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 CHAPTER IX 

  JOINING TIME

CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ADMISSIBLE

          9.1. Joining time may be granted to a Government employee to enable him–

    (a)   to join a new post either at the same or new station, without availing himself  of  any leave on relinquishing charge of his old post;     (b)   to join a new post in a new station on return from–

• earned leave not exceeding 180 days, in respect of Government employees subject to the Leave Rules in Section III of Chapter VIII;
• leave other than that specified in sub-clause (i) when he has not had sufficient notice of his appointment to new post;

  (c) (i) to proceed on transfer or on the expiry of leave from a specified station to join a post in a place in a remote locality which is not easy of access;

(ii)   to proceed, on relinquishing charge of a post on transfer or leave, in a place in a remote locality which is not easy of access to a specified station. 

         Note 1.–The authority which granted the leave will decide whether the notice referred to in clause (b) (ii) was insufficient.

           Note 2.–The joining time and travelling allowance of military officers in civil employ are governed by the civil rules in virtue of the provisions of paragraph 593 of the Regulations for the Army in India (Rules) and paragraph 2 (iii) and 14 of the Defence Services Regulations, India Passage Regulations, respectively, read with Fundamental  Rule 3. These rules admit of the grant of joining time and travelling allowance to military officers in civil employ not only on the occasion of their transfer to civil employ and retransfer to military employ but also when they are actually serving in the civil employ.  For the purposes of these rules, privilege leave under the military leave rules, should be treated as earned leave of not more than four months‟ duration.  

          Note 3.–The time reasonably required for journeys between the place of training and the stations to which a Government employee is posted immediately before and after the period of training should be treated as part of the training period. This does not apply to probationers holding “training posts” which they may be considered as taking with them on transfer.  Such probationers are entitled to joining time when transferred.

         Note 4.–When a Government employee holding a temporary post is offered through his official superior another such post at some other station at any time before the abolition of his post, he is entitled to joining time.

          Note 5.–No joining time, joining time pay or travelling allowance shall be granted to a State Government employee who is appointed to a post under the Union Government but joins his new post after termination of his employment under the State Government by resignation or otherwise, unless the employment of a particular Government employee is in the wider public interest. The same applies to a employee of the Union Government or of another State Government who, in similar circumstances, is appointed to a post under the Punjab Government.  Further, when a Government employee of one department is appointed to a post in another department, both departments being under the Punjab Government, but joins his new post after termination of his employment under the old departments, no joining time, joining time pay or travelling allowance shall be allowed unless it is in the public interest to do so.  If joining time is allowed in any case it should be the minimum necessary and should in no case exceed the transit period.

          Note 6.–Joining time, joining time pay and travelling allowance of Government employees appointed to posts under the Punjab Government on the results of a Competitive Examination, which is open to both Government employees and others, is regulated as under:–

• travelling allowance, joining time and joining time pay should ordinarily be allowed to all Government employees serving under the Union or State Government who hold permanent post in a substantive capacity.
• no travelling allowance, joining time pay should be granted in the case of those who are employed in a temporary capacity without the sanction of Government.
• for the purpose of clause (a) above provisionally permanent and quasi-permanent Government employees shall be treated as on par with the permanent Government employees.
  • No joining time is allowed in cases when a Government employee is transferred from one post to another in the same office establishment.
  • (a) A Government employee  on  transfer  during  a  vacation  may  be permitted to take joining time at the end of the vacation. 

 (b) If vacation is combined with leave, joining time shall be regulated under rule 9.1(b) (i), if the total period of leave on average pay and vacation or earned leave and vacation combined is of not more than six months or 180 days duration, respectively.

          9.4. If a Government employee takes leave while in transit from one post to another, the period which has elapsed since he handed over charge of his old post must be included in his leave. On the expiry of the leave, the Government employee may be allowed normal joining time. 

CALCULATION OF JOINING TIME

          9.5. The joining time of a Government employee in cases involving a transfer from one station to another, neither of which is in a remote locality not easy of access, is subject to a maximum of 30 days. Six days are allowed for preparation and in addition, a period to cover the actual journey calculated as follows:–

• (i) For purpose of journey by air under clause (a) (i) a part of day should be treated as one day.

                  (ii)  a day is also allowed for any fractional portion of any distance prescribed in clause (a) (ii).

• when part of the journey is by steamer, the limit of six days for preparation may be extended to cover any period unavoidably spent in awaiting the departure of the steamer.

           Note.–If a steamer is not due to start immediately after the expiry of six days from the day when the Government employee, gives over charge, the Government employee may add to his joining time the number of days intervening between the expiry of the six days and the departure of the next steamer, whether he actually starts during the first six days or by the next boat after their expiry.

• travel by road not exceeding eight kilometers to or from a railway station, or steamer ghat at the beginning or end of journey does not count for joining time.
• a Sunday does not count as a day for the purpose of the calculations in this rule but Sundays are included in the maximum period of 30 days.

