Accessible

Technology

GIGW COMPENDIUM

Accessible websites, mobile / web

applications, media and documents
GIGW Guidelines for Indian Government Websites 2.0 3
GIGW Creating Accessible PDF 147
GIGW Compliance And Certification Handbook 216
 GUIDELINES
FOR
INDIAN GOVERNMENT WEBSITES
(Version 2.0)

An Integral Part of
Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure

Prepared By : Adopted By :
National Informatics Centre (NIC), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Grievances (DARPG),
Government of India. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension,
Government of India.
 Guidelines
For
Indian Government Websites
(Version 2.0)
An Integral Part of
Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure

January 2009 : First Edition

February 2019 : Second Edition

Prepared By : Adopted By :
National Informatics Centre (NIC), Department of Administrative Reforms
Ministry of Electronics & Information and Public Grievances (DARPG),
Technology (MeitY), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances
Government of India. & Pension,
Government of India.

ISBN - 978 - 81 - 909457-0 -7

PREFACE

Over the years, the contribution of digital technologies towards the

growth of economy and empowerment of citizens has increased. Today, these
technologies are being used by everyone in their day-to-day activities and help
citizens avail different services from their homes. Different government bodies
have established their web presence through different websites and mobile apps.
These websites and apps offer information and services to one and all. However,
varied nomenclatures, different layout standards, navigation strategies as well
as different technologies have defeated the very purpose of these websites.

National Portal of India, a mission mode project, provides single

window access to information & services offered by different entities of the
Indian government at all levels. National Portal of India has a vision to promote
engaging digital initiatives. This portal was set up as a single point access to
government information and services and it aggregates the content from more
than 8000 websites of Indian Government. With the goal of improving the
inherent quality of government websites, a Content Advisory Committee
was constituted to look into the means to enhance the intrinsic quality of
Government Websites. On the basis of the advice of this committee, NIC
formulated the first version of ‘Guidelines for India Government Websites’ in
2009, which were adopted by Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances (DARPG). This was also included in Central Secretariat
Manual of Office Procedure.

With the advent of Digital India Program and focus on multimodal

delivery of citizen services, there has been a need to align these guidelines with
the latest technology and trends. Based on this, DARPG, in association with
the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has formulated the revised version of
Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW). The new version of the
guidelines are an outcome of feedback and consultations with industry, society,
government departments and diligent reference to evolving standards set by
International bodies like W3C. Additionally, guidelines pertaining to mobile
apps have also been included in the new version. The revision makes these
guidelines easier to adopt, and at the same time being comprehensive, and help
to include latest enhancements in technology.

It is expected that with the support and cooperation of all of the

stakeholders these guidelines will go a long way in improving the quality of
Indian government web space.
III
Guidelines Development Process

National Informatics Centre has developed these Guidelines as an initiative

under the National Portal of India Project. Development of these guidelines
involved an extensive consultation process involving representatives
from National Informatics Centre and various other Indian Government
Departments, at the Centre and State levels. Established and recognised
Guidelines of other countries as well as International bodies like ISO and
W3C have also been referred to, while drafting these guidelines. First version
of the guideline was released in 2009.
The revised version of the guidelines has been prepared after an elaborate
process of review and consultation by the review committee as indicated
below:

Revised By

Ms. Nandita Chaudhri Deputy Director General, NIC

Ms. Alka Mishra Senior Technical Director, NIC

Shri Srikant Sinha CEO, NASSCOM Foundation

Dr. Nirmita Narsimhan Policy Director, CIS

Shri Lokesh Joshi Scientist - E, NIC

Ms. Nalini Sharma Nautiyal Scientist - E, NIC

Ms. Manda Chauhan Director, Pt. Deendayal

Upadhyaya National Institute of
Persons with Physical Disabilities
(DIVYANGJAN)

This document may not be reproduced partially or fully, without due

permission from NIC. If referred to as a part of another publication,
the source must be appropriately acknowledged. The content of this
document can not be used in any misleading or objectionable context.

(I)
 Contact
Data Centre and Web Services Division
National Informatics Centre
A- Block, CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003
Email : [email protected]
Phone : 011-24305374

(II)
Contents

Guidelines for Indian Government Websites

Contents

01 Introduction 01
1.1 Background
1.2 Scope & Objective
1.3 Definitions & Conventions
1.4 Compliance to Guidelines
1.5 How to use these Guidelines
1.6 Mandatory, Advisory and Voluntary
1.7 Guideline Website
1.8 Accessibility
1.9 Feedback & Suggestions

02 Government of India Identifiers 09

2.1 Indian Government Identity

2.2 Government Domains
2.3 Link with The National Portal

03 Building Confidence 19

3.1 Content Copyright

3.2 Content Hyperlinking
3.3 Terms & Conditions
3.4 Privacy Policy

04 Scope of Content 31

4.1 Information in Public Domain

4.2 Primary Content
4.3 Secondary Content
4.4 Tertiary Content
4.5 Minimum Content
4.6 Information Meant for Internal Use
4.7 Information to Avoid

05 Quality of Content 49

5.1 Citizen Orientation

5.2 Content Authenticity, Accuracy & Currency
 Guidelines for Indian Government Websites

Contents

5.3 Language
5.4 Consistent Terminology
5.5 International Conventions
5.6 Information Architecture & Relationship
5.7 Multilingual Versions

06 Design 59

6.1 Visual Identity

6.2 Page Layout
6.3 Graphic Buttons & Icons
6.4 Typography
6.5 Colour
6.6 Images
6.7 Audio / Video / Animation
6.8 Navigation
6.9 Site Search
6.10 Sitemap
6.11 Frames

07 Development 71
7.1 Mark-up Languages
7.2 Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
7.3 Scripting Languages
7.4 File Formats
7.5 Ready Reference for Developers
7.6 Validation & Testing
7.7 Web Application Security

08 Website Hosting 81
8.1 Website Hosting
8.2 Hosting Service Provider
8.3 Contingency Management

09 Website Promotion 87

9.1 Search Engine Optimisation

9.2 Website Promotion Techniques

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Guidelines for Indian Government Websites

Contents

10 Website Management 93
10.1 Website Management Team
10.2 Website Maintenance Tools
10.3 Website Monitoring
10.4 Archiving of Documents
10.5 Compliance with Guidelines and Standards
10.6 Website Review and Enhancement
10.7 Website Policies

11 Mobile App Guidelines 101

11.1 Scenario
11.2 International Standards
11.3 Objective
11.4 Mobile Accessibility Guidelines
11.5 General Guidelines
11.6 Hosting
11.7 Contingency Management & Disaster Recovery
11.8 Mobile Application Policies

Compliance Matrix 119

Website Compliance Matrix

1. General Guidelines
2. Accessibility Guidelines

Mobile App Compliance Matrix

1. Accessibility Guidelines
2. General Guidelines
 Guidelines for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Chapter 01 Introduction

1.1 Background
1.2 Scope & Objective

1.3 Definitions & Conventions

1.4 Compliance to Guidelines

1.5 How to use these Guidelines

1.6 Mandatory, Advisory and Voluntary

1.7 Guideline Website

1.8 Accessibility

1.9 Feedback & Suggestions

 Guidelines
for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Introduction
1.1
Background
India’s digital penetration has increased tremendously in past few years. Internet on
mobile phones, websites and mobile apps are becoming widely used media for delivery of
services across the country. Realising this, the Indian Government has also laid emphasis
on delivery of services through various online channels. As of today, there are more than
8000 Government websites in India and hundreds of official mobile apps. A close look
at these websites and apps reveal that most of the important government entities have
already established their presence on the internet.

However, these websites and apps follow different Technology Standards, Design
Layouts, Navigation Architecture, or, in simple terms, different look and feel as well as
functionality. This invariably requires a common citizen to familiarize himself/herself
with the functionality of each individual website which results in a lot of inconvenience,
thus defeating the very purpose of these websites and apps.

The need for standardisation and uniformity in websites and apps belonging to the
government cannot be stressed enough in today’s scenario. These standards and
guidelines make the Indian Government websites Usable, User-Centric and Universally
Accessible. Additionally, they bring uniformity in the quality of content and help in the
incorporation of state of the art technologies in the delivery of information and services,
and reinforce government’s commitment to enhance the level of citizen interaction
through application of internet and mobile technologies. The first version of GIGW was
launched in 2009. This version was successfully adopted by many government websites.
However, keeping in view the significant advances in technology and usage trends, a
revised version of the guidelines has been formulated to maintain relevance with the
dynamic times and to ensure that the benefits reach all citizens of the country. The new
version of the guidelines are an outcome of feedback and consultations with industry,
society, government departments and diligent reference to evolving standards set by
International bodies like W3C. It is suggested that the Indian Government website and
apps adhere to the common minimum standards which have been derived, in the form
of guidelines discussed in this document, as prerequisites to fulfill its primary objective of
being a citizen centric source of information & service delivery.

©2017,NIC 3
CH 01 INTRODUCTION

1.2
Scope & Objective
This document recommends policies and guidelines for Indian Government websites and
Portals, at any organisational level and belonging to both Central Government as well as
State/UT Governments (including District Administrations to Village Panchayats) for
making Indian Government websites citizen centric and visitor friendly. Compliance to
these guidelines will ensure a high degree of consistency and uniformity in the content
coverage and presentation and further promote excellence in Indian Government Web
space.

