Dehradun: The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking recall of its October 14 order that directed the department to place the 360-degree appraisal (Multi Source Feedback – MSF) guidelines on record in a case related to the non-empanelment of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi at the Joint Secretary level.
DoPT Cites ACC Jurisdiction, Claims Guidelines Not Public
In an affidavit filed before the tribunal, DoPT argued that the 360-degree appraisal guidelines fall under the jurisdiction of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and are not in the public domain. The department maintained that the tribunal’s direction should be withdrawn and said that, at best, the documents could only be shown to the court confidentially or in a sealed cover.
The affidavit was submitted after CAT returned the sealed cover containing the guidelines and asked the department to place them properly on record.
Background: Rejection of Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s Empanelment
The case stems from the ACC’s decision to reject the empanelment of Sanjiv Chaturvedi at the level of Joint Secretary or equivalent at the Centre. Following the rejection, Chaturvedi approached CAT seeking disclosure of all records related to the decision, including appraisal documents, expert committee reports, Civil Services Board recommendations, and findings of the competent authority.
Contradictory Stands by DoPT Alleged
Chaturvedi’s counsel, Sudershan Garg, described DoPT’s latest move as “another U-turn by the Centre.” He pointed out that in October 2023, DoPT had informed the tribunal that no 360-degree appraisal system existed for empanelment and that no such records were available.
However, Garg argued that the DoPT Secretary had earlier disclosed detailed information about the 360-degree appraisal process during testimony before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
Parliamentary Panel Had Flagged MSF as Opaque
The Parliamentary Standing Committee, in its 92nd report tabled in August 2017, examined the MSF system used for empanelment at Joint Secretary level and above. The committee was informed that feedback was collected from five stakeholders—seniors, juniors, peers, external stakeholders, and serving secretaries—on parameters such as integrity, delivery, behavioural competencies, functional skills, and domain expertise.
The panel had criticised the system as opaque, non-transparent, and subjective, noting that informal feedback mechanisms were vulnerable to manipulation and legally questionable.
Sealed Cover Controversy Before CAT
On May 23, 2025, DoPT informed CAT that documents related to Chaturvedi’s empanelment could not be disclosed due to MSF provisions. Later, on October 14, the department produced the guidelines in a sealed cover. The tribunal, however, returned the sealed cover and directed DoPT to place the guidelines formally on record, prompting the department’s latest plea for recall.
Case Raises Transparency Questions in Senior Appointments
The dispute has once again brought into focus concerns about transparency, accountability, and fairness in senior-level empanelment processes within the central government, particularly the use of confidential appraisal mechanisms in career progression decisions.
