NEW DELHI: Retired government employees who missed out on their promotions due to late meetings of the committees deciding on such departmental elevations will now be able to avail its post-retirement benefits .

"Instructions have been issued to all ministries and departments to give benefit of promotion to those employees who missed it due to late meeting of departmental promotion committee (DPC)," an official in the department of personnel and training (DoPT) said.

It would not be in order if eligible employees, who were within the zone of consideration for the relevant year but are not actually in service when the DPC is being held, are not considered while preparing year-wise zone of consideration or panel, as per the DoPT order.

Consequently, their juniors are considered (in their place) for promotions, who would not have been in the zone of consideration if the DPC had been held in time, it said.

"Appointment committee of Cabinet has observed that DPCs often do not consider such eligible officers who are retiring before the occurrence of the vacancy in the panel year," the order said, adding that this "undesirable trend negate the very purpose" of government's existing instructions for inclusion of such employees.

There have been reports that some of the eligible retired employees are not being given the benefit of promotion which they missed due to late DPCs. In fact the DPCs were being held very late, the official said.

The DoPT has asked all central government ministries and departments under it to ensure "strict compliance" of its instructions to include retiring employees for promotions in case the DPCs are delayed.

Such retired officials would, however, have no right for actual promotion, the DoPT official said.