ACRs not enough, Army may tweak selection criteria for officers

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 9

The Army is considering a change in the promotion parameters for its officers to include multiple benchmarks to make the selection criteria broad-based.

The ongoing Army Commanders Conference in New Delhi, chaired by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, is scheduled to take up the matter tomorrow. 

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC) has made four-key recommendations to make the selection process more broad-based than the present system, that relies largely on annual confidential reports (ACRs).

The proposal is to restructure assured career and empowerment of officers, sources say. It says promotions and selections for courses like Higher Defence Management Course, the National Defence College and UN missions should not be overwhelming dependent on just ACRs and should be made “broad-based” to have a more objective criterion like written examinations and submission of military-related papers. 

These courses are like benchmarks for future selections. If an officer has not done these courses, it indicates the end of the road for him, as far as the next selection is concerned.

The ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General are selection ranks and not based on automatic promotions. Vacancies are limited and a very small percentage makes it beyond Colonel, hence putting pressure on officers to get a “favourable ACR”  to progress and get selected for courses.

The argument is that the present system offers “no protection” and was leading to skewed personality development as officers try and keep away from a “righteous path” to ensure progression of career. It cites “frivolous complaints” that cause undue scare among officers, who fear losing out on the next rank.

Courage and conviction get downplayed as the existing ACR-based system provided no protection. The Army believes there is a need to ensure personality development among officers by allowing them to express freely as leaders. It says that officers should be provided with legal protection for actions that are taken for progression of military aim.