These guidelines address common policy issues and practical challenges that Government
Departments face during development and management of their websites. The guidelines
aim to assist the Departments in ensuring that their website conform to a consistently
high standard. This is expected to enhance the trust level of the citizens while accessing
Government information and availing services online.

1.3
Definitions & Conventions
Visitors:
Throughout this document, the broad term ‘visitors’ encompasses all those who visit
and use the Indian Government websites for their needs with regards to government
information and services.

Departments:
All Government entities owning a website, including Ministries, Departments,
Administrations, Organisations, Corporations et.al. shall be commonly addressed as
‘Departments’ or ‘Entities’ in this document for the purpose of simplicity.

1.4
Compliance to Guidelines
These Guidelines have been framed with an objective to make the Indian Government
Websites conform to the essential prerequisites of UUU trilogy i.e. Usable, User-Centric
and Universally Accessible. They also form the basis for obtaining Website Quality
Certification from STQC (Standardisation Testing Quality Certification), an organisation
of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India.

These Guidelines are based on International Standards including ISO 23026, W3C’s
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Act 2016 as well as Information Technology Act of India. Further, the long standing

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experience of the authors in design, development and management of Government

Websites as well as their knowledge of the ground realities and challenges faced by the
Government Departments in developing and managing their websites have helped
significantly in drafting these Guidelines.

These guidelines are being circulated amongst all Indian Government Departments at all
levels (Central, State, District). These should be followed and implemented on priority so
that the overall aim of making all Indian Government websites citizen focused and visitor
friendly may be realised.

1.5
How to use these Guidelines
Departments are expected to read, understand and implement these guidelines on all
of their web-based initiatives. In other words, all the websites set up and owned by
the Departments must comply with these guidelines. It is advised that even Intranet
applications of the Departments, which are mostly browser based, should follow these
guidelines. The Departments may draw their short term and long term timelines,
depending upon their specific requirements, for compliance with these guidelines.

1.6
Mandatory, Advisory and Voluntary
Guidelines are divided into three categories viz. mandatory, advisory and voluntary.
Explanation and requirement of each of these categories is given as follows:
• Mandatory: The usage of the term ‘MUST’ signifies requirements which can
be objectively assessed and which the Departments are supposed to mandatorily
comply with. It is anticipated that there will be no exceptions for a Department
not complying with these. In the case of any Department, these guidelines shall
apply to all the WebPages/websites under the ownership of that Department.
The websites will be checked against these guidelines when audits for compliance
are undertaken or for the purpose of quality certification. It is the responsibility
of each Department to address and bring into compliance, any non-compliant
issues found in any website under their ownership.

• Advisory: The usage of the term ‘should’ refers to recommended practices or

advisories that are considered highly important and desirable but for their wide
scope and a degree of subjectivity these guidelines would have otherwise qualified
to be mandatory. Departments are, however, expected to comply with these
advisories.

• Voluntary: The usage of the term ‘may’ refers to voluntary practice, which can be

©2017,NIC 5
CH 01 INTRODUCTION

adopted by a Department, if deemed suitable. These have been drawn from good
practices and conventions that have proved successful and can help a Department
achieve high quality benchmarks for their web endeavours.

1.7
Guideline Website
A website, http://web.guidelines.gov.in, has been set up where the user can avail the
guidelines online. Resources pertaining to the techniques and best practices for compliance
to the guidelines are provided here. Reference to tools for testing and validation have been
provided. The website also lists the sites recently made compliant. Visitors can give suggestions
and feedback through the website.

1.8
Accessibility
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can also perceive, understand, navigate,
and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. It encompasses all
disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive,
and neurological disabilities.

Thus the impact of persons with disabilities is radically changed on the Web because the Web
removes barriers to communication and interaction that many people face in the physical
world. When websites, web technologies, or web tools are badly designed, they can create
barriers that exclude people from using the web.

The Website and apps should be designed and developed in such way that they are accessible
by all people, whatever may be their hardware, software, language, culture, location, or
physical or mental ability.

Legal Provisions

The United Nations General Assembly adopted its Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities on the 13th day of December, 2006. India is a signatory to the Convention and
has ratified the Convention on the 1st day of October, 2007. To implement the Convention
India has enacted the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016 on 27th December, 2016.

With regard to ICT one of the important provisions in the act is that all contents available in
audio, print and electronic media must be in accessible format.

International Guidelines and Standards (WCAG)

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) covers a wide range of recommendations for
making Web content accessible. Following these guidelines will make content accessible to

6
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for Indian Government Apps & Websites

persons with disabilities. Further Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities as
a key principle of Web accessibility is designing Websites that are flexible to meet different
user needs, preferences, and situations. This flexibility benefits people without disabilities in
various situations such as slow Internet connection, presence of “temporary disabilities” such
as a broken arm and people with changing abilities due to aging.

The WCAG are organized around the four principles, which lay the foundation necessary for
anyone to access and use Web content. These require the web content to be;

1. Perceivable: users must be able to perceive the information being presented i.e. it
can’t be invisible to all of their senses.
2. Operable: users must be able to operate the interface and the interface cannot
require interaction that a user cannot perform.
3. Understandable: users must be able to understand the information as well as the
operation of the user interface.
4. Robust: users must be able to access the content as technologies advance.

Under each principle there is a list of guidelines. There are 12 guideline that address these
principles. The guidelines provide the basic goals that authors should work toward in order
to make content accessible to persons with disabilities. These guidelines are not objectively
testable however, under each guideline, there are Success Criteria that describe specifically
what must be achieved in order to conform to this standard. Each Success Criterion is written
as a statement that will be either true or false when specific Web content is tested against it.
The Success Criteria are written to be technology neutral.

GIGAW and Accessibility

One of the major focus areas of the Guidelines is web accessibility. With respect to accessibility
focus is on the following:
1. Addressing the needs of the persons with disabilities.
2. Ensuring that the sites are accessible with equal ease to all users on all the major
browsers and across all platforms and bandwidths i.e. universally accessible.

GIGAW aims to ensure that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate,
interact and contribute through Web. GIGAW has been developed in accordance with W3C’s
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 which are internationally accepted standards on
accessibility. GIGAW ensures compliance with level AA of WCAG 2.0. The guidelines
relating to web accessibility can be found under the following sections:
• Chapter 2 (Indian Government Identity) - guidelines 2.1.6.
• Chapter 5 (Quality of content) - guidelines 5.3.7, 5.4.2, 5.6.1, 5.6.3, 5.6.4.
• Chapter 6 (Design) - guidelines 6.2.1, 6.4.5, 6.5.1, 6.5.4, 6.6.1, 6.6.3, 6.7.2, 6.7.3, 6.8.2,
6.8.8, 6.9.1, 6.10.1.
• Chapter 7 (Development) - guidelines 7.5(a) to 7.5(j), 7.5(m) to 7.5(q).
• Chapter 11 (Mobile App Guidelines) - most of the guidelines under section 11.4.

©2017,NIC 7
CH 01 INTRODUCTION

The above mentioned sections have been categorized as ‘MUST’ meaning thereby that
inclusion of these in a website is a mandatory for ensuring compliance to GIGAW. The
reference to the corresponding WCAG 2.0 guideline is also provided.

Compliance to these guidelines will make the websites accessible to persons with various
disabilities like low vision, deafness and hearing loss, learning disabilities, cognitive limitations,
limited movement, speech disabilities and combinations of these which may otherwise
hinder access to the web. Compliance with these guidelines ensures that any disabled person
using a assistive technology can easily navigate the website. Compliance matrix lists all the
accessibility guidelines in a separate section along with the reference numbers.

Detailed information on the WCAG guidelines and the techniques for compliance can be
found at the W3C website. Developers must visit the website to get information on the
various success criteria related with each of the guidelines.

1.9
Feedback & Suggestions
Feedback and Suggestions on the guidelines are solicited/invited/appreciated. We will try
to include as many suggestions/feedback as possible in the future versions. It will help in
enhancing/refining the guidelines further thus making them more comprehensive and
relevant.

Feedback, Suggestions, Clarifications and Queries on this document may be sent at:

National Informatics Centre,

A-Block, CGO Complex,
Address for
Correspondence Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://web.guidelines.gov.in

8
 Guidelines for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Chapter 02 Government of India Identifiers

2.1 Indian Government Identity

2.2 Government Domains

2.3 Link with the National Portal

 Guidelines
for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Government of India Identifiers

2.1
Indian Government Identity
Visitors to a Government website are very particular about ensuring the veracity and
authenticity of the official status of the website before trusting its contents. Hence, it
is important to convey in some way to the visitors that Indian Government officially
sponsors and owns the information and services being provided in the concerned website.
All websites and Portals belonging to the Indian Government Domain at any hierarchical
level (Apex Offices, Constitutional Bodies, Ministries, Departments, Organisations,
States/UTs, District Administrations, and Village Panchayats et al) must prominently
display a strong Identity and ownership of Indian Government. The above objective can
be achieved through the following:

2.1.1 State Emblem of India MUST be displayed on the Homepage of the websites
of Central Government Ministries/Departments. The usage of State Emblem of
India on an Indian Government website must comply with the directives as per
the ‘State Emblem of India (Prohibition of improper use) Act, 2005’. Further,
the State Governments should also display their Emblems (or the State Emblem
of India in case the State has adopted it as its official Emblem) as per the Code
provided in the above Act. Public Sector organisations and autonomous bodies
should display their official logo on the Homepage of the website to reinforce
their identity. These logo images must be accompanied by proper alternate text
so that the screen reader uses may be informed of the same.
2.1.2 The Homepage and all important entry pages of the website MUST display the
ownership information, either in the header or footer.
2.1.3 The lineage of the Department should also be indicated at the bottom of the
Homepage and all important entry pages of the website. For instance, at the
bottom of the Homepage, the footer may state the lineage information, in the
following manner:
a. ‘This Website belongs to Department of Heavy Industries, Ministry of
Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India’
(for a Central Government Department).

b. ‘This Website belongs to Department of Industries, State Government of

Himachal Pradesh, India’ (for a State Government Department).

