Indian Navy unveils 360 degree appraisal mechanism for men and women in whites

Since ages, the men and women in whites have been the key to the Indian Navy's 'SHIPS FIRST' approach and will continue to remain its greatest asset in the foreseeable future. The Indian Navy on Saturday said it has institutionalised a "transformative" appraisal mechanism to promote their professional and personal development.

In this regard, the Indian Navy has institutionalised a novel transformative initiative of '360 Degree Appraisal Mechanism' for various promotion boards. The present appraisal mechanism of periodic Confidential Reports by senior officers, has an inherent limitation of a 'Top-down' approach, as it does not cater for or quantify a leader's impact on subordinates, a PIB report said.

“The Indian Navy's ‘360 Degree Appraisal Mechanism' is aimed to address this shortfall by encompassing large-scale surveys from suitably identified peers and subordinates for every officer being considered for promotion,”the report said.

As per the PIB report, the survey comprises a spectrum of questions, encompassing aspects such as professional knowledge, leadership attributes, suitability in war/ crisis and potential for holding higher ranks.

Inputs, thus obtained, are suitably quantified for independent analyses by a nominated Board of Officers, headed by a Flag Officer. This will also be provided as feedback to the officers to effect behavioural changes and improvements.