Appraisal report of IPS now on-line

• To cut red tape Union Home Ministry has gone in for centralised system so as to eliminate bias and favoritism

By Dheeraj Fartode

Personal bias that often blocked promotional chances in Indian Police Service (IPS) and blighted many a careers prospects of bright officers might become a thing of past. Union Home Departmental have initiated on-line system for filing of Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) and launched a new website -- ips.gov.in -- for the same. Officially the aim is to maintain transparency and put a check on delay in filing of PAR.

Office of State Director General of Police on Tuesday issued a circular in this regard and directed all IPS rank officials entrusted with task of filling in PAR to follow the new time table so avoid delay.

PAR is the important document of IPS officer that assess his performance, character, conduct and qualities. It is a tool for career planning and training, rather than a mere judgmental exercise. The Hitavada perused the copy of the circular dated on March 9, 2016, which categorically directed all IPS officers working in States to file PAR for year 2015-16 before April 30, 2016. 

A senior IPS rank official informed The Hitavada that the decision was taken after observing ‘intentional’ delay from senior rank IPS officers. Now with central system in place, PAR will not be delayed. Moreover promotions and posting can be effectively given by referring to PAR on-line. More important is ‘babu’ induced deliberate delays will also come down. There is also an easy way to appeal to appropriate authority in the new on-line system. 

The new system have pre-decided time frame right from filing of PAR to completion of process and sending SMS alert on the mobile phone of the officer to stay updated about movement of their PAR, he said.  Now there will be more transparency as all documents would be available on-line. In old system many a time physical documents were found missing during departmental promotion which effectively resulted in delay and affected career appraisal, the officer added.  After preparing report, the IPS officer will send the report to Reviewing Authority. After the brief review, the report would be forwarded to Accepting Authority. 

A Referral Board has been constituted in the State in which Chief Secretary is Chairperson, DGP is the Member while Secretary (Appointments)/Secretary (PAR) is the Convenor. 

The PAR contains brief description of duties, Annual work plan and achievement, tasks performed,  significant benefits to the public, factors that hindered officers’ performance, specific areas in which the officer feel the need to upgrade his/her skills through training programmes. 

PAR a potent weapon for senior IPS officers

PAR is a potent weapon in the hands of senior IPS officers to control officer who tend to toe independent line or do not subject to whims and fancies of his superiors. Seniors have power to elaborate character of the officer as Good or Bad and due to this many lower rank IPS officers tend to follows directives of seniors without protest to avoid risk of affecting PAR.