CHAPTER X
Indexing and Recording
113. Stage of Indexing:—
Files will be indexed at the time of their recording. Only those files which are categorized at ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ will be indexed.
114. Manner of Indexing:—
(1) While preparing a file for record (vide para 123) the dealing hand will underline:—
(a) the ‘index head’, i.e., the standard head or the most important catch-word in the standard head which will naturally occur to any official searching for the file and which will determine the position of the relevant index-slip in the consolidated index; and
(b) The ‘index sub-head’, i.e., the catch-word or catch-words in the standard sub-heads and/or the ‘content’ of the title which will give a further and more specific clue to the file under search.
(2) After index heads and sub-heads in the title have been approved by the Superintendent, the record clerk will;
(a) Prepare in duplicate, as many index slips (as per specimen in appendix 23) as there are index heads and sub-heads under¬lined in the title. The index heads should be written in capital letters;
(b) indicate at the top of the index slips all the heads and sub heads mentioned in the title, one below the others, followed by the complete title of the file and the file number as per specimens in Appendix 24;
(c) allot a pair of slips to each index head and sub-heads by scoring out entries relating to the others as per specimen in Appendix 24;
(d) Arrange the index slips in two sets, one in alphabetical order of the head/sub-heads for printing purposes and the other in the sequence of file numbers for use in the Branch.
(e) keep each set of index slips in separate folders for each year; and
(f) Indicate the date of indexing on the file cover and initial it in the space provided for the purpose.
To ensure consistency and facilitate consolidation of index, files relating to parliamentary Business/Assembly Business will be indexed not only under the appropriate standard headsand sub-heads but also under the nature of such business, e.g. Parliament Questions/Assembly Quest¬ions, Cut-motions, Resolutions, etc.
115. Custody of index slips:—
(1) Index slips will remain in the custody of the record clerk.
(2) After all the files relating to a year have been recorded the set f index slips in respect of that year meant for use within the Branch (viz. that arranged in the sequence of File Numbers) will be neatly stitched and the stitched compilation kept at a convenient place for reference by all concerned.
116. Compilation of index:-
(1) the index slips pertaining to files relating to a year will be compiled for printing purposes, one year after the close of the year to which they relate. If some files of that year still remain current even at the time of compiling the index for printing, the cealing hand with the approval of the Superintendent will prepare index ips in respect of such files also.
(2) The consolidated Branch index will then be got printed. The index slips will be edited by:—
(a) Allowing the full file to appear only on the main index slips i.e. those indexed under the index heads; and
(b) Scoring out the file on the subsidiary index slips i.e. those indexed under the index sub-heads and finding a cross reference to the relevant ‘index head’ as per specimen in Appendix-24.
(3) Five copies of the printed compilation will be sent to the Record Branch.
117. Precedent book:—
Every Branch will maintain a precedent book the prescribed form (Appendix 25) for keeping note of important rulings a id decisions having a precedent value for ready reference. Entries in this r cord will be made at the earliest opportunity and, in any case, at the stage o recording the file, by the Superintendent and will form permanent record c the Branch concerned. The Superintendent will be required to handover the charge of the precedent book to his successor at the time of his transfer.
118. Definition of recording:—
(1) Recording consists in arranging chronologically, referencing and paging the fresh papers in each case on which orders have been passed and then indexing the subject and binding the papers in the prescribed cover, thus forming a file. On this, the year, the file number, subject and a reference to previous correspondence, if a y, is inserted. The flags should be removed and references to them erased, permanent references being substituted.
(2) The recorder should read the notes connected with unrecorded- e receipts and if any action has been omitted, he should draw the attention of the dealing Assistant to it. The responsibility, however, for seeing that every action has been taken before the case is sent to the recorder rests with the dealing Assistant.
119. When a case should be recorded or kept pending:—
After a draft has been issued, the file shall be sent by the despatcher to the Superintendent or Assistant concerned through the diarist, for the purpose of seeing whether all action has been taken and deciding whether the case should be recorded or kept unrecorded as a pending case. In the latter case a date should be fixed for the issue of a reminder if necessary, if orders have been passed and the case has been finally disposed of, or a reply is not expected for three months or more, it should be recorded. If replies are incomplete and the consideration of the case has been postponed pending their completion, or an intermediate reference has been made to which a reply may be expected within three months, tie recording of the case should be deferred. In some cases, however, as for instance, when the papers have become numerous or bulky, or when they have been pending for a considerable time, it may be convenient to record them. When a case, in which reply is expected, is recorded, the recorder should note on the prescribed slip the date fixed for the reminder and attach it to the cover.
