Central Administrative Tribunal - Delhi
National Technical Research ... vs Vipul Kumar Ramanlal Patel And Ors on 22 December, 2025
1 RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
Central Administrative Tribunal
Principal Bench, New Delhi
RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
Order reserved on: 03.12.2025
Order pronounced on: 22.12.2025
Hon'ble Dr. Chhabilendra Roul, Member (A)
Hon'ble Mr. Rajveer Singh Verma, Member (J)
1. National Technical Research Organisation
through its Chairman,
Block-III, Old JNU Campus,
New Delhi-110067.
2. Union of India
Through its Secretary,
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions,
North Block,
New Delhi-110001.
....Applicants
(By Advocate: Mr. Ravi Kant Jain)
Versus
1. Vipulkumar Ramanlal Patel
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Ramanlal Ramjibhai Patel
R/o Qtr No.2; Block X, Type 4S,
HUDCO Place Extension,
Andrews Ganj,
South Delhi-110049
2. Anindya Kundu
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Monoranjan Kundu
R/o E-6 NTRO Scientist Hostel,
Behind 25 SSB Battalion,
NTRO Campus,
New Delhi 110047
3. Hitesh Lilhare
Scientist-E,
Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt
Sunita
DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65
=1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68,
Phone=
f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5
1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode=
110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER=
2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9
Dutt
0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt
Reason: your signing reason here
Location: your signing location here
Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0
2 RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
S/o Late Shri Devilal Lilhare
R/o S-25, Type 4S Qtrs,
HUDCO Place Extn,
Andrews Ganj,
New Delhi-110049
4. Mahendra Singh
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Yashwant Singh
R/o X-10, Type 4S Quarters,
HUDCO Place Extn,
Andrews Ganj,
New Delhi-110049.
5. Prakash Patel
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Bajrang Prasad Patel
R/o Qtr No. 24, Block W, Type 4S,
HUDCO Place Extension,
PO Andrews Ganj,
District South Delhi,
New Delhi -110049
6. Abhishek Madeshia
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Rajendra Kumar Madeshia
R/o Block 206/7 First Floor Sector-1,
Pushp Vihar, MB Road,
New Delhi -110017
7. Pawan Kumar
Scientist-E,
S/o Late Dr. Ishwar Singh
R/o D-1I/20, Road No.1,
Andrews Ganj,
New Delhi- 110049
8. Ramesh Sharma
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Balbeer Sharma
R/o H. No. 470, Hawa Singh Block,
Asian Games Village,
New Delhi-110049
9. Anuj Kumar
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Vijay Singh
R/o T-23, Type 4(S), First Floor,
HUDCO Place Extension,
Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt
Sunita
DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65
=1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68,
Phone=
f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5
1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode=
110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER=
2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9
Dutt
0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt
Reason: your signing reason here
Location: your signing location here
Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0
3 RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
Andrews Ganj,
New Delhi-110049
10. Ankur Sagar
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Jai Paul
R/o DII/50,Kidwai Nagar West,
New Delhi-110023
11. Amit Kumar
Scientist-E,
S/o Shri Om Prakash Tyagi
R/o H-712, Tower-C, Ajnara Pride,
Sector-4B, Vasundhara,
Ghaziabad, UP-201012
12. Ravi Kumar Jalla
Scientist D
S/o Shri Veerabhadraiah Jalla
R/o B-1111, Marvel Homes,
Sector-61, Noida-201301. (U.P.)
13. Mukul Topno
Scientist-D,
S/o Shri Nutan Topno
R/o 0-4, NTRO Scientist Hostel
Near 25th SSB BATTALION Ayanagar,
New Delhi-110047.
14. V Priyamvada
Scientist-D,
0/0 Shri ON Prabhakaran
R/o A002, Santhi Apartments Luiz Lane,
Souhradanagar, Kadavanthara,
Kochi, Kerala-682020
15. Aromal AS
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Ayyappan P
R/o Door No. 22/2145-A, Konnoth House,
Near Santa Maria School,
Ernakulam, Kerala-682507.
16. Shibhanand K.
Scientist-D
S/o Late Shri Sadanandan K.
R/o 8, Meenakshi Apartment,
2ndCross, Bhoopasandra,
Bengaluru-560094
Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt
Sunita
DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65
=1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68,
Phone=
f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5
1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode=
110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER=
2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9
Dutt
0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt
Reason: your signing reason here
Location: your signing location here
Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0
4 RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
17. V. Vetrichelvi
Scientist-D
D/o Shri S. Vijayakumar
R/o 56, 11th cross street,
Kalyan Nagar, T. Dasarahalli,
Bangalore-560057
18. Abhilash PP
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Parameswaran K.
