In a significant move to streamline administrative processes, a recent directive has been issued to address the long-standing issue of missing Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for government officers. These crucial documents, vital for career progression including promotions, confirmations, and deputations, are reportedly unavailable for a substantial number of Deputy and Under Secretaries, some dating back several years. This urgent communication builds upon previous advisories stressing the importance of timely ACR completion and adherence to established schedules. It reiterates that reporting and reviewing officers who fail to submit ACRs within specific deadlines (June 30th for reporting officers, August 31st for reviewing officers, following the financial year) will forfeit their right to record remarks. In such instances, a formal certificate to that effect will be placed in the officer’s dossier, or the officer’s self-appraisal will be used if both forfeit their rights. Heads of departments are mandated to identify defaulting officers by October each year, investigate the delays, and potentially issue written warnings. All ministries and departments are now specifically instructed to bring these critical instructions to the immediate attention of all relevant personnel. There’s a strict deadline: all missing ACRs for the financial year 2008-09 and prior must be submitted by April 30, 2010. Failure to comply will result in accountability for the delays. Furthermore, all pending CRs for past periods must be completed within the next six months, either by providing the relevant CR or a ‘No Report Certificate’ for valid reasons, ensuring a complete dossier for all officers.
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MOST IMMEDIATE
No.22/6/2010-CS.I(C)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel \& Training)
$2^{\text {nd }}$ floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi
Dated 12.04.2010
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Sub: Pending/Missing ACRs of Deputy Secretaries/ Under Secretaries of CSS
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. No. 21011/02/2009-Estt. (A) dated 16.02.2009 regarding timely preparation \& proper maintenance of ACRs. It is observed that in spite of periodic reminders regarding missing ACRs of CSS officers in the zone of consideration for promotion and uploading the availability status of ACRs of CSS officers in the CS – Division’s website regularly by the Department, ACRs of a large number of CSS officers (Retired/working) of different Ministries/Departments for period of two to three years and in some cases up to five, six years are not available, thus affecting their promotion.
All Ministries/Departments are requested to kindly bring to the notice to all concerned Sections/ CSS Officers/ Reporting/ Reviewing Officers to expedite the pending action in all such cases and to forward the missing ACRs of all CSS officers to this Division at the earliest, latest by 30.04 .2010 in respect of all ACRs upto financial year 2008-09. Alternatively, responsibility may be fixed for delay in completion of ACRs.
A. $S_{\text {whew }}$
(M.C. Luther)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India
Tel: 24629411
All Min/Deptt. ( 70 (ofies)
DS/Dir (Admn./Estt.)
New Delhi.No. 21011/02/2009-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
New Delhi, dated the 16th February, 2009
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Timely preparation and proper maintenance of ACRs.
The undersigned is directed to say that this Department has been emphasizing from time to time the need to complete the Annual Confidential Reports of all classes of employees in time for smooth consideration of cases pertaining to confirmation, promotion, deputation to ex-cadre posts, etc. A time schedule was prescribed for various stages in the matter of writing of Confidential Reports in this Department’s O.M. No. 35014/4/83-Estt.(A) dated 23.9.1985. The writing of ACR is a public trust and responsibility. All Ministries/Departments are again requested to ensure that the time schedule for preparation of Confidential Reports and other instructions as laid down in this Department’s O.M. dated 23.9.1985 are followed to ensure that ACRs are completed in time.
- As cases continue to occur where confirmation, regular promotion, appointment to sensitive posts, etc., could not be considered in time because of non-availability of ACRs for the relevant period, the matter of timely completion of ACRs was further reviewed in this Department and it has been found necessary to prescribe a time limit after which the Reporting/Reviewing Officer shall forfeit his right to record the ACR. It has been decided that while the time-limits prescribed in the aforesaid O.M. dated 23.9.1985 should be adhered to as far as possible, in case the ACR is not initiated by the Reporting Officer for any reason beyond 30th June of the year in which the financial year ended, he shall forfeit his right to enter any remarks in the ACR of the officer to be reported upon and he shall submit all ACRs held by him for reporting to the Reviewing Officer on the next working day. Similarly, the Reviewing Officer shall also forfeit his right to enter any remarks in the ACR beyond 31st August of the year in which the financial year ended. The Section entrusted with maintaining the ACRs shall, while forwarding the ACRs for self-appraisal with copy to the Reporting/Reviewing Officers, also annex the schedule of dates as enclosed herewith. It shall also bring to the notice of the Secretary concerned in the case of Ministry/Department and the Head of the organization in the case of attached and subordinate offices, the names of those Group A and B Reporting Officers and Group A Reviewing Officers in the month of October after receiving the completed CRs who have failed to initiate/review the ACRs even by 30th June or 31st August as the case may be. The Secretary in the Department/Head of the organization in the case of attached/subordinate offices may direct to call for the explanation of the concerned officers for not having performed the public duty of writing the ACRs within the due date and in the absence of proper justification direct that a written warning for delay in completing the ACR be placed in the ACR folder of the defaulting officer concerned.
Contd.2/–2-
- In case the remarks of the Reporting officer or Reviewing Officer as the case may be have not been entered in the ACR due to the concerned officer forfeiting his right to make any entry as per the provision in para 2 above, a certificate to this effect shall be added in his ACR for the relevant period. In case both the Reporting officer and Reviewing officer had forfeited their rights to enter any remarks, the CR format with the self appraisal given by the officer to be reported upon will be placed in his ACR dossier.
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All the Ministries/Departments are requested to kindly bring to the notice of all concerned the above instructions for future preparation and maintenance of ACRs. These instructions shall be applicable for the ACRs for the period 2008-09 onwards. In case any CR for the past period is pending completion, the concerned Head of the Organisation in the case of attached/subordinate offices and the Joint Secretary concerned in the Ministries/Departments may take appropriate measures to ensure that the CR dossier is complete within the next 6 months either with the relevant CR or the required “No Report Certificate” for valid reasons.
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Hindi version will follow.
(C.A. Subramanian)
Director
To
All Ministries/Departments of Govt. of India
Copy to:
1) Comptroller & Auditor General of India, New Delhi
2) Union Public Service Commission
3) Central Vigilance Commission, New Delhi
4) Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi
5) Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat
6) All attached and subordinate offices of the Ministry of Personnel, PG and Pensions
7) All officers and sections in the Ministry of Personnel, PG and Pension
8) NIC (DoP&T) for placing this Office Memorandum on the web-site of DoP&T
9) Hindi Section for Hindi version of the O.M.
Cond.3/-