120. Record retention schedule:—
(1) To ensure that files are neither prematurely destroyed nor kept for periods longer than necessary, every department will:—
(a) In respect of records connected with accounts, observe the instructions contained in Appendix 5 of the Punjab Financial Rules, Vol. II.
(b) in respect of records relating to establish, personnel and housekeeping matters common to all departments, follow the ‘Schedule of period retention for records common to all departments’ issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative reforms;
(c) In respect of records prescribed in this Manual, observe the retention periods specified in Appendix 26; and
(d) In respect of records connected with its substantive functions issue a departmental retention schedule prescribing the periods for which files dealing with specified subjects should be preserved.
(2) The above schedule should be reviewed at least once in 5 years.
121. Classification of records:—
Files may be recorded under any of the following classes:—
(1) Class ‘A’ meaning “keep and print'” — this classification will be adopted for:-
(a) Files of historical importance such as those listed in part ‘A’ of Appendix 30; and
(b) Files which qualify for permanent preservation for adminis¬trative purposes (vide part ‘B’ of Appendix 30) and which have to be printed because they contain:—
(c) A document so precious that its original must be preserved intact and access to it in the original form must be restricted to the barest minimum ; or
(d) Material likely to be required for frequent reference by different parties.
(e) Class ‘B’ meaning “Keep but do not print” — This class will cover files required for preservation for a period of 5 years for administra¬tive purposes, such as those listed in Part ‘A’ of Appendix 30 but not containing material of the kind mentioned in (i) or (ii) of sub-Para I (b) above.
(f) Class ‘C’ meaning “Keep for two years only”. — This class will include files of secondary, importance and having reference value for a limited period not exceeding 2 years.
122. Classification of cases to be recorded:—
(1) The Superintendent is responsible for the correct marking on the draft of the class of proceeding A, B or C in which the correspondence is to be recorded or filed. If the decisions in the file are of such importance that it should be got printed in extenso, an indication to this effect should be given on the file.
(2) The importance of classifying papers with care is enjoined on Superintendents. Carelessness in this respect leads not only to important papers classified as ‘C’ being destroyed, but also to congestion in the record shelves of ephemeral papers which ought to be destroyed.
(3) As regards the procedure for the destruction of papers of ephemeral nature, Branch Officers should scrutinize all closed files which have been lying in the branches under them for a year or more and destroy all ephemeral files which have been closed after making a note in the file Register. Papers of short lived utility or of fleeting interest e.g. correspondence pertaining to supply of copies, circulars etc., received from various branches which do not delineate any policy, may be destroyed after noting the fact in the diary itself.
123. Procedure for recording:-
(1) after the file has been marked for record by the Superintendent the dealing official will.
(a) Suggest the appropriate classification of record (vide para 121) and in the case of class ‘C’ files, also specify the retention period and the year of review;
(b) Where necessary, revise the title of the file so that it describes adequately the content at that stage;
(c) Underline the words under which the title should be indexed (vide paras 113 and 114);
(d) indicate on the file cover whether any of the decisions contained in the file is or is not to be noted in the precedent book by scoring out the entry not applicable;
(e) Indicate the changes if any, to be incorporated in the standing guard file;
(f) Remove from the main file routine papers such as unimportant receipts and letters e.g. reminders, acknowledgements etc.
(g) In respect of class ‘A’ files proposed to be printed edit the file in accordance with the instructions below;
(h) Complete all references and in particular, mark previous and later references on the subject on the file cover;
(i) Initial the entries on the file cover; and
(j) Submit the file to the Superintendent.
(2) After satisfying himself that no action is pending on the file, the Superintendent will:—
(a) Approve or modify the action proposed in (b) to (g) of sub-bara (1);
(b) Ensure that action in respect of (h) and (i) of sub-para (1) has been taken;
(c) Sign on the notes portion and initial entries on the file cover;
(d) If the file is proposed to be recorded under Class ‘A’ obtain the approval of the branch officer; and
(e) Pass on the file to the record clerk.
