Development Oriented Performance Appraisal System for the Agricultural Extension Personnel

Abstract

Performance appraisal is an integral part of most extension organizations. There is a great degree of unhappiness in agricultural extension personnel with the present performance appraisal systems. The performance appraisal is not meant to be a mere reporting of an individual's performance once a year but serves as an instrument of motivation and development of employees (Rao, 1992). The development oriented performance appraisal system (PAS) is expected to help an employee to create learning spaces for himself in an organization and it can substantially contribute to the organizational health and facilitates multiplication of managerial resources (Mufeed, 1998). The bove-mentioned changes in the performance appraisal offers a greater scope to improve the human resources of agricultural extension organizations. The quality of the human resources in an agricultural extension organization is a determining factor in its success or failure. Of a programme success the hinges largely on the performance of extension agents in the field. Performance appraisal is a critical management function in an extension organization and an effective way to improve performance of extension personnel (Davis, 1993). In an era where agricultural extension has the role of not only meeting the increased production but also conserving and protecting natural resource base, the effectiveness of extension workers' performance has become very important. For the ever increasing complexity of challenges facing extension organizations and the place of change, both signal the escalating pressures that will be brought to bear on extension personnel to play a proactive and strategic partner roles