DOPT Brochure on Preparation of APAR

DOPT Brochure on Preparation of APAR – Annual Performance Assessment Report for Central Civil Services / Central Government Employees

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR FILLING UP THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT

Performance assessment should be used as a tool for career planning and training, rather than a mere judgmental exercise. Reporting Authorities should realize that the objective is to develop an officer so that he/she realizes his/her true potential. It is not meant to be a fault finding process but a developmental tool. The Reporting Authority, and the Reviewing Authority should not shy away from reporting shortcomings in performance, attitudes or overall personality of the officer reported upon.

The period of absence from duty, on leave, training, or for other reasons, should also be mentioned. Details of the training attended, date of filing of property returns and whether the officer reported upon has reported/reviewed and the annual performance report of all his/her subordinate officers for the previous year should be mentioned.

All officers are required to develop a work plan for the year and agree upon the same with the reporting officer. The work plan should incorporate the relative annual work rhythm and budgetary cycle. This exercise is to be carried out at the beginning of the year. In case of a change of the reporting officer during the year, the work plan agreed with the previous reporting officer would continue to apply. The work plan agreed upon at the beginning of the year has to be reviewed again during the month of September/October as a mid-year exercise and finalized by 31st October. Based on this review the work plan may undergo some changes from that originally prepared.

The work plans may be submitted to the reviewing authority for his/her perusal and custody. The performance appraisal form provides for an assessment of the accomplishments vis-à-vis the work plan agreed at the commencement of the year and reviewed mid-year.

It is not necessary that the work plan should be entirely quantitative in nature. While for field level posts, the work plan would consist essentially of quantifiable targets, for secretarial level posts it would consist of policy objectives to be achieved etc.

The officer reported upon may be required to indicate specific areas in which he/she feels the need to upgrade skills and attend training programs. He/she should also mention the specific steps that he/she has taken or proposes to take to upgrade his/her skills in the identified area. The Reporting/Reviewing Officer may give specific comments on the requirement of skill upgradation for the officer reported upon and suggestions to achieve it.

There is an increased emphasis on competency building in the new performance assessment system. There would be a premium on competency and skill upgradation. Hence, all officers are advised to keep the cadre controlling authority informed, at least once in five years, of all educational and training programs attended, including the details of marks/grades secured in such programs, details of professional papers published.

Time schedule for preparation/completion of APAR

(Reporting year- Financial year)

S.No.	Activity	Date by which to be completed
1	Distribution of blank APAR forms to all concerned (i.e., to officer to be reported upon where self-appraisal has to be given and to reporting officers where self-appraisal is not to be given)	31st March. (This may be completed even a week earlier).
2.	Submission of self-appraisal to reporting officer by officer to be reported upon (where applicable).	15th April.
3.	Submission of report by reporting officer to reviewing officer	30th June
4.	Report to be completed by Reviewing Officer and to be sent to Administration or CR Section/Cell or accepting authority, wherever provided.	31st July
5.	Appraisal by accepting authority, wherever provided	31st August
6.	(a) Disclosure to the officer reported upon where there is no accepting authority	01st September
	(b) Disclosure to the officer reported upon where there is accepting authority	15th September
7.	Receipt of representation, if any, on APAR	15 days from the date of receipt of communication
8.	Forwarding of representations to the competent authority
	(a) where there is no accepting authority for APAR	21st September
	(b) where there is accepting authority for APAR	06th October
9.	Disposal of representation by the competent authority	Within one month from the date of receipt of representation.
10.	Communication of the decision of the competent authority on the representation by the APAR Cell	15th November
11.	End of entire APAR process, after which the APAR will be finally taken on record	30th November