(3) The record clerk will:
(a) Complete columns 4 and 5 of the file register and, where necessary correct the entry in column 2 thereof;
(b) Enter the file number in column 2 of the register for watching progress of recording (Appendix 27);
(c) Write the word ‘record’ prominently in red ink across the entries in the Rile Register
(d) In the page numbers and other references (except references to alphabetical slips) made in pencil;
(e) Indicate the year of review on files cover in respect of Class C files.
(f) Prepare fresh cover, where necessary with all the entries already made thereon;
(g) Submit the files to the Superintendent, who will satisfy himself that the file has been properly recorded, will sign the outer cover and return the file to the Record Clerk;
(h) Enter the file number in column 4 of the Record Register at Appendix 27.
(4) Files transferred by a Branch to the Records Branch will be accompanied by a list of files (Appendix 29) in triplicate. The Record Branch will verify that all the files mentioned in the list have been receive, retain two copies of the list and return the third copy, duly signed, o the branch concerned. In the Record Branch, these lists will be kept branch wise in separate file covers.
Thereafter the Records Branch will get the files repaired, where necessary, and stitched and have them restored at the appropriate place.
124. Custody of Records:—
(1) Recorded files will be kept serially arranged in the Record Branch.
(2) In the event of transfer of work from one Branch to another the current files along with the recorded files, if any, also will be transferred, after being listed in duplicate in the form at Appendix 29. One copy of this list will be retained by the Branch taking over the files for its record, and the other acknowledged and returned to the Branch transferring them.
The relevant files lying in the Records Room will also be transferred to the files of the Branch to which the work has been transferred. A list in triplicate will be prepared in the form at appendix 29. One copy of the list will be received by the Branch taking over the files for its record, the other two lists acknowledged and one list returned to the Branch transferring them and the second to the Record Branch.
(3) Files transferred by a Branch to the record room will be accompanied by a list of files (Appendix 29) in triplicate. The Record Room will verify that all tie files mentioned in the list have been received, retain two copies of the list and return the third copy, duly signed, by the branch concerned. In the Record Room these lists will be kept branch- wise in separate file covers.
(4) The Records Branch will maintain (Appendix. 28) in which a few pages will be Class ‘B’ and ‘C’ files marked for review in a in the pages earmarked for that year in the register.
125. Review and weeding of record:-
(1) No file other than ephemeral files mentioned in para 122(3) w reviewing its contents.
(2) Beginning in January each year the Record branch will consult the record and submit files due for Review in the Register preceding year to the concerned Superintendent together with the list of such files (in triplicate) in the form at Appendix 32. The Branch responsible for review will sign one copy of the list and return it by way of the acknowledgement
(3) Files received for review will be examined by, or under the direction of the Superintendent concerned. Those no longer required will be marked ‘W’ in column 3 of the list those to be retained for a further period of 5 and 2 years will be marked ‘Keep in column 3 of the list and those to be upgraded will be marked ‘A’ or B as the case may be, with the approval of the Branch Officer.
(4) The Record Branch will return ne copy of the list in token of acknowledgement and :
(a) weedout; or
(b) retain for a further period not exceeding 5 and 2 years respectively at the end of respectively at the end of which it will be weeded out without any further review; or
(c) Upgrade to next higher class.
(5) Class ‘A’ files will be preserved permanently.
Note:— the year of review of class ‘B & C files be reckoned with reference to the year of their closing.
126. Requisitioning of Records:—
(1) No recorded file will be issued from the record room except against a signed requisition (in duplicate) in form at Appendix 31.
(2) One copy of the requisition will be kept in the place of the file issued. The other will be kept in a state maintained in chronological order.
(3) If the requisitioned file is one that has been printed, normally printed copy and not the original will be issued to the requisitioning department.
(4) If a requisitioned file initially obtained for being put up in one case is subsequently put up on another, a fresh requisition should be sent to the record room for replacing the original requisition which will be returned.
(5) One return, the requisitioned file will be restored to its place and the requisition returned.
(6) Files obtained by branch from the record room will normally be returned within 3 months. If they are not received back within this period, as can be checked from the duplicate copy of the requisition in the state maintained in chronological order, the Superintendent Record Room will remind the Branch concerned.
127. Printing of files:—
After a case has been finally disposed of the Superintendent concerned should decide whether the decisions in the file are of such importance as it should be got printed. If so an indication to this effect should be given on the file while sending it to the dealing Assistant.
