Confidential Reports

1. Confidential Reports Prepared by: Regional Training Institute, Jammu RTI,Jammu

2. Session Overview • In this session we will discuss the appraisal process followed by Central Government for appraisal of its employees, viz. the system of Annual Confidential Reports. RTI,Jammu

3. Learning objective • At the end of the session, the learner will be able to state the need for writing the confidential reports of central government employees, and state the various precautions to be taken while writing the confidential reports. RTI,Jammu

4. Objective • Thus the system of confidential reports has two principal objectives. First and foremost is to improve the performance of the subordinate in his present job. The second one is to assess his potentialities and provide him appropriate feedback and guidance for correcting his deficiencies and improve his performance. RTI,Jammu

5. Objective • Confidential reports are of immense importance in the career of a Government servant, efficiency of service, for the work, conduct, character and capabilities of the officer reported upon can be accurately judged from the recorded opinion. RTI,Jammu

6. Objective • Every government servant should know how well or otherwise, he is performing the job assigned to him, know particularly his defects and shortcomings, which would affect his career advancement and overcomes them by taking remedial measures so that he can plan his career development in a systematic manner. RTI,Jammu

7. Objective • vThe CRs provide the basic and vital inputs for assessing the performance of an officer and his advancement in his career as also to serve the data for judging his comparative merits for confirmation, promotion, selection grade, crossing efficiency bar, continuance in service beyond certain age or completion of certain years’ service. RTI,Jammu

8. Periodicity of writing • With this end in view, confidential reports are recorded for the period covered by the financial year. • Normally there should be only one report covering the year. RTI,Jammu

9. Periodicity of writing • When the Reporting Officer or the officer reported upon, is transferred or deputed elsewhere for a period of more than three months, then more than one report is written, each report should indicate precisely the period covered by it. If the period of observation happens to be less than three months, this fact only need be indicated in the report. RTI,Jammu

10. Delay in writing a CR •  The annual report should be recorded within one month of the expiry of the report period. Any delay in this regard should be adversely commented upon. If there is delay in submission of self-appraisal by the officer reported upon, the Reporting Officer should give the report without self-appraisal making a suitable note. RTI,Jammu

11. How a confidential report is to be written • A CR should necessarily be prepared scrupulously and carefully. The report should be based on an objective assessment of the work quality of the officer reported upon and written with the greatest possible care. Slightest default or negligence on the part of the Reporting Officer may lead to grave injustice to the officer reported upon by marring his future. RTI,Jammu

12. How a confidential report is to be written • The Reporting Officer should not be in a hurry to write the reports on all the officers working under him on a single day. He should, however, write them within the period stipulated. RTI,Jammu

13. How a confidential report is to be written • The forms of confidential reports have been devised with a view to ensuring maximum objectivity in the preparation of the report. In filling up the forms, tick marks and dashes should not be used. Reporting and the Reviewing Officers should indicate their opinion by writing out in full the appropriate alternatives which best describe the officer’s qualities. RTI,Jammu

14. How a confidential report is to be written • Cryptic, vague or non-committal remarks are to be avoided. Sometimes entries may not be sufficiently meaningful. Such reports should be returned to the Reporting Officer for reconsideration, amplification or explanation. RTI,Jammu

15. By whom to be written/ countersigned • The CR should contain the assessments of more than one officer. A two-tier system of reporting has been provided to minimize the operation of the subjective human element and of conscious/ unconscious bias in reporting. The CR is prepared by an officer (Reporting Officer) which has to be further, reviewed by the next authority (Reviewing Officer). RTI,Jammu

16. By whom to be written/ countersigned • There is no provision for any authority other than the Reporting Officer and the Reviewing Officer for recording his remarks/comments of the work and conduct of an officer, in his confidential record. RTI,Jammu

17. By whom to be written/ countersigned • Except in case where there is only one supervisory level above the officer reported upon, the CR of every employee should contain the assessments of more than one officer. • A two-tier system of reporting has been provided to minimize the operation of the subjective human element and of conscious/unconscious bias in reporting. • Written by Reporting Officer and reviewed by Reviewing Officer. RTI,Jammu

18. By whom to be written/ countersigned • Authority other than Reporting/ Reviewing authority precluded from making entries RTI,Jammu

19. Writing of confidential reports by officers under suspension • It has been decided in the light of a suggestion from the Central Vigilance Commission that no officer under suspension should be allowed to write/review the ACRs on his subordinates, if during major part of writing/reviewing he is under suspension, as might not have full opportunity to supervise the work of his subordinates. RTI,Jammu

20. When Reporting/Reviewing Officer is related to the Government servant • vIn such a situation, the employee should abstain from writing the ACR of the employee who is his close relative and instead, the Reviewing Officer should take on the role of the Reporting Officer; • vIf a similar relationship exists between the Reviewing Officer and the officer reported upon on the other, the same would apply in respect of the Reviewing Officer and the role of the Reviewing Officer would be transferred to the authority next higher up; RTI,Jammu

21. Representation against adverse remarks • vOnly one representation against adverse remarks should be allowed within one month of the date of communication of such remarks. • vRepresentation will lie to the authority immediately superior to the countersigning authority, if any, or to the Reporting Officer.   RTI,Jammu

22. Representation against adverse remarks • If the immediate superior had already reviewed the confidential report in question and also expressed his view, either agreeing or disagreeing with the adverse remarks recorded and accepted by the countersigning authority, in that event the representation lies to the next higher authority. RTI,Jammu

23. Representation against adverse remarks • vA representation against adverse remarks should be decided by the Competent Authority within three months from the date of submission of the representation. If necessary, he may consult the Reporting Officer and the countersigning authority. RTI,Jammu

24. Representation against adverse remarks • vIf the Competent Authority feels that there is no sufficient ground for interference, the representation should be rejected and the petitioner informed accordingly. • vIf, however, it feels that the remarks should be toned down, it should make necessary entry separately with proper attention at the appropriate place of the report. The correction should not be made in the earlier entries. RTI,Jammu

25. Representation against adverse remarks • If the Competent Authority comes to the conclusion that the adverse remarks are inspired by malice or were entirely incorrect or unfounded and therefore deserves expunction, it should order accordingly. • vWhen a representation against adverse remarks is wholly or partially upheld, a copy of the order should be recorded in the report itself. RTI,Jammu

26. Representation against adverse remarks • vIf the remarks are ordered to be expunged, they should be effectively obliterated both in the confidential report as well as in the copy of the letter communicating those remarks. RTI,Jammu

27. Representation against adverse remarks • vWhere a penalty is set aside on an appeal/review, the copy of the punishment order should be removed from the CR file as well as the adverse remarks recorded on the basis of the penalty expunged. Where the penalty is modified, the entry in the confidential report originally made on the basis of the penalty awarded, should also be suitably modified accordingly. RTI,Jammu

28. Representation against adverse remarks • vIn a case where the Competent Authority comes to the conclusion that the remarks deserve expunction and that after such expunction the relevant column would be left blank, it should order modification of the relevant remarks in a suitable manner so that the column is not allowed to remain blank. RTI,Jammu

29. Representation against adverse remarks • vAdverse remarks should not be deemed to be operative if any representation is filed within the time prescribed time and is pending. If no representation is made within the time prescribed, or the one preferred has been finally disposed of, there is no bar to take notice of the adverse remarks. RTI,Jammu

30. Representation against adverse remarks • vA memorial or appeal against the rejection of the representation against adverse remarks is to be allowed within six months of such rejection. Pendency of any memorial or appeal would mean that the adverse remarks are not final and cannot be acted upon. RTI,Jammu