Ensuring a fair and just selection process for promotions within government ministries is paramount, and a crucial component of this is the timely submission of Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). There’s a standing instruction that these vital performance appraisals must be completed by June 5th for each financial year. Failure to adhere to this deadline can lead to significant hurdles for Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), potentially delaying or even compromising unbiased selection for higher grades. Cases have been observed where ACRs were missing for several years, sometimes due to the retirement of reporting or reviewing officers, making it impossible to assess candidates adequately. This underscores the critical importance of observing the existing guidelines to prevent such administrative bottlenecks and ensure that deserving officers are not unfairly disadvantaged due to incomplete records.
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No. 21011/02/98-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Pub. Grievances \& Pensions (Department of Personnel \& Training)
New Delhi, the 20th April, 1998
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Sub:- Timely completion of Annual Confidential Reports.
The undersigned is directed to refer to the instructions contained in this Ministry’s OM No. 35014/4/83-Estt.(A) dated 23.9 .85 on the subject noted above and to say that according to the prescribed time schedule, the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) should be completed by the 5th June, in respect of a financial year.
2. A case has come to the notice of this Ministry where ACRs of some of the officers were not available for four years, out of the assessment period of five years, the reason being that reporting / reviewing officers had retired from service. As a result, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had to recommend officers for promotion to the next higher grade on the basis of available ACRs of the preceding years. This led to a situation where the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) had to assess ACRs for the periods which were the basis of promotion of officers to the post presently held by them.
3. The case cited in the preceding paragraph has arisen because of non-adherence to the instructions about timely completion of Annual Confidential Reports. Non-availability of ACRs for abnormally long periods could affect just and fair selection by the Departmental Promotion Committees and the UPSC.4. It is requested that the instructions contained in this Ministry’s OM dated 23.9.85 should be carefully observed for ensuring availability of ACRs for just and fair selections.
- Hindi version will follow.
71 min. 4.5 m. (Harinder Singh)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India
Tel. No. 301 1276
To
- All Ministries / Departments of the Government of India.
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All Officers / Sections in DOPT.
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Secretary, Union Public Service Commission with reference to their letter No. 10/3/98-AU (C) dated 30.3.98.
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50 spare copies.