From file disposal to output, Union Secretaries now get a report card each, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The Cabinet Secretariat introduced "administrative scorecards" for Central government secretaries in January 2026, assessing performance from September to November 2025.
• The scorecards evaluate secretaries and departments on about a dozen parameters, totaling 100 marks, including negative and discretionary marks.
• File disposal carries the highest weightage (20 marks), followed by output/activities and expenditure on schemes and capital expenditure (15 marks each).
• Negative marks can be imposed for excessive foreign visit expenditure, file pendency, and delayed MSME payments.

Detailed Insights:

• The scorecards aim to assess the administrative performance and efficiency of secretaries and their departments objectively and fairly.
• The initiative was introduced after Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need to eliminate delays at various government levels.
• The "administrative scorecards" will facilitate comparison of a department’s performance against its own past performance and that of other departments.
• The Cabinet Secretary highlighted that the absence of perfect measurement should not deter measurement efforts, emphasizing the public's expectation of results.
• In 2024, the Cabinet Secretariat modified the "monthly demi-official letters" by incorporating ministry-specific performance indicators.
• The government had previously launched PRAGATI, a platform for fast-tracking projects, schemes, and grievance redressal.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Cabinet Secretariat: The department responsible for the administration of the Government of India.
• PRAGATI: A platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, facilitating project monitoring and grievance redressal.
• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs): Enterprises classified based on investment and turnover, crucial for economic growth and employment.