128. Press Register and Press Order:—
Each Branch Conducts its own press business. The recorder maintains a Press Register in which every paper to be printed must be entered. The Press order should clearly indicate:
(a) The date by which the printed material or proofs should be supplied, care being taken to allow the press reasonable time to turn out the work especially in the case of bulky job.
(b) The name of the Branch to which the work belongs.
(c) Whether the proceedings are to be included or excluded from the selection.
129. Editing and elimination of unimportant papers from cases to be printed:—
The paper to be printed should be carefully selected and edited by the Recorders and approved by the Assistant/Superintendents concerned. The utmost care should be taken to conform to the following instructions before proofs are called for. Any laxity in this respect will entail disciplinary action:—
(1) Notes:— If it is decided to print notes, the editor should endeavor to reduce the matter to be printed to that which is essential. They should exercise what are technically described as routine notes, and generally speaking, all notes which though part of the regular notes, are notes of a routine nature, such as request by the officer for further papers or information, or notes by the office adding further correspondence to the file. Notes of frequent occurrence which mealy reproduce correspondence of other printed papers, should be printed only when the length of the correspondence and the importance of the case render it likely that these summaries will be useful to officers in future. A common form of office notes is an explanation of points in a draft put up for approval; this is unnecessary, because these points are dealt with in the earlier notes of officers and in the draft itself. Notes which are clearly wrong or irrelevant or which have not been accepted by the officer passing final orders can be considerable curtailed. The editors should always remember that one of the object of printing proceedings is to be facilitate references by officers in future.it is accordingly obvious that any reference not required for the subsequent understanding of the history of the case should be omitted.
When a file is referred to one or more branches of Departments and no notes of importance are recorded by these branches of departments should delete their notes with the initials and signatures and merely recorded in brackets’ (seen in…And…Branches) or departments, as the case may be. This is enough to show that the file was seen by those particular branch or Departments and their consent obtained to the proposed action if any, when a page is subjected to many excisions or corrections in editing, it should be retyped before it is sent for printing.
(2) Correspondence:— The editing of correspondence does not usually effect such large opportunities for reduction as the editing of notes, but here again a careful editor can achieve much. Lettersof a routine character such as reminders and acknowledgements, etc., should usually not be brought into the correspondence but be make K.Ws (keep with) of the proceedings. Where, however, some mentioned of them is unavoidable they can be replaced by short phrases, such as:-
Proceedings 26 — acknowledged receipt of proceedings 25.
Proceedings 27 — reminder to the Government of Bombay.
Proceedings 28 — reminder to the Government of Madras.
(3) Treatment of reports and tabular matter etc:- Lengthy reports (generally annual or periodical, maps, plan), diagrams and the like) should not be printed without the orders of a Deputy or Under Secretary. Nor should tabular statements be printed without special orders. When such documents cannot conveniently be stitched in recorded files, they should, when received as enclosures to communications, be marked with the number and date of the communication with which they were received and be placed in the special cover the space for proceedings number and file number being filled in and the packet kept loose with the file.
(4) Abbreviations to be avoided Abbreviations may be quite clear to the offices in which they are used, but not so to persons outside the office, and particularly, to the Press where poorly educated compositors are left to worry out their meaning. Editors, therefore, should avoid abbreviations.
130. Printing of names and initials in notes:—
In the printed notes. attached to the collections of proceedings, the name of the Governor Minister or Secretary, Additional Secretaries, Special Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Deputy secretaries Under or Assistant Secretary and officers of the P.S.S. (superintendents and Private Secretaries) as the case may, should be printed in full on the right hand side at the foot of each note written by him, the letter after the first letter of the surname being enclosed in brackets, so the such notes should be readily distinguishable from minutes. The initials of the Assistant should be printed on the left hand side.
131. Urgent printing of recorded cases and withdrawal of papers from the press:—
When cases which have been recorded in ‘A’ proceedings and sent to the Pass are of a very urgent nature, and likely to be required at any moment, they may be marked with an ‘immediate’ liable, accompanied by a slip signed by the Superintendent concerned calling on the Controller, Printing and Stationery, to arrange to get the manuscript into type at once, and to submit within 30 hours, a proof on which a case can be worked. Similarly, when a case already in the Press is urgently required, the procedure described above should be adopted. When a case is of such urgency as not to admit of even the shortest delay, the papers may be withdrawn from the Press on an order signed by the Superintendent. The Superintendent or Assistant dealing with the case will be held responsible for the return to the press of the papers thus withdrawn with the least possible delay. If these cannot be returned to the Press within a month of their withdrawal, the facts should be brought to the notice of the Branch Officer.
