Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today conducted a New Year review of the Ministry of Personnel up to the hierarchy's lowest rung, including officials of the junior level.

During the meeting, the Minister invited every official to express his or her views frankly and candidly, and that he was ready to take note of every word said. He said, free inter-personal communication without the barriers of hierarchy or protocol was essential for the healthy functioning of any administrative agency.

The Minister highlighted that many official practices being followed today are continuations of pre-Independence traditions and need a critical review. He said every desk officer must consciously examine existing procedures and traditions to identify what is no longer relevant in a democratic, technology-driven India. “There is a need for Indianisation of administrative practices in tune with Indian values and contemporary governance needs,” he said.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised that performance appraisal systems such as APR/APAR must become simpler, more objective and outcome-oriented. The minister said that integrity and transparency in assessment are essential, as the same system impacts both appraisal and career progression. Simplification and automation, he said, would reduce subjectivity, minimise bias and benefit both employees and organisations.

During the meeting, the Minister also discussed the issue of career progression and domain specialisation in civil services. Referring to concerns raised about stagnation after long years at the Under Secretary level, he highlighted the importance of deploying officers in areas aligned with their experience and expertise, so that institutional knowledge is preserved and effectively utilised. At the same time, he stressed the need for a balanced approach to ensure opportunities for wider exposure and capacity building across services.

The discussion also covered ongoing reforms under capacity-building initiatives, including role-based training and restructuring of job roles to make them more meaningful and effective. The Minister noted that platforms such as Chintan Shivir provide valuable inputs for such reforms and directed that actionable ideas emerging from these deliberations should be implemented in a time-bound manner.

Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to moving away from outdated, feudal-era practices and towards a more efficient, citizen-centric and technology-enabled administrative framework. He said that automation, simplified procedures and reduced paperwork would help officers focus on outcomes rather than processes, in line with the vision of “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government”.

The Minister also said that such review meetings in future would be made more inclusive. He noted that engaging with officers at the cutting-edge level of administration would provide valuable insights into ground-level challenges and operational realities, helping the Ministry design reforms that are practical, balanced and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.

The meeting was attended by senior officers including Shri S.D. Sharma, Joint Secretary; Shri Puneet Yadav, Additional Secretary, DARPG; Shri Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Secretary, DoPT; and Smt. Sarita Chauhan, Joint Secretary, DARPG, among other senior officials from the ministry.

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