EXAMINATIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY AND FITNESS

CMR 13
Amendment in Bye-laws for Managers’ Certificate of Competency examination—
Under Reg. 13(4) of the Coal Mines Regulations 1957, the Bye-laws for the conduct of
Examinations for the grant of Manager's Certificate of Competency have been modified
and amended vide No. Board/Coal/3761/90 of 19th June 1990 of D.G.M.S. and its
correction (both of which have since been published in the Gazette of India) as follows :

S. No. Bye-law Existing Bye-law Amended Bye-law

1. 9 (i) If a candidate appearing in two
or more subjects secured not less
than 50% of the marks in any
subject taking written and oral
test together, but fails in other
subjects he will be exempted
from appearing in the subject or
subjects in which he has passed
in the subsequent three
examinations.
In every such case the secretary
shall duly inform the candidate
about the result of the
examination.
If a candidate appearing in two
or more subjects after 1st
January, 1986 has secured or
secures not less than 50% of the
marks in any subject taking
written and oral test together but
fails in other subject(s), he will
be exempted from appearing in
the subject or subjects in which
he has passed in the subsequent
examinations.

A similar amendment has been made in the Bye-laws for examination for grant of
Manager's Certificate of Competency under Reg. 13 of Metalliferous Mines Regulations
1961 as follows. It has since been published in the Gazette of India also.

S. No. Bye-law Existing Bye-law Amended Bye-law

1. 9 (i) If a candidate appearing in two
or more subjects secures not less
than 50% of the marks in any
subject taking written and oral
test together but fails in other
subjects), he will be exempted
from appearing in the subject or
subjects in which he has passed
in the subsequent three
examinations.
In every such case the secretary
If a candidate appearing in two
or more subjects after 1st
January 1986 has secured or
secures not less than 50% of the
marks in any subject taking
written and oral test together but
fails in other subject(s), he will
be exempted from appearing in
the subject or subjects in which
he has passed in the
subsequent examinations.
 shall duly inform the candidate
about the result of the
examination.
9(2) A candidate shall be deemed to
have passed in the examination
as a whole if he obtains not less
than 50% of the maximum
marks in the subject taking
written and oral test together.

(Cir. Legis. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5/1991 and I & 2/1992)

CMR 14/MMR14
Certificate of experience or training—Of late, some cases have been noticed where
candidates for the Competency Certificate examinations have submitted certificates on
which even the signature of the manager was forged. In order to put a stop to this practice,
the Board of Mining Examinations has decided that any certificate which is not issued
under the official seal of the manager would be rejected. Managers are, therefore, requested
to issue certificate of experience/training at their mines only under their official seals. The
official seals used for the purpose may be of special type and kept under the personal
custody of the manager himself. The total period of training should be written in words by
the manager himself in his own hand.
(Cir. 58/1963)

CMR15/MMR15
1. Validation of Certificate of Fitness issued by Licentiate Doctor—Medical certificates
issued by Licentiate Doctors who possess 15 years experience as medical officers in
independent charge of Colliery dispensaries may be accepted for the purpose of Reg. 15(1)
(c) (ii) of the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957.
(Cir. 7/1965)

In order to enable a proper scrutiny to be made of medical certificates issued by such

doctors it is requested that information in respect of every medical licentiate medical doctor
employed by every mine may be sent to the office of D.G.M.S early, in the proforma given
below:

Proforma
Information about licentiate Doctors employed in Coal Mines—
1. Name and address of Mine:
2. Names and address of Owner:
3. Particulars of the Licentiate Doctor employed:
(a) Name (in full):
(b) Date of birth:
(c) Medical Qualification held; Licentiate in ..... from ..... Medical School/Colleges in .....
(year)
(d) Registration No. and date.....
(e) Particulars of Coal Mines dispensaries of which independent charge has been held
*Delete which is not applicable.

Period Name of coal mine where independent charge of dispensary held

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

I certify that the information given above is correct, and that independent charge was held
by me of the dispensaries above during the periods mentioned.

Signature of Owner/Agent/Manager Signature with date of the Doctor concerned

............................................Colliery Date.........................
(Cir. 4/1966)

2. Acceptance of Medical Certificate issued by Licentiate Medical Practitioners for the

purpose of examination—Medical certificates issued by Licentiate Medical Practitioners
irrespective of their being in service or private practice will also be accepted for the
purposes of Reg. 15(1) (c) (ii) of both the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957 and the
Metalliferous Mines Regulations, 1961.

3. Rank of Civil Assistant Surgeon—For the purpose of the Mines Act, 1952 and the
Regulation, Rules and orders made there under a doctor holding an M.B. or M.B.B.S.
degree from a University formed under an Act of the Indian union shall be considered as
having a status equivalent to that of a Civil Assistant Surgeon.
(Cir. 5/1971)

4. Measures to expedite scrutiny of Application for Statutory Examination for

Subordinate Supervisory Staff—It is seen that the applications submitted by the
candidates for statutory examinations like that of Sirdar's, Shotfirer's, Gas-testing etc. are
received which are not complete in all respects. Instead of rejecting the applications
straightaway, the candidates are addressed when the deficiencies in their applications are
pointed out, and they are advised to comply with the requirements. Invariably, complete
desired information even then is not submitted. Some times no reference is given along
with the certificate or required papers sent by them. Under such circumstances, it becomes
difficult to connect up the papers resulting in a lot of delay to dispose off the application.
This also entails a lot of correspondence which can be avoided.

It is felt that if the applications by the candidates are submitted to this Directorate after
these are properly scrutinized at the mine level so that the same are complete in all respects
with all required certificates attached therewith it will be a great help to deal with the
applications and approve the same without difficulty and examination can be arranged soon
after.

It is suggested that desirous candidates at your mine may be advised to send their
applications through their Mine Manager, and the officials at the mine level may be
requested to forward the same after they are fully satisfied that the applications are
complete in all respects. Any correspondence, if any, thereafter, can be made with the
Manager of the mine. A note detailing the requirements is given in the Appendix.

Appendix
1. Full name and Address—Full name should be mentioned in the application form. It may
be checked if the same name appears in all the certificates or documents attached with the
application. In case of any change in name, an affidavit from a First Class Magistrate,
followed by publication of such change in local newspaper as well as in the Gazette of
India to that effect should be submitted. If any part of the name is deleted in any of the
certificates, a clarification for the same may be sent alongwith the application. Present
Postal address and Permanent Home address shall be given in the application form.

2. Certificate of Age—If the candidate has studied in a school, he shall submit a School
Leaving Certificate. In case he has passed Matriculation or equivalent examination the
certificate in original should be submitted. In case the candidate has not studied in any
school, a certificate of age from the medical officer of the mine duly countersigned by the
Manager shall be given.

3. Certificate of Literacy—For the purpose of literacy certificate, in case a candidate has

not studied in any school, a certificate from the Manager that the candidate is literate and
can read and write shall be attached.

4. Medical Certificate—A medical certificate granted by any registered medical

practitioner certifying that the candidate is free from deafness, defective vision or any other
infirmity, mental or physical likely to interfere with the efficiency of his work should be
given.

5. Character Certificate—A certificate of character from a person of good repute as for the
general good conduct and sobriety of the candidate should be attached.

6. First Aid Certificate—First Aid Certificate in original granted by the St. John
Ambulance Association (India) should be submitted. Provisional Certificates are not
accepted. Candidate should appear well in time for the First Aid Examination so that he
can obtain the original certificate and submit the same alongwith the application.

7. Fee—The prescribed fee for examination is either to be submitted by a Treasury Challan

or by a Crossed Indian Postal Order. It is preferable to send the fee through Crossed Indian
Postal Order which should be payable to Director-General of Mines Safety at DHANBAD
Post Office. The Postal Orders should be purchased only when the application is being
submitted. On the reverse of the Postal Order the name and address of the candidate shall
be indicated in place meant for it.
The prescribed fee as per Coal Mines (Amendment) Regulations, 1990 for the examinations
is as follows:
(a) Sirdar's Rs. 30/-
(b) Shotfirer's Rs. 25/-
(c) Gas testing Rs. 25/-
(d) Winding Engine Driver's First Class Rs. 30/-
(e) Winding Engine Driver's Second Class Rs. 25/-

8. Certificate of Experience—Every Certificate of practical experience must be in the

prescribed from and should contain precise information about the capacity in which the
candidate worked, the nature of work done and the dates of commencement and termination
of experience at each mine. No certificate of practical experience shall be considered unless
it is granted by the Manager of the mine duly dated and bears the official seal of the
Manager.

(A) Following experience is required :

For Sirdar's Examination out of required 3 years of Training experience of 6 months each in
Shotfiring, Timbering and Depillaring is necessary.

(a) Experience gained as miner or timberman in Depillaring area for 6 months shall
be accepted towards the required experience in Timbering and Depillaring.

(b) Experience/training in Surveying/Engineering or as a Munshi can be accepted

up to a maximum period of 1 year towards General Training.

(c) Experience as shotfirer in depillaring area in such development workings where

timbering is essential shall be accepted towards training in timbering.

(d) Experience as Shotfirer in depillaring area is accepted towards depillaring

training.

(B) Out of 2 years of practical experience required for Shotfirer's Examination, 6 months
should be in connection with shotfiring of which 2 months has to be in the workings
belowground of a mine.

(C) (1) For Winding Engine Driver's Examination a candidate must have practical
experience of driving a winding engine or as assistant to a qualified Winding Engine Driver
for a period of at least one year. If the experience is less than 5 years, the examination shall
include a practical test. The nature of experience gained must be clearly shown in the
Experience Certificate.

(2) The type of examination i.e.. Steam, Electric of Compressed air, for which candidate
wants to appear must be clearly indicated in the application. If a candidate wants to appear
for different types of examinations for winding-engines, separate application shall be made
for each type of the examination.
9. (a) The candidate who had appeared earlier and failed in the examination should indicate
the correct date and place of last Examination attended by him in the specified columns of
the application form.

(b) In case of a candidate who failed in the examination earlier, it will be sufficient if he
submits evidence of prescribed fee, valid First Aid and Medical Certificate but the date and
place of last Examination in which he failed must be indicated correctly.

(c) If a candidate has already passed any of statutory examinations, he should mention the
certificate number or the name, date and place of Examination at which he appeared and
passed the Examination.

10. If a candidate submits an application for an examination and the original documents are
already sent in connection with other statutory examination, or applies simultaneously for
two different examinations, it will be necessary to submit original documents with each
application separately. Attested copies of the same may be attached and a mention should
be made indicating the Examination and the date for/with which the original documents are
submitted.
(Cir. Exam. 1/1975)

5. Examinations for Gas testing, Sirdar, Shot-firer/Blaster and Mate's Certificate of

Competency—Although the above examinations are being held in different Regions or
Sub-Regions, the candidates are required to submit their applications to DGMS, Dhanbad.
It has now been decided that applications for these examinations along with the required
documents and fee should be submitted to the concerned Regions, Sub-Regional Offices.
However, the Indian postal order accompanying the application should be payable to
Director-General of Mines Safety at Dhanbad Post Office.

Candidates from Dhanbad will continue to submit their applications to DGMS, Dhanbad
while those from Sitarampur shall submit their applications to D.D.G. (E.Z.), Sitarampur.
You are, therefore, requested to advise all the candidates from your mine accordingly.
(Cir. Exam. 1/1979)

CMR16/MMR16
1. Amendments in the Scheme of Mine Manager’s Statutory Examination and grant
of Certificates— 1.0 The Bye-laws for the conduct of examinations under the Coal Mines
Regulations, 1957 and Metalliferous Mines Regulations, 1961, for- the grant of Manager's
Certificate of Competency published under Notifications Nos. Board/Coal/11578/72,
Board/Met/8697/72 and Board/Met/8696/72, all dated 8.8.72, have been amended and
published under notifications Nos. Board/Coal/I 1317/74, Board/Met/5810/74 and Board/
Met/5811/74, all dated 13.8.74, respectively, in the Gazette of India, Part III, Section 4, on
14.9.74. The provisions of these amended bye-laws have come into effect on and from the
14th December, 1974.
A. The main features of the amendments in the Bye-laws are as follows :

(i) First Class Mine Manager's Certificate

Persons holding Degree in Mining Engineering or Equivalent Approved Qualification :

1.1 A person holding Degree in Mining Engineering or an equivalent qualification and

possessing 2 years' service (after obtaining Second Class Mine Manager's Certificate) in an
approved capacity shall now be required to appear only in one paper i.e. on Mine
Management, Legislation and General Safety, in the Board of Mining Examination, instead
of in two papers with the said period of experience (2 years) under the superseded bye-
laws. The requirement of 4 years' experience with one paper examination, therefore, stands
waived. (There is no change in the scheme of Qualifying Test Examination at an
educational institution).

Person holding Diploma in Mining or Equivalent Approved Qualification:

1.2 A person holding Diploma in Mining or an approved qualification and having obtained
Second Class Mine Manager's Certificate (by passing one paper examination or by passing
qualifying test at educational institution) shall now be required to possess only 2 years'
service after obtaining Second Class Mine Manager's Certificate in an approved capacity,
instead of 4 years as provided earlier, to pass First Class Manager's Examination by taking
2 papers or 3 papers examination, as the case may be.

1.3 In view of the above amendments, any person who has already passed the First Class
Mine Manager's Examination in the test held either in December, 1972, or in May, 1974,
and the award of his certificate has been withheld for not possessing the prescribed
service/experience of 4 years' service (after qualifying for award of a 2nd Class Manager's
Certificate), he may apply mentioning the year of passing along with certificate of two
year's service/experience in the specified capacity, for award of the withheld certificate.
Such certificate will be valid from the date of coming into force of the bye-laws or the date
of completion of the experience whichever is later.

(ii) Second Class Mine Manager's Certificate

Persons holding Degree in Mining Engineering or Approved Qualification:

2.1 A holder of Degree in Mining Engineering or an equivalent qualification from a

University or Institution approved under Regulation 16 will be eligible for grant of a
Second Class Mine Manager's Certificate if he possesses at least one year's experience as a
Post-Graduate Trainee under the Directorate of Practical Training in Mining or equivalent
approved training, instead of two year's similar experience prescribed earlier.

Persons holding Diploma in Mining or Approved Qualification :

2.2 For persons holding Diploma in Mining or equivalent approved qualification the period
of three year's service in an approved capacity prescribed for grant of 2nd Class Mine
Manager's Certificate has been reduced to two years, whether they have passed Qualifying
test at an educational institution (and have put in one year's P.G.P.T. experience) or have
passed one paper examination on Mine Management, Legislation and General Safety with
BME (after satisfying prescribed period of experience under Reg. 16).

2.3 In view of the above, persons who have passed in the examination held in December,
1972 or in May, 1974 and whose certificates have been withheld, may apply mentioning the
year of passing alongwith certificate to two year's service experience as prescribed, for
award of the withheld certificate. Such certificates will be valid from the date of coming
into force of the bye-laws or the date of completion of the experience, whichever is later.

B. The main features of the amendments in the Notification are as follows:

3.0 The Notification of the Government of India No. S.O. 721(E) dated the 21st
November, 1972 has been superseded by Notification No. S.O. 712(E) dated the 13th
December, 1974, and accordingly this Directorate Circular No. 54 of 1972 dated 6th
December, 1972 also stands superseded.

As would be noted, the new notification does not now relate to any exemption for
holders of degree or diploma in Mining Engineering for the purpose of grant of a
Manager's Certificate (since the same have been included in the recently amended
bye-laws referred to above), but includes certain exemptions to the 'Field Students in
respect of the First Class Mine Manager’s Certificates.

4.1 According to the Notification dated 13th December, 1974 a person who does not hold
degree or diploma in mining, i.e., to say who is a 'Field Student' will be granted a First
Class Mine Manager's Certificate if he holds Second Class Manager's Certificate and
possesses three year's service after obtaining Second Class Manager's Certificate and
submits a certificate from the Board of Mining Examinations to the effect that he has
passed in the prescribed three subjects viz. (i) Winning and working, (ii) Mine
Management, Legislation and General Safety, and (iii) Ventilation, Fire, Explosions &
Inundation in the First Class Mine Manager's Examination. In respect of a Certificate
restricted to mines having opencast workings only,, a candidate needs to pass only in two
papers viz. : in (i) Winning and Working and (ii) Mine Management, Legislation and
General Safety.

4.2 Under the said notification concessions granted under the superseded notification to
holders of degree and diploma in Mining in respect of other statutory certificates have been
virtually retained.

C. With regard to the experience for the purpose of grant of statutory certificates, under the
amended bye-laws and notification referred to above some relevant recent decisions of the
board of Mining Examinations are as follows:

5.1 The candidates should submit details of experience in mines in prescribed forms. It is
required that the experience should be obtained in a coal mine only if the certificate is
desired for Coal Mines. Similarly, if certificate is required for Metalliferous mine, only
experience obtained in metalliferous mine, will be accepted. As provided in Regulation 16,
the nature of any practical experience obtained in a coal mine shall be in workings
belowground of a coal mine having an average monthly output of not less than 1000
tonnes.

Similarly for Metalliferous Mines, the practical experience shall be obtained in

Metalliferous Mines having an average employment of not less than 60 in workings
belowground or not less than 160 in all in the mines. Experience obtained in opencast
mines using heavy earth moving machinery is approved in full irrespective of employment
for the purpose of grant of certificates restricted to Opencast Mines only.

5.2 For the purpose of grant of Manager's Certificate for underground mines,
experience/service obtained in opencast mines is acceptable only upto 25% of the required
training/service (after obtaining Degree/Diploma/2nd Class Certificates as the case may
be). The training in opencast mines will be inclusive of other experience/service to be
accepted upto 50% of the total experience required.

However, in case of grant of Overman's/Foreman's certificate valid for underground mines,

training/service should be obtained in the workings belowground of mines only.

D. This is also to inform you that no person shall be appointed to perform statutory duties
in a capacity requiring the possession of a First/Second Class Manager's, Surveyor's,
Overman's/Forman's, Sirdar's/Mate's, Shotfirer's/Blaster's etc. certificate, unless he has
obtained a certificate granted by the Board of Mining Examinations.

Any candidate who desires to obtain a certificate on the basis of the

exemption granted to him under the bye-laws/notification is required to furnish the
following documents etc. immediately :

(i) Enclosed Form II, duly filled in.

(ii) All documents in original to support his claim.
(iii) Evidence of age.
(iv) Certificate of medical fitness.
(v) Certificate of good character.
(vi) Certificates of Education.
(vii) Certificates of experience in prescribed form.
(viii) Certificate of having passed a qualifying test.
(ix) Two copies of photographs duly attested on the front.
(x) Examination fees.

Therefore, if any person is working in a statutory capacity in terms of previous Circular No.
54 of 1972, he should apply and obtain the relevant statutory certificate immediately, but
not later than 31st October, 1975 in any case.
(Cir. Exam. 3/1975)
Note : (1) Notification published in the Gazette of India Extra-ordinary Part II Section
3(88) dated 13.12.74, in supercession to S.O. No. 721(E) dated 31st Nov., 1972 is
reproduced below. (DGMS Cir. 54/1972 is superseded.
(2) Para 'D' of above circular (Exam. 3/1975) has been amended by Cir. Exam. 1/1997.

NOTIFICATION
S.O. In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (1) of Section 83 of the Mines Act,
1952 (35 of 1952) and in supercession of the Notification of the Government of India in the
late Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation (Department of Labour and Employment) No.
S.O. 721(E) dated the 21st November, 1972, the Central Government hereby exempts all
mines from such provisions of the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957 and the Metalliferous
Mines Regulations, 1961 which require the appointment of a person holding the
qualifications specified in column (1) of the Schedule hereto annexed, subject to the
condition that persons holding the qualifications specified in the corresponding entry in
column (2) are appointed instead.

The Schedule

Qualification required to be Qualifications which should be possessed by the

possessed under the Coal Mines person, to be appointed in place of persons
Regulations, 1957 and the possessing qualifications specified in column (1)
Metalliferous Mines Regulations,
1961 from which exemption is
granted.
1 2
First Class Manager's Certificate For persons who do not hold degree or diploma:
1. Second Class Manager's Certificate of
Competency.

2. A Certificate from the Board of Mining

Examinations that he passed in the following
subjects prescribed for the First Class Mine
Manager's Examination:
(i) Mine Management, Legislation and General
Safety;
(ii) Winning and Working;
(iii) Ventilation, Fire, Explosions and Inundation.

3. At least three year's service in a capacity specified

in column (2) of the Annexure after obtaining
Second Class Manager's Certificate of Competency.
1A. First Class Manager's For persons who do not hold degree or diploma:
Certificate restricted to Mines
having opencast workings only 1. Second Class Manager's Certificate of
Competency or Second Class Managers' certificate
of competency restricted to mines having opencast