PSUs to implement mentorship scheme for new PSU employees by May 1. But what is it?

• The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has asked them to direct PSUs to implement the mentorship scheme by May 1 this year

• The CVC has said that the mentorship scheme must necessarily be implemented for PSU employees for the first eight years after joining service

New Delhi: Newly-inducted PSU employees will now have a mentor assigned to them as soon as they join in, according to a new mentorship scheme framed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for PSUs. In a direction issued to all ministries, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has asked them to direct PSUs to implement the mentorship scheme by May 1 this year. In a recent notification, the DPE said, "CVC is of the view that in present scenario, there is a need for mentorship in all organisations as the work environment is becoming increasingly challenging and it is essential to associate a mentor with a new entrant. Accordingly, CVC has finalised guidelines on the Mentorship scheme and desired that efforts should be made to implement the Mentorship scheme in CPSEs by 1st May, 2021."

Mentorship scheme for PSUs

Explaining the rationale behind bringing in the scheme, the CVC has said, "The work environment for public servants is becoming increasingly challenging and expectations to perform for both the organisation and the public on public servants are ever increasing. Formal training processes do extensively equip public servants to professionally perform in their roles; however, in order to achieve true excellence in public service, over years in a sustained manner, mentorship can play a crucial role."

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Under the indicative guidelines framed by the CVC, the Commission has mandated that a mentor should be informally accessible for the mentee for interactions. "While mentor will be in a position to give extensive guidance, he/she should also be a good listener and understand how the mentee is doing professionally, if there are any workplace difficulties and also if mentee is going through some personal difficulties which may impact their professional performance."

Period of Mentorship Scheme for PSU employees

The CVC has said that the mentorship scheme must necessarily be implemented for PSU employees for the first eight years after joining service and, if possible, may be for throughout the career of an employee. Specifying the scope of the scheme, the CVC has said that it will limited to newly inducted PSU employees only at this stage. "In phases, the scheme may be extended to all those already in service," it added.

DPE Secretary: Scheme will provide two-way learning for mentors & mentee

Speaking to PSU Watch, DPE Secretary Sailesh said, "It's a very good concept. When a person joins a position in any PSU, he/she requires somebody who can handhold them and help them develop professional skills in the area in which they are working. The scheme also offers some flexibility to PSUs to work around the guidelines. We have asked PSUs to implement it. Some PSUs already have such a scheme in place, but they can improve it on the basis of the guidelines issued by the CVC. Human resource upgradation and mentorship is a two-way process because younger people also bring with them a lot of new experiences and knowledge. And this scheme has been studied by us, before we issued a directive, and we welcome it thoroughly."

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