Overview and Objectives

The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has released a revised Rotational Transfer Policy for the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) to ensure balanced sectoral exposure and promote administrative neutrality. The policy aims to develop a broad-based leadership pipeline while preventing long-term tenures in a single Ministry or Department.

Sectoral Grouping of Ministries

For operational convenience, Cadre Units are now categorized into four broad sectoral groups:

An officer completing a tenure in one group is eligible for transfer to any of the other three groups.

Prescribed Tenure by Grade

The following tenure is prescribed for various grades to be eligible for rotation:

Key Administrative Rules

• Promotion Policy: Officers are generally posted out of their current Department upon promotion if they have completed the prescribed tenure.
• Superannuation: Officers within two years of retirement (five years for ASOs) are generally exempted from rotational transfers.
• Special Exemptions: Officers in sensitive offices like the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat, and Solicitor General’s offices are exempted from regular RTP cycles.
• Non-Compliance: Ministries must relieve transferred officers within 45 days. If not relieved, the officer is "deemed relieved," and their salary cannot be drawn from the old department.
• Outstation Postings: Posts outside the NCR carry a normal tenure of five years.