Monday, August 16, 2010

MAINTENANCE OF ACRs.

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
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.
2. As cases continue to occur where confirmation, regular promotion, appointment to sensitive posts, etc., could not be considered in time because of nonavailability 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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
           TIME SCHEDULE FOR PREPARATION OF CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS
S.No.              Nature of Action                            Date by which to be completed
1.        Distribution of blank CR forms to                          31SI March.
           all concerned (i.e., to officer to be           (This may be completed even a
           reported upon where self-appraisal                                    week earlier).
           has to be given and to reporting
           officers where self-appraisal is not
                                             to be given)
2.        Submission of self-appraisal to                                15th April.
           reporting officer by officer to be
           reported upon (where applicable).
3.        Submission of report by reporting
           officer to reviewing officer
           - Where self-appraisal by
           officer reported upon is                                              7th May.
           prescribed.
           - Where self-appraisal by
          officer reported upon is not                                        21st April.
          prescribed.
         - Where officer reported upon
          is himself a reporting officer                                       22nd May.
          for subordinates under him.
4.       Report to be completed by                                 • 23rd May where the due
          Reviewing Officer and sent to                                date for the reporting
          Administration or CR Section/Cell.                          officer is 7th May.
                                                                                  • 7th May where the due
                                                                                      date for the reporting
                                                                                      officer is 21st April.
                                                                                  • 5th June where the due
                                                                                      date for the reporting
                                                                                      officer is 22nd May
Important notice:

    (i) The Reporting Officer is requested to complete the ACRs as per the schedule
        above. The Reporting Officer shall have no right to enter any remarks in the
        CRs after 30th June following the annual reporting period.
   (ii) Reviewing Officer is also requested to complete the review of the ACRs as
        per the schedule above. The Reviewing Officer shall have no right to enter
        any remarks in the CRs after 31st August following the annual reporting
        period.










NO. 210111112010-Estt.A
Government of lndia
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances 8 Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
****
North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 13th April, 2010
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Below Benchmark gradings in ACRs prior to the reporting period 2008-09 and objective consideration of representation by the competent authority against remarks in the APAR or for upgradatin of the final grading.
The undersigned is directed to say that prior to the reporting period 2008-09, only the adverse remarks in the ACRs had to be communicated to the concerned officer for representation, if any to be considered by the competent authority. The question of treating the grading in the ACR which is below the benchmark for next Promotion has been considered in this Department and it has been decided that if an employee is to be considered for promotion in a future DPC and his ACRs prior to the period 2008-09 which would be reckonable for assessment of his fitness in such future DPCs contain final grading which are below the benchmark for his next promotion, before such ACRs are placed before the DPC, the concened employee will be given a copy of the relevant ACR for his representation, if any, within 15 days of such communication. It may be noted that only below benchmark ACR for the period relevant to promotion need to be sent. There is no need to send below benchmark ACRs of other years.
2. As per existing instructions, representations against the remarks or for upgradation of the final grading given in the APAR (previously known as ACR) should be examined by the competent authority in consultation, if necessary, with the Reporting and the Reviewing Officer, if any. While considering the representation, the competent authority decides the matter objectively in a quasi-judicial manner on the basis of material placed before it. This would imply that the competent authority shall take into account the contentions of the officer who has represented against the particular remarks regrading in the APAR and the views of the Reporting and Reviewing officer if they are still in service on the points raised in the representation vis-a-vis the remarks/gradings given bv them in the APAR. The UPSC has informed this Departrnent that the Commission has observed that while deciding such representations, the competent authorities sometimes do not take into account the views of  Reporting/Reviwing Officers if they are still in service. The Commission has further observed that in a majority of such cases, the competent authority does not give specific reasons for upgrading the below benchmark ACR/APAR gradings at par with the benchmark for next promotion.
3. All Ministries/Departments are therefore requested to inform the competent authorities while forwarding such cases to them to decide on the representations against the remarks or for upgradation of the grading in the APAR that the decision on the representation may be taken objectively after taking into account the views of the concerned Reporting/Reviewing Officers if they are still in service and in case of upgradation of the final grading given in the APAR, specific reasons therefor may also be given in the order of the competent authority.
(CA. Subramanian)
Director
To
All Ministn'eslDepartments of Government of lndia

Copy to:-
1. The President's Secretariat, New Delhi.
2. The Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi.
3. The Cabinet Secretariat, New Delhi.
4. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
5. The Lok Sabha Secretariat.
6. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, New Delhi.
7. The Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi.
Copy also to:-
(i) All Attached offices underthe Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
(ii) Establishment Officer and Secretary, ACC (10 copies).
(iii) All officers and Sections in the Department of Personnel and Training.
(iv) NIC (DoP&T) for placing the Office Memorandum on the web-site of DoP&T.
(v) Hindi Section for Hindi version of the O.M.

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