132. Omission of matter from volumes of proceedings:—
When any recorded proceedings are withdrawn from the Press before having been printed, a note should be printed in the table of contents of the proceedings volume in the months in which it was recorded to the affect that it will be printed in the next months’ volume. Should this be not possible, then a similar note should be inserted in subsequent volumes till the proceedings are printed.
133. Distribution of standing type:—
Type should not be allowed to be kept standing longer than is absolutely necessary. The Controller, Printing and Stationery is required to submit, not later than the fifth day of each month a list for each branch of the Secretariat showing what cases it had standing in type more than a month old at the close of the previous month. Orders should be passed on such lists without delay by branch Superintendents as to whether the type should be distributed or kept standing. Recorders should submit with their weekly arrear reports a statement showing air cases in the Press in which type has been kept standing for over two months and orders for its distribution have not been passed. The statements will be scrutinized by the Branch Officer who will take such action as is deemed necessary.
134. Delays in Printing:—
When proofs or printed copies are not received within a reasonable time reminders should be sent to the Press by the recorder, In urgent cases Superintendents should take special action if necessary, to expedite printing, and, if undue delay has occurred, they should report the matter to the Branch Officer who will write to the controller, Printing and Stationery.
135. Responsibility for early return of proofs to the Press:—
When the proof of a documents is called for from the Press the recorder under the supervision of the Superintendent of the branch must see that the proof after it has been examined thoroughly is returned to the Press without delay, as the Controller of Printing and Stationery is authorized to bill the department for type which has been standing over 25 day.
When a file is sent to the Press for a proof and is subsequently withdrawn before he proof is supplied, the recorder, if there is delay in returning the file, bring the matter to the notice of the Superintendent of the branch who will take the necessary steps to expedite the return of the file.
136. Instructions for proof correcting:—
The Assistant concerned is responsible for the entire correctness of the proof, form, address type, spelling, etc. The following points should be kept in view:—
(1) Since all author’s corrections are carried out on-time rates by Compositors and are debited to the contingent grant of the departments concerned in case their cost exceeds 5% of the total composition charges of the job, it is in the interest of the department concerned that a distinction should be made between ‘Author’s corrections’ and those marked by the Press on the Author’s proofs.
In view of this, all Authors’ corrections in proofs should be marked in red ink. Procedure will also facilitate the preparation of bills by the press so that only the Author’s corrections are charged for and not those that pertain Press.
(2) The signs and abbreviations commonly used to indicate the correction to be made in a proof are given in Appendix 56 to this manual, they should be adopted for all works sent to the Government Press, as time will be saved and greater accuracy will be ensured.
(3) Every correction should be marked neatly in ink in the margin of the proof exactly opposite the line in which the correction is to be made. All corrections to be made in left of the page should be written in the left hand margin of the proof with the first correction written nearest the edge of the paper, the second alteration in the same line being by its side to the right, nearer the type the third on the inner side of the second and so on, till the middle of the line is reached, when the corrections in the right half are written in the right margin but in inverse order, the first alteration in the same line being made close to the print, the second on the outer side of the first in a line with it, the third still nearer the edge of the paper and so on with the remainder, as shown in the ninth line of the specimen proof at the appendix 56. In each case a “…………….” Or other mark is made in the line to indicate the place where the correction marked in the margin is to be made. It is important that this order is followed and that a long/stroke is placed after every correction written in the margin, except those which are indicated by special signs. While every endeavor is made to ensure accuracy, the Press takes no responsibility for corrections not written in ink in the margin.
(4) Corrections to be made in two or more pages or in several places in the same page must be repeated in full in every case corrections referred to in a separate note or letter cannot be attended to, as there is no staff available to transfer them to the proofs. The period is taken as the sole guide in the press.
(5) When it is necessary to transfer matter from one page to another, the change should be marked on both pages. The proofs should neither be cut up in such cases nor when any matter is deleted.
