Shri Rama Shankar Sharma vs COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH on 5 November 2026

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH 61/35, COPERNICUS MARG,NEW DELHI-110001 Order Sheet Item no.: 6 O.A./4454/2026 (DELHI) [ APAR ] With M.A./5749/2026 MA EXEMPTION Court No.: 5 No of Adjournment: Order Dated: 05/11/2026 SHRI RAMA SHANKAR SHARMA Vs COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

For Applicant(s) Advocate : Mr Sanjeev Kumar Singh For Respondent(s) Advocate : Mr Jalaj Aggarwal for R-3 Order of The Tribunal The applicant has filed the present OA challenging the downgrading of his APAR gradings for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as well as the recording of adverse remarks declaring his integrity as “Doubtful” for the period 01.04.2023 to 10.01.2024. The applicant, who is serving as Controller of Finance & Accounts in CSIR, submits that his Reporting Officer had awarded him gradings of 8.76 and 8.52 for the respective periods and certified his integrity as “Beyond Doubt”. However, Respondent No. 2, while recording his inputs, made adverse remarks and recommended lower gradings, which were subsequently accepted by the competent authority, reducing the final gradings to 7.95 and 7.13, respectively. The applicant contends that the adverse remarks and downgrading are arbitrary, unsupported by any material and contrary to the applicable DoPT instructions. He further submits that his representations against the impugned APARs were rejected vide orders dated 14.08.2026 and 13.07.2026 without proper consideration of the grounds raised therein. He also apprehends prejudice in the forthcoming DPC for promotion to the post of Senior Deputy Financial Adviser/Senior Controller of Finance & Accounts for Vacancy Year 2027, scheduled to be held on 17.11.2026 and 18.11.2026, as Respondent No. 2, who recorded the adverse remarks, is also a member of the DPC. The applicant has, therefore, approached this Tribunal seeking quashing of the impugned orders, expunction of the adverse remarks and restoration of the original gradings awarded by the Reporting Officer. Issue notice to the respondents. Mr Jalaj Aggarwal, learned counsel appears and accepts notice on behalf of the respondent no. 3. He seeks and is granted four weeks' time to file reply. Rejoinder, if any, may be filed within two weeks thereafter. At this stage, learned counsel for the applicant presses for grant of interim relief as prayed in Para 9 of the OA which are as follows:- "9. Interim relief(s):

(i) direct the Respondents not to place before the DPC for Vacancy Year 2027, the Part III(A) inputs of the Respondent No. 2 and the remarks of the Reviewing and Accepting Authority adopting 104 them, and to assess the Applicant on the entries of the Reporting Officer for those two periods i.e 2022-2023 and 2023-2024;

(ii) direct the Respondents to ensure that the Respondent No. 2 is not a member of, does not sit in, and does not advise or furnish any input to, the DPC when the Applicant's case is considered, and list this application for early hearing. Learned counsel for the respondents seeks and and is granted some time to file reply and/or to obtain appropriate instructions regarding prayer for grant of interim relief. List on 13.11.2026 for consideration of interim relief. Shri Rajveer Singh Verma Member (J) Chhabilendra Roul Member (A) Pinky Yadav ( steno 'c' )