This is the problem.

Clearly appraisals are not carried based on actual performance of the staff.

For someone to have this kind of trajectory, if really going by the book, his impact needs to be significantly greater than the rest, with A+++++ performance to justify consecutive promotions, whereas other A graders still take a few years to promote, if at all. There are so many GEO4s working in positions 2 levels above their paygrades, being SH or HOD even, and taking years to get promoted despite getting consistently good performance grades. This guy who get promoted every year better be working 4 levels higher.

Otherwise, it brings this question. Those at the top, are they really there because they are truly highly competent, the most competent?

Or are incompetent people pushed up at the expense of more competent people?