Himachal changes parameters of judging performances of bureaucrats, HPPSC officers
Traditional categories i.e. Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Average shall be replaced with numerical grading; CM Sukhu says this is to enhance accountability
2 min read
Under the new system, performance appraisals would be directly linked to the work outputs of all officers. (Express Photo)In a significant development, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu decided to change the parameters to access Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers posted in Himachal Pradesh and the officers of Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) officers from Saturday.
The traditional descriptive categories such as ‘Outstanding’, ‘Very Good’, ‘Good,’ and ‘Average’ would be replaced with a numerical grading scale and officers would be assessed based on three key indicators: the accomplishment of their annual work plan, other work-related attributes and personal and functional attributes. Interestingly, the reforms also introduce negative marking, with officers potentially losing two points from their overall grade, on a scale of 1-10, for non-compliance of government orders or advisories.
CM Sukhu said, “From now on, all officers, including administrative secretaries and deputy commissioners posted in districts, would be evaluated solely on their performance for their APARs”.
Under the new system, performance appraisals would be directly linked to the work outputs of all officers. The reforms aim to enhance accountability and transparency by linking officer evaluations directly to their work outputs, he added.
Sukhu highlighted transparency as a key feature of the system noting that officers would receive their finalised evaluations which would foster professional development and encourage improvement in their work performances. The APAR process would now be entirely online, streamlining operations and enforcing a December 31 deadline for submissions.
He said that these changes were designed to ensure a fair and objective evaluation process, particularly for field-level officers, whose performance would be closely tied to meeting quantitative targets. He said that the higher management officers would continue to be assessed on qualitative aspects and personal attributes.
According to CM Sukhu, these reforms were a crucial step toward strengthening governance and further enhance the accountability within the state administration. Recently, CM Sukhu government decided that government officers applying for study leaves will be entitled of their 40 per cent salary, instead of 100 per cent.
You May Like
