The Good Governance Committee of the National Assembly proposed doing away with the Partially Meets Expectations or PME category in the performance evaluation system of civil servants. Committee members said civil servants are unhappy with the forced ranking in the PME category, which they say is a contributing factor to high attrition. The house unanimously passed the motion today.
According to the RCSC’s Annual Report 2024, 2,646 civil servants left the civil service in 2022, and 4,797 left in 2023. Further, until April this year, 704 civil servants left their jobs.
Lhakpa Tshering Tamang, the chairperson of the National Assembly’s Good Governance Committee said when the committee conducted a survey related to civil servants’ attrition, 89 per cent of the respondents cited the civil service assessment system, the Managing for Excellence or MaX system as the key reason leading to their separation from the civil service.
“For instance, if there are ten teachers in a school, they mandatorily have to undergo MaX moderation. Then there is forced ranking of 3 to 5 percent of teachers required to fall under the Need Improvement category. When they have to be put in the Need Improvement category, even if they work hard, it becomes subjective to the supervisors’ judgment. Sometimes it could genuinely mean the individual really needs improvement,” said Lhakpa Tshering Tamang, Chairperson of the Good Governance Committee.
However, he added that the MaX system and Individual Work Plans are required to build a robust civil service. Currently, agencies are mandated to categorise 5 per cent of their executive and P-1 level employees and 3 per cent of general civil servants under the PME category.
The Good Governance Committee, in its recommendation, stated that there is an urgency to do away with the last category of forced ranking, which is Partially Meets Expectations, under the system.
The committee through its research found that this has led to disharmony, reduced collaboration, and fostered negative attitudes among civil servants.
Furthermore, the recommendation states that civil servants classified under the Meeting Expectations and Good categories refuse to partake in extra initiatives on the premise that those in the Exceeding Expectations and Very Good categories will do them.
Meanwhile, several MPs shared their views on the motion to review the MaX moderation.
“We have many incidents and media coverage indicating that executive and P-level employees are ranked as outstanding, yet the following year they fall into the PME category. It is unbelievable that they can drastically decline in just a year when they were previously ranked as outstanding due to their excellent performance. This situation leads us to question whether the system has a flaw,” said Tshewang Rinzin, South-Thimphu MP.
“The MaX moderation mandates that 5 per cent must be ranked in the PME category. For example, if there are five directors, one should be ranked in the PME category. Subsequently, issues arise from this. Therefore, perhaps we can reduce it to 2 per cent. Similarly, for general civil servants, 3 per cent must be in the PME category, so it could also be reduced to 1 per cent,” said Sangay Thinley, Khar-Yurung MP.
“In my opinion, the PME category of the MaX moderation is necessary. This is because not all civil servants perform well; some do not follow their leaders and may otherwise be ranked higher. If the power to rank employees lies solely with their agency heads, and if all employees perform well, then no one would be ranked in the PME category,” said Tashi Tenzin, Radhi-Sakteng MP.
The three recommendations by the Good Governance Committee were adopted, with 40 members voting in favour and only one abstaining.
The recommendations will be forwarded to the cabinet.
Kinzang Lhadon/ Sangay Chozom
Edited by Kipchu
