ISLAMABAD: The Establishment Division (ED) has introduced stricter requirements for degree verification and financial liability tracking for civil servants returning from foreign or local studies, scholarships and deputations.
Under newly issued standard operating procedures (SOPs), officers must provide proof of their academic qualifications when rejoining duty. Failure to comply without a valid, verifiable reason may result in the officer being treated as absent from duty.
Mandatory Degree Verification
According to the new circular, civil servants returning from study leave or foreign scholarships must submit a certified copy of their degree certificate or an official academic transcript with their joining report.
If an officer fails to provide the required documents without a valid reason, the department will officially consider the officer absent from duty.
However, officers whose universities have delayed issuing their degrees must provide verifiable documentation from the institution. The documents must confirm their academic standing and explain the reason for the delay.
The Establishment Division will route the degree documents and joining report to its Training Wing (T-Wing). This process aims to maintain complete and synchronised records of officers’ academic qualifications.
Financial Liability for Government-Funded Training
The new procedures also tighten financial oversight of government-funded scholarships and professional training programmes.
The Establishment Division has introduced a centralised statement of liability for every officer who signs a surety bond. The T-Wing must promptly provide the Executive Wing (E-Wing) with a detailed breakdown of the financial obligations involved.
The statement will include scholarship costs, training expenses and other recoverable payments made on behalf of the officer.
It will also specify the minimum period of service the officer must complete after returning to duty.
In addition, the document will identify circumstances that constitute a breach of the surety bond, including resignation without approval or abandonment of service. It will also state the amount recoverable from the officer in such cases.
The statement of liability will become part of the officer’s personal file. Authorities must consult it when considering administrative decisions that affect the officer’s service terms or career.
Leave Extensions Do Not Automatically Authorise Absence
The Establishment Division has also clarified that applying for an extension of sanctioned leave, study leave or deputation does not automatically authorise an officer to remain absent.
Officers must report for duty when their approved period ends, even if their extension requests are still awaiting approval.
Failure to submit a joining report may lead to the officer being treated as absent without authorisation. The matter may then be referred to senior officials for appropriate directions.
The revised procedures aim to strengthen academic verification, improve financial accountability and ensure that civil servants fulfil their service obligations after receiving government-funded education and training.