©2017,NIC 11
CH 02 Government of India Identifiers

c. ‘This is the official Website of Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL),

a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India under the
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas’
(for a Public Sector Undertaking).

d. ‘This is the official Website of the District Administration of Thanjavur,

State Government of Tamil Nadu (India)’
(for a District of India).

2.1.4 All subsequent pages of the website should also display the ownership information
in a summarised form. Further, the search engines often index individual pages
of a website and therefore, it is important that each webpage belonging to a site
displays the relevant ownership information.
2.1.5 In case of those websites which belong to Inter-Departmental initiatives involving
multiple Government Departments which are difficult to list on the Homepage,
the Government ownership should still be reflected clearly at the bottom of
the page with detailed information provided in the ‘About the Portal/Website’
section.
2.1.6 The page title (the title specified by HTML <title> tag which appears on the top
bar of the browser) MUST describe the topic and purpose of the page. Page title
should be complete with the name of the country included, for instance, instead
of the title being just Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it should state,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Alternatively, in
case of a State Government Department, it should state ‘Department of Health,
Government of Karnataka, India’. This will not only facilitate an easy and
unambiguous identification of the website but would also help in a more relevant
and visible presence in the search engine results. Further, it is important since the
screen readers used by the visually impaired users first read the title of the page
and in case the title is not explanatory enough, it may confuse or mislead them.
(Ref. WCAG 2.4.2)

2.2
Government Domains

The URL or the Web Address of any Government website is also a strong indicator of
its authenticity and status as being official. In today’s era with a large proliferation of
websites, which resemble Government websites and fraudulently claim to provide reliable
Government information and services, the role of a designated Government domain
name assumes a lot of significance.

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2.2.1 Hence, in compliance to the Government’s Domain Name Policy, all Indian
Government websites MUST use ‘gov.in’ or ‘nic.in’ domain exclusively allotted
and restricted to Government websites. The military institutions and organisations
in India may also use ‘mil.in’ domain in place of or in addition to the gov.in/.nic.
in domain. Educational Institutions, and Research and Academic Institutions,
which are otherwise eligible for registration under ‘gov.in’ may use ‘edu.in’,
‘res.in’ or ‘ac.in’ domains. The above naming policy applies to all Government
websites irrespective of where they are hosted.

2.2.2 Those Departments and Government entities that are using and have
been publicising a domain name other than the above should take
appropriate early action to register official government domain names.

2.2.3 The Domain Name Conventions, as specified at

registry.gov.in/domiannamingcon.php should be followed while registering a
‘gov.in’ Domain Name. A summary of the domain name conventions is given
below:

Domain Naming Conventions:

• Domains can contain the English-language letters ‘a’ through ‘z’, and the
digits 0 through 9.
• Departments can also use hyphens, but hyphens cannot begin or end a
domain name. Also, two hyphens together are usually not permitted, and
hyphens cannot appear in both the third and fourth positions.
• Spaces and special characters (such as !, $, &, _ and so on) are not
permitted.
• The minimum length is 3 characters, and the maximum length is 63
characters (excluding extension “. gov.in”).
• Domain names are not case-sensitive. (i.e. you may use a mix of upper or
lower case letters).
Restrictions on the composition of domain names under .IN:
• Generic names are not allowed (e.g. shipping.gov.in is not allowed).
• For domains under gov.in, the domain must be derived from the name
of the organisation name/entity. (e.g. Central Vigilance Commission can
opt for a domain cvc.gov.in but NOT xyz.gov.in or vigilance.gov.in).
• One and Two letter domain names are not allowed for registration (e.g.
ab.gov.in).

©2017,NIC 13
CH 02 Government of India Identifiers

• The generic second level domain names (SLDs) of .in should not be used as third
level names. (e.g. mil.gov.in and org.gov.in are not allowed as mil and org are
generic second level names under .in).
Source: http://registry.gov.in

Obtaining a GOV.IN Domain for your website

National Informatics Centre (NIC) is the exclusive Registrar for GOV.IN domain
names. The use of GOV.IN Domain is restricted to the constituents of Indian
Government at various levels, right from Central, State/UT, District and Sub-District
to block, village etc.

For detailed information and step-by-step procedure on how to register a .GOV.IN

Domain, one may visit http://registry.gov.in.

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2.3
Link with the National Portal
india.gov.in; The National Portal of India is a single window source for access to all
information and services being provided by the various constituents of the Indian
Government to its citizens and other stakeholders. The Portal is an aggregator of all
Indian Government websites belonging to different entities of the Government. The
Portal has been designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre (NIC),
the premier ICT organisation of the Government with a nationwide presence.

india.gov.in has a unified interface and seamless access to a wide variety of services for
citizens from all walks of life and from varied demography. This official Portal for the
Government of India acts as a gateway to a plethora of information and services provided
electronically by the different departments of Indian Government. It acts as an escort to
the visitors and guides them through varied web sites of Indian Government constituents
and also presents a lot of value added information like their association/status in terms of
sectors, ministries, departments etc. in a unique and unified manner.

There are exclusive sections catering to the different information needs of citizens A
variety of services being provided by the government across sectors and States/UTs can
also be accessed from the Portal. The Portal also provides comprehensive information
& access to Government News, Press Releases, Documents, Policies, Forms and Tender
Notifications etc. The content of the Portal is also available in Hindi. Further, the content
can be personalised for each viewer based on his/her demographic profile and area of
interest.

2.3.1 Since the National Portal is the official single entry Portal of the Indian
Government, all Indian Government websites MUST provide a prominent link
to the National Portal from the Homepage and other important pages of citizen’s
interest.

2.3.2 The hyperlinked pages belonging to the National Portal MUST load into a newly
opened browser window of the user. This will also help visitors find information
or service they could not get on that particular website. It is quite common
that citizens are not aware which information or service is provided by which
Department.

©2017,NIC 15
CH 02 Government of India Identifiers

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How to link to the National Portal

As per linking Policy of the National Portal, no prior permission is required to link
‘india.gov.in’ from any Indian Government website. However, the Department
providing a link to The National Portal is required to inform the National Portal
Secretariat about the various sections of the National Portal that they have linked to,
so that they can be informed of any changes, updations/additions therein. Also, it is
not permitted that the National Portal Pages be loaded into frames on any site. These
must be loaded into a new browser window.

Special Banners in different sizes and colour schemes for providing a link to the
National Portal have been given at:
http://india.gov.in/linktous.php.

Instructions on how to provide a link have also been given. The Government websites/
Portals may choose any banner from the ones provided, depending upon their site
design and place the same on their Homepage.

©2017,NIC 17
 Guidelines for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Chapter 03 Building Confidence

3.1 Content Copyright

3.2 Content Hyperlinking

3.3 Terms & Conditions

3.4 Privacy Policy

 Guidelines
for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Building Confidence
3.1
Content Copyright
Copyright is a form of protection provided to the owners of “original works of authorship”
in any form or media. It is implied that the original information put up on the website by
a Government Department is by default a copyright of the owner Department and may
be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed only if
the copyright policy of the concerned Department allows so.

3.1.1 Hence, the information, material and documents made available on an Indian
Government website MUST be backed up with proper copyright policy
explaining the terms and conditions of their usage and reference by others. The
copyright policy of a Department could be liberal, moderate or conservative
depending upon their preferences based on the kind of information available on
their website. However, since it is a duty of a Government Department to provide
all the information in the public domain freely to the citizens, the Departments
should aim to have a liberal copyright policy.

3.1.2 In cases where the document is in public domain and there is no restriction on its
reproduction, the copyright statement may be worded as follows:

Sample: Copyright Statement

“Material featured on this site may be reproduced free of charge in any
format or media without requiring specific permission. This is subject to the
material being reproduced accurately and not being used in a derogatory
manner or in a misleading context. Where the material is being published
or issued to others, the source must be prominently acknowledged.
However, the permission to reproduce this material does not extend to any
material on this site, which is explicitly identified as being the copyright of
a third party. Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained
from the copyright holders concerned.”

3.1.3 In cases where the nature of information/document calls for a restriction on its
reproduction, the copyright statement may be worded as follows:

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Sample of alternate Copyright Statement

“Material on this site is subject to copyright protection unless otherwise

indicated. The material may be downloaded without requiring specific
prior permission. Any other proposed use of the material is subject to the
approval of (name of Department). Application for obtaining permission
should be made to (email address of the concerned Department).”

