By Abdul Ghani

The government has digitized the traditional paper-based Performance Evaluation Report (PER) system under the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability across all cadres of civil service in Pakistan.

According to a document available with Wealth Pakistan, HRMIS is being actively implemented as a centralised digital platform to maintain comprehensive service records of officers from BS-17 to BS-22 across key cadres, including the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Office Management Group (OMG), and Secretariat Group (SG), under the administrative control of the Establishment Division.

The reform consolidates data previously dispersed across multiple sectors into a unified system, enabling improved transparency, operational efficiency, and evidence-based decision-making through digital records and interactive management dashboards. In addition to the core HR functionalities, dedicated modules for officer health and leave management have also been incorporated to ensure holistic personal management.

The earlier manual system faced several challenges, including delays in submission, reliance on subjective assessments by reporting officers and countersigning officers, and limited traceability of the evaluation process. The new online PER system addresses these issues by introducing a structured digital workflow to address these issues.

Developed and tested with the technical support of the National Information Technology Board (NITB), the rollout is being carried out in phases. In the first phase, officers belonging to PAS, PSP, SG, and OMG have been directed to submit their PERs through the online platform instead of manual filing. In the second phase, the system will be extended to other cadres and occupational groups in the federal government to ensure broader coverage.

The document further highlights that the regulatory framework governing the PER process is also being strengthened by moving toward a clearer, rules-based structure with defined responsibilities and timelines.

Once fully operational, the system is expected to significantly enhance transparency, strengthen accountability and confidentiality in the evaluation process, introduce a quantified scoring system, and provide reliable performance data to support promotion and HR policy decisions across the government.

The initiative has already been integrated into the government’s broader Strategic Sectorial Roadmap for administrative reforms.

Credit: INP-WealthPk