Kartar Singh joined a bank as a clerk and pursued promotions over 13 years but was denied due to low exam scores and later his union activities. Despite being a hardworking employee, the management developed a negative view of him. He was unexpectedly offered a promotion after many years which he refused due to his frustrations with the bank's promotional policies and attitudes.

1. By
Sahithya K A

2. Kartar singh joined lakshmi bank, meerut branch as a clerk after obtaining a
post graduate degree in chemistry from Delhi university in1986. He did his
work diligently and was generally rated as a hard working, ambitious young
man. He obtained the professional qualification, CAIIB in 1992. Thereafter, he
applied for the officer’s post under the promotion quota. He could not get the
promotion as his scores in the written test were low. Meanwhile he was
transferred to Delhi University, campus branch, Delhi. His attempts to scale the
carrier ladder did not succeed and after several frustrating trails, he consciously
decided to join the ranks of the union as an active member. He became the
president of the local branch of bank employees union in 1995. Through his
interpersonal skills, he moved closer to most employees in the banks and was
able to put out the fires between people quickly. Of late, is considered a tough
union activist to bargain with and management has developed a kind of
negative attitude towards his carrier most.

3. In1996 when opportunity came, he was not considered for promotion as his
interviews scores, this time was found to be not satisfactory! The branch
manager’s confidential report about his union activities, it is rumoured, is
said to be major obstacle to his promotion. Meanwhile, kartar singh started
a business of dealership in automobile using a dummy name. He also
succeeded to a large extent, in diverting the deposits of nearby business
community to other banks. Based on the recommendations of the new bank
manager, management decided to promote kartar singh to the officer cadre
in1999. Kartar received the appointment order for the officer’s post from
the head office recently. The colleagues, along with the branch manager
planned an evening tea party, congratulating his achievement. To their
surprise, kartar expressed his unwillingness to accept the offer and refused
the promotion straight away, citing medical reasons.

4.  The promotion policy of the bank.
 The management’s negative attitude towards Kartar
Singh.
 Bank’s unwanted promotion.

5.  Kartar Singh joined lakshmi bank as a clerk. In 1992 he obtained a
professional qualification CAIIB, he applied for promotion in the
category Officer Carder. But he was not promoted because of low
score in written exam
 He was rated as a hard working and ambitious man and was
transferred to the DU Campus branch.
 In 1996, he attempted a second opportunity of promotion, but
because of union activities was an obstacle to his promotion.
 Because of frustrations he left the job.

6. Strengths
 He was hard working.
 Ambitious.
 He was professionally
qualified.
 Close to most employees
because of his interpersonal
skills.
 Seniority
Weaknesses
 Low scores in written exam
 Management’s wrong
promotional policy.
 Management’s negative
attitude towards Kartar Singh.
 Refused promoton because of
automobile dealership.

7. 1. Comment on the promotion policy of the
bank, using inputs from the above case

8.  The bank’s internal promotional policy of employees
based on the written test and interview scores.
 Passing the written test was the main criteria of the
promotion.
 Interview method is wrong in this case because the
rejection of the employees on the basis of their other
activities and interpersonal skills.

9. 2. Do you think management’s action of
selecting kartar as an officer after 13 year of
service in the right direction? Why? Why not?

10.  The selection of Kartar Singh as an officer was a wrong
decision because of the recommendation of the new
branch manager to promote him.
 The bank did not promote him based on his experience
and seniority.
 The bank knew that Kartar Singh was a hard working
employee but his activities and interpersonal skills
created a negative image which was wrong.

11. 3. Why did kartar refuse promotion???

12.  Kartar Singh refused the promotion because of
frustration.
 He also refused the promotion because the management
developed a kind of negative attitude.
 Also because his automobile business dealership was
going on well, he refused the promotion.

13.  A promotion is the movement of employees from a lower
designation to a higher designation.
 Here, it becomes unwanted when the management does not
recognise people like Kartar Singh who are qualified and hard
working but promote employees based on recommendations.
 This kind of attitude by the management creates a negative
impression on the employees and frustrating them more.