No one has touched this issue so this article is published to the awareness of the Postmaster cadre officials. This article may only be applicable to the PAs recruited during the years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,2006, and then passed the Postmaster Grade I exam during any of the years 2011, 2012, 2013,2014. Those officials have got their financial benefits like one notional increment and grade pay difference Rs.400(Rs.2800-Rs.2400) by the virtue of the Postmaster Grade examination. It is not applicable to the officials already got the MACPs and then joined as Postmaster Grade I.
Though Postmasters are 5 years senior in the Grade pay Rs.2800 pay scale service, after MACP 1 some junior PAs have got the same pay in the revised pay after 7th pay commission in the pay scale Rs.2800. In no way 5 years service of senior can be nullified and fixed with the same pay of 5 years junior in the Rs.2800 grade pay scale. 

So Postmaster Grade I officers shall be eligible to get one or two bunching effects as per the Department of Expenditure OM no 1-6/2016-IC dated at New Delhi 7th September 2016. The above said OM insists the following that in cases where in a revision of pay, the pay of Government servants drawing pay at two or more stages in pre-revised pay Band andGrade Pay or scale, as the case may be, get fixed at same cell in the applicable level in the new Pay Matrix, one additional increment shall be given for every two stages bunched and the pay of Government servant drawing higher pay in the pre-revised structure shall be fixed at the next vertical cell in the applicable level"

The officials as per the conditions laid in the above para, shall be eligible to get one or two bunching effects as per the Department of Expenditure OM no 1-6/2016-IC dated at New Delhi 7th September 2016.

Let me to explain further with illustrations.....

If "A" is recruited as Postal Assistant(G.P Rs.2400) during April 2006 and passed the Postmaster Grade I(G.P. Rs.2800) exam during August 2011, as on 31.12.2015 his Basic Pay + G.P would be Rs.13810/- 

If "B" is recruited as Postal assistant in the same batch of "A" during the year April 2006 but did not appear in any Postmaster Grade I - LDC exam and continued his service in his parental "Postal Assistant" cadre. As on 31.12.2015 official "B" Basic Pay + G.P would be Rs.12970/-

Pay difference between "A" and "B" is Rs.13810-Rs.12970=Rs.840. Difference percentage is (840/12970)*100=6.47%

"A" is fixed with Rs.37000 with one increment during July 2016 in the pay matrix level 5.

During July 2016 by the virtue of MACP 1, "B" have fixed with the same Grade pay Rs.2800 with revised pay Rs.37000 in the pay matrix level 5.

Though "A" is 5 years senior in the Grade pay Rs.2800 than "B" and having the pay difference is more than 6%, "A" and "B" is fixed with same pay Rs.37000 which make "A" is eligible to get the two stages bunching. "A" should have been fixed with two stages bunching in the vertical level 5 to Rs.39200/-

Rs.2200/- would be the basic pay difference and for that Postmaster Grade officials would be eligible to get additional arrears too. 

All India Association of Postal Supervisors suggests the Postmasters to represent their case get the bunching effect as per their basic pay with their junior basic pay illustrations. If represented then many Postmaster Grade I officers shall be benefited.

All the best.!!!

Affectionately yours,
K.Kalimuthu
Postmaster Grade I
Regional Secretary,
All India Association of Postal Supervisors
Madurai Region 625011
Mobile : 9566330927