Make clear, categorical mention of officer's integrity: Govt

NEW DELHI: The government has asked all ministries to ensure that a "clear and categorical" mention of an officer's integrity must be made in his or her Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) and has specified three options out of which the Reporting Officer must choose while making his assessment.

"The remarks against the integrity column of APARs of the officer reported upon shall be made by the Reporting Officer in one of three options mentioned below: (a) Beyond doubt. (b) Since the integrity of the officer is doubtful, a secret note is attached. (c) Not watched the officer's work for sufficient time to form a definite judgement but nothing adverse has been reported to me about the officer," says a circular issued by Department of Personnel & Training on February 11.

All Ministries have been asked to bring it to the notice of all concerned for strict compliance. "It has been brought to the notice that many a time Reporting Officers do not make clear and categorical mention about the integrity of the officer reported upon. Further, it has also been seen that in case of doubt of integrity of the officer reported upon, the procedures prescribed for filling up the integrity column in APARs are not being followed appropriately," the government circular has said.

A set of instructions issued in 1972 have also been reiterated by the government through the present circular. Under those instructions, it is specified that Supervisory officers should maintain a confidential diary in which instances which create suspicion about the integrity of a subordinate should be noted from time to time and action to verify the truth of such suspicions should be taken expeditiously by making confidential enquiries departmentally or by referring the matter to the Special Police Establishment.

"At the time of recording the annual confidential report, this diary should be consulted and the material in it utilised for filling the column about integrity," the earlier instructions say.