Training to employees to improve performance & maintenance of APAR : Lok Sabha Q&A

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

LOK SABHA

TRAINING TO EMPLOYEES TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

(a) whether the Government has directed all Ministries/Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to give extensive training to their employees in order to improve their performance and skill;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has also directed all Ministries/Departments and PSUs to appraise the performance of their employees;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) the steps taken by the Government to wean out corrupt and inefficient employees; and

(f) the steps taken to improve the functioning of Ministries/Departments and PSUs?

(a) & (b): National Training Policy 2012 circulated vide Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training O.M. No. 12021/8/2011-Trg.I dated 19.01.2012 to all Central Ministries/Departments stipulates that:

(i) All civil servants will be provided with training to equip them with the competencies for their current or future jobs. Such training will be imparted:

# At the time of their entry into service, and
# At appropriate intervals in the course of their careers.

(ii) Such training will be made available for all civil servants from the lowest level functionaries to the highest levels.

(iii) The opportunities for training will not be restricted only at mandated points in a career but will be available to meet needs as they arise through a mix of conventional courses, distance and e-learning.

(iv) Priority will be given to the training of front-line staff, including training on soft skills, so as to improve customer orientation as well as quality of service delivery to the citizens.

(c) & (d) Government has issued instructions from time to time to all the Ministries/Departments for timely preparation and proper maintenance of Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR). As per extant policy of the Government, Annual Performance Appraisal Report is required to be maintained for all Group A, B and C employees in a format prescribed by the Government for the purpose of numerical grading in the three areas of work output, assessment of personal attributes and assessment of functional competency. APAR is an important document for assessing an officer’s suitability for his further advancement in his career on occasions like confirmation, promotion, selection for deputation, selection for foreign assignment, etc.

(e): As far as weaning out of corrupt employees is concerned, it has been provided in the relevant disciplinary Rules that in every case in which the charge of possession of assets disproportionate to known-source of income or the charge of acceptance from any person of any gratification, other than legal remuneration, as a motive or reward for doing or forbearing to do any official act is established, major penalty of removal or dismissal from service shall be imposed. Under the extant rules/instructions, cases involving moral turpitude and failure to maintain integrity would justify proceedings for imposition of a major penalty including dismissal and removal from service.

As far as weaning out of inefficient employees is concerned, such employees are dealt in accordance with Fundamental Rule 56.

(f): Improving the functioning of Ministries/Departments is an on-going process undertaken by the respective Ministries/Departments. However, recent steps taken by this Ministry, inter-alia, includes:

# Implementation of Right to information Act, 2005

# Introduction of Lok Pal Bill, Whistleblowers’ Protection Bill, Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of International Organizations Bill in the Parliament

# Implementation of Sevottam model for public service delivery

# Introduction of Mandatory Mid-Career Training Programmes for organized civil services

# Introduction of revised Annual Performance Appraisal system

# Implementation of e-office in mission mode project as a part of e-governance initiative

# Formulation of 
National Training Policy 2012 to implement competency based human resource management

# Development of training module on “Ethics and Values in Public Governance”