3.1.4 The Departments should also be sensitive towards publishing any information
having a third party copyright. The Government Departments MUST follow
proper procedures to obtain the permission, prior to publishing such information
on their websites.

3.1.5 If any published Government Document/Report is being reproduced on any

website, whether as excerpts or in full, the source of the same i.e. Full Title of the
Report/Document along with the name of the concerned Department and year
of publication MUST be provided.

3.2
Content Hyperlinking

3.2.1 Since Government websites often receive queries and requests from owners of
other websites who might want to provide a hyperlink to their web pages, every
Indian Government website MUST have a comprehensive and clear-cut hyper
linking policy defined and spelt out for those who wish to hyperlink content
from any of its sections. The basic hyper linking practices and rules should ideally
be common across the websites of a State/Ministry.

3.2.2 The hyperlinking policy enumerating the criteria and guidelines with respect to
hyperlinks with other sites may be made available under the common heading of
‘Hyperlinking Policy’ and displayed at a common point on the Homepage of all
sites under the ownership of a State/Ministry.

3.2.3 In case the concerned Department has no objection to anyone providing a

hyperlink to their website, the policy statement may be worded as:

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Sample Hyperlinking Policy

“We do not object to you linking directly to the information that is hosted
on our site and no prior permission is required for the same. However, we
would like you to inform us about any links provided to our site so that
you can be informed of any changes or updations therein. Also, we do not
permit our pages to be loaded into frames on your site. Our Department’s
pages must load into a newly opened browser window of the user”.

3.2.4 In case Prior permission is required by anyone who wishes to provide a link to a
Government website, the policy statement may be worded as follows:

Sample of alternate Hyperlinking Policy

“Prior permission is required before hyperlinks are directed from any
website to this site. Permission for the same, stating the nature of the
content on the pages from where the link has to be given and the exact
language of the Hyperlink should be obtained by sending a request at
(Email address of the Department)”.

3.2.5 Many a times, cross linkages between different websites can cause ambiguity
in the mind of the visitors about the owner of a particular portion of content
and whom to be contacted in case of any query. Also, many a times, there
could be a difference in the security domains of two linked websites. Hence,
it is important to notify the visitors when they are leaving a particular website
through a hyperlink and entering another one. Clear indications MUST
be given when leaving the Government website for an external website.

Sample of indication of leaving the Government Website

“This link shall take you to a page outside the (website URL). For any query
regarding the contents of the linked page, please contact the webmaster of
the concerned website”.

3.2.6 To create a visual distinction for links that lead offsite, Cascading Style Sheets
(CSS) controls or some such similar mechanism should be used. In case the
link takes the user to another website of the same Department/Ministry/State, a
seamless transition should be used through appropriate CSS controls.

3.2.7 Third party content should only be linked when consideration about the
copyright, terms of use, permissions, content authenticity and other legal and
ethical aspects of the concerned content have been taken into account.

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3.2.8 The overall quality of a website’s content is also dependent, among other things
on the authenticity and relevance of the ‘linked’ information it provides. This
fact is all the more significant in the context of a Government website since
there is a lot of credibility attached with an official website. Therefore, all Indian
Government websites should make sure that the external hyperlinks, wherever
present on the site, MUST be verified and checked on a regular basis to ensure
that the information being provided ‘through’ them is up-to-date, accurate and
relevant.

3.2.9 Further, it MUST be ensured that ‘broken links’ or those leading to ‘Page Not
Found’ errors are checked on a regular basis and are rectified or removed from
the site immediately upon discovery. A number of technology tools are available
for convenient discovery of broken links.

3.3
Terms & Conditions
3.3.1 With the increased proliferation of Internet, more and more citizens are accessing
information from Government websites. Clearly defined Terms & Conditions
including well-worded disclaimers regarding the usage of websites MUST be
present on every Indian Government website.
Terms & Conditions shall address the following aspects:
• Ownership Details
• Usage Policy of Content
• Legal Aspects
• Responsibility towards hyperlinked Sites

3.3.2 Since it is the responsibility of all Indian Government Departments to uphold

and maintain the trust imposed in them by the visitors to the sites, the
Government websites should not outrightly ‘disclaim’ the content of another
Government website. Instead, a politely worded statement clearly indicating the
ownership of the particular piece of content and the relevant details for further
queries and information may be provided. Once all Indian Government websites
follow standard content practices, the visitors should be able to move from one
Government website to another in a manner as seamless as possible.

3.3.3 The Terms & Conditions should also clarify whether the information available
on the website may be construed as a statement of law to be used for any legal
purposes or not. It should also be mentioned that in case of any legal dispute
arising out of the content on the Government website, the matter shall be heard
in a court of law within the jurisdiction of the State where the concerned owner

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Department of the website/portal is located.

3.3.4 In case the content is sourced/linked from a non-government website at the

other end; the Terms & Conditions should clearly state this fact and disclaim the
responsibility for its accuracy and currency.

3.3.5 In case the website involves any e-payment features where electronic transactions
are involved, appropriate disclaimers, worded in consultation with the involved
agencies (bank, payment gateway service provider etc.) and the legal cell of the
Department should be placed on the site.

Sample Statement for Terms & Conditions

This website is designed, developed and maintained by (Name of Department),
Government of India.

Though all efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the
content on this website, the same should not be construed as a statement of
law or used for any legal purposes. In case of any ambiguity or doubts, users
are advised to verify/check with the Department(s) and/or other source(s), and
to obtain appropriate professional advice.

Under no circumstances will this Department be liable for any expense, loss
or damage including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or
damage, or any expense, loss or damage whatsoever arising from use, or loss of
use, of data, arising out of or in connection with the use of this website.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance

with the Indian Laws. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions
shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of India.

The information posted on this website could include hypertext links or

pointers to information created and maintained by non-Government/private
organisations. (Name of Department) is providing these links and pointers solely
for your information and convenience. When you select a link to an outside
website, you are leaving the (Name of Department) website and are subject to
the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website.

(Name of Department), does not guarantee the availability of such linked pages
at all times.

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(Name of Department), cannot authorise the use of copyrighted materials

contained in linked websites. Users are advised to request such authorisation
from the owner of the linked website.

(Name of Department), does not guarantee that linked websites comply with
Indian Government Web Guidelines.

3.4
Privacy Policy
3.4.1 Government websites should follow an extremely cautious approach when it
comes to collecting personal details/information about the visitors to the sites.
Only the information which is absolutely necessary should be solicited.

3.4.2 In case a Department solicits or collects personal information from visitors

through their websites, it MUST incorporate a prominently displayed Privacy
Statement clearly stating the purpose for which information is being collected,
whether the information shall be disclosed to anyone for any purpose and to
whom.

3.4.3 Further, the privacy statement should also clarify whether any cookies shall be
transferred onto the visitor’s system during the process and what shall be the
purpose of the same.

3.4.4 Whenever a Department’s website allows e-commerce and collects high risk
personal information from its visitors such as credit card or bank details, it
should be done through sufficiently secure means to avoid any inconvenience.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and Digital Certificates are some of the instruments
which could be used to achieve this.

It is further informed that the following examples of Privacy Statements are only for
reference purpose and Departments are requested to customise them to the requirements
of their own websites.

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Sample Privacy Statement:

Thanks for visiting website of (Name of Department), and reviewing our
privacy policy.
We collect no personal information, like names or addresses, when you visit
our website. If you choose to provide that information to us, it is only used to
fulfil your request for information.
We do collect some technical information when you visit to make your visit
seamless. The section below explains how we handle and collect technical
information when you visit our website.

Information collected and stored automatically:

When you browse, read pages, or download information on this website, we

automatically gather and store certain technical information about your visit.
This information never identifies who you are. The information we collect
and store about your visit is listed below:

• The Internet domain of your service provider (e.g. mtnl.net.in)

and IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically
assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the web)
from which you access our website.
• The type of browser (such as Firefox, Netscape, or Internet
Explorer) and operating system (Windows, Linux) used to access
our site.
• The date and time you access/accessed our site.
• The pages/URLs you have visited, and
• If you reached this website from another website, the address of
that referring website.

This information is only used to help us make the site more useful for you. With this
data, we learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology
our visitors use. We never track or record information about individuals and their
visits.

Cookies:

When you visit some websites, they may download small pieces of software on
your computer/browsing device known as cookies. Some cookies collect personal
information to recognise your computer in the future. We only use non-persistent
cookies or “per-session cookies”.

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Per-session cookies serve technical purposes, like providing seamless navigation

through this website. These cookies do not collect personal information on
users and they are deleted as soon as you leave our website. The cookies do not
permanently record data and they are not stored on your computer’s hard drive.
The cookies are stored in memory and are only available during an active browser
session. Again, once you close your browser, the cookie disappears.

If you send us personal information:

We do not collect personal information for any purpose other than to respond to
you (for example, to respond to your questions or provide subscriptions you have
chosen). If you choose to provide us with personal information, like filling out a
Contact Us form, with an e-mail address or postal address, we use that information
to respond to your message, and to help you get the information you have
requested. We only share the information you give us with another Government
agency if your question relates to that agency, or as otherwise required by law.

