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
Avoid

• Lengthy sentences.
• Repetition of words.

• Offending, discourteous language.

• The words “Proximo”, “idem” and

“ultimo”
• The word “same”

• The words ‘therein”, “thereof”

 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.