SRO-202 is an order passed by the Governor NN Vohra, on June 30, 2015, which governs new state government recruits. It is made up of an entire set of rules which primarily puts any new recruit on probation for a period of 5 years on minimal salary, much lesser than the actual amount.

SRO 202, also called as the Jammu and Kashmir Special Recruitment Rules, 2015, exempts

• Gazzetted employees of the state government
• Officers and servants of the High Court borne on the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Staff Rules
• Staff borne on the Jammu & Kashmir Ministerial Staff of the Subordinate Courts
• Staff borne on the establishment of Jammu & Kashmir State Judicial Academy
• or any other service administered, directly or indirectly, by the High Court or the Chief Justice of the High Court

It must also be noted that some notified gazetted posts also come in the ambit of this order.

Anybody appointed under the SRO is on probation for a period of 5 years and after this period, his service is deemed permanent subject to passing some tests and training.

These rules shall apply to all non-gazetted pots borne on the establishment of any department or service 111 of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and such gazetted post, as may be notified by the Government from time to time.

 The appointee has has to work at the same position and same place for the probation period with no transfer at all.

If in case a candidate is appointed on basis of an ALC or RBA certificate, he has to serve the position for an extended period of 7 years.

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Fixation of Pay :

1. During the period of first five years, the appointee shall be entitled to the minimum of scale pay along with the grade pay applicable to the post against which he is appointed.
2. Every appointee shall after completion of five years period on probation be entitled to fixation of pay in the time-scale of pay applicable to the post against which he is appointed.

Benefits like annual increments, Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and City Compensatory Allowance are paid only after completion of five years’ service.

Thankfully, the appointees are entitled to the benefits under the Medical Attendance Rules and Leave Rules from the date of their appointment itself.

Additionally, the seniority of the appointees is considered from the date of their appointment. Also, the period spent on probation/ consolidated salary does reckon for purpose of calculating the qualifying service of the appointees for pension and other benefits.

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SRO 202 is not first of its kind. In the past, during the Omar Abdullah government, a similar New Recruitment Policy, was approved by the State Cabinet in 2011. Under it, new appointees for Class-III and Class-IV posts were paid fixed monthly salary equivalent to 50 per cent of the basic pay (Pay Band+Grade Pay) for the first two years.

For the further three years or during the remaining period out of total five years, the employee was entitled to receive fixed salary of about 75 per cent of the basic pay.