This communication pertains to a proposal for a Cadre Review of the Central Secretariat Stenographic Service (CSSS). It instructs all cadre units to prepare the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs)/Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) of CSSS officers in anticipation of potential promotions resulting from the review. The document emphasizes adherence to existing guidelines regarding ACR/APAR completion and representation against below-benchmark gradings, referencing a previous Office Memorandum (OM) dated April 13, 2010, which details the process for officers to represent against adverse remarks or request an upgrade of their final grading. The OM clarifies that officers will be given an opportunity to respond to below-benchmark ACRs before they are considered for promotion, and competent authorities must objectively consider any representations, including the views of Reporting and Reviewing Officers, providing specific reasons for any upgrades.
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Rajeev Kapoor, IAS
Joint Secretary (AT&A)
Phone: 23093668
भारत सरकार
कार्मिक और प्रशिक्षण विभाग
कार्मिक, लोक शिकायत तथा पेंशन मंत्रालय
नोर्थ ब्लाक, नई दिल्ली-110001
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES
AND PENSIONS
NORTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI-110001
D.O.No.5/26/2010-CS.II(A)
Dated : October 6, 2010
Dear Sir/Madam,
As you may be aware, a proposal for Cadre Review of Central Secretariat Stenographic Service (CSSS), to address the problem of stagnation in the service, is under active consideration. In case the proposal is approved, a substantial number of posts/ vacancies in various grades of CSSS viz. PPS, PS, PA and Steno Grade ‘D’ are likely to become available against which promotions would have to be made immediately.
- As a preparatory step, all the Cadre units are, therefore, required to keep the relevant ACRs/APARs of the concerned officers of CSSS in readiness in terms of extant instructions issued by this Department from time to time. The ACRs also need to be examined/ completed by following the procedure laid down in this Department’s OM No.21011/1/2010Estt.A dated 13/4/2010 (copy enclosed) with regard to below benchmark ACRs.
- I shall be grateful if you kindly direct the concerned officers in your Ministry/ Department dealing with the ACRs of CSSS officers to complete their ACRs/ APARs expeditiously in terms of extant instructions issued by this Department from time to time including the instructions contained in this Department’s OM dated 13/4/2010, as mentioned above, to ensure timely promotions of CSSS officers.
- This may please be accorded top priority.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
( Rajeev Kapoor )
Joint Secretary (Admn.)
of 39 Cadre Units of CSSS
No. 21011/1/2010-Estt.A
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 13th April, 2010
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Below Benchmark gradings in ACRs prior to the reporting period 2008-09 and objective consideration of representation by the competent authority against remarks in the APAR or for upgradation of the final grading
The undersigned is directed to say that prior to the reporting period 2008-09, only the adverse remarks in the ACRs had to be communicated to the concerned officer for representation, if any to be considered by the competent authority. The question of treating the grading in the ACR which is below the benchmark for next promotion has been considered in this Department and it has been decided that if an employee is to be considered for promotion in a future DPC and his ACRs prior to the period 2008-09 which would be reckonable for assessment of his fitness in such future DPCs contain final grading which are below the benchmark for his next promotion, before such ACRs are placed before the DPC, the concerned employee will be given a copy of the relevant ACR for his representation, if any, within 15 days of such communication. It may be noted that only below benchmark ACR for the period relevant to promotion need be sent. There is no need to send below benchmark ACRs of other years.
- As per existing instructions, representations against the remarks or for upgradation of the final grading given in the APAR (previously known as ACR) should be examined by the competent authority in consultation, if necessary, with the Reporting and the Reviewing Officer, if any. While considering the representation, the competent authority decides the matter objectively in a quasi-judicial manner on the basis of material placed before it. This would imply that the competent authority shall take into account the contentions of the officer who has represented against the particular remarks/grading in the APAR and the views of the Reporting and Reviewing officer if they are still in service on the points raised in the representation vis-a-vis the remarks/gradings given by them in the APAR. The UPSC has informed this Department that the Commission has observed that while deciding such representations, the competent authorities sometimes do not take into account the views of Reporting/Reviewing Officers if they are still in service. The Commission has further observed that in a majority of such cases, the competent authority does not give specific reasons for upgrading the below benchmark ACR/APAR gradings at par with the benchmark for next promotion.
- All Ministries/Departments are therefore requested to inform the competent authorities while forwarding such cases to them to decide on the representations against the remarks or for upgradation of the grading in the APAR that the decision on the representation may be taken objectively after taking into account the views of the concerned Reporting/Reviewing Officers if they are still in service and in case of upgradation of the final grading given in the APAR, specific reasons therefor may also be given in the order of the competent authority.
(C.A. Subramanian)
Director
To
All Ministries/Departments of Government of India