The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964
RULE 14. PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN HONOUR OF GOVERNMENT SERVANTS:
Government of India Decisions
(1) Public demonstrations in honour of Government servant – Clarification of the provisions contained in the Conduct Rules.
As Ministries of the Government of India are aware, Rule 11 of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1955 (now Rule 14) prohibits Government servants, except with the previous sanction of Government and subject to certain minor exceptions, from receiving, any complimentary or valedictory address or accepting any testimonial or attending any meeting or entertainment held in their honour or in honour of any other Government servant. The question has been raised whether it should be in consonance with the spirit of this Rule for Government servants, to accept invitations to declare buildings, etc., open or to lay the foundation stones of new buildings or to allow roads, bridges, buildings, parks or public institutions such as hospitals, schools or colleges to be named after them. The matter has been considered carefully in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Government of India consider that it would not only be against the spirit or Rule 11 (now Rule 14) of the Government Servants’ Conduct Rules for Government servants to act in the manner set-forth above but would indeed be inappropriate and inconsistent with the role of detached impartiality legitimately expected of Government servants, and that it would generally have an unwholesome effect.
2. While it is possible that there may be occasions when Government servants may have to participate in such functions which have a cultural and sociological significance, especially in remote areas, they should, as far as possible refrain from associating themselves with such functions. In cases where they are in doubt, they would be well advised to take the prior permission of their superior officers.
3. It is requested that the above decision may be brought to the notice of all Government servants employed in or under the various Ministries.
4. These instructions are issued with the concurrence of the Comptroller and Auditor-General in so far as employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned.
[MHA, OM o. 25/24/57-Ests.(A), dated 16.09.1957]
(2) Acceptance of gifts by Government servants on the occasion of their transfer or retirement –
See Government of India Decision No. 2 under rule 13.
(3) Acceptance of awards by Government servants – Clarification regarding.
References are being received seeking clarification in the matter of acceptance of awards by Government servants. Attention, in this connection is invited to rule 14 of the CCS (Conduct) Rules which provides that “no Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, receive any complimentary or valedictory address or accept any testimonial or attend any meeting or entertainment held in his honour; or in the honour of any other Government servant.”
2. While there is no specific rule regarding the acceptance of awards conferred on officers by private organizations, however, the policy of the Government has been that if a Government servant has done any outstanding work, there are various methods open to Government itself to recognize his merits and service and it would not be appropriate for him to accept such an award from a private body. In some isolated cases, however, the acceptance of awards was not objected to where the body giving the award was highly respected and the award did not include any monetary component.
3. It is relevant to point out that the activities of the Government extend over wide ranging fields, some of which are well publicized and some are not; this could lead to an unintended preference in recognition for persons engaged in the former category which is not desirable. Some of the bodies which institute awards may also be involved in activities which may prove embarrassing for the Government. Moreover it has been accepted that a civil servant should not strive to seek publicity or public recognition since his job is to act in a fair manner within the framework of the policy laid down by the political executive, seeking awards instituted by Private bodies can affect such functioning. Finally, the achievement which may be attributed to a Government servant is almost always a result of coordinated efforts and thinking by a number of individuals and not the achievement of one person alone. Therefore, it is felt that, in general, awards sought to be given by private bodies and institutes to Government servants do not need to be encouraged. In case there are exceptional circumstances like rewarding the merit of an officer for work done outside the purview of his functions in Government or where Government otherwise thinks that an individual deserves a particular award, it is left to the discretion of the competent authority to decide such issues in a reasonable and judicious manner.
4. The main criteria which may be followed in granting permission to individual Government servant to accept awards from private organizations is that such awards should not have a monetary component. The competent authority must also take their decisions on a case to case basis since instructions cannot precisely encompass the multitude of possibilities that can crop up in such matters.
[DOPT, OM No. 11013/2/99-Estt.(A), dated 24.02.1999]
(3A) Acceptance of awards by Government servants
Reference is invited to OM of even number dated 24.02.1999 (decision 3 above) on the subject mentioned above wherein detailed guidelines on the subject matter have been laid down.
2. These guidelines have further been reviewed and keeping in view the policy in the matter it has been decided that the Government servants should not be allowed to accept awards of monetary benefits instituted by private trusts/foundations etc.
[DOPT, OM No. 11013/2/99-Estt.(A), dated 17.02.2000]