No. 25/1/2016/CS-II(A)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Department of Personnel & Training

Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market

New Delhi-110003

Dated 10th June, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Introduction of SPARROW for CSSS officers – reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM of even number dated 13.04.2016 and OM No. 22/10/2015-CSI(APAR) dated 27.05.2016 of CS-I Division of this Department on the subject mentioned above and to say that online recording of APARs has been made mandatory for the officers of CSSS in the grades of Principal Staff Officer and Senior Principal Private Secretary with effect from year FY 2015-16. Website for this purpose has been developed and made functional by NIC. The website can be accessed through https://sparrow-csss.eoffice.gov.in.

1. The cadre units have been advised to nominate Custodians, PAR Managers & EMD Managers for generating APARs on-line. The response from a few Ministries / Departments are still awaited. The concerned Departments are requested to expedite the necessary information to the NIC Cell of this Department under intimation to this Division. In case of any difficulty in working of the online system, NIC officers, whose details have been provided vide the OM cited above, may be approached. A separate helpline (Telephone number 24653220) has also been set up with technical support from NIC. Nodal Officers of the Ministries/Departments may also share their difficulties, if any, through e-mails at the address: eps.helpdesk-dopt@gov.in.

2. In view of practical difficulties in switching over from manual to online mode of recording of APARs, there might be some delay in generating APARs and forwarding them to the officers Reported upon and Reporting Officer. The target dates prescribed in DOPT OM No. 21011/18/2015-Estt (A)(Pt.II) dated 23rd July, 2009 may, therefore, not be met. The matter has been examined in this Department and it has been decided that the target dates for completion of activities relating to preparation of APARs, as prescribed in the DoPT OM dated 23rd July 2009, would be relaxed as per the Annexure to this OM. This relaxation has been given as a one time measure. The revised targets dates would be effective for FY 2015-16 only and would be applicable only to the CSSS officers of Principal Staff Officer and Senior Principal Private Secretary level whose APARs are to be recorded online.

3. Following areas have been identified which may cause delay in the filing of APARs online:-

   i. The data has not been generated for Reporting Officer who are repatriated to their parent Department.

   ii. The officer is on deputation/posting to an ex cadre Department/organization.

   iii. Reporting Officers have demitted office on 31.3.2015 and the officers reported upon have got their ACRs completed manually.

   iv. It is also likely that during the current year (2016-17) the Reporting officers might be repatriated to their parent organization where the system of online filing of APARs may not be prevailing. In such a situation, creating workflow, generating PARs etc. in the current year may not be technically feasible.

   v. Any other case, if circumstances so warrant.

4. It has been decided that cases falling categories (i) to (v) may be examined by the Ministry/Department concerned and they may send their recommendation along with justifications with the approval of concerned JS(Admn.) to CS-II Division. CS-II Division would examine the recommendations on case to case basis and would convey its decision to allow manual filing or otherwise to the Ministry/Department concerned with the approval of JS (CS).

5. As regards the arrangements/budget provision towards procurement and distribution of DSCs to the officers, attention of the Ministries/Departments is invited to D.O. letter dated 25th February, 2016 from JS (AV) which emphasized the need to provide DSC to the officers and activate it by the prescribed time. It is reiterated that responsibility of procuring DSCs for the officers rests with the concerned Administrative Ministry/Department.

6. This issues with the approval of the competent authority.

(Kameshwar Mishra)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
Tele: 24623157

To

All Ministries/Departments (CSS)

Copy to:

i. PSO to Secy. (P)

ii. PS to JS (AV)

iii. PS to JS (DC)

iv. NIC, Shri S.N. Sopari, Sr. Tech. Director, North Block, New Delhi.

v. Shri Chandra Shekhar, US, CS-I Division, DoPT, Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi
Annexure

Annexure to OM No. 25/1/2016-CS II(A) dated 10th June, 2016 read with O.M. NO. 21011/18/2005-Estt.(A) (Pt.II) dated 23rd July, 2009 as applicable i.r.o. CSSS personnel