Leaked results are not final, says RCSC

Tashi Dema 

The last few weeks had been terrible for Sonam’s (name changed) family. Her father, in his mid 50s, is a senior executive and was among the executives the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) assessed.

The news of executives who did not do well in the leadership assessment and unverified lists of executives who excelled circulating on social media, the young civil servant said,  resulted in several sleepless nights.

“Everyone in my family has gone through the worst phase of life. We felt like we were walking on eggshells,” she said.

Her father did not receive any information from the RCSC. “But we received many calls from people asking if he excelled or failed and we did not have any answer,” she said. “What appeared on social media made it worse.”



With notes including  names of officials who excelled, managed out or “pass for training” being leaked and going viral on social media, many  told Kuensel that information like these should be managed well and not left for social media speculations.

“What is there to hide. The exercise was welcomed and the results should be announced with transparency to avoid speculations,” a civil servant said.

The unverified lists also came at a time when many people were already impacted by the lockdown. “It must have brought joy to few, but at what cost?” another civil servant said.

An executive, who was in the “managed out” list circulating around but did not receive any information from the RCSC said he could not even verify the result.



He said he kept himself busy with work and did not think about it. “I am told those who are being managed out received calls from RCSC and had a zoom meeting. I did not receive anything like that.”

With rumours going around that the executives who are being managed out are given options to be demoted or asked to leave with two years’ salary as soelra, many are asking for details.

“They are senior officials, who spent their lifetime in the civil service and they should be properly guided through the process instead of leaving it to public  speculation,” a senior civil servant in a specialised position said. “It could be hard and depressing for them. Not everyone might be strong enough to take this as it is.”

Another senior civil servant said the executives should be allowed to exit gracefully. “Circulating their names on social media and fuelling the rumour mill is a humiliating exit.”



He said the RCSC didn’t have a communication strategy after a major reform exercise. “The rumours would not spread if RCSC had a good communication strategy.”

An executive, who was assessed and got through, said the way RCSC delivered the result was insensitive and lacked consideration for its implications on the executives. “It has caused so much emotional distress to the executives involved and their family and friends.”

The executive said it was harder to accept that the executives who are being managed out are treated like they were incompetent and whatever they contributed to reaching their position has no value. “I hope the RCSC has a good plan in place and have a better replacement for those who are managed out. It is highly uncertain whether the overhauling of the whole civil service leadership would lead to the changes or desired reform.




A senior civil servant said the public opinion was mainly because of the way the results were circulated on social media and discussed. “Speculations could have been avoided if the Commission  communicated on time and professionally instead of fueling the rumour mill.”

 

Not our list: RCSC

RCSC officials, however, said the list that was circulating on social media  was not from the commission.

An official explained that they do not provide “such level of information to the public”. The Commission claimed that  they did not share the list with anyone and is confident of the security of its information.

Responding to Kuensel’s queries, RCSC stated that they communicate their information through formal channels like press releases. “The RCSC will communicate information on the leadership assessment formally once the process is complete through an official press release sometime next week.”



Meanwhile, a civil servant in chief level, whose uncle is also being managed out, said he spent the last few weeks trying to verify the information on social media.

“It was stressful. No one could confirm the information,” he said. “RCSC could have done better than this.”

He said RCSC officials should have communicated clearly instead of defaming the executives by leaking information. “If their information is secure, why would it be on social media?” he said.



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