Our website never collects information or creates individual profiles for commercial
marketing. While you must provide an email address for a localised response to
any incoming questions or comments to us, we recommend that you do NOT
include any other personal information.

Site Security:
• For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains
available to all users, this Government computer system employs
commercial software programs to monitor network traffic to identify
unauthorised attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise
cause damage.

• Except for authorised law enforcement investigations, no other

attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits.
Raw data logs are used for no other purposes and are scheduled for
regular deletion.

• Unauthorised attempts to upload information or change information

on this service are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the
Indian IT Act (2000).

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Sample of alternate Privacy Policy Statement (in case a website does

not collect any personal data)

As a general rule, this website does not collect Personal Information about you
when you visit the site. You can generally visit the site without revealing Personal
Information, unless you choose to provide such information.

Site Visit Data:

This website records your visit and logs the following information for statistical
purposes - your server’s address; the name of the top-level domain from which
you access the Internet (for example, .gov, .com, .in, etc.); the type of browser
you use; the date and time you access the site; the pages you have accessed and the
documents downloaded and the previous Internet address from which you linked
directly to the site.

We will not identify users or their browsing activities, except when a law
enforcement agency may exercise a warrant to inspect the service provider’s logs.

Cookies:

A cookie is a piece of software code that an internet web site sends to your browser
when you access information at that site. This site does not use cookies.

Email Management:

Your email address will only be recorded if you choose to send a message. It will
only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and will not be added
to a mailing list. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and
will not be disclosed without your consent.

Collection of Personal Information:

If you are asked for any other Personal Information you will be informed how
it will be used if you choose to give it. If at any time you believe the principles
referred to in this privacy statement have not been followed, or have any
other comments on these principles, please notify the webmaster through the
‘Contact Us’ page.

Note: The use of the term “Personal Information” in this privacy statement refers
to any information from which your identity is apparent or can be reasonably
ascertained.

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Chapter 04 Scope of Content

4.1 Information in Public Domain

4.2 Primary Content

4.3 Secondary Content

4.4 Tertiary Content

4.5 Minimum Content

4.6 Information meant for Internal use

4.7 Information to Avoid

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Scope of Content
4.1
Information in Public Domain

The content of a Government website is its soul as the citizens rely heavily upon a
Government website to access authentic and up-to-date information. Ideally, an Indian
Government website ought to have the following kinds of content:

a. Primary Content:
Primary content shall be the original content that is sought by target audience
of the website which could be citizens, business community, overseas
citizens or other Government Departments or even Government employees.
Examples of such content are information about the Department, various Schemes
and programmes of the Department, Documents, Forms etc. Besides regulatory
content mandated by legislation such as IT act, RTI or even Directives from apex
offices shall also form a part of this category e.g. parliament question and answers.

b. Secondary Content:
Secondary content is generated from the assortment, packaging of primary content
to suit the requirement of different audience, events and occasions. Examples of
such content are Advertisements/Banners/Spotlight/Media Gallery/Related sites
etc.

c. Tertiary Content:
Information about the ‘Primary’ and ‘Secondary’ content forms a part of the
tertiary content. This includes sections like About the Site, Online Help, Terms
and Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Departments/Organisations should compile their own list of contents/sub contents

which they feel should be in public domain or needed by their intended audience.
Information could be free to access by all or part of information (due to concerns of
privacy & sensitivity) could be made available only to registered users.

A generic list of content is given at the following pages:

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Generic List of Content

Primary Content
Long Term Value Short Term Value
About The Ministry/Department/State News
Programmes & Schemes Tenders
Documents Recruitments
Forms
Services
Sectoral Profile
Regional Profile
Contact Information

Secondary Content
Special Interest Group/Audience Specific Views
Events/Announcements
Discussion Forum
Spotlight
Related Links
Media Gallery
Greetings
Advertisements & Banners

Tertiary Content
About The Portal
Sitemap, Search
Terms and Conditions
FAQ
Feedback (General/Content Specific)
Help
Registration
Content Contributor, Source & Validity

Guidelines pertaining to compilation of content in some of the common content

categories have been given in the following sections.

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4.2
Primary Content
Primary Content forms the main focus of any Government website as it comprises of the
information for which the citizen has visited the website. Examples are information about
the Department, Schemes and Programmes, Contact Information, Forms, Documents,
Tenders etc. Broadly, the following sub categories encompass most of the Primary Content
that ought to be made available on an Indian Government Website.

4.2.1 About
(Ministries/Department/State Govt./Organisation/District Administration)
This essentially refers to the content describing the owner Department of the website and
comprises the following information:
• Profile
• Mission/Vision Statement
• History/Background
• Departments/Divisions/Cells
• Role/Functions/Responsibilities/Activities
• Agencies under the Administrative Control
• Organisational Structure
• Who’s Who
This content should be reviewed frequently to ensure delivering accurate and updated
information. All information concerning the Legislative/Government officials MUST
always be kept up to date.

4.2.2 Profile of a Sector/Region

Some websites/portals shall also be required to include a section on the overview of
sector(s) they deal with, providing all information concerning the sector present on their
website or links to websites of other Government entities working in that sector. This
should be made accessible to give a comprehensive view to the visitors.
Similarly some of the portals are required to publish profile of a region e.g. National
Portal publishes a profile of India. Similarly, states Portals should publish a profile of
the respective States while District websites should publish a profile of their respective
district.
Detailing of this segment should be done by each Department and included in their
web content policy. Policy must also include the frequency/event of updation as well as
officers responsible for updating this content.

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4.2.3 Programmes & Schemes

The Government Departments at the Centre and State have welfare programmes
and schemes benefiting the individuals, groups of citizens (e.g. women, persons with
disabilities etc.) or community at large running in different regions and sectors across the
country. Information about all such schemes of the Centre as well as State Governments
is included in this category. These schemes could be Centrally Sponsored, or being run by
the State/District Administration itself. It is important to note that these schemes should
be directly benefiting the individuals, special interest groups of citizens (e.g. widows,
persons with disabilities etc.) or the community at large. Also, information should only
be highlighted with regard to those schemes which are currently active and ongoing, and
not about schemes which are no longer open/available to the public.

a. The complete official title of the Scheme MUST be reflected and should be
self-explanatory. The correct title would lead to an accurate search output for
information on that scheme and it would be easy for the users to locate it. Any
abbreviation in the title should be expanded.
b. This site should enlist all those who are eligible to receive benefits under the
scheme e.g. women, children, persons with disabilities, poor etc. Also, the details
of the eligibility criteria for availing those benefits should be clearly mentioned.
c. Information should be given about whether the scheme entails monetary or non-
monetary benefits. Also, what are the specific kinds of non-monetary benefits
that can be availed e.g. Subsidy, Training, Land Allotment, etc.
d. Procedure to be followed, whom to contact, supporting documents to be carried
etc. for availing benefits under the scheme MUST form a part of this content.
e. For schemes that are valid for a particular period of time, the validity of the
scheme MUST be mentioned so that the information could accordingly be
moved to archives after the expiry date.

4.2.4 Services

A large number of citizen services are being provided by various Ministries, Departments
and State/UT Governments. Information about these services as well as the interface to
access and use them (if it is available online) should be made available on their websites.

a. It is important to clearly understand what constitutes the term ‘services’ in this

context. All services provided by the Government, whether fully online, partially
online or available offline but whose description and details exist online can be
called services. For example, if the complete details about how to apply for a
birth certificate in a particular State are given along with the facility to download

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the requisite application form, it shall be categorised as a Service. However, just

information about things like a programme of any Department, or access to
some searchable database without any service associated will not constitute a
‘Service’.
b. The complete title of the Service MUST be reflected and should be self-explanatory.
The correct title would lead to an accurate search output for information on that
service and it would be easy for the users to locate it. Any abbreviation in the title
should be expanded.
c. The websites should prominently display the most often used/accessed services,
so that visitors can locate and access them quickly.
d. The website MUST provide a complete description of what the service is, how
is it useful for the citizens, how it can be availed, who is eligible to avail the
service, who is to be contacted and during which hours. This is important for
the common citizens to understand the significance of the service and the steps
to be followed for availing it.
e. If the service is delivered online then it should be developed as a web service so
that other websites and portals can access it seamlessly, subject to authorisation
of the owner Department. All online services should be made available through
the Government Services Portal. (https://services.india.gov.in)

4.2.5 Application Forms

Visitors to Government websites want fast, easy service at 24x7 basis. They do not want
to wait until an organisation is open for business. They do not want to wait in line to get
forms and documents to avail the desired service. Therefore, all application forms existing
in the public domain and meant for applying for licenses, certificates, scholarships,
grants, services, information, loans, utilities etc. should be published on the concerned
Government website for the convenience of citizens.

a. All Forms must be provided in an accessible format. The format along with the
file size must be mentioned in the download link. (Ref. Section 7.4.2)
b. The title of the form MUST be clearly indicated and should be self-explanatory
and devoid of any abbreviations which may render it incomprehensible. The
correct title would lead to an accurate search output for information on that
Form and it would be easy for the users to locate it. Also, in case the Form is
popularly known by a number (e.g. Form 16 for Income Statement or Form 4 for
Driving license), the same should also be mentioned along with the title.
c. It should be specified whether the language of the form is English, Hindi or

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any other Regional language. In case of the latter, the name of the concerned
language MUST be mentioned clearly. If the form is bilingual/multilingual, it is
important to mention the languages in which it is available.
d. Information assisting the user in filling up the application form should also be
provided such as where to submit and supporting documents to attach etc.