         Exception.–The authority sanctioning the transfer may in special circumstances reduce the period of joining time admissible under this rule.

         9.6.   Not more than one day is allowed to a Government employee in order to join a new post when the appointment to such post does not necessarily, involve a change of residence from one station to another. A holiday counts as a day for the purpose of this rule.

         9.6-A. When holiday (s) follow (s) joining time, the normal joining time may be deemed to have been extended to cover such holiday (s).

• Except in the case of a journey performed by air which will be governed by the provisions in clause (a) (i) of rule 9.5 by whatever route a Government employee actually travels his joining time shall, unless a competent authority for special reasons otherwise order, be calculated by the route which travellers ordinarily use.
• (a) The joining time of a Government employee under clause (b) (i) and (ii) of rule 9.1 will be counted from his old station or from the place at which he receives the order of appointment, whichever calculation will entitle him to less joining time. If the leave is being spent out of India and the order of appointment to the new post reaches him before he arrives at the port of debarkation, the port of debarkation is the place in which he received the order for the purpose of this rule. If, however, such a Government employee actually performs the journey to his old headquarters for winding up his personal affairs, etc. his joining time will be calculated from the old headquarters to the new headquarters, irrespective of the place where he spends leave or receives posting orders. A certificate to the effect that the Government employee had actually performed the journey from the station where he was spending leave to the old headquarters for winding up personal affairs should be furnished by the officer concerned with his charge report for assumption of the post at the new headquarters. The responsibility for obtaining the certificate from a Group „A‟ or  Group „B‟ officer would rest with the Head of Department concerned and for Group „C‟ and Group „D‟ staff, with the head of office.

         (b) A Government employee taking joining time under clause (b) (i) of rule 9.1 who receives, while on leave (whether spent in or out of India); order of transfer to a station other than that from which he took leave, will be granted full joining time admissible under clause (a) above, without reference to the authority which granted the leave and irrespective of the date on which the orders of transfer are received by him.  Should he join his new appointment before the expiry of such leave plus the joining time admissible the period short taken should be considered as leave not enjoyed, and a corresponding portion of the leave sanctioned should be cancelled without any reference to the authority which granted the leave. If in any case, the Government employee desires not to avail himself of the full period of joining time admissible the period of leave and joining time should be adjusted with reference to such option.

          9.9.  Omitted.

         9.10. If a Government employee is authorised to make over charge of a post elsewhere than at his headquarters, his joining time shall be calculated from the place at which he actually makes over charge.

          9.10-A. If the headquarter of a Government employee, while on tour is changed to the tour station itself, or his temporary transfer is converted into permanent transfer by the competent authority, his joining time may be calculated from the old headquarters, to the new headquarters, in case he actually performs the journey to his old headquarters for winding up his household etc.

          9.11. If a Government employee is appointed to a new post while in transit from one post to another, his joining time begins on the day following that on which he receives the order of appointment.

           Note.–A second period of six days for preparation should not be included in calculating the joining time of a Government employee whose appointment is changed while he is in transit.

          9.12. When a Government employee under the administrative control of the Punjab Government is transferred to the control of another Government, his joining time for the journey to join his post under that Government and for the return will be governed by the rules of that Government.

          9.13 and 9.14. Omitted.

 PAY DURING JOINING TIME

          9.15. A Government employee on joining time shall be regarded as on duty, and shall be entitled to be paid as follows:–

• where joining time is granted under clause (a) of rule 9.1 the pay which he would have drawn if he had continued in the old post; or the pay which he will draw on taking charge of the new post, whichever is less;
• where the joining time is granted under clause (b) of rule 9.1–
  • if it is in continuation of leave which included a period of leave on average pay of earned leave pay equal to leave-salary which he last drew during such leave on average pay or earned leave at the rate prescribed for payment of leave salary in India; and 
  • if it is in continuation of leave which did not include a period of earned leave-pay equal to the leave salary which the Government employee would have drawn under the leave rules applicable to him as if he had been on leave on average pay or earned leave in India for the period of joining time;
• where joining  time  is granted  under  clause  (c)  of  rule  1, the pay  which  he would draw in his post in the remote locality:

Provided that:–

• a Government employee on transfer shall not be entitled to any pay for the period of joining time unless his transfer is in the interest of public service;
• no joining time pay shall be granted to a Government employee who does not hold a permanent post under Government (including the central and State Governments) in a substantive capacity or a post under the Punjab Government in a quasi-permanent capacity, when he is appointed to a new post on the results of a competitive examination or interview which is open to both Government employees and others.

           Note 1.–A Government employee on transfer is not entitled to be paid while on joining time unless his transfer is made in the public interest. 

           In such cases the Government employee may be granted regular leave by the competent authority under the leave rules admissible to him even if the transfer is at his own request to cover the period after handing over charge at the old station and before taking over at another, if the Government employee applies for it and the competent authority is willing to sanction it. In case, however, where the Government employee does not apply for leave to cover the period spent in transit, this period should be treated as “dies non” for purposes of leave, increment and pension.

         Note 2.–A military officer subject to the Military Leave Rules who retains a lien on his civil post is entitled on joining time, under sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) above, to draw the same amount of leave salary which he would have drawn had he taken leave under Civil Leave Rules: Provided that such leave-salary shall not be less than that which he actually drew during the last portion of his leave.

         9.16.  In the Public Works Department no extra pay (where the transfer involves the grant of extra pay) can be drawn in any case by a relieving Government employee until the transfer is complete, but as far as ordinary pay and allowances are concerned an exception may be made to the general rule in all cases in which the charge to be transferred (whether a division, a sub-division, or other charge) consists of several scattered works which the relieving and the relieved Government employee are required, by the orders of a superior officer, to inspect together before the transfer can be completed. The relieving Government employee will be considered as on duty if the period taken in carrying out these inspections is not considered by the Superintending Engineer to be excessive. While so taking over charge, the relieving Government employee will draw:–

• if he is transferred from a post which he holds substantively his presumptive pay in that post;
• if he is transferred from a post which he has held in an officiating capacity, the officiating pay admissible in that post : provided it is not more than the pay he would draw after the transfer is complete; otherwise his presumptive pay in the permanent post on which he had a lien prior to transfer;
• if he returns from leave, his pay during the period of taking over charge be regulated as follows:–
  • if he went on leave while working in the post held by him substantively, the presumptive pay of that post; and
  • if he went on leave while working in a post in an officiating capacity, the officiating pay of that post or the pay which will be admissible to him in the new post, after taking over charge, whichever is less.

           Note 1.–The concession of house-rent allowance or free quarter ordinarily admissible to a Government employee should be treated as “ordinary pay and allowances” within the meaning of this rule and is admissible to both the relieved and the relieving Government employees during the period occupied by them in handing over and taking over charge.

          Note 2.–In each case where it has been decided to treat the period of taking over charge of a relieving officer as „duty‟ under the provisions of this rule, a declaration in the following proforma should be issued:–

DECLARATION

                      I,___________ (Name)___________(Designation)       declare     that

Shri________________  (Name and designation of the officer to be relieved) and Shri_____________ (Name of the relieving officer)___________ (Designation) were engaged in joint  inspection of several scattered works and/or stores during the period from  _______ to _______in connection with handing over and taking over charge and I do not consider the above period as excessive during which Shri___________  shall be treated as on duty.                    

                                                                                       (Name of the relieving officer)

    Station.                                                               Name  Date.                                                               Designation. 

          9.17. The application of rule 9.16 which forms an exception to the general rule and which concerns the Public Works Department only, has also been extended to the transfer of charge specified in column 2 of the table below in the case of the following departments. The authority noted in column 3 against each is to determine whether the period spent in completing the transfer of charge is not excessive:–

OVERSTAYAL AND EXTENSION OF JOINING TIME

          9.18. A Government employee who does not join his post within his joining time is entitled to no pay or leave salary after the end of the joining time. Wilful absence from duty after the expiry of joining time may be treated as misbehaviour for the purpose of rule 3.17.

         9.19. (a) A  competent authority may, in any case extend the joining time admissible under these rules, provided that the general spirit of the rules is observed.

        (b) Within the prescribed maximum of thirty days, Heads of Departments may, in  the  case  of Government  employees under their control (other  than  those  belonging to All India Services), extend the joining time admissible under the rules to the extent necessary in the following circumstances:–

• when the Government employee has been unable to use the ordinary mode of travelling or, notwithstanding due diligence on his part has spent more time on the journey than is allowed by the rules; or
• when such extension is considered necessary for the public convenience or

for the saving of such public expenditure as is caused by unnecessary or purely formal transfers;       

• when the  rules  have,  in  any  particular  case,  operated  harshly, as for example, when a Government employee has through no fault on his part missed a steamer or fallen sick on the journey.

  JOINING TIME TO PERSONS NOT IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE ON JOINING THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND ON REVERSION FROM IT

          9.20. A person in employment other than Government service or on leave granted from such employment, if, in the interest of Government, he is appointed to a post under Government, may, at the discretion of the competent authority, be treated as on joining time while he prepares for and makes the journey to join the post under Government, and while he prepares for and makes the journey on reversion from the post under Government to return to his original employment. During such joining time he shall receive pay equal to the pay, or, in the case of joining time immediately following leave granted from the private employment, to the leave salary, paid to him, by his private employer prior to his appointment to Government service or pay equal to the pay of the post in Government service, whichever is less.