**Summary of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2197 Regarding Operations of the Central Passport Organisation (CPO)**
On August 1, 2025, the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs addressed questions regarding the operations of the Central Passport Organisation.
**Passport Issuance:** In 2024, a total of 1,46,53,633 passports were granted, with 1,30,76,427 issued in India and 15,77,206 issued by Indian Missions and Posts abroad.
**Passport Issuing Authorities:** As per Schedule I of the Passports Rules 1980, designated Passport Issuing Authorities include Passport Officer, Deputy Passport Officer, Assistant Passport Officer, Senior Superintendent, and Superintendent. There are 37 Regional Passport Officers (RPOs) across India who are designated as Passport Issuing Authorities. From January 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025, RPOs issued a total of 1,71,02,492 passports.
**Role of Non-Gazetted Employees:** Non-Gazetted employees within the CPO are authorized to verify passport applications under Section 24 of the Passports Act 1967 and Rule 3 of the Passport Rules 1980. They may also be assigned the work to grant/approve passports in public interest. These employees also handle administrative and passport-related functions. The designations and pay levels of Non-Gazetted employees are as follows:
* Assistant Superintendent: Pay Level 6
* Senior Passport Assistant: Pay Level 4
* Junior Passport Assistant: Pay Level 2
* Senior Translation Officer: Pay Level 7
* Junior Translation Officer: Pay Level 6
* Stenographer Grade I: Pay Level 6
* Stenographer Grade II: Pay Level 4
* Office Assistant: Pay Level 1
**Transfer Policy:** The transfer policy for CPO officials is governed by the Transfer Policy Guidelines 2018 issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. These guidelines stipulate a tenure of 36 months from the date of joining for officials in all Passport Offices, except for those in Jammu and Kashmir, and Guwahati, where the tenure is 24 months.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Passport Organisation: The main organization responsible for passport issuance, approvals, and related functions, abbreviated as CPO.
Ministry of External Affairs: The ministry under which the Central Passport Organisation operates; responsible for transfer policy guidelines.
Passports Act 1967: The legislation that governs passport issuance and related activities, providing the legal basis for actions taken by the Central Government.
Passports Rules 1980: The rules derived from the Passports Act 1967, outlining procedures and authorities related to passport issuance.
Regional Passport Officers: Designated Passport Issuing Authorities across the country, abbreviated as RPOs.
SHRI K SUDHAKARAN: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the operations of the Central Passport Organisation.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs who answered the question regarding the operations of the Central Passport Organisation.
Jammu and Kashmir: A region where the tenure for CPO officials is 24 months as per transfer policy guidelines.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No- 2197
ANSWERED ON – 01/08/2025
OPERATIONS OF CENTRAL PASSPORT ORGANISATION
2197. SHRI K SUDHAKARAN
Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state:
(a) the number of passport applications approved during the last one
year;
(b) the details of passports issuing authority in the Central Passport
Organization (CPO);
(c) whether Regional Passport Officers (RPOs) are designated as
Passport Issuing Authorities, if so, the details thereof including the
number of applications that were approved by RPOs across the India
from 2024 to April 2025 and if not, the reason therefor;
(d) whether the non-gazetted employees in the CPO can approve or
verify passport applications, if so, the details thereof including their
1designation/job, roles including Rajbhasha and stenographic service
and the pay level; and
(e) the details of the transfer policy that exist for CPO officials and
the criteria for transferring officers between head stations?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) Number of passports granted in the year 2024 is 1,46,53,633. This
includes 1,30,76,427 in India and 15,77,206 in Indian Missions and Posts
abroad.
(b) In terms of the Schedule I of the Passports Rules 1980, Passport
Officer, Deputy Passport Officer, Assistant Passport Officer, Senior
Superintendent and Superintendent are mentioned as Passport Issuing
Authorities.
(c) Yes. There are 37 Regional Passport Officers/ Passport Officers across
the country. Total number of passports issued by Regional Passport Offices
across the country, during the period from 01.01.2024 till 30.04.2025 is
1,71,02,492.
2(d) Non-Gazetted employees of the Central Passport Organisation can
verify the passport applications. In exercise of powers vested in the
Central Government by the Section 24 of the Passports Act 1967 read with
Rule 3 of the Passport Rules 1980, Non-Gazetted employees of the Central
Passport Organisation can also be assigned the work to grant/approve
passports in public interest. In addition to this, these Non-Gazetted
employees handle other administrative and passport related functions.
Details of designation and pay level of Non-Gazetted employees are as
under:
I. Assistant Superintendent – Pay Level 6
II. Senior Passport Assistant – Pay Level 4
III. Junior Passport Assistant – Pay Level 2
IV. Senior Translation Officer – Pay Level 7
V. Junior Translation Officer – Pay Level 6
VI. Stenographer Grade I – Pay Level 6
VII. Stenographer Grade II – Pay Level 4
VIII. Office Assistant – Pay Level 1
(e) Transfer Policy Guidelines 2018 issued by the Ministry of External
Affairs contain the guidelines for transfer of the employees of the Central
Passport Organisation. As per the said guidelines, tenure of all officials is
36 months from the date of joining for all Passport Offices other than those
3in Jammu and Kashmir, and at Guwahati, where the tenure is 24 months
from the date of joining.
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