD OF PROMOTION
Mormugao Port Trust follows two main method of promotion such as:
Ø Selection-Cum-Seniority
Ø Selection –Cum-fitness
1) Selection-Cum-Seniority: (Selection Method)
As per the recruitment rules the promotion are mostly made by selection methods. Here the employees are promoted by giving the grade. There are different grade given such as outstanding, very good, good, average or unfit, which are in order of interse-seniority up to the number of vacancy. The method mainly based on a specific zone where the candidates are reserved.
2) Selection-Cum-Fitness: (Non-Section)
Sometime the company also follows the non-selection method based on the recruitment rules. The DPC does not make a comparative assessment record of the officers and gives different grade. But according to this method, DPC will categories the officer as “fit or not yet fit” for promotion, on the basis of assessment of their record of services. Here no specific zone of consideration has been prescribed. All the eligible employees may be considered in one panel in the order of their seniority.
VARIOUS STEPS INVOLVED IN PROMOTION
Promotion is one of the important aspects for encouraging the employees in the Mormugao Port Trust. Vacancies which arise due to the retirement, death, and termination etc of an employee are filled in by this method. The steps involved in the process of promotion are as follows:
1) In the first step the promotion post which are vacant or likely to fall vacant in the department on account of retirement or otherwise are identified.
2) Once the vacancy is identified a DPC is formed. A note is prepared and put up to Chairman of the DPC for holding the meeting and also fixing the date of the meeting.
3) For the DPC meeting different documents such as seniority list, roster, RR’s of the post etc. are kept ready
4) During the DPC meeting, the members of the committee evaluates the seniority list, Vigilance and Departmental clearance and Confidential Report of last 5 yrs and a panel is prepared for the calendar year.
5) After the DPC meeting, the proceeding of the meeting are written in a register and signed by all the members of the DPC. Thereafter, the chairman approves the proceeding and issues necessary order for nominating the candidate.
6) The GAD sends the nomination letter to concern the department where the vacancy exists.
7) The concerned department issues promotion order to the candidates on the basis of the nomination letter.
8) The candidate may accept or refuse the promotion. If the candidate accept the promotion, the parent department relieves him by and then he joins his new post in the dept in which he is promoted
Refusal of Promotion: As per the government guidelines the employees refusing promotion will not be offered any promotion for a period of one year from the date of such refusal or till a next vacancy arise whichever is later. On the eventual promotion to the higher grade, such government servant will loose, seniority viz-a-viz his junior’s will be promoted to the higher grade.
TRANSFER:
Transfer is one of the method of recruitment followed by MPT but it is very rarely used by the Port. Transfer means permanent absorption in the post. Here the transfer is mainly done by the Central Government from one port to another. The reasons for transfer are due to clash of personality, personal wish, to justify employees retention, to give varied work experience etc.
ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION (ACP)
The two financial up gradation shall be granted under ACP scheme to class-III and IV employees on completion of 12years and 24 years of regular services, provided there was no regular promotion during the period of 12 and 24 years. On promotion under ACP, full benefit of pay fixation, as under normal promotion, in the higher scale will be given. For such persons there will be no further financial benefit for getting regular promotion.
When an employee is given higher scale under ACP, an undertaking will be obtained that he shall continue to discharge the duties of the lower post till regular promotion to the higher scale post later. ACP scheme does not amount to financial/regular promotion or require creation of posts. The financial up gradation under the ACP scheme shall be available only if no regular promotions have been availed during the prescribed periods. The beneficiaries shall retain the old designation and financial up gradation shall be personal to the incumbents.
METHOD’S OF TRAINING FOLLOWED IN THE PORT
According to training for HRD is linked with performance appraisal and career development. An employee is trained if he lacks any skill to perform the job given to him. Thus he may be trained in the job in a different method. Here the port has a training cell which conducted the training programmes. The training programmes are classified in to 2 method /categories such as:
METHODS OF TRAINING
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL