Promotions refer to the entire set of activities, which communicate the product, brand or service to the user. The idea is to make people aware, attract and induce to buy the product, in preference over others.

There are several types of promotions. Above the line promotions include advertising, press releases, consumer promotions (schemes, discounts, contests), while below the line include trade discounts, freebies, incentive trips, awards and so on. Sales promotion is a part of the overall promotion effort.

The seniority-cum-merit is the governing principle of promotion in India. The relative weight to the two factors varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but on the whole, seniority basis is firmly entrenched and departures from it are made but rarely unless the senior person is declared unfit.

The Central Pay Commission recommended that for many situations specially those in which long familiarity with office work is itself adequate training, the rule of seniority may generally be followed in the higher grades of service, considerations of fitness must have precedence over the claim of seniority.

The promotion-making authority in India is the Government or the head of the department concerned, but promotions to higher posts are generally made in consultation with the Public Service Commission both at the Centre and in the States. As regards promotions to other grades of service, the