Compassionate appointments are exceptions, not a right: CIC warning

New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has flagged serious transparency gaps in the way compassionate appointments are managed in government departments.

In a recent order involving the Central GST and Central Excise Department in Lucknow, the Commission directed officials to share the records of the departmental screening committee (DSC), warning that keeping these decisions secret undermines public trust.

Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari pointed out that when a department admits a case was reviewed by a DSC, all related documents—including meeting minutes and merit lists—fall under the RTI Act. Simply telling an applicant that their case was considered but not approved is not enough to meet transparency standards.

Compassionate appointments, meant to provide immediate support to families of deceased employees, are supposed to be an exception to normal recruitment rules. However, unclear criteria, inconsistent evaluations, and limited disclosure have made them a source of disputes and repeated RTI requests.

The CIC stressed that even appointments offered as exceptions must be transparent. Departments cannot hide behind the compassionate nature of the job to avoid scrutiny, especially when courts have upheld disclosure of merit lists in competitive exams.

The Commission has ordered the Lucknow department to provide certified copies of DSC meeting minutes and the merit list related to the applicant’s case within three weeks. Tiwari also urged all departments to review and standardise their policies, citing Himachal Pradesh’s point-based system as a model that balances fairness, compassion, and administrative discipline.

Clear rules and proactive disclosure, the CIC said, would reduce grievances, minimise discretionary decision-making, and make compassionate appointments more transparent and trustworthy for those who depend on them.