R/o 152, Block A 1, Nauroji Nagar,
Safdarjung Enclave,
New Delhi-110029
19. Ravi Shankar Kumar
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Ramesh Kumar
R/o Vidya Awas House No. 123, Block E
Jay Singh Nagar Near CRPF camp
Kadarpur Gurugram 122102.
20. Tuhin Rudra
Scientist-D
S/o Shri GadadharRudra
R/o 104, Rachakonda Tower, Golnaka,
Alwal, Secunderabad-500010
21. Abhinav Mathur
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Pramod Kumar
R/o A1 Venus Appt. Prop. 902/A, Ward No. 08,
Mehrauli, New Delhi-110030
22. Pankaj Gunvant Pise
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Gunvant L Pise
R/o B-2, NTRO Scientist Hostel,
Behind 25 th SSB Battalion, NTRO Campus,
New Delhi-110047
23. Thatiparthi Vinod Sagar
Scientist-D
S/o Shri ThatiparthiKoteswara Rao
R/o H. No. 58, 3'd Floor, Shanti Kunj Main,
Behind Vasant Kunj D-3,
Vasant Kunj, Delhi-110070
Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt
Sunita
DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65
=1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68,
Phone=
f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5
1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode=
110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER=
2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9
Dutt
0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt
Reason: your signing reason here
Location: your signing location here
Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0
5 RA No.174/2025 in
OA No.2365/2024
24. Trimurthulu E
Scientist-D
S/o Gangaraju E
R/o 1111 124-1A, Beside Golnala Ground,
Alwal, Hyderabad-500010
Telangana.
25. Sanjeev Kumar
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Ramesh Chandra
R/o 205/14, Sector I, PushpVihar,
Delhi-110017
26. Sujeet Kumar
Scientist-D
S/o Shri Lakhan Prasad
R/o C/o Anil Kumar Singh Road No. 04,
Shivpuri Colony, Katari Hill Road,
Near AM College Gaya
Bihar -823001
27. Suresh Kumar Baddipudi
Scientist-D
S/o Late Shri Prem Kumar Baddipudi
R/o 301, Block-C, Sri Sai Anurag New Town- Phase II,
Thumkunta, Secunderabad-500078.
28. Yogendra Kumar
Scientist D,
S/o Kameshwar Prasad,
R/o Sri Jee Villa, H.No. 119, Harsh Nagar,
Near Gangotri Water Plant, Udaipur,
Rajasthan-313001.
... Respondents
(By Advocate: Mr. R.K.Kapoor with Ms. Aakriti Kapila and
Mr. Rajat Kapoor)
ORDER
By Dr. Chhabilendra Roul, Member (A) The present Review Application (RA) has been filed by the Union of India (Respondents in the OA) seeking review of Tribunal's order dated 7.4.2025 in the aforementioned OA, imploring this Tribunal for deciding the OA afresh. Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt Sunita DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0 6 RA No.174/2025 in OA No.2365/2024
2. The original applicants in the OA were appointed as Scientists 'C' and 'D' on different dates. As per the extant Modified Flexible Complementing Scheme (MFCS) issued by the DoP&T vide OM dated 10.9.2010, the minimum residency period for consideration for in-situ promotion under the MFCS is 4 years for Scientists 'C' and 'D' respectively to be eligible for promotion to Scientist 'D' and 'E'. The respondents/review applicants granted the FCS benefits to the applicants after a gap of varying periods after they completed the currency period. Being aggrieved, they filed the aforementioned OA seeking grant of FCS from the date they were eligible. This Tribunal vide order dated 7.4.2025 allowed the OA holding that the applicants are entitled for extension of promotion from the date(s) of entitlement and also all consequential benefits thereof.
3. The review applicants submit that the Recruitment Rules (RRs) are paramount and that the scheme relating to FCS is subject to and governed by the RRs. However, the RRs could not inadvertently be brought to the notice of the Tribunal, and in the absence of the RRs, which do not permit retrospective promotion, the Tribunal passed the order dated 7.4.2025 in OA No. 2365/2024, which is contrary to the settled legal position. In view of this, the learned counsel Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt Sunita DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0 7 RA No.174/2025 in OA No.2365/2024 submits that an error of law has crept into the order dated 7.4.2025 passed in OA No. 2365/2024.
