Retiring central government bureaucrats may be told to write 1,000-word essay on achievements

NEW DELHI: All retiring central government bureaucrats will soon be able to leave behind a 1,000-word note on their significant achievements during service that can be put up online so that serving officers can draw inspiration and build on those ideas.

The ministry of personnel, which reports to the prime minister, has circulated a concept paper to all ministries, proposing to create a platform for retiring employees to volunteer to showcase “commendable work” done during service.

“While the retiring employees can look back with satisfaction and a sense of fulfilment, this would also create a database of useful suggestions and information… It will also act as a motivator for serving employees,” the concept paper says, asking the ministries to give their comments by November 30.

The ministry has, however, specified that comments which are religious or political or against national interest must not be included in the note. It has also specified that commendable work will include “any work that has contributed to the efficiency, economy and effectiveness in government functioning, any innovation which led to improved work culture or manuals or publications related to work created by the retiring employee”.

The bureaucrats will be required to submit a write-up of not more than 1,000 words six months before their retirement when they apply for pension. “Since most successful ventures would have contributions of the entire team, retiring persons must ensure that names of other members of the team are indicated in the write-ups,” the ministry has said in the concept paper.

According to the ministry, initially an online facility will be provided only to retiring employees for submitting the note. “The exercise would be completed at least one month before retirement and the result uploaded on the departmental website. The website will clearly indicate that the contents and suggestions are as provided by the retiring employee,” the concept paper says.

The retiring babus will also be asked to mention if they would be willing to volunteer for social work post-retirement. “This would be a wonderful opportunity to garner the resource of retiring employees for voluntary contribution to nation building post-retirement,” the paper says.

The ministry has also implemented a programme to provide counselling to employees who are about to retire as the government intends to utilise the services of these officials for useful interventions in society like evaluation of development schemes being implemented across India. As per a government estimate, there are about 40,000 fresh retirees every year from central government civil establishments alone, while the number could be over a lakh if personnel from defence, railways, posts and telecom were to be included. There is already a pool of 50 lakh existing pensioners.