In a significant move towards modernizing government operations, a new online system called SPARROW (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window) has been made mandatory for civil service officers. This system requires all Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers at Deputy Secretary level and above, along with equivalent levels in Central Secretariat Stenographers Service (CSSS), to submit their Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) digitally starting from the 2015-16 reporting year. While the transition has faced some initial challenges, leading to extensions in deadlines for preparatory steps and online submissions, the Department of Personnel & Training is actively monitoring progress across various ministries.
To ensure a smooth rollout, ministries and departments are urged to swiftly complete essential preparatory tasks by the end of the month. These include designating key roles such as Custodian, Alternate Custodian, PAR Manager, and EMD Manager. They also need to compile and submit crucial data on nodal officers and those undergoing appraisal, using a specified excel format via email. Furthermore, the procurement and distribution of Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs) to all relevant reporting and reviewing officers is a critical step to facilitate secure online submissions.
Recognizing the technical difficulties some nodal officers may encounter, a dedicated helpline has been established by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to provide support for generating online APARs. All official communications and guidelines related to this initiative are accessible on the persmin.nic.in website. The goal is to ensure that all ministries and departments transition effectively to this paperless appraisal system, enhancing efficiency and transparency in government.
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MOST IMMDAITE
No. 22/10/2015/CS.I -(APAR)
Govt. of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances \& Pensions
Department of Personnel \& Training
$2^{\text {nd }}$ Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Markt, New Delhi
Dated $2-4^{4}$ June, 2016
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject : Introduction of ‘SPARROW’ for CSS /CSSS Officers.
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM of even number dated $1^{\text {st }}$ April, 2016 on the above mentioned subject and to say that it has been made mandatory for the CSS Officers of Deputy Secretary and above level and equivalent levels in CSSS to record their APARs online through SPARROW for the Reporting Year 2015-16 onwards. Keeping in view the practical difficulties being faced by the Ministries/Department in switching over to ‘SPARROW’ system, the time-limits for taking preparatory steps including sending online APAR to the officers concerned have been extended vide OM of even number dated $27^{\text {th }}$ May, 2016 and O.M. No. 25/1/2016-CS.II(A) dated 10.06.2016 respectively. Activities undertaken by the Ministries/Departments are being monitored online by this Department. It is revealed that while a majority of the Ministries/Departments have started functioning on this system, no action appears to have been taken by a number of Ministries/Departments. Names of these Ministries/Department are given at Annexures I \& II respectively.
2. As the dates for taking preparatory steps are approaching near, it is imperative that all the preparatory steps listed in this Department’s OM dated 1.4.2016, 8.4.2016, 13.4.2016, 18.5.2016, 27.5.2016 and 10.6.2016 are completed expeditiously. All the above mentioned OMs are available on the website of this department at the following address www.persmin.nic.in $\rightarrow$ DoPT $\rightarrow$ Central Services $\rightarrow$ (CSS/CSSS)ACR $\rightarrow$ General Instructions.
3. In addition, a helpline has also been set up by NIC to solve the difficulties faced by the Nodal Officers in generating of online APARs. Particulars of helpline are as following :
Telephone: 24653220.
Email eps.helpdesk-dopt@gov.in
4. The above Ministries/Departments are therefore requested to accord priority to the matter and ensure that following preparatory steps are taken by the end of this Month :
i) Nomination of Custodian, Alternate Custodian, PAR Manager, EMD Manager.
ii) Collection and generation of data in respect of Nodal Officers (including PAR Manager \& EMD), officers reported upon and Reporting/Reviewing (in excell format -enclosed at Annexure III) and sending it through email to this Department via NIC mail.
iii) Procuring and distributing DSC to the concerned officers in the Department including reporting and reviewing officers.5. It is requested that the information may be compiled on-line in excel-sheets and sent to this department by 30.6.2016 (only through email). In case any assistance is required, they may take assistance from the helpline set up for this purpose.
(Chandra Shakhar)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
Tele: 24624046
c.shekhar59@nic.in
Encl: Annexure I, II & III.
To
Ministries /Departments
As per List Attached (Annexure I)
Copy for information to :
- Director CS.I
- DS CS II.
