Usually it also depends on your CEP and performance across the years and whether you are doing your role at the expected grade. e.g SH is at SEO 1 and HOD at SEO 2 etc... So one can be stucked there for a long while after you reached your ceiling. I know of HODs who are at SEO 1 but did not get to SEO 2 even after that had struck their ceiling. Worst, is they are very good performers, so then it plays down to your CEP as well.