(6) Nothing should be written against the printed matter on a proof except to show individual corrections. Any special instructions or remarks should be encircled and if possible, written with ink of a different color otherwise the compositors may in-corporate such remarks in the text. Instructions as to the number of copies required, etc. should, except for confidential work, be given only on the press slip sent with the proofs.
(7) Queries made by the Press on a proof should be settled before the proof is returned to the Press, as the press will assume that the matter is correct if no reply is given. Deviations from copy will be made by the Press only where there are palpable errors in dates, spellings, or of style.
The Explanatory Remarks and a Specimen corrected proof will be found at Appendix 56 to this Chapter.
137. Printed Notes to collection copies of proceedings:—
A copy of the printed notes should be stitched to each collection copy of proceedings to which it belongs. If a note covers more than one Collection, it should be stiched to the last one of the series to which it relates.
138. Issue of circulars:-
When the press is ready to print of a circular, it will send a printed copy of the circular with the manuscript to the branch concerned. The recorded of the branch will pass on the case to the despatcher to number and date both the printed copy will be returned by the branch record to the Press, which will strike off and supply with printed signature.
139. Number of printed copies and their distribution:-
Superintendents and Assistant are responsible for the issue of instruction to the Press as to the number of copies of letter, circulars, etc. to be issued to the Press without first having obtained orders from the, Superintendent in this respect.
140. Rules for the use of spare copies of printed correspondence received from the Government of India or other States:-
To save the cost of reprinting, so far as possible, the following rules for the free use of spare copies of printed correspondence received from the several Ministries of the Government of India and elsewhere are to be strictly observed:—
(1) The spare copies should be kept by the branch diarist. When an issue is to take place in print, the recorder should obtain the spare copies, from the diarist and send the necessary number to the Press for the current issue, and the Press should utilize them accordingly. The recorder should also, after he has recorded the fresh papers, send the necessary number of spare copies with the manuscript, to the press for (i) proceeding volumes, and (ii) collection copies. This to be done invariably, no matter how small the amount of printed matter may be, even if only a half or a quarter of a page. The Press should bind the copies with the volumes and collections, filling in the proceeding number and paging by hand.
(2) If the amount of printed matter in the spare copy is small and the current issue will not leave a sufficient number of spare copies for the proceedings volumes and collection copies, the spare copies should be used for these and the required number of copies for the current issue be made up by copies to be taken off on the Gestatner machine.
(3) If on receipt of a paper in print from the Government of India or elsewhere, the Superintendent or Assistant thinks that the number of spare copies received will be insufficient, he should, put up a telegram for the approval of Deputy/Under Secretary concerned asking for any further number required. If, however, the case is so urgent that it cannot await the arrival of more copies, the course mentioned at (2) above should be adopted.
(4) Five spare copies should be placed with the file, whether any action is taken or not and the remainder destroyed after six months.
141. Printing of correspondence for Heads of Departments and Commissioners:—
Commissioners and Heads of Departments are allowed to send important papers, which should be printed in ordinary course and form part of Government proceedings, to the secretariat to be printed in the first instance.
The papers so to be printed will be accompanied by a printed form which should be registered in the diary of the branch to which the case belongs and be submitted by the Superintendent or Assistant to the Branch officer, who will decide (referring to Secretaries for orders in doubtful cases) :—
(1) Whether the papers are important enough to be printed ;
(2) Whether any enclosures should not be printed ;
(3) Whether the case is likely to be referred to the Government of India;
(4) Whether any State distribution will be made.
The file will then be passed on to the branch concerned which will arrange to have the papers printed, giving the Press clear instructions as to the number of copies required. When the papers have been printed the Press will break up the type, returning the manuscripts accompanied by the number of copies ordered and retaining the remainder to be utilized for proceedings, etc. The branch will send the printed copies and manuscripts to the officer from whom the papers were received.
142. Treatment of letters for issue in print:—
If a letter is to issue in print, the dealing Assistant should separate the papers for the Press, and see that they are regularly paged and that the paragraphs are properly numbered. The file should then be sent to the recorder, who will enter the papers to be printed in the Press register and send them to the Press, obtaining a receipt. The following rules should be carefully observed:—
(1) Procedure for issue in print of a finally approved draft: — When a draft has been finally approved in manuscript and is to issue in print, the order for the full number of copies required for immediate issue to all the authorities addressed, should be sent to the Press with the numbered and dated manuscript draft. The Press will return the draft together with the full number of printed copies asked for, and after the copy, or copies, for signature have been duly signed, the despatcher will dispatch simul¬taneously with them all the spare copies intended for the authority addressed in each case.
