Online system for babus' performance appraisal launched

An online system for filing of annual performance appraisal report of IAS officers was today launched by the government. 

The Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW), developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC), will be applicable from current assessment year -- 2013-14. 

The online filing of Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) will bring more probity and transparency, avoid loss of such reports during transition, ensure better monitoring and timely completion of performance appraisals, Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said while launching the system. 

It will also facilitate in speeding up the process of getting appointment and promotion related clearance from Central Vigilance Commission, Narayanasamy said. 

As many as 4,737 IAS officers are working across the country. 

The system would be operational for use by the officers posted in state as well as central ministries or department from the last week of March this year. 

"The software has an inbuilt system of generating auto-alerts which would go to the officers concerned with whom the PAR would be pending for more than the specified time and thus would ensure better monitoring of the writing of PAR," said a statement issued by Ministry of Personnel. 

Each officer would have to digitally sign the report before forwarding it to appropriate authority. It would also have the facility of uploading summary of medical reports, certificate of training, academic courses, appreciation letters, etc, the statement said. 

"The software would have an in-built security mechanism to ensure that nobody can tamper with the data available in it. 

"For e-filing, each officer or authority involved in the work flow is required to be issued a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) which is the digital equivalent of physical or paper certificate for authentication," it said.