- NIC, Shri S.N. Sopari, Sr. Tech. Director), North Block, New Delhi.| S
No. | Cadre Unit | Whether Roles assigned | Officers
Data provided | DSC provided |
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | Agricultural Research \&Education | | | |
| 2 | Agriculture \& Cooperation | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 3 | Animal husbandry Dairying and Fisheries | | | |
| 4 | Bio Technology | | | |
| 6 | Consumer Affairs | | | |
| 7 | Development of NER (DONEAR) | | | |
| 8 | Fertiliser | | | |
| 9 | Finance- Expenditure | | | |
| 10 | Food Processing Industries | | | |
| 11 | I\&B – RNI | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 12 | I\&B- PIB | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 13 | I\&B- Publications Divisin | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 14 | Inter State Council Sectt | | | |
| 15 | IP\&P | | | |
| 16 | Legal Affairs | | | |
| 17 | Legislative Deptt. | | | |
| 19 | Minority Affairs | | | |
| 20 | Minority Commission | | | |
| 21 | MSME | | | |
| 22 | NATGRID | | | |
| 23 | NDMA | | | |
| 24 | New \& Renewable Energy | | | |
| 25 | NHRC | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 26 | NITI AAYOG | $\checkmark$ | | |
| 27 | Panchayati Raj | | | |
| 28 | Petroleum \& Natural Gas | | | |
| 29 | Pharmaceuticals | | | |
| 30 | Posts | | | |
| 31 | Public Enterprises | | | |32 Registrar General of India 33 RT\&H $\checkmark$ 34 Rural Development – Land Resources $\checkmark$ 35 Rural Devp $\checkmark$ $\checkmark$ 36 SC Commission 37 Sc. \& Tech. 38 Scientific \& Industrial Research 39 Shipping $\checkmark$ 40 Silll Development \& Enterpreneurship $\checkmark$ 41 Social Justicer \& Empowerment $\checkmark$ 42 ST Commission $\checkmark$ 43 Staff Selection Commission $\checkmark$ 44 Statistics \& Prog Implementation $\checkmark$ 45 UPSC $\checkmark$ 46 Water Resources $\checkmark$ 47 WCD $\checkmark$ 48 Youth Affairs $\checkmark$ List of Cadre units from whom the information has been received through e-mail
| S.No. | Ministrt/Department |
|---|---|
| 1 | Home Affairs |
| 2 | Mines |
| 3 | Coal |
| 4 | Corporate Affairs |
| 5 | Textiles |
| 6 | Road Transport \& Highways |
| 7 | Consumer Affairs |
| 8 | Urban Development |
| 9 | MHRD |
| 10 | Youth Affairs \& Sports |
| 11 | Fertilizers |
| 12 | Civil Aviation |
| 13 | Law \& Justice |
| 14 | Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability |
| 15 | Food and Public Distribution |
| 16 | Information \& Broadcasting |
| 17 | Power |
| 18 | Water Resources |
| 19 | Revenue |
| 20 | Supply Division |
| 21 | Legislative Department |
| 22 | Women \& Child Development |
| 23 | Culture |
| 24 | Defence |
| 25 | IP\&P |
| 26 | Telecommunication |Form for collecting data in respect of Nodal Officers, PAR |
| | | Proforma for collecting data in respect of the officers | | | | | | | | | |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| S
No. | Appellation | Name | Employee
Code | Gender | Father’s
Name | Date Of Birth | Nationality | Religion | Category | Service | Cadre Service |
| 1 | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. |
| | Mr/Mrs./Ms. | | (CSL No.) | | | DD/MM/YYYY | | | | CSS | Cadre Unit |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Contd. From column 12
| Allotme nt Year | Org. | Org
Fro
m
Dat
e | Login ID | Aadha
ar
Numbe
r | Designati on | Type of Appointme nt | Appointm ent Order Date | Designati on Joining Date | Roles assigned |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13. | 14. | 15 | 16. | 17. | 18. | 19. | 20. | 21. | 22. |
| (Date of joining Govt. Service) | (Name of Department) | | NIC mail only be given | | | Regular or adhoc | (on present post) | | – Officer Reported upon (ORU)
– Custodian/Nodal Officer
– PAR Manager
– EMD Manager
– Reporting Officer
– Reviewing Officer |
Note : For obtaining soft copy of the propforma kindly send email (Nic mail to help desk) eps.helpdesk-dopt@gov.in