IT offices to remain open this weekend !

In order to complete time barring assessments, all field offices to remain open on 30th and 31st December 2018. Different cadre controlling CCITs had issued order in this regard.
A sample order from West Bengal and Sikkim region is reproduced here.
  Click for the order
IPR to filed online
Online submission of Immovable Property Return (IPR) as on 01.01.2018 through Property Return & Intimation Module (PRI) module of HRMS
Click here for CBDT communication

ITI and ITOs' Exam 2017 : Result published

Update on 26.04.2018
Click here for Revised Result for ITO
Click here for Revised Result for ITI
 ITI Betterment New Pattern Result 2017

➢ ITI Betterment Old 2017

➢ ITI Normal of New Pattern 2017 Result

➢ ITI Partially Qualified Result 2017

Now complete updated result is available in Departmental website. Links are provided below.

➢ ITO Betterment New Pattern Result 2017

➢ ITO Betterment Old Pattern Result 2017

➢ ITO Normal of New Pattern 2017 Result

➢ ITO Partially Qualified 2017

WB & Sikkim released ITO promotion order

39 Inspectors have been promoted as Income Tax Officer on adhoc basis. New ITOs will continue to discharge the functions and duties on "in situ" basis in their present office until further order.
Click here for the promotion order (ITGOA WB website)

Update on ITO promotion in WB & Sikkim charge

Recent Update : Promotion order released. Click here for details
The DPC meeting concluded yesterday but the minutes is yet to be signed by all members of the committee. The promotion order of 46/47 ITOs to be released thereafter.
The admin is being flooded with request for update and hence this is for kind information to all concerned.

JCA called for agitation again : call for non submission of reports

Due to some personal reasons, the blog could not be updated for a week. In this week, the long awaited promotion in the cadre of ACIT has been released. The news of this promotion was published in this blog on 30th October and it was not a "fake news" !
Now we have to wait for the consequential promotions in different charges as well. the JCA leaders may look into the process of regularization of these promotions at the earliest. Already three batches of ACITs are working on ad hoc basis. As per DOPT rules, the ad hoc promotions ceases to exist after one year, unless the period is extended. The extension has been made only for the first batch for six months, which also has been expired. There is no extension of consequential promotions made so far. Those who are retiring in between with ad hoc promotions (not extended) is compelled to get benefits as per their old post before promotion.
Meanwhile central JCA called for non submission of reports  'As you all know that the pressure of multiple and repetitive reports, even inventing new proforma for reports, as asked by the Pr.CCsIT/CCsIT/Pr.CsIT in all 18 regions of tax‐India have become unbearable and the assessing officers are getting suffocated more and more as they approach the time‐barring date."
"In such scenario, the Central JCA has taken decision to give call to its members not to submit any report, from 16‐11‐2017 itself, except i) the Statutory Reports, ii) Reply to the Parliament Questions, iii) Reply to the Audit Objections and iv) any particular Report asked by the CBDT in addition to the statutory ones."
Congratulations to new ACITs !

ITO to ACIT promotion this week ?

Update on 10/11/2017 : It is learnt that the promotion order is delayed due to non availibility of Revenue Secretary, who is currently on a visit to NER for GST Council meet. It is expected that order likely to come out next week only.
Update on 02/11/2017 : DPC for the adhoc promotion is in progress, Order likely to come out within next week.
It is learnt from reliable sources that ad hoc promotion from ITO to ACIT is likely to take place in this week itself. Details are awaited and will be made available as soon as procured.

Income tax unions warn of protest against new software 'ITBA' rollout

Employees and officers unions of the Income Tax Department have warned of a nationwide stir against the implementation of the new advance software package--IT Biz Application (ITBA)--from October 1 and asked the department to delay the same by at least three months.

They have set an October 31 deadline to the department to meet their demands, which include delaying the implementation of the new software to January 1 and giving them time to learn the new system and also to stop hiring technical experts on a contractual basis.

L&T Infotech bags '$100 million contract' to help pin down tax evaders

The ambitious initiative to use social media analytics to identify tax non-compliance is a $100 million project for the infotech arm of engineering giant Larsen & Toubro, according to a company official.

Since the note ban last November, the government has been putting in lots of efforts to plug the loopholes in the taxation system using advanced technology and the attempt got an added focus since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in June had admitted that as much 99% of the banned banknotes had returned to the system, negating the stated intent of cancelling 87% of the notes in circulation.

“That is really advanced analytics. Now, that is like a $100-million deal for us. It’s not a small deal,” L&T Infotech chief executive and managing director Sanjay Jalona told PTI.

Terming the work awarded by the Central Board of Direct Taxes as a “high volume digital deal”, he elaborated that the project involves creating a ‘semantic web’ where web pages are structured and tagged in such a way that can be directly read by the computers. “We are creating a systematic web on a person. If his wife is going to the Seychelles and putting photos on Instagram, we will capture it ... that is really advanced analytics,” Jalona said.