4.2.6 Documents/Reports

a. All documents developed/published and issued in the Public Domain by

Government Departments, Ministries, State/UT Governments, Public Sector
Units and Organisations must be published on the website. The following list
gives an idea of the category of Government documents that can be covered
under this:

• Five-year Plan documents

• Annual Reports
• Budget Documents
• Guidelines by Government
• Citizen Charters
• Census Documents
• Survey Outcomes/Reports
• Statistical Reports etc.

b. This content should be reviewed regularly to ensure the accuracy and currency
of the information.
c. The complete official title and date of the document MUST be mentioned on
the website. The correct title would lead to an accurate search output for that
document and it would be easy for the users to locate it. For example: ‘Policy on
Promotion of Tourism in the State of Manipur’ is a more appropriate title than
just ‘Tourism Policy.’ Any abbreviation in the title should be expanded and the
title should not be formulated on just a document number/date.
d. In case any reference to a document of another Government Department is given,
it should be clearly specified as with whom lies the ownership of the document
i.e. which is the exact Ministry/Department at the Central or State level which
has produced/published/issued the concerned document.
e. It should be specified whether the language of the document is English, Hindi
or any other Regional language. In case of the latter, the name of the concerned
language MUST be mentioned clearly. If the document is bilingual/multilingual,
it is important to mention the languages it exists in.
f. It is important that if the document is valid only for a certain time period, the
validity MUST be clearly mentioned on the site. In fact, the document should be

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removed or moved to the archives after expiry of the validity period.

g. Documents must be made available in an accessible format.
(Ref. Section 7.4.2)
4.2.7 Circulars/Notifications
There are various Circulars/Notifications that are released from time to time by the
Indian Government at the Central or State level. Information about all the Circulars/
Notifications of the Centre as well as State Governments should be made available on the
respective websites.

a. The official title of the Circular/Notification MUST be mentioned and should

be self explanatory. The correct title will also help in accurate search output for
information on that circular and thus, it would be easy for the users to locate it.
b. The ownership of the concerned circular should be specified i.e. Ministry/
Department and also the level i.e. Centre/State etc.
c. Circulars/Notifications must be made available in an accessible format.
(Ref. Section 7.4.2)
d. If the Circulars/Notifications are valid only for a certain time period, the validity
MUST be clearly mentioned on the site. In fact, the Circulars/Notifications
should be removed or moved to the archives after expiry of the validity period.

4.2.8 Tenders
As directed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) all Government and Public
Sector Procurement/Tenders/Notifications issued by the Central and State Governments
and other public bodies across India for goods, services and works MUST be made
available/linked through the websites.

4.2.9 Recruitment

All Indian Government websites MUST provide complete and transparent information
about their recruitment policies for the benefit of those who would like to join the
Government and serve the nation. In case the recruitment is through some Central or
State level examination or recruitment agency such as UPSC, SSC etc. that should be
highlighted along with a link to respective pages of those organisations’ websites. In
either case information about the recruitment should abide by the following guidelines.

a. The title of the recruitment notice MUST be self-explanatory.

b. This site MUST enlist all those who are eligible for a particular recruitment. Also
the details of the eligibility criteria should be clearly mentioned.
c. All required application forms should be made available on the website so that

©2017,NIC 39
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the interested person can download and submit the same.

d. Procedure to be followed, whom to contact, supporting documents to be carried
etc. for the particular recruitment MUST form a part of this content.
e. All currently open vacancies may be highlighted on the Homepage of the website.
f. All recruitment notices should also be registered with the National Portal for
wider access by target audience.
g. Information for those recruitment notices in which the last date is over must be
either removed or moved into the archives section.

4.2.10 News and Press Releases

News having national importance and significance for the Citizens as well as Government
Press Releases issued by Departments and organisations at the Centre and State level
should be published on the website of the concerned Department. News and Press
Releases should carry the date and should be organised as per the Archival Policy of the
website. News and Press releases should be published in RSS format so that associated
offices and Departments can also consume them on their websites with due permission
or based on their access policy.

4.2.11 Contact Information on Government Websites

Citizens may like to contact any Government Department or entity to ask questions,
get information, seek clarifications or sort out problems. Therefore it is essential that
Government websites provide them with the means to do that.
a. All Indian Government websites MUST have a ‘Contact Us’ page, linked from
the Homepage and all relevant places in the website.
b. The ‘Contact Us’ page should be categorised according to the various divisions
handling different kind of queries; e.g. grievance redressal, file status, procedural
details etc.
c. The contact details for the Important functionaries in the Department MUST
have the telephone numbers/fax numbers, postal address as well as email address
along with the timings specified for personal/public dealing (if applicable). The
content policy of the department should enlist the functionaries whose details
are to be given on the contact us or who’s who/directory page.
d. There should be a clear-cut policy for redressal (correction) of inaccurate
information found on the website. The contact details of the Web Information
Manager, who is overall responsible for the content on the website, should be
provided.

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4.2.12 Presence on the National Portal

CHMechanism
05 should be in place to ensure that metadata for all important
information and Services, have been provided to the National Portal.

4.3
Secondary Content

Secondary content is generated from the assortment and packaging of primary content
to suit the requirement of different audience, events and occasions. Examples of such
content are advertisements/banners/spotlight/media gallery/related sites.

4.3.1 Special Interest Group Corner

In case of an event or on special occasions, Government departments may
introduce a section for a particular target group e.g. during result time a special
section for students may be put up or the Department of Social Welfare may
open a section for senior citizens on its website. It must be noted that the original
content that is sourced from various sections of the website to make up this
section should remain intact so that it may be referred to, once the section has
been removed.

4.3.2 Events and Announcements

Government websites should have a section to cover various Events &
Announcements such as:
• Announcements having International/National/State level importance.
• Announcements related to important upcoming Government events
being organised by a Ministry/Department/State/UT.
• Announcements related to schemes/grants/scholarships/fellowships etc.
• Warnings of Natural disasters/Epidemics etc.
• Calls for relief funds during disasters. Other help from citizens or civic
agencies.
• Display of important helpline numbers in case of crisis.

Guidelines relating to events and announcements are as follows:

a. Announcement must be taken off/archived once it loses its relevance or
after the expiry of the time period attached to the event or happening.
b. All important announcements should also be published on the National

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Portal for wider access.

c. Announcements should be worded in simple English/Regional language
depending on whom they are meant for.

4.3.3 Discussion Forums & Chat Rooms

Discussion forums are becoming an increasingly popular tool for sharing
viewpoints and information. Discussion Forums could be initiated by a
Department on any relevant topic of public interest and can prove quite useful in
obtaining opinions and viewpoints of the citizens on issues important for policy
making. Departments should use MyGov platform to conduct discussions.While
initiating an online discussion forum through any platform, the following should
be kept in mind:

a. The purpose and objective of the Discussion Forum should be clearly

defined. Preferably, an initiating document or background paper
explaining the topic of the forum may be provided on the site.
b. Clear-cut Terms and Conditions for posting content in the Discussion
Forum should be indicated. Policy related to content that must not be
posted in the discussion forum (see box) should be defined.
c. The discussion forums on a Government website should be moderated
so that there is some control to avoid publishing unwanted content on
the website. All the inputs submitted by the users may be reviewed by the
moderator for context and appropriateness of the language or a provision
for marking the post as spam may be provided to the users of the forum.
d. The discussion forum should be open for a limited period of time and
the validity of the same should be prominently indicated on the site.
However, rather than closing the forum abruptly, it is advised that a
summary of the inputs received as well as an Action Taken Report,
if possible, should be provided on the website so that the visitors are
assured that their inputs are being seriously considered and valued by the
Department.

Chat Rooms
Chat rooms on a website could be used by citizens to exchange their viewpoints
on some common topic amongst each other as well as by the Departments
to facilitate an online conversation between a senior functionary and citizens.
Like Discussion Forums, Chat rooms should also follow a Policy related to
content that must not be posted by the users (see box). It is desirable that the
participants of an online chat through a Government Department’s website be
registered before they are allowed to login and post their messages. Permanent

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chat rooms should be monitored frequently. In case of temporary or special

occasion chat sessions with a senior functionary, it is advised that questions be
submitted to the interviewee, before being published in the chat room.

Online Discussion Forum: Usage Policy

A Usage Policy should be established and published alongside all online

discussion forums and chat rooms on a Government website. This policy
should be prominently displayed to any new user who should be made to pass
through a page with this information before being able to input data. The
usage policy should clearly specify that the following is forbidden:
• Insulting, threatening or provoking language.
• Inciting hatred on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality or
sexuality or other personal characteristics.
• Swearing, using hate-speech or making obscene or vulgar
comments.
• Libel, condoning illegal activity, contempt of court and breach of
copyright.
• Spamming, i.e. adding the same comment repeatedly.
• Impersonating or falsely claiming to represent a person or
organisation.
• Posting in a language other than the language of the website.
• Invading people’s privacy or Posting off-topic comments.

