A Central Government employee charged with an offence is, in most cases. Allowed to continue in his job while the disciplinary proceedings are in motion. It is only in very serious cases, when the Government feels that his retention in office is likely to be abused by him to tamper with the evidence of his offence, or is likely to undermine office discipline or public confidence in the Government, is he suspended, i.e., temporarily relieved of his responsibilities till he is cleared of the charge or punished. Even while in suspension he is allowed to draw wages (though on a reduced scale) so that he and his family are not totally left destitute for the duration.

Rules regarding the circumstances in which the Central Civil Government can suspend an employee, the wages to which he is entitled during suspension, the authority competent to pass orders of suspension and the manner in which the period of suspension should be regulated in the event of reinstatement, effect of suspension on leave, pension, etc., lie scattered in more than one book of rules and regulations - the Fundamental Rules, the CCS (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, the CCS (Leave) Rules, the CCS (Pension) Rules, etc. In addition, numerous subsidiary instructions, clarifications and decisions have been issued by the Government from time to time. The contents of all these orders have been brought together in this compilation in a well-knit, cogent and logical write-up, in the form of a Digest. To obviate - in practical application - the vexatious and time-consuming process of seeking recourse to the various books for the original text of the rules, extracts of the rules have been reproduced verbatim in a separate chapter, the clarifications and decisions in another chapter and the forms and certificate prescribed by Government for processing cases under the purview of the orders in the final chapter.

Thus this compilation has been made thoroughly comprehensive and easily comprehensible in every way to enable the correct application of the extant rules and orders by all administrative/establishment officers of the Central Government and to provide a useful and helpful guidance for its employees. It is our sincere hope that this compilation will be the most authoritative, single reference book for all members of the Central Civil Government establishments who have to deal with problems of suspension and reinstatement to those unfortunate few who are actually affected and for all departmental examination candidates.

We will be grateful for errors of omission and commission brought to our notice and for specific suggestions for die qualitative improvement of this compilation.