(2) Issue in print to be examined before dispatch: — All letters issuing in print should be examined by the Assistant in charge of the case immediately before issue to ensure their being complete as regards enclosures and in every other respect.
(3) Superintendents, Assistants, Issue Branch and Recorders should correct name of the officer is duly inserted in every draft that Press for printing or publication, particularly at the time of impending Changes in Secretariat Personnel.
(4) Printing of endorsements when several persons are addressed in one communication: — When several persons are addressed in one communication, or copies of a communication are sent to one or more authorities by endorsement, the orders so conveyed should not (unless specially ordered for some special reason) be printed off separately for each person i addressed. The whole communications, both heading and endorsement included, should be sent to all addressees. The name of the authority for whom a particular letter or endorsement, with or without accompanying correspondence, is intended, should be entered in ink at the foot of that copy.
143. Destruction of manuscripts after printing:-
The files of recorded ‘A’ cases and of ‘B’ files, when under print in the press, should be retained by the recorder and, when the printed collections reach him, he should prepare, for the approval of the Superintendent, the destruction slips indicating the manuscript papers to be preserved or destroyed.
The manuscripts of confidential and secret papers, which have been printed, sh0uld be destroyed by the Superintendent or the Assistant himself who dealt with the case.
144. Printing of secret and confidential papers:—
Neither confidential papers should be printed nor should they be brought on the ordinary proceedings of Government, or bound in the monthly proceeding Volumes without the orders of an officer.
Arrangement of papers:— Cases to be printed are treated exactly like collection files, i.e., each paper has a separate proceedings number, and the collection bears the annual file number. The papers should be most carefully arranged and the pages numbered, and all papers connected with each file should be brought together, the usual counter marking being made when it is only necessary to keep a certain portion of the paper confidential case are filed of the correspondence in the case. Unimportant confidential cases are filed in the same manner but Without proceedings numbers.
When a confidential recorded case is ready for printing, it should be sent in a closed cover to the Controller, Printing and Stationery, and his receipt taken.
145. Instructions for the Press:—
when a confidential letter has been ordered to issue in print, the Superintendent or Assistant concerned will himself deal directly with the Controller of Printing and Stationery, or, in his absence with his Deputy. The work will then be made over to the section holder incharge of the confidential section, and, in case there is no separate confidential section, the General Foreman will:—
(1) Have the manuscript composed under his direct Supervision, and, after dispatch of proof, keep the type under lock and key so long as the matter is not required for printing;
(2) See that the exact number of copies is printed, and that all make ready proofs, tympan and frisket impressions are immediately destroyed;
(3) see that the type is distributed when no longer required ;
(4) Dispatch proofs or printed copies to the office concerned under sealed cover and obtain the receipt there of;
(5) When a proof is supplied or matter is kept standing for any reason, bring the matter away from the Press room, and secure it under lock and key until required again;
(6) see that every confidential copy struck off is impressed on the top with the word ‘confidential’ ‘Secret’, or ‘Top Secret’, as the case may be, and that in the imprint at the end, the total number of copies printed, and the date of printing is noted.
While the General Foreman will have an ‘Confidential’ and ‘Secret’ work done under his personal supervision, the overall responsibility in the matter would be that of the Deputy Controller who will keep himself informed as to what job of ‘Confidential’ or ‘Secret’ nature has been received for printing and take such precautionary measures as he thinks fit in order to avoid any leakage.
146. In selecting the personnel to handle ‘Confidential’ and ‘Secret’ work, the Controller should give Preference to old hands of approved integrity, a list of whose names should be kept by him. New and temporary employees, or officials of doubtful integrity, should not be entrusted with such a work and transfers from and to confidential section, as far as possible, be avoided.
147. Treatment of printed copies:—
Copies of confidential papers should be carefully counted by the Superintendent of the Branch when he signs for them. They should be entered in the register, and those not wanted immediately, placed in closed covers and deposited in the confidential almirah or box.
148. Numbering and distribution of copies of confidential and secret papers:—
Every copy of printed confidential and Secret papers should be serially numbered, and a list should be kept in the sealed packet of all copies retained, showing exactly how the numbered copies have been distributed, and how many copies are in the packet.
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