Superior Selection Board

Superior Selection Board (SSB) an administrative body constituted by the government in the Ministry of Establishment to scrutinize the government servants' service records, and then recommend them for promotion to higher positions in the civil service, including autonomous bodies. It was first constituted in 1972 with the cabinet secretary as its chairman, and the secretaries of Home, Law, Establishment and Finance Ministries/Divisions as members. The concerned secretary of a ministry/division (if not a member of the Board), making proposals for promotion of the officers under his control, was to be invited to participate in decision processes of the Superior Selection Board.

Since its first constitution, the composition of the SSB underwent modifications from time to time ending in August 1991. The reconstituted SSB of 1991 saw the inclusion of four new members namely the Principal Finance Secretary, the comptroller and auditor general, and two other additional secretaries with professional background classified as professional/technocrat members. In November 1991, the Principal Secretary to prime minister was also made a member of the SSB. The secretary of the Ministry of Establishment acts as its member-secretary.

The major responsibility of the SSB is to consider and make recommendations on the promotion and appointment of different categories of officers: (i) to the posts of deputy secretary and above in the secretariat; (ii) to pay grades III, II and I of the officers belonging to various service cadres and those outside the cadres; (iii) to pay grades III, II and I of those government officers who are on deputation to various autonomous bodies; (iv) to the posts of executive heads of various government departments and directorates; (v) to the posts of management heads of a selective number of autonomous bodies, including the directors of management boards of these bodies who are employed on a full-time basis; and (vi) to award of time scale of the officers mentioned above.

Until the early 1990s, the recommendations of the SSB were to be considered further by the Council Committee on Promotion and Appointment, composed entirely of a selective number of senior ministers. However, following a verdict of the high court in the late 1990s, the Council Committee was dissolved. At present the practice is to send the recommendations of the SSB directly to the Prime Minister, whose decision is final.