Promotion Path Reopens After Nine Years: 36% Posts Reserved for SC-ST in Madhya Pradesh

Good news for government officers and employees in Madhya Pradesh — the promotion process, which had been halted for the last nine years, is now set to resume. On June 17, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, the cabinet approved new rules framed by the General Administration Department.

According to the newly approved provisions:

• 36% of promotional posts will continue to be reserved for SC-ST category officers and employees.
• All categories of employees will be eligible for promotion to unreserved posts.
• The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) will conduct meetings to finalize eligible candidates for two years of pending vacancies simultaneously.

Previously, the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur had struck down the 2002 promotion rules in 2016, rendering the matter sub judice. As a result, no promotions took place for nearly a decade, during which an estimated one lakh officers and employees retired without advancement.

Despite attempts by previous governments under Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kamal Nath, a consensus could not be reached. However, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav pushed the initiative forward with strong will and determination.

Under the guidance of Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, the General Administration Department studied all previous court directives and government circulars. Consultation was also held with representatives from general and SC-ST employee organizations to draft the rules. The cabinet has now granted in-principle approval to the proposed framework.

According to sources, while the rules may not fully satisfy both reserved and unreserved categories, they are seen as a practical and necessary compromise to restart the long-stalled promotion process.