Mandatory online filing of babus' performance reports

The Centre has decided to amend rules to allow online filing of performance reports of IAS and IPS officers.

The move will help in checking delayed submission of the confidential reports and claims of bias in giving low ratings to an officer to affect his or her career growth.

"Performance Appraisal Report shall be generated and written by the officer reported upon electronically as prescribed by the central government," as per the draft rules formed by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The comments of reporting, reviewing and accepting authority shall be recorded electronically in case he is a government servant. Political executives can record their comments manually, it said.

The new rules, once approved, will be applicable to members of all India services--Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

A new timeline has also been planned by the DoPT for completing Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) of bureaucrats in time.

The timeline for disclosure of such reports is January 15 every year.

The DoPT has written to chief secretaries of state governments and Union territories to send their comments by March 15. "If no reply is received within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that state government has no objection to the proposed amendments," the DoPT said in a communique.

The cadre controlling authorities, Home Ministry for IPS and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for IFoS, have also been asked to send their comments on the proposed changes in service rules.

The DoPT has been emphasising upon online filing of the APARs.

The new measure is in line with the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who wants that the officers' performance reports are filed online for greater transparency, a senior DoPT official said.