1% Incentive scheme : Laptop, mobile and many more ?

CBDT asked proposal for 1% incentive scheme to utilize Rs 615 crores to improve efficiency and capabilities of Officers and Officials of Income Tax Dept.
Set up of resource centre, Laptop for ITO onwards/AO/PS/Inspectors, Mobile phones, AC in office, are under active consideration and under process which amounts to Rs 264 Crores.
New schemes and proposals invited from Pr CCIT/CCIT/Pr DGIT/DGIT has been sought for utilization of the remaining amount.
Click here for details

Draft all India seniority list of ITOs published

As per N R Parmar judgement, CBDT published draft seniority list of ITOs from vacancy year 2006-07 to 2012-13.
All Pr CCITs have to publish it in the noticeboard for all concerned. Any objection may be forwarded to respective Pr CCIT for suitable action.
Click here for the letter

Click here for the Draft Seniority List

End Training Exam for ITOs : Different CAT stays Exam, JCA to boycott

After Chandigarh, Allahabad and Mumbai, CAT Kolkata Bench has also stayed the proposed exam for newly promoted ITOs after training. 
Click here for the Kolkata CAT order 
All India JCA in the meantime wrote a letter to Chairman CBDT to withdraw the instruction . 
"..e Central JCA has given a call to its members all over the Country, who are/ will be participating in the Orientation Course for the newly promoted ITOs, not to appear in the said examinations at the end of the Course till the Instruction dated 28‐02‐2017 is withdrawn. We would therefore like to request your honour once again to kindly withdraw the Instruction dated 28‐02‐2017 immediately."
Click here for the JCA letter
It may be mentioned that DTRTI Kolkata proposed to conduct the exam on 31st July 2017 and the CAT order is a timely intervention at the crucial juncture.

ITBA training for officers and staff of the department

Department is going to conduct ITBA training for all officers and staff of the department for Tax Assistants and onward under the "Project Prashikshan".
Officers/staff will be imparted a 2-day training on HRMS/ITBA modules at different training centres spread across 40 locations in the country.
Training will be imparted at TCS facilities in Tata-ION centres in batches of 100. ii. To meet different training needs for different levels of officers/staffs batches are grouped into three categories viz. (a) employees upto ITI, (b) all AOs and equivalent (ITO through DCIT) and (c) Supervisory Officers from JCIT and above.
Project Prashikshan has been divided into four phases: a. Train the Trainer Program- In this phase around 100-150 Departmental employees out of those from NADT/RTI/MSTU/EDP will be trained at New Delhi on 24th, 25st and 26nd July, 2017.
 b. Pilot training for employees : To be conducted at Delhi 27th and 28th July to fine tune the training methodology
 c. Training program at 9 big locations-: During this phase major centres like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh will be covered starting from 31st July 2017.
 d. Training at the remaining 31 centres will be carried out- This phase will commence in August and will continue in parallel with the training program at 9 big locations mentioned above. 
Click here for details

Relaxation of Recruitment Rule for promotion from T.A. to Sr T.A. and MTS to T.A.

A one time relaxation from 3 years to 2 years in the regular service rendered in the post of Tax Assistant for the purpose of promotion from T.A. (Grade Pay 2400) to Sr T.A. (Grade Pay 4200) is granted subject to fulfillment on the remaining eligibility conditions required for promotion as per the existing Recruitment Rules.
Click here for the O.M. dated 14.07.2017 

Similar one time relaxation from 5 years to 4 years  is granted for the promotion from MTS (Grade Pay 1800) to Tax Assistant (Grade Pay 2400).
Click here for the O.M. dated 14.07.2017

Post Training Exam for newly promoted ITOs : JCA wrote to CBDT for immediate withdrawal

"...The issue was also discussed with your honour in the meeting dated 27‐05‐2017 and you had assured us to look into the matter. The decision of not giving executive posting involving assessment work before passing the course‐ending examination, that too for a single cadre in the entire hierarchy, has already caused widespread resentment amongst the officers/officials of the Department. The aim to increase the efficiency level of an officer can be undertaken by adopting the measures enumerated above instead of dealing the same in a negative manner. We would therefore like to request your honour to kindly withdraw the Instruction dt. 28‐02‐2017 immediately and also, the measures for enhancing the efficiency/skill of officers, in all cadres, may be introduced as suggested above as early as possible.  "

Click here for the full text of the letter

Central JCA withdraws agitation

The same old drama and the same conclusion !
Central JCA suspended it's ongoing agitation "to pave the way for settlement. Our members are advised to bring about normalcy in the functioning of the Department forthwith. It is to mention here that if positive steps are not taken by the CBDT as per the discussion in the meeting dated 27‐05‐ 2017 within a short period, the JCA will be compelled to re‐launch the agitation immediately with more intense vigor."
Click here for JCA circular

The official minute of the discussion provided by CBDT does not reveal any fruitful outcome till the leadership who were much eager than the administration to withdraw the agitation and the annual festival is now over.
Click here for the minutes of the meeting held on 27.05.17

This year' agitation though did not create any effect on the day to day functioning of the department and many members did not actually know when the agitation started, when intensified or withdrawn.
None of the demands met, for example, the issue of providing laptop is still waiting in DOE. This update is being received for at least four long years !
So, let us wait for next year's agitation !

