Terming the new 360-degree appraisal methodology as opaque and non-transparent, a Parliamentary panel has said this system used for promotion of higher officials is not legally tenable and creates possibilities of manipulations.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personal, Public Grievances, law and Justice in its 33-page report, tabled recently in the House, also maintained that this system used in the corporate world is not suitable in a Government mechanism as in this case the feedback about officers are collected in informal ways and is subjective.
The Centre had in April 2016 introduced the 360-degree appraisal system involving multi-source feedback for the promotion and appraisal of senior officers in the ranks of Joint Secretary and above.
The panel was also of the view that the introduction of this new system has literally sidelined the Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR), earlier known as Annual Confidential Report (ACR). The new mechanism was put in place along with the mandatory APAR/ACR for the empanelment of the officers.
The 360 system has even not found favour with the bureaucrats. Many associations of officials have raised their voices against it. Under this system, the information and appraisal of an officer is collected from juniors, retired senior officials and other stakeholders. “The Committee finds the present 360-degree appraisal system opaque, non-transparent and subjective as the concerns of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission have not been suitably addressed.
Feedback in this process is obtained informally, making the process susceptible to being manipulated. Further, the feedback received from subordinates and stakeholders may be biased and lack objectivity, particularly if the officer had to discipline his subordinates or he was unable to meet the unjustified demands of stakeholders.
“Further, acting on feedbacks so received puts the concerned officer in a disadvantageous position as the remedies available to him in case his APAR/ACR has not been written objectively are not available to him in this process. Acting on such feedback behind the back of the officer may not be legally tenable particularly if it adversely affects his empanelment prospectus. Moreover, there is no statutory backing to the scheme and it is based on executive instructions only. The Committee therefore impresses upon the Government to take necessary steps to make the process of empanelment more objective, transparent and fair,” said the Committee headed by senior Congress MP Anand Sharma.
There were complaints by officers that even anonymous complaints during their promotion time were considered as feedback.
The Committee has pointed out that due to the informal and non-legal nature the officials are deprived of remedies if feedbacks are found negative in 360 degree appraisal system. It also said method of collecting feedback from stake holders like private parties about an official is totally ambiguous and not suitable in Government mechanism.