PROMOTION PROSPECTS OR ADVANCEMENT OUTLETS
Among all grades in the Secretarial Class, the Shorthand- Audio Typist is the only "one-rank" grade where promotion prospects are normally NIL. Although the Personal Secretary Class Il rank had in past years been filled exclusively from members in the Shorthand-Audio Typist Grade, yet it is incorrect to say that the former is a promotion grade for the latter because of that only those Shorthand-Audio Typists who have at least 3 years' sorvice in the grade, reached shorthand and typing speeds of 110 w.p.m. and 50 w.p.m. respectively and passed competitive in-service examinations and interviows, may be considered for appointment to Personal
Secretaries.
In the past, the wastage of Personal Secretaries was considorably high thus provided ample opportunity for Shorthand- Audio Typists to fill the vacancies, on an average of 23 each year, left behind by Personal Secretaries, Subsequently to the 1976 Restructuring, the career prospects of Personal Secretaries were much improved by the combination of ranks I and II and the salary scale was highly lifted with an increase of 31 at the minimum point. The wastage percentage has since been dropped rapidly and the opportunities for the Shorthand-Audio Typists' advancement to supplement the wastago of Personal Secretaries is declining correspondingly.
The new restriction of only Directorate Officers, 1.0. assistant heads of departments, and above, are entitled to be provided with Personal Secretarial Service created an over- establishment of 121 officers in the Personal Secretary Grade. It is alleged by the official-side that this temporary blockage of advancement will have ended by the end of 1977. However, one must not ignore the fact that the strength of Personal Socretaries has reached the saturated point and it is foreseeable that very limited vacancies will exist in forth- coming years unless the establishment of Directorate Officers Bas sizably expanded and this would be far from possible or rather sheer impossible.
Recruitment of a newly established rank of Supervisor of Typing Services is open to female officers in the civil service and members of public as well. By now, the existing establishment of 71 posts should have been filled, In other words, it is difficult to accept this grado being a long-term promotion outlet for the Shorthand-Audio Typists.
In the Shorthand-Audio Typist Grade, it is absolutely discouraging and unreasonable that over 100 fully qualified officers are awaiting the rare opportunities of advancement to the Personal Secretary or Supervisor of Typing Services Grades and more than some three hundred and thirty young girls at the average age of 251⁄2 are drawing the maximun point of their salary scale and are sitting on the top of the laddor in their career.
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