Misuse of operational vehicle : Member, CBDT warns stern action.

In this blog we have repeatedly highlighted regarding misuse of operational vehicle by a section of officers and officials in the department. The service associations never took this issue for agitation because in this matter some of the leaders also enjoy the undue benefit themselves. 
Member, CBDT again warned the officers to ensure that operational vehicles should be made available for officers and official for official use only. It is also highlighted that operational vehicles are not meant for commuting between office and residence of the officers and not for personal use of them and their family members.
But the question is  who will bell the cat ? As per prevailing practice most of the operational vehicles are unofficially earmarked to officers (Including Range Heads) for their journey from office to home and personal purpose. Officers and officials seldom get the privilege of using it for actually official purpose. Surprise checking of logbook will not serve the purpose because it is mostly manipulated. CBDT may explore the option of fixing GPS device on each and every car so that it can be monitored from New Delhi ! 
Click here for earlier post : 

Operational Vehicles : Used for which operation ?

Click here for SOP for use of operational vehicle

"Intensified agitation" and CBDT's response

JCA has intensified it's agitation including non submission of statistical reports and not participating in search and survey operation.

As a result of agitation conducted by the JCA, chairman CBDT invited Central JCA for a meeting on 27.05.17where most of the demands have been addressed positively and Chairman asked JCA to withdraw the agitation but JCA leadership asked for official publication of assurances given in form of minutes of the meeting. It may be so because in the past lots of assurances were given but  very few did actually materialize. Sometimes members asked about the credibility of leaders. So this time leaders chose to be extra cautious.

Details of the meeting as procured from  JCA sources :

Clarification from DOPT regarding bunching

DOPT issued clarification on bunching of increments. Though the clarification refers to AIS Pay scale but it can be assumed that it will applicable for others too.
".... this Department has been receiving queries from various Ministries/Departments/State Governments for fixation of pay in respect of members of Service whose pay gets fixed at the same Cell,in the applicable Level in the new Pay Matrix. The matter was clarified vide OM No.13021/1/2016-AIS-I (Pt.2) dated the 10th October, 2016 (copy enclosed). It is once again clarified that as per Rule 4 (A)(ii) of IAS (Pay) Rule, 2016, in cases of fixation of pay of IAS officers drawing pay at two or more stages in the pre-revised Pay Band and Grade Pay gets fixed at the same Cell in the applicable Level of the Pay Matrix, one additional increment may be given for every two stages bunched so that the pay of the member of Service drawing higher pay in the pre-revised structure is fixed at the next vertical Cell in the applicable Level."
Click here for the clarification with illustration

Draft all India Inter-se seniority list of ITOs published

The draft all India inter-se seniority lists of ITOs after implementation of judgment of Hon'bel Apex Court in N R Parmar case has been prepared on the basis of inputs received from all the Principal CCslT regions and the same is being uploaded on the irsofficersonline.gov.in. 
 All Principal CCslT (CCAs) are also requested to display the draft seniority list on their respective notice boards and region's website so that the same is accessible to all the stakeholders. Comments/Objections (if any) from any of the officers / stakeholders may be submitted to the Pr.CCIT (CCA) concerned within the 15 days of the hosting on the website/notice board with a copy to the JS(Administration), CBDT.
Click here for the full version of the letter from CBDT
Click here for the Draft Seniority List

CBDT allows manual submission of APARs in certain cases

In certain cases, CBDT allows manual submission of APARs for IRS officers and ITOs with approval of Head of the Dept.
The exempted circumstances are :
i. In case the IRS officers and others proceed midway of the financial year on deputation to other organizations/ministries.
 ii. Where reporting or reviewing officer proceeds midway of the financial year on deputation to other organizations/ministries.
 iii. Stations of field formations where ITBA Nodes are not available in any of the offices located at that station (this does not include stations where ITBA nodes are available in any of the offices or buildings).
 iv. Offices located in far flung areas or hilly terrain where ITBA nodes are not available in any office within easy reach. 
v. Offices of CBDT where ITBA nodes are not available. 
Click here for the instruction

Promotion in the same Grade Pay to be ignored for MACP benefit : CBDT clarifies

"Promotion earned / up gradation granted under the ACP sheme in the post to these grades which now carry the same grade pay due to merger of pay scales / up gradation of posts recommended by the sixth pay commission shall be ignored for the purpose of granting up gradation under Modified ACPs"
The opinion of Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, CBDT opined as above which is in line with the opinion of DOPT given earlier.
Click here for CBDT clarification in this regard conveyed to Pr CCIT, WB & Sikkim.
Link Courtesy : ITEF Bengal Circle. 

