Improving Objectivity in Annual Confidential Reports for Government Officers

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Ensuring fair and accurate promotion decisions within government service hinges on the quality of Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). These reports are the sole basis for Departmental Promotion Committees when assessing officers for career advancement. However, there’s a recognized challenge: current ACRs often fall short of truly reflecting an officer’s work, character, qualities, and capabilities, leading to assessments that may not align with reality. To address this, all administrative Ministries and Departments are being called upon to take decisive action. The directive is clear: meticulous care must be exercised in drafting ACRs to provide a comprehensive and objective profile of each officer. Despite previous efforts to instill objectivity in this crucial appraisal process, the goal of truly accurate reporting remains an ongoing priority, underscoring the continuous commitment to enhancing transparency and equity in personnel evaluations.

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No. 21011/5/2002-Estt(A)
Government of India
Department of Personnel and Training
(Establishment (A) Desk-1)

Dated: 26.7.2002

OFFICE-MEMORANDUM

Subject: Issue of fresh instructions in order to ensure that the ACRs reflect the true profile of the officers reported upon.

The undersigned is directed to refer to the subject mentioned above and to say that at present the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) have only the ACRs, to rely upon while making assessment of an officer for his promotion. The assessments made by the DPCs on the basis of ACRs alone, are at times at variance with real qualities of the person assessed. Therefore, the ACRs so initiated, are required to be written with the greatest care, so that the work, character, qualities and capabilities of the officers reported upon, can be accurately judged from these reports.
2. The above objective is yet to be fully achieved. As the objectivity in writing the ACRs, is still wanting in spite of issuing various Government instructions on the subject from time to time. Therefore, all the administrative Ministries/Department are requested to take adequate measures to ensure that the ACRs being written in the Ministries/Departments, reflect the true profile of the officers reported upon.
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(SAHADEO RAM)
DEPUTY SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA
Tel: 3092338
To,
All Ministries/Departments of Govt. of India