Govt eases norms on appointment of ministers' personal staff

The government has done away with its over a decade-old directive and eased educational qualification norms for appointment of personal staff including peons for Union ministers.

According to the directive issued in 2001, the educational or skill qualification for personal staff of ministers has to be similar to the corresponding or comparable posts in the government.

The decision to remove minimum requirement norms was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after government received references from various ministries and departments for appointment of officials in the personal staff of ministers in relaxation of prescribed educational qualifications.

In order to curb the delay in appointment of persons in the personal staff of ministers seeking relaxation of educational qualification, the matter has been re-examined and it has been decided with the approval of the Prime Minister to delegate the power for relaxation of such qualification to respective ministry (in case for appointment of peons) and to cabinet secretary (for posts other than peons), said an official memorandum issued on July 23 by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

"The education or skill qualification for personal staff of Ministers should be similar to the corresponding or comparable posts in the Government and as per directions of the Prime Minister there will be no relaxation in the educational and skill qualification for the personal staff of Ministers," according to the DoPT's earlier directive issued on October 23, 2001.

As per the directive, private secretary and additional private secretary of a Union minister must at least be a graduate from a recognised university.

The minimum educational qualification for the post of assistant private secretary, first Private Assistant and Second Private Assistant has been kept as Matriculation with English or Hindi stenography speed of 100 words per minute, according to the 2001 order.

Whereas, a lower divisional clerk (LDC) has to be at least matriculation qualified with English typing speed of 30 words per minute and 25 words per minute for Hindi typing.