… the highest attrition rate is at PMC level with 1,452 CS resigned

Dechen Dolkar

As many as 2,934 civil servants exited the civil service between January to June, which is the highest in recent years. This includes voluntary resignation and superannuation. 

According to Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) records, 14 civil servants resigned at the executive and specialists’ level, 1,452 resigned from the professional and management category (PMC), 1,241 civil servants resigned in the supervisory and support level, and 227 resigned from operational staff level between January and June this year.

Last year, the attrition rate was 8.62 percent. However, this year in six months the attrition rate was at around 10 percent. 

Civil servants’ resignation within the first six months has been increasing since 2020: 590 civil servants resigned between January and June 2020, and within the first six months of 2021 and 2022, 810 and 918 exited the system.  

As of July 5, there are 29,141 civil servants. 

Attrition rate factor

As per the bell curve of the performance evaluation system (MAX), 3 percent of the employees in each department should be rated as Partially Meet Expectation (PME), 75 percent should rate as ‘good’, 15 percent as ‘very good’ and 7 percent in the ‘outstanding’ category in the general level.

Many civil servants claimed performance evaluation system (Max) is a demotivating factor. They alleged that the moderation committee based on personal issues, rate some employees in the ‘PME’ category even if they perform well and fulfil their duties, which is unfair.

Civil servants said that different moderation committees have different sets of criteria. There are also cases where those who are planning to resign and lower-level category employees were rated in ‘PME’ category.

According to the RCSC records, 86 civil servants were rated ‘PME’ category, 9,882 civil servants in the ‘good’ category, 2,109 civil servants in the ‘very good’ category and 426 civil servants in the ‘outstanding’ category last year.

Since the implantation of the performance evaluation system in 2016, last year recorded the highest, with 86 civil servants rated in the PME category and the number has been increasing since 2020.

In 2020-2021, 21 civil servants were rated in the ‘PME’ category, 9,816 in ‘good’ category, 2,161 in ‘very good’ and 937 in the ‘outstanding’ category. 

Similarly, in 2019-2020, only 10 civil servants were rated in ‘PME’, 9,336 in ‘good’, 2,225 in ‘very good’ and 937 in ‘outstanding’ category. 

An official from RCSC said that it is mandatory to rate 3 percent of the employee in the ‘PME’ category from each department or organisation.

Last year, seven individuals resigned after they were rated in ‘PME’ category.

The official said that MaX has been overhauled to bring about positive behavioural change through a system that drives supervisors to provide continuous feedback, make their staff understand and commit to the purpose and meaning of their jobs and promote accountability through the involvement of employees in their work and workplace. 

“For the performance evaluation system to work effectively, there must be differentiated ratings so that performers are recognised and rewarded, while those identified as not meeting expectations are provided the necessary interventions to improve their performance,” the RCSC official said.  

RCSC stated that the moderation committees are accountable to conduct the moderation professionally or else they will be liable for administrative action as per Chapter 19, the administrative discipline of BCSR 2018.

Five appeal to RCSC on moderation result  

The RCSC has received five appeals so far from Trongsa, Lhuentse, and Phuentsholing

on the moderation results the individuals claiming that they were not informed of the criteria or job responsibilities. 

The RCSC official said that the commission reviewed these submissions based on the criteria set by the schools/dzongkhag vis-a-vis the staff in the moderation pools. 

The official said that RCSC noted procedural fairness in all the cases appealed and in all the cases it has decided to uphold the decision of the respective moderation committee. 

However, the chairperson of the moderation pool and the relevant supervisors were directed to communicate to individuals the reasons why they were put into ‘PME’, and coach and mentor them with relevant interventions. 

The RCSC official also said that the RCSC will be the moderation committee for four coordinating secretaries for their ratings. The Cabinet Secretary, Land Commission Secretary, Foreign Affairs Secretary and Renewable Energy Secretary are the four-coordinating secretaries.

“Among the four secretaries, one of the secretaries will be rated in PME category,” the official said. 

For general civil servants, the performance evaluations including the moderation exercises are currently under progress in the agencies and are expected to be completed by mid-August.