Automatic Advancement Scheme (AAS 6/12/18/24 Years) Guide
An authoritative reference for Telangana government employees and teachers on career progression under the Automatic Advancement Scheme (AAS), scale enhancements at 6, 12, 18, and 24 years, and fixation under FR 22(a)(i).
- G.O.Ms.No. 65, Finance (HRM.IV) Department, dated 17-06-2021 — "Implementation of Automatic Advancement Scheme in Revised Pay Scales 2020".
- Fundamental Rule 22(a)(i) read with Rule 31 — Fixation of Pay on Movement to Higher Time Scales.
- G.O.Ms.No. 51, Para 11 (Rule 8) — "Sanction of up to 5 Annual Stagnation Increments beyond the maximum of the time-scale".
- Applicability Ceiling: Applicable to employees drawing pay up to and including Grade XXV (₹72,850 – ₹1,47,310) in RPS 2020.
The 4 Service Milestones (G.O.Ms.No. 65)
The Automatic Advancement Scheme (AAS) was instituted to provide career progression and financial motivation to government employees and teachers who face stagnation due to lack of regular promotional vacancies. Under statutory G.O.Ms.No. 65, dated 17-06-2021, the scheme operates across four structured service milestones:
Special Grade Post Scale (SGP)
Granted on completion of 6 years of qualifying service in the ordinary grade / entry post without promotion.
Special Promotion Post Scale I-A (SPP-I A) / SAPP-I A
Granted on completion of 12 years of service without promotion. If qualified for regular promotion (passed departmental tests, etc.), employee gets the first-level promotion post scale (SPP-I A). If no promotional avenue exists, Special Ad-hoc Promotion Post Scale I-A (SAPP-I A) is granted.
Special Promotion Post Scale I-B (SPP-I B) / SAPP-I B
Granted on completion of 18 years of service without promotion. An employee who continues in SPP-I A / SAPP-I A earns an additional financial benefit in the same scale.
Special Promotion Post Scale II (SPP-II) / SAPP-II
Granted on completion of 24 years of service without having earned a second regular promotion. If fully qualified for second-level promotion, the employee receives the second-level promotion scale (SPP-II); otherwise SAPP-II is awarded.
The scheme applies to all employees drawing pay in scales up to and including Grade XXV (₹72,850 – ₹1,47,310) in RPS 2020 (such as Assistant Directors, Mandal Educational Officers, and equivalent cadres). Officers drawing pay in Grade XXVI and above are outside the purview of the Automatic Advancement Scheme.
Pay Fixation Mechanism under FR 22(a)(i)
When an employee moves to a higher time scale—specifically at 6 Years (SGP), 12 Years (SPP-I A / SAPP-I A), and 24 Years (SPP-II / SAPP-II)—pay is fixed under Fundamental Rule 22(a)(i) read with Rule 31:
First, one notional increment in the employee's lower/existing scale is added to their basic pay on the date of appointment to the higher AAS scale.
The resulting pay is then fixed at the identical stage in the higher scale if one exists, or at the stage next above in the higher scale as defined in the continuous Master Scale (G.O.Ms.No. 51).
At 18 years, the employee does not change pay scales. Instead, one additional increment is sanctioned in the same SPP-I A / SAPP-I A scale already being drawn. Therefore, FR 22(a)(i) scale fixation does not apply at the 18-year milestone.
Annual Stagnation Increments Beyond Scale Maximum (G.O.Ms.No. 51, Para 11)
Under Paragraph 11 (Rule 8) of G.O.Ms.No. 51, when an employee reaches the ultimate ceiling of their cadre scale or the master scale (₹1,62,070 in RPS 2020), their incremental growth is protected:
Up to 5 Annual Stagnation Increments
The Government of Telangana sanctions up to five (5) Stagnation Increments, released annually (every year) at the rate of the last increment drawn in the scale. These stagnation increments count for all service benefits including Dearness Allowance, HRA, AAS progressions, pension calculation, and DCRG.
Unlike Banking (IBA) pay structures or certain Central Public Sector Undertakings where stagnation increments are awarded biennially (once every two years), Telangana State PRC rules grant stagnation increments on an annual basis, on completion of each twelve months of stagnation.
Statutory Authority & Disclaimer
The provisions of the Automatic Advancement Scheme documented above are derived from statutory orders: G.O.Ms.No. 65, Finance (HRM.IV) Dept., dated 17-06-2021 (RPS 2020 AAS), G.O.Ms.No. 51, Finance (HRM.IV) Dept., dated 11-06-2021 (Master Scale & Annual Stagnation Increments), and Fundamental Rule 22(a)(i). Departmental test qualifications and post eligibility criteria are sanctioned by competent departmental appointing authorities as per Special Rules.
Note on PRC Simulations: Salary simulations on this site for the upcoming 2nd PRC utilize a 33.67% merged DA baseline (as on 01-07-2023) and estimated fitment scenarios. In contrast, under official RPS 2020 orders (G.O.Ms.No. 51 & 65), the merged DA was 30.392% with 30% fitment.
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