The central government will introduce an employee evaluation system in January based on civil servants' capabilities and job achievements, government officials said Wednesday.

The system will initially be used on a trial basis for six months beginning in January to evaluate about 300 directors -- or 20 percent of all the directors employed at the government's ministries and agencies -- and about 1,300 assistant directors, the officials said. During the trial period, results will not be reflected in salaries or promotions.

The rest of the civil servants in the sprawling bureaucracy will be subject to the new evaluation system after several years, they said.

Capabilities will be assessed on a four-point scale and achievements on a five-point scale.

Each ministry and agency will make an independent decision on whether to disclose the results to employees.