Govt overhauls staff review

Empanelment Parameters being reworked

The annual confidential report of bureaucrats, that all powerful document, written by seniors assessing the performance of junior officers, will no longer be the only way to judge performance.

According to government sources, wide-scale administrative reforms, especially when it comes to empanelling officers for promotion to the secretary level, are in for a major overhaul.

"Officers who worked under governors or directly under political masters had more generous comments in their annual confidential reports than those who served in the officer-run departments," the official said.

"Its a natural, as the level of interaction in being on the personal staff of a minister or a governor is more intimate. But it should not be allowed to prejudice your chances of being empanelled," the official said.

Once an officer misses the empanelment bus, stagnation is the only way to retirement.

According to a plan being mooted in the personnel and training department, there should be several other parameters for the empanelment.

"If an officer picks up extra qualifications with regard to his department, like a degree in comparative taxation if the officer is posted in the finance ministry, this should be added to his qualification for empanelment," he said.

Achieving the departmental targets and specialisation will also be kept in mind. "If the officer has shown enterprise, it will also be factored into his performance," said the official.

In fact, the first 10 years of a bureaucrat's career will be dedicated to acquiring specialised skills and "field experience". "Creative management is the way of the future," he said.

Steps are also being taken to ensure fixed tenure in bureaucracy to maintain continuity in the implementation of government programmes and policies.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keen that this is done. In his first letter to chief ministers, he stressed on this, as he felt that frequent changes jeopardise the delivery system," said the official.

Whatever the plans, nothing is going to be done in a hurry. "The existing systems have been running since colonial days. While it is high time that reforms are made in the system, nobody wants to antagonise the powerful bureaucratic lobby," he said.

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The plan

• Wide-scale administrative reforms, especially when it comes to empanelling officers for promotion to the secretary level, are in for an overhaul
• Once an officer misses the empanelment bus, stagnation is the only way to retirement
• Steps are being taken to ensure fixed tenure for officials to maintain continuity in the implementation of policies