80s' UPSC cadres still awaiting promotions.

        The 800 plus officers who were recruited into Doordarshan (DD) and All Indian Radio (AIR) between 1982 and 1989 after qualifying the UPSC test, and despite excellent track records, are waiting for their first promotions.

       Among them also is Devika Mokhtan, the topper of her batch, the country's first woman football commentator.

     "Rules were flouted... contract officers cannot be taken as regular service holders," says Mokhtan.

         Rupa Mehta, programme executive, 1986 batch who joined in 1989 said: "I am a qualified person, recruited through the UPSC and since the last 22 years have not been given a single promotion.

         In sharp contrast is the career of some employees who joined AIR &DD  as contract staff. Documents availed through RTI show that the officers who  was on contract till 1989 and yet they and many others   have superseded regular UPSC recruits violating rules, some even rising to joint secretary levels.

         The CEO of Prasar Bharati has acknowledged that injustice has been done. CEO Prasar Bharti, B S Lall said: Over the years this issue has acquired complications because of varying interpretations, court cases, implementation of certain decision in the directorate as well as the ministry which could be called questionable.”

         The question is did the ministry of information and broadcasting bend rules in order to accommodate certain people and why is such a large group of talented officers stagnating when more than half the radio stations and Doordarshan kendras do not even have station directors.

        Prasar Bharti has formed a committee to get to the bottom of the matter but for some, it might be too little too late.

     The employees genuine grievances is a serious issue in Prasar Bharati, which badly effects the morale of its employees and there by effecting its functioning. Even the the I&B minister in an interview admitted it and said .

    "The Prasar Bharati staff feel stagnant in reality — who wouldn’t feel frustrated if one’s avenues for promotions are blocked or one is not given enough opportunities to progress? It won’t suffice if the Prasar Bharati and the ministry keep passing the blame. If 40,000 employees are not happy, their output can never be optimum"

. Prasar Bharati  has been blamed recently on staffing issue by a Parliamentary Committee also .

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