Coll 28/85S (1) ‘Persia. Abadan and S. W. Persian oilfields; Protection of British interests.’ [‎20r] (39/1113)

fiotes on CfflPflltlcns. QX eajlovaent of I ndian oeraonnal
JlB-ahadag
(With reference to enclosure to D.O. letter Ko , 34 -K of 20th
May, 1947, frose Consul, Khorra®shahr). '
■ ' t ^ "’t
1. ami s
(a) Indian porsormcl are recruited for the work for vhleh
they are required. Thus the Company employs Indians as Shift
Fngineers, Junior Assistant Chemists* urreyors. Compounder
Dressers, Patliological assistants ana Technical Foremen as well
as for the ordinary clerical grades* When those who are engaged
as clerks definitely take over responsibilities which are out*
side the Company^ definition of such duties there is no objection
to their being given a different designation and cases of this
have occurred and can be extended*
The designations of the three senior Indians whose names
have been quoted as being "Clerks* are t-
Rao Bahadur PiUai * Accounts Clerk
Khan hahib Ghulan Mohluddin - i^upervisor
Khan Sahib Mall Khan * Supervisor*
Of these, Rao Bahadur Pillai received his decoration for
work in the Company^ service, but that work is essentlsuly cle
rical* The fact that it is excellently done and worthy of
recognition does not alter its nature* It is true also that
many Indians are doing work of a highly responsible nature and
often during recent years it has been difficult to release
certain men for leave; but clerical work can be highly respon
sible in an organisation such as the Company's without affecting
the fact that it is clerical* Iliere is nothing derogatory in
clerical work in the Company's view as is rather implied in the
note | if the designation of clerk has such an implication to
Indian ears, then a change can be considered*
The complaint that Indian staff are incorrectly designated
is not new* At a meeting of the Indian btaff Consultative Com
mittee cm 16th April 1947 it was stated that any individual who
felt that he was incorrectly designated should make written appli
cation for re-designation* In spite of this oily two such
applications have been received*
(b) The answer to this paragraph is m; eh the same as that
given in *(a), namely, that Indians are recruited for the posts
for which they apply* Graduates in Science and Engineering are
employed in work for which they are qualified* In so far as the
clerical grades are concerned, the fact that some of them may be
graduates in /rfcs is incidental to their work* The Company
recruits them as clerks and their progress depends upon their
ability in that capacity, not upon their University degrees*
Most of the Iranian graduates employed possess degrees in
engineering and after engagement they follow a one or two year
course of training for supervisor/ posts* Any graduate who
shows signs of beSn^ unable to take over a supervisory post
within the period of his training is not retained*
(c) Indian staff annual Increments on monthly salaries vary
from Hs* 15 to Re* 30 in the clerical and technical grades*
Iranian staff increments are annual (not six-monthly as stated)
and vary from Rials 100 to Rials 400 on monthly salaries. In
the case of both Indian and Iranian staff there are exceptional
cases in which higher or accelerated increments for special
ability are given* It is considered that, in connection with
Increments and the attainment of senior status, Indians compare
favourably
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