CIC said that if certain bench mark is decided for promotion, then there is no reason why that bench mark should not be known
New Delhi: In a move that may improve career prospects of millions of government sector employees, Central Information Commission (CIC) has ordered that the promotion process be made more transparent by sharing the benchmark for promotions with the officers considered for the same.
Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra, while hearing the petition of a Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) employee, said: “If certain bench mark is decided for promotion, then there is no reason why that bench mark should not be known, at least to those who are being considered for such promotion.”
The employee had sought the information on the criteria, norms and bench marks for departmental promotion from the post of Assistant Security Officer to Security Officer.
In its response, the DAE said that marks obtained by a candidate in written test, interview and his performance appraisal report are added for promotion, but refused to divulge the bench mark score calling it as being held in ‘fiduciary relationship’.
Refusing to accept that the DPC recommendations were held in fiduciary relationship, the Commission directed the department to provide the score adopted by the committee for promotion by 15 January.
“We cannot agree with this argument. The DPC has to follow the rules and regulations governing promotion from one rank to other in government and its proceedings have to be on transparent and objective criteria,” the CIC said.
In his order, Mishra clarified that the recommendations made by DPC were made while discharging their duties and thus part of official record.
“Such recommendations cannot be described as information held in fiduciary relationship,” he said adding that these information cannot be exempted from disclosure under RTI Act.
Original order Here
Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra, while hearing the petition of a Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) employee, said: “If certain bench mark is decided for promotion, then there is no reason why that bench mark should not be known, at least to those who are being considered for such promotion.”
The employee had sought the information on the criteria, norms and bench marks for departmental promotion from the post of Assistant Security Officer to Security Officer.
In its response, the DAE said that marks obtained by a candidate in written test, interview and his performance appraisal report are added for promotion, but refused to divulge the bench mark score calling it as being held in ‘fiduciary relationship’.
Refusing to accept that the DPC recommendations were held in fiduciary relationship, the Commission directed the department to provide the score adopted by the committee for promotion by 15 January.
“We cannot agree with this argument. The DPC has to follow the rules and regulations governing promotion from one rank to other in government and its proceedings have to be on transparent and objective criteria,” the CIC said.
In his order, Mishra clarified that the recommendations made by DPC were made while discharging their duties and thus part of official record.
“Such recommendations cannot be described as information held in fiduciary relationship,” he said adding that these information cannot be exempted from disclosure under RTI Act.
Original order Here
FINANCE & ACCOUNTS @ CSIR 
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