4. Learned counsel for review applicants further refers to para 10 of the order dated 7.4.2025, which is reproduced as under:-
"10. In view of what has been discussed and detailed above and for the reasons of parity, the O.A. is allowed. The applicants shall be entitled for extension of promotion from the date of entitlement as detailed by the respondents in the table at page 9 of the reply. The applicants shall be entitled to all consequential benefits including arrears in pursuance of the FCS from the date of their eligibility/entitlement."
5. Referring to aforequoted paragraph, learned counsel for review applicants submits that this order allows retrospective promotion which is not permissible under law.
6. Per contra, the learned counsel for the respondents in RA/original applicants refers to paragraph 3 of the judgment dated 7.4.2025 passed in OA No. 2365/2024 and submits that the respondents in the said OA had relied upon the scheme, which specifically provides that there can be no retrospective promotion. However, it was the duty of the respondents to conduct the screening of the service of the Scientists immediately after they were eligible. Even if, the screening took place after the residency period, if the Scientists should have been granted FCS from the dates when they were eligible, if their service records were alright during Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt Sunita DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0 8 RA No.174/2025 in OA No.2365/2024 the relevant residency period as per the extant guidelines. The Scientists should not suffer on account of inordinate delay in conducting the screening. This is more so when the scheme envisages in-situ promotion, irrespective of vacancies. After considering the pleadings and averments, the Tribunal was pleased to allow the OA and issued directions, holding that the applicants therein are entitled to consequential benefits from the date of their eligibility. He further submits that the submissions advanced by the learned counsel for the respondents to the effect that no retrospective benefits could be granted or that antedating of promotion could be effected were duly considered by the Tribunal. Hence, there is no error apparent on the face of the record, either in law or on facts, in the present Review Application.
7. Heard learned counsel for both the parties.
8. The short issue is whether there is any apparent error on face of facts and law while passing the order dated 7.4.2025.
9. The main averment by learned counsel for the review applicants is that this Tribunal has erroneously interpreted that the FCS scheme allowing in-situ promotions from the date of eligibility, not from the date of when the screening committee's recommendations are accepted by the competent authority, thereby giving the benefit of retrospective Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt Sunita DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0 9 RA No.174/2025 in OA No.2365/2024 promotions. The other averment in the RA is that the RRs concerning the FCS were not inadvertently brought to the notice of the Tribunal during the proceedings before the Tribunal, and this has led to incorrect interpretation of the FCS scheme.
10. Despite the averment by the learned counsel for the Review Applicant that the RRs are relevant for granting FCS benefits (in situ promotions to Scientists), the learned counsel for the review applicants have not produced the extant RRs nor the same have been attached to Review Application. The learned Counsel for the review applicants has not specifically pointed out as to which provisions of the RRs support the stand taken by the respondents and which provisions especially distinguishes the judgments of the Apex Court in Union of India vs. S. K. Murti, 2011 SCC OnLine SC 1655 and Union of India & Ors. Vs. Vinay Kumar, Civil Appeal No.6359/2016 and other connected matters decided on 25.08.2021 while granting FCS in-situ promotion to the Scientists from the date of eligibility. Moreover, the retrospective in-situ promotions ordered by this Tribunal vide order dated 7.4.2025 are based on the ratio of Judgments by the Apex Court in S.K.Murti (supra) and Vinay Kumar (supra). Particularly, in Para 14 of the judgement in Vinay Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt Sunita DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0 10 RA No.174/2025 in OA No.2365/2024 Kumar (supra), i.e., the petitioners were granted FCS benefits from date of eligibility.
11. In view of the above, we hold that there is no apparent error on the face of facts or law in the order dated 7.4.2025 in the aforementioned OA. The prayer by the review applicants for fresh hearing of the OA because they could not bring the RRs to the notice of the Tribunal during the proceedings in the OA amounts to have an opportunity to improvise the pleadings/submissions in the OA. There is no valid reason to allow rehearing of the OA.
12. In view of the above, the present Review Application is dismissed.
(Rajveer Singh Verma) (Dr. Chhabilendra Roul)
Member (J) Member (A)
'SD'
Digitally signed by Sunita Dutt
Sunita
DN: C=IN, O=Personal, T=8895, OID.2.5.4.65 =1f757d2a40f14493a01379dd12b26c68, Phone= f725f69527d0bd5de6796dc2b9018c93ad3f1f5 1d1ed688256e5ff8c529bbda4, PostalCode= 110089, S=Delhi, SERIALNUMBER= 2bdd79be8aca23c53c876d55428617a4c8cc9 Dutt 0ccfe14b22f74ffb78936ff8f7b, CN=Sunita Dutt Reason: your signing reason here Location: your signing location here Date: 2025.12.23 16:02:42+05'30' Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2023.2.0