INDIAN RAILWAY

Confidential Report(CR) is prepared for Railway employees in Group A, B, C at the

end of each Financial Year.
It is written by immediate superior who must take into account performance of concerned
railway staff over the period.
Senior subordinates and officers give targets in advance and work is to be reviewed
periodically.
At the end of year Railway employee gives self-assessment along with resume of work done
and reasons for shortfalls.
Reporting officer fills up each column and makes overall assessment based on assessment
in each column based on actual performance and matters on record.
Form covers general qualities, professional abilities, integrity, intelligence, tact, industry,
keenness, attitude to SC/ST, to superiors, equals and subordinates, general conduct and
character, sociability, aptitudes and shortcomings etc.
Whenever an entry is based on actual incident it should be indicated. Resume given by the
employee should also be considered.
Reporting officer submits report to Reviewing officer who may make his own assessment
and record changes if necessary. Report is finally put up to accepting authority.
Adverse entries in the CR should be communicated to the employee concerned and his
represetation if any in this regard shall be considered by the accepting authority who will pass
a speaking order if representation is to be rejected. If accepted adverse remarks shall be
expunged.
CR is written with utmost circumspection, caution and care.
CR is in two parts.
Entries in part II are not communicated.

Why Indian Railways follows this method of Performance Appraisal ?

Gives opportunity to the staff concerned to review his own performance through self-
appraisal.

It is beneficial for the administration for placements, promotion, deputation, training, career
planning, growth etc.

Periodical review of targets and performance.
CPOs shall ensure that schedule of writing CR adhered to.

No officer under suspension shall be allowed to write/review CR of subordinates, if during
major part of writing/reviewing he was under suspension.



Other government owned companies like MTNL, India Post etc.

The commitment to the performance appraisal system in public organizations in India is low.
Low commitment and lack of accountability are the major reasons for the low
institutionalization of the performance appraisal processes in government organizations.
Performance appraisal in Government Organizations is not directly linked to rewards,
training or promotions due to which the approach towards the whole process remains
unprofessional. There is a lack of the appropriate atmosphere and professional approach
towards the performance appraisal system and the objective of the whole exercise is defeated.
The most common method of Performance appraisal that is used in most of the government
organisations is confidential report (popularly known as CR) written by the superior of the
employees.
Even in companies like MTNL, India Post, Fire Brigade etc traditional forms of performance
appraisal are practiced. Critical incidents, ranking method, essay method and confidential
report are the more commonly practiced methods.
The following are the major discrepancies found in the performance appraisal processes
being followed at the government organizations.
Most of the indicators used for measuring the performance the employees are not
quantifiable in nature, making it difficult to measure the performance.

Due to the lack of accountability and job security, most government employees have a
laisser faire attitude towards their work.


Most of the objectives in government organisations are unchallenging, unrealistic and
not timely reviewed and updated.

It is difficult to measure the average performance of the government employees.

Unprofessional and unstructured approach towards the process.

There is often a lot of bias and subjectivity involved in the ratings given by the
superiors.

Lack of complete information on appraisal forms due to expertise and relevant
training; often, the appraisals are not conducted on a regular basis.


In government organisations, team appraisal is often not possible.

Other HR decisions like rewards, training or promotions are not directly linked to the
results of the performance appraisal process.