ISLAMABAD: In a move that has immediately put almost the entire civil service at a disadvantageous position, the government has drastically changed promotion criteria for the federal bureaucracy, according to a report by a private media outlet.
The Establishment Division on Wednesday revised the criteria for promotions to grade 20 and 21, recommended to the prime minister by the Central Selection Board (CSB). It has drastically increased the weight of training courses in promotions but reduced the weight of performance evaluations by superiors.
The decision has been enforced less than two weeks before the CSB meeting that is going to consider the grade-19 and grade-20 bureaucrats for promotions. The Establishment Division’s memorandum is silent on the effective day of the new criteria, implying that the new criteria may be enforced from the upcoming CSB.
The government has increased the weight of the Training Evaluation Reports (TERs) from 15% to 35% but the weight of the Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs) has been reduced from 70% to 50%. The Central Selection Board’s score has been kept unchanged at 15%.
The government has increased weight of the training courses massively despite the fact that there is no standardisation of training courses in Pakistan. The civilian-run National School of Public Policy and the military-run National Defense University have different training courses modules and evaluation criteria. The NDU criteria are regarded more stringent and robust.
The bureaucrats who have completed their courses a couple of years ago and have not yet been considered for promotions have had 15% TERs score in mind. Now they will be treated at 35%, which may put them at a disadvantageous opposition, according to a former senior officer of the PAS group.
The Establishment Division has also introduced another proforma to assist different cadre controllers to prepare a note for the CSB on various facets of all the officers on the panel that can assist CSB to make more informed and evidence-based recommendations for promotions.
The Tax Reforms Commission (TRC) noted that the present performance evaluation reports system has promoted mediocrity and ceased to provide an incentive for performers to excel. In order to silence voices from other than the PAS Group officers, the Establishment Division decided to enhance the threshold of promotion for the PAS officers from grade-19 to grade-20 to 72 marks. For other occupational groups, the minimum score will be 70.