Ministerial Exam to commence from 18.07.17. ITOs/ITIs Exam from 10.07.17

Click here for Notification of Ministerial Exam 2017
Click here for Notification of ITO/ITI Exam 2017

For Ministerial Exam, the application form to be filled in offline with the respective Pr CCIT's designated office.

For ITO/ITI Exam, the application form to be filled in ONLINE . Last date of filling online application form and submit the print copy to respective Pr CCIT office is 09.06.2017 (8 PM)
No application form will he accepted after this date.
Click here for online application and instructions.

Field offices to remain open till midnight on 31st March

As the last date of making declaration under PMGKY is 31st March 2017, CBDT directs the designated offices for receiving the declaration shall remain open on 31st March 2017 till midnight in all jurisdictions throughout the country.
Click here for the order 

Relaxation of recruitment rule for promotion from STG Gr III to Gr II

CBDT granted an one time relaxation from 5 years to 4 years in the regular service for promotion from erstwhile Stenographer Grade III to Stenographer Grade II (Pre revised Grade pay Rs 2400 to Rs 4200).
The relaxation will be available for vacancy year 2017-18.
Click here for the O.M.

Re examination of Miniisterial Examination Paper II (Office Procedure)

Re examination of  the paper II ( Office procedure ), Ministerial Staff Exam 2016 will be conducted on 19th March 2017.
In the original exam, there were reports of shortage of books supplied. Therefore, CBDT agreed to conduct the exam again for those candidates who could not qualify the exam. Those who qualified in the original examination , need not to re appear in the re-exam and their marks will stand.
All officers in charge of exam have been instructed to ensure sufficient number of books available.
Click here for the order  

Update on exam after training for newly promoted ITOs

Update on 03/03/2017 : Click here for the finalized exam rules.
It is learnt from reliable sources that proposed examination for newly promoted ITOs after training at RTI is going to take place soon. This examination was earlier kept in abeyance for some time for formulation of examination rules.
As informed by sources, CBDT formed the guideline for the exam. It is now delinked from getting future increment. Earlier it was suggested that unless an ITO qualifies the exam, his/her increment will be stopped. Now that condition will be no more. But after completion of training, the exam will be mandatory. It is reported that the ITO will not be posted as an Assessing Officer until he clears the examination.
The examination and evaluation will be done by Regional Training Institutes. At least 85% attendance in the training programme may be a mandatory criteria. The qualifying percentage will be 60% for General candidates and 55% for Reserved candidates. 

Instruction issued for promotion to Group B and C cadres for vacancy year 2017-18

CBDT issued instruction to conduct DPC for promotion to Gr B & C cadres for the vacancy year 2017-18, without waiting for the new recruitment rules. 
As the recruitment rule for the cadre of Executive Assistant is yet to be notified, current promotion may be allowed as per the existing recruitment rule for O.S., Sr T.A. and Stg gr I.
Click here for the detailed instuction

ITO to ACIT promotion : DPC likely to be held soon

It is learnt from reliable sources that proposal for DPC for ad hoc promotion for v. y. 2016-17 to the grade of ACIT is cleared by Revenue Secretary and sent to FM for his approval. The long awaited DPC and subsequent promotion likely to be materialized very soon.

Exam after training for newly promoted ITOs postponed

Update : Order issued for postponement of exam. 
Click here for the order
Earlier news :
It is learnt from reliable sources in New Delhi that the proposed examination for newly promoted ITOs have been kept in abeyance by CBDT. It may be mentioned that as per the directive of Revenue Secretary, unless the exam is passed, the increment of the ITOs will be stopped.
Also read : 

ITOs to qualify exam after training to get further increment

It is learnt that the proposed examination after training will be de-linked from earning subsequent increment  and till then RTIs of any region will not take the examination. Details and official order is awaited and will be uploaded as as soon as procured

Deficient APARs of ITOs : Updated as on 19.01.17

CBDT communicated all Pr CCITs regarding updated list of deficient APARs of ITOs under consideration zone for promotion for the vacany year 2016-17 and urged to remove deficiencies at the earliest.
Still 59 deficiencies to be removed as par the communication. And surprisingly, Secy. Genl. of ITGOA is one of them. Is ITGOA not serious enough to pursue the authority to remove the deficiencies at the earliest ?
Click here to view the communication from CBDT