B. Venkateswara Rao,District Revenue Officer (Retd.)Consultant, AMR-APARD.

“There is no subject more important than administration. The future of civilized Government and even, I think, of civilization itself rests upon our ability to develop a Science and Philosophy and practice of administration, competent to discharge the public functions of civilized society”.

(“Role of Administration in Government “ by Charles A. Beard)

Introduction

Office Management is an essential feature to any department,

irrespective of its size and nature as well as the area of

operation. No human activity could be organized without

systems, procedures and rules.

“System” as doing the things methodically by following

certain procedures laid down with a clearly defined roles and

responsibilities for smooth and effective functioning of the

office”.

It is known that all the decisions and correspondence in the

Government are being done through files and a particular

office system is being followed in all Government Offices.

“Tottenham” system of Office Procedure The system which was in existence in Andhra area, prior to

introduction of Tottenham system, is called ”Maclean’s Disposal Number System”,

Sir Richard Tottenham was a British I.C.S officer who worked as

the District Collector of North Arcot district (1945-46) in pre-

Independent India which is in the State of Tamilnadu now. The

district of Chittoor was a part of North Arcot district in those

days. The office system developed by Sir Richard Tottenham is

being called in his name as “Tottenham System of Office

Procedure”.

Considering it’s usefulness and the time tested utility, the

Government, through Go.Ms.No.1825 G.A.D(O&M) Department

dated 26-12-1959, introduced the Tottenham System of Office

Procedure, which is being followed in Andhra Area, to all offices

of the Heads of Departments. Contd..

Organisation of the Office

General discipline

Attendance

Tappals and their distribution

File Management

* Current File

* Note File

Referencing and Flagging

Linking of files

Drafting

A draft is a rough sketch of communication to be issued after approval by the Officer concerned.

Draft can be any format of communication intended to send, may be a memorandum, letter, D.O. letter etc., This depends on the circumstances.

The language to be used is simple and intelligible.

Essentials of a Draft :– Lucid, brief, complete– Facts, direction, guidance– Unit of idea– Coherence of flow– Should carry the exact messages sought to be conveyed– Should result in the desired response from the receiver.– Should be divided into proper paragraphs duly numbered according to the logical sequence or order of ideas expressed in the draft.

Avoid

• Lengthy sentences.

• Repetition of words.

• Offending, discourteous language.

• The words “Proximo”, “idem” and

“ultimo”

• The word “same”

• The words ‘therein”, “thereof”

• Foreign classical words.

Titles:The title should contain important ingredients of the subject.

Examples:A. Memorandum

“Encroachment – Suryapet Mandal - Nallar Village – S.No. 466 – Assignment – Ramappa (B) – Petittion dt. 21st June 192/- Tahsildar’s D.Dis. No. 1075/21 dt. 1st August 1921”.

Proceedings“Transfer – Dry to wet – Bandar Mandal – Gudur Village, S.No. 322 – Krishnayya Naidu (D) Refused”

Various types of Communications Memo Letter:

D.O. Letter

Proceedings

Circulars

U. O. Note:

Endorsement : Office Order

Maintenance of Registers

• Inward Register / Distribution Register• Personal Register• Periodical Register• Reminder Dairy• Arrear List• Call Book.• Security Register• Register of Daily Stamp Account• Record Issue Register• Outward Register

Personal Register

The Personal Register is one of the

important Registers to be maintained by

each and every dealing Assistant without

any exception. It contains 11 (eleven) columns

It is maintained for the calendar year i.e, 1st

January to 31st December.

Old Personal Register i.e., of the previous year should, however, be continued upto 31st March of the current year. In other words, the correspondence in respect of files pending upto 31st December to be entered against them in the old Register upto 31st March.

Cases of previous year remaining un-disposed on 1st

April should be entered in the pages left over at the

commencement of the Personal Register opened for

the new year.

For this purpose, sufficient blank pages are to be left

in the Personal Register opened at the beginning of

the year.

Whenever the brought forward currents are

entered in the Personal Register on 1st April,

a certificate to the effect that all currents

pending in the previous year’s Personal

Register as on 31st March are brought

forward to the current year’s Personal

Register on the first page of the new Personal

Register and attested by the Supervising

Officer.

Once the file is disposed / recorded, the

current number in column 2 of the Personal

Register should be rounded of in red ink and

the nature of disposal to be recorded in

column 11 of the Personal Register.

A current that originates in the Office is to be

treated just like any other new case. It will be

entered in the Personal Register in column 4

of which the word “arising” will be entered

after the title.

Every paper received should be

accounted for in the Personal Register

by the clerk concerned.

In the title, the subject main head

should be underlined in red ink.

Checking of Personal Registers• It is the duty of the Supervising / Controlling

authority to check the Personal Registers at reasonable intervals and to take steps to ensure that no avoidable delays occur and that no paper is shelved.

• Must also examine from time to time the actual files in the Assistant’s custody.

• In a percentage of cases, the date appearing in column 3 of the Personal Register should be compared with the date stamp on the correspondence in the current file and the date entered in the Distribution Register / Inward Register.

The Head of the Office should himself examine the Personal Registers at frequent intervals preferably according to a programme.

Dealing Assistant should submit Personal Registers, Periodical Registers and Stock Files accompanied by a run-on-Note file for check as per the programme to the Supervising Officers.

The Checking Officer will note their

remarks at every inspection in the run-

on-Note file.

Remarks of the Checking Officers are

to be replied within forty eight hours.

The run-on-Note file will last for the

Calendar year.

Types of Disposals

– R. Dis.

– D. Dis.

– L. Dis.

– K. Dis.

– N. Dis.

– F. Dis.

– X. L. Dis.

– X. N. Dis.

Model arrangement of Records after disposal

• Bundle of D.D is 1974• (All disposed in the year 1974)• C. Nos. of 1970, 1971, 1972 & 1973• D. Dis. 200/73/Estt.I.Dt.10.5.74• D. Dis. 206/72/Lr. Dt.15.6.74• D. Dis. 210/71/Cs Dt.10.10.74• D. Dis. 210/70/Lr, Dt.20.11.74• D. Dis. 212/72/Estt.I.Dt.10.6.74

• The records to be arranged basing on the

date of disposal but not the year.

DISTRUCTION OF RECORDS • The registers mentioned below will be

destroyed after the periods prescribed herein: -

• Distribution Register : after 5 years • Personal Register : “ 10 Years • Fair-copy Register : “ 3 Years • Dispatch by post and local delivery : “ 3 Years book

• Stamp account : “ 3 Years

• Periodical Register : “ 3 Years

• Call book : “ 10 Years

• Security Register : “ 10 Years

• Record issue Register : “ 3 Years

• Arrear list : “ 3 Years

• Run-on-note file : “ 3 Years

• 14. STOCK FILE:

Modes of Delivery / Dispatch

• Telegram

• Fax Message

• e – Mail

• Telephonic Communication

Precautions Against Fire

• The precautions against fire to be observed in public offices are given in appendix – c of District Office Manual.

• Required fire fighting equipment should be kept and they should be maintained in good condition. Office staff should be given practical drill. The Head of the Office should nominate an Officer in his Office for conducting the drill.