4.3.4 Related links

For every content topic in different modules of the website, a section should be
provided for ‘Related Links’ to the concerned information.
a. Each content topic covered in the website may have some Related Links
to other Government websites which provide further details on the topic.
b. For every Related Link, the complete URL of the Homepage/Concerned
webpage should be provided correctly along with the complete title of
the Website which shall appear on the screen.
c. The validity and accuracy of the URL should be checked on a regular
basis to make sure that the information is relevant and the linked address
is correct.

Only Government websites/webpages should be provided as ‘Related Links’ for

further information since there is no control over the veracity and availability of
information on private websites.

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4.3.5 Spotlight

The website may have a section called ‘Spotlight’ which focuses on a certain issue
of importance and highlights it. The guidelines with regard to this section are:

a. Every Spotlight topic should be chosen keeping in mind the relevance

and significance of the topic in today’s context. It should be ensured that
the chosen topic is of significance and should interest a diverse group of
audience.
b. The content for the Spotlight Section should have the following essential
elements:
• Brief introductory text to appear on the Homepage of the website.
• Detailed text on the topic in the Main Page of the Spotlight
section. This content should comprise key highlights of the topic
and the facts ought to be sourced from authentic and official
sources related to the topic.
• Address of the Webpage/Websites which have detailed information
on the topic addressed in the Spotlight.
• Graphical Banner highlighting the Spotlight topic and linked to
the webpage providing further details.

c. Once the new Spotlight is launched, the older one should be shifted/
moved to the Archives section along with the date for future reference.

4.4
Tertiary Content
Information about the ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ content forms a part of the tertiary
content. The guidelines for this type of content are given as follows:

4.4.1 About the site - this section should contain information about Department
responsible for the contents as well as the maintenance of the site, purpose
behind the development of the site, when was it launched, where is it hosted etc.
4.4.2 Navigation Aids Sections such as Help, Site Map, and Search (described in detail
in the latter sections).
4.4.3 Terms and Conditions with respect to the usage of content on the site. This
includes policies on Copyright, Privacy, Legal Implications etc. as well as Content
Disclaimers. This has been explained in detail in the previous chapter.

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4.4.4 ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ or FAQs

Although the content developers of websites make (and should make) all
possible efforts to ensure that the content answers all possible and anticipated
information needs of the citizens, it is sometimes not possible to address these
completely. Visitors still have questions because either they couldn’t find what
they were looking for or it is presented in such a manner that it is difficult for
them to comprehend or understand. In such a case, a detailed list of answers
to common questions can prove highly useful to the website audience. Also, it
has been proven by usability studies that information presented in a ‘question-
answer’ form is much easier for people to understand than lengthy write-ups.
Hence, Government websites, particularly the ones having frequent interaction
with citizen for various services/schemes should have a ‘Frequently Asked
Questions’ section linked from the Homepage and all other relevant places in
the site.
The web information managers can compile the list of commonly asked queries
and their answers through the following sources:
• Emails, phone calls and letters from the public.
• Survey conducted amongst the public.
• Input from people who answer phones and mail in the organisation.
• Review of website usage statistics and top search terms/items.

4.4.5 User Feedback

A commonly used method of receiving the feedback from the visitors of the site is
through feedback forms or guest books. Feedback forms, with pre-decided fields,
to be filled in by the visitors, enable a much more structured way of receiving
feedback and hence make it easy to categorise or analyse the same. Forms are also
quite useful for receiving grievances/complaints from the users in a structured
and formatted manner. The information collected through feedback forms can
also be used as a means of knowing the usage pattern of the website and can be
used in the enhancement of future versions of the website.

a. All feedback MUST be collected through online forms for reasons

explained above.

b. All feedback forms should be prominently displayed on the website.

c. Departments MUST respond to the feedback explaining how it shall

be processed.

d. Departments should also make it clear on the response screen whether

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citizens should expect a reply on their feedback If ‘yes’ then in how

many days.

4.4.6 Help
A special section labeled ‘Help’ on the website MUST be created, which allows
and guides for a pleasant experience while browsing the website. This category
includes the kind of content which allows for an easy and convenient navigation
for the visitor to the website (e.g. online help, how to open files of certain formats,
how to access audio/video on the portal, kinds of plug-ins required etc.). Further,
the content which clarifies the purpose of the website as well as its policies for
the visitors should also be included in this category. Help should be linked from
all pages of the website and should be displayed in a consistent location across
the website.

4.4.7 Downloads
a. Information about downloadable material
Downloading material from the Internet can be an expensive and time-
consuming exercise. Therefore, Government websites MUST provide
Information that will help visitors determine whether they want to access
downloadable material. This information would concern the following:

• Self explanatory title of the document/file.

• Download and use instructions (install, open, view).
• File format and file size.
b. Size of downloads to be minimised
The total size of the file should be kept to a minimum to ensure acceptable
download times for all users, especially those that do not have high-speed,
reliable Internet connections.
c. Virus Free Downloads
Prior to making downloadable material available for visitors, Government
websites should check for viruses and clear them.

4.5
Minimum Content

The homepage of a website is the primary entry page to the entire content of the website.
It is important that the visitors to the site get to access the most important content

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elements from the Homepage itself.

4.5.1 Government websites MUST ensure the availability of the following minimum
content elements on the Homepage. This is applicable not just to the websites
of Departments but also to any Indian Government website, be it on a specific
Project, Task Force, Committee or Service etc.
Minimum Content on the homepage of a Department
• Department Name (alternatively, the name of the Project, Service etc.
as applicable).
• State emblem of India/Logo (as applicable).
• About the Department (including its main activities and functions).
• Link to all the major modules/sections of the site.
• Link to all the citizen services offered by the Department.
• Link to the ‘Contact Us’ page of the website.
• Link to the “Feedback” page.
• Link to National Portal.
• Search/Site Map.
• Terms and Conditions of Use.

4.5.2 Minimum Content on Subsequent Pages

Apart from the Homepage, the subsequent pages of the website MUST have
the following minimum information, in addition to the main content.

• Self explanatory title of the page.

• Link to the Homepage.
• Link to the parent section/top module of the individual page.
• Ownership (name of the Department owning the website).
• Link to the “Contact Us” page.

4.6
Information meant for Internal Use

Government websites contain information and services for the public. Therefore, it has
to be strictly noted that Indian Government websites should not be used to convey
information specific to the Department’s employees. Information meant for the internal
consumption of the employees should be disseminated through Intranets. This is required,

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as the information intended for employees can confuse the common public visiting the
website.

• All information meant for internal consumption and not in public domain,
presently existing on any Indian Government website should be moved to
an Intranet secured through proper authentication.

In case it is not possible for the Department to develop an Intranet, the information
meant for internal use may be isolated and explicitly labelled (e.g. ‘for employees’ or ‘for
internal use’), to make it clear to the public that it is not intended for them.

4.7
Information to Avoid

4.7.1 Commercial banner advertisements should be avoided on Government websites.

Banner advertisements that promote and link to other Government agencies as
well as social messages are permissible.
4.7.2 Any information in text, visual or any other media which may offend/harm the
National sentiments, religious communities as well as security and integrity of the
Country MUST be avoided on the websites and content must be authenticated
as per the content moderation and approval policy.
4.7.3 Government Information which is confidential or only for restricted use should be
avoided on a website meant for the common public.

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Chapter 05 Quality of Content

5.1 Citizen Orientation

5.2 Content Authenticity, Accuracy & Currency

5.3 Language

5.4 Consistent Terminology

5.5 International Conventions

5.6 Information Architecture & Relationship

5.7 Multilingual Versions

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Quality of Content
5.1
Citizen Orientation

The crucial element of an effective presence of Government on the Web is the way
its content is written and packaged. Indian Government websites should be oriented
towards their prospective audience. Intended audience to the Government website could
be Citizens, Businesses, Government Departments as well as Government employees.
Following are the guidelines towards the same:

5.1.1 The content should be selected keeping the audience in mind, not from the
Government’s perspective. Apart from the selection of the content, equal
emphasis should be given to the way it is written and presented on the web.
Content aimed at the common public should be written in such a way that
people from diverse professional, educational and demographic backgrounds can
easily comprehend the same.
5.1.2 Homepage of the website should be designed carefully and effectively to provide
a good interface for the citizen. Homepages should ideally not feature details
of individuals and office bearers of the Department. Those details may be
appropriate on the “About Us” or “Who’s who” page.
5.1.3 In order to gauge the content requirements of the citizens, who are the prime
target audience of any Government website, Government Departments may use
following means to determine the best way to identify and package information
for citizens and other stakeholders:
• Discussion Forums
• User satisfaction surveys
• Online feedback from citizens
• Analysing website usage reports, including search terms and statistics
• Usability testing and research

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5.2
Content Authenticity, Accuracy & Currency

It is the duty of every Web Information Manager to ensure that the content on his/
her website is always authentic, up-to-date and latest. This fact assumes paramount
significance in the context of Government websites since the public puts a lot of trust in
the information available on the official websites of any department.

5.2.1 Each and every bit of content published on a Government website should be
verified and checked thoroughly as the public expects nothing less than authentic
and accurate information from a credible source such as an official Government
website. The Departments MUST have a Content Contribution, Moderation
and Approval Policy (CMAP) stating the responsibility, authorisation and
workflow details with regard to content publishing on the site.
5.2.2 The Homepage MUST and every important entry page of all Indian Government
websites/portals should display a timestamp indicating one of the following:
a. Date on which the information was posted on the website.
b. Date on which the content was last reviewed and/or modified.
5.2.3 Every piece of content appearing on the Government website should be
reviewed after a pre-decided duration for its accuracy, relevance and currency.
All Government Departments MUST formulate a proper web Content Review
Policy (CRP) depending upon the nature of their content and if possible, also
publish the policy on their website.
5.2.4 In case the nature of the content is ‘historical’ i.e. it will never change (e.g. press
releases, speeches, published reports/documents of a Department etc.), the date
of posting the content may be mentioned along with a note indicating the nature
of the document and explaining that it is not subject to revision.
5.2.5 In case the reports and documents are voluminous and it is difficult to mention
the timestamp on every page, the same MUST be indicated on the main page as
well as on all icons/places which link to that document.
5.2.6 For time sensitive content which expires after a certain date (e.g. tender
notifications, announcements, contest entries etc.), a policy on whether the
content should be archived for future reference or removed altogether from
the website should be decided by the concerned Department after careful
consideration of the nature of content. However, ‘expired or outdated’ content
MUST not be presented or flashed on the website. Such content should be
removed or archived as per the content archival policy (CAP).

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5.3
Language
The language used in a Government website is very important for ensuring effective
communication with the target audiences. If the language on the website is complex and
uses terminology which a common visitor is unfamiliar with, the very purpose of having
the website will be lost.

5.3.1 Departments should ensure that homepage, all major entry points, and
navigational elements of Government websites are written in clear language
appropriate for the site’s content.
5.3.2 Indian Government websites cater to diverse target audience with diverse
demographic profiles and educational background. Therefore it is highly
desirable that the language used in the Government website is understood easily
and correctly by all sections of the audiences. Departments may test the language
and its comprehension with a sample set of typical visitors before making the site
live for all audiences.
5.3.3 Writing for the web is very different from writing for the Print medium. One of
the best ways of making the language web friendly is to keep the sentences short
and simple. Long, convoluted sentences seem unfriendly on screen and can
distract the visitors.
5.3.4 There are tools available which can help a Department evaluate how easy to
understand and comprehend the language used on their website is. Departments
should use such language tools, including language software, to evaluate the
readability of the website’s content.
5.3.5 The language used in a Government website MUST be free from any spelling or
grammatical errors of any kind. Further, there should be uniformity across the
site when it comes to using British/American English.
5.3.6 Abbreviations/Acronyms, which may be typical in Government parlance and may
not be commonplace with citizens of diverse backgrounds should be avoided or
expanded at all possible places. At the same time, if a short form or abbreviation
of a term is more popularly known and understood by the citizens, then the short
form/abbreviation should also be mentioned.
5.3.7 The language of complete web page MUST be indicated programmatically by
the use of lang attribute. If there are any changes in the default language of the
document, either in the document’s text or any text equivalents (e.g., captions),
they MUST also be clearly identified. (Ref. WCAG 3.1.1 & 3.1.2)

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5.4
Consistent Terminology
Common look and feel in Government websites of any country helps in promoting the
brand image of the Government; raises user confidence; provides a user-friendly experience
in navigating Government websites; and organises information more consistently to
facilitate search. An integral part of the common look and feel strategy is the usage
of standard content terminology, positioning and framework. Usability Research has
established that using common terms and placement of content can help visitors locate
the information they want more quickly and conveniently.
5.4.1 Hence it is suggested that ‘Consistent Content Terminology and Positioning’
should be adopted by Government websites in India. This could act as a beginning
for adopting a larger view towards common look and feel of Indian Government
websites in the long run. If a certain ‘term’ has been presented in a particular
manner at one place in the website, it should be referred to in the same manner
at all places in the site.
5.4.2 Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages MUST
be identified consistently. If identical functions have different labels on different
Web pages, the site will be considerably more difficult to use. It may also be
confusing and increase the cognitive load for people with cognitive limitations.
(Ref. WCAG 3.2.4)

For example
• If a certain Government entity has been referred to as the ‘Department’
at one place in the site, it should not be mentioned as ‘organisation’ or
some other name at an alternative place in the same site.
• In any application form, if the button to submit information after
filling up the form says ‘SUBMIT’ then it must say so across the
entire website. It should not happen that different terminology is used
in the same context at various places in a single website.

5.5
International Conventions
Web as a medium transcends all geographic and physical boundaries. Obviously therefore,
the target audience of any website could be multicultural with highly varied demographic
backgrounds. It should be ensured that the content of every Indian Government website
takes international and cultural conventions into account.

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5.5.1 Currency: The mention of Indian Currency should be uniform across all Indian
Government Websites. As per international convention, any monetary value in
terms of Indian currency may be described as INR (Indian National Rupee or `).
5.5.2 Time: To mention timings in any context, the IST (Indian Standard Time)
should be used and if possible, the standard reference of it with respect to the
more widely known internationally GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) may be
mentioned.

5.5.3 Phone Numbers: The format for mentioning the phone numbers should be
according to international conventions (+Country Code - Area Code- Phone No.)
and uniform across all Indian Government websites. e.g. +91-11-2430XXXX.

5.5.4 Date: The format for date across all pages of Indian Government websites should
to be dd/mm/yyyy to ensure uniformity.

5.5.5 Holidays: Holidays and Work Hours may vary between geographical areas and
cultures and hence the websites should provide and clarify information taking
into account the culturally specific terms. Time zone variations as well as workday
variations should be considered in this context.

5.5.6 Icons: Icons can be international symbols or may be culturally dependent. Icons
may be accompanied by text to assist individuals who are not familiar with
the icons. Icons that present meaningful information must be accompanied with
alternate text to assist persons with visual impairment. (Ref. Section 6.6.3)

5.5.7 Hemispherical: Some references are hemispherically oriented. Winter means

something different in the northern hemisphere than it does in the southern
hemisphere. Equating seasons to months should be avoided. Note that references
such as “west” or “east” may be culture-or hemisphere-specific.

5.5.8 Postal/Physical Address: When presenting or collecting address information,

country, state and postal/pin code should be included. It is important to know
that postal codes across Countries vary in format, and validation code should
take this into consideration. It may be useful to collect Country, State or Postal/
PIN Code information before other information to minimise the user entry
required, although it may not be made compulsory as many users may not know
details such as PIN Code.

Though it is preferable to follow international convention, however if for some reason

there is a deviation the same should be highlighted in the ‘help’ section.

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5.6
Information Architecture & Relationship

Information Architecture is concerned with how information is organized, structured,

labelled, and presented for maximum access. The content of a Government website or
any website per se, has to be structured in such a way that the target audience is able
to access the desired information with minimum effort. The following guidelines are
important for achieving the objective of well-organized Information Architecture:

5.6.1 It is imperative that the information and services on the website are well
organised and categorized into relevant modules/sections and sub-sections so
that any information can be located conveniently and is not buried deep inside
WebPages. These sections or categories may be identified with headings or
labels. Headings wherever used MUST correctly describe topic or purpose of
content. Headings must be specified using HTML heading tags (H1 to H6)
with proper hierarchy. When headings are clear and descriptive, users can find
the information they seek more easily, and they can understand the relationships
between different parts of the content more easily. Descriptive labels help users
identify specific components within the content. Labels and headings do not
need to be lengthy. A single word, may suffice if it provides an appropriate cue to
finding and navigating content. (Ref. WCAG 2.4.6)
5.6.2 The objective of the Homepage of a website is to allow the visitors to locate the
desired information in the easiest possible manner. Homepages must be designed
so as to prominently highlight the most requested information and services.
Further, the homepage should provide an easy-to-identify section where the
purpose of the website and the value to citizens is explained in terms which they
can understand. Indian Government websites should ensure that all information,
which is of direct importance to the citizen, is accessible from the Homepage
itself.
5.6.3 Sighted users perceive structure and relationships through various visual cues
present on a page (page headings are in a larger and bold font; list items are
preceded by a bullet; form fields may be positioned as groups that share text
labels; a different background color may be used to indicate related items and
so on). However visually challenged users cannot take advantage of these cues.
It must be ensured that these informations and relationships are preserved even
when the presentation format changes. (For example when the content is read
by a screen reader or CSS is turned off or replaced).Therefore departments
MUST ensure that Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through
presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text.
(Ref. WCAG 1.3.1)

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5.6.4 When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct
reading sequence MUST be programmatically determined. This helps people
CH 06 who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers because the meaning evident
in the sequencing of the information in the visual presentation will be the same
when the content is presented in spoken form. This also preserves the meaning
of the page when the CSS is turned off or not supported. It should be noted
that a sequence is meaningful if change of order shall impact its meaning. Two
independent content items like two separate articles in a page may be placed in
any sequence without affecting the meaning. Similarly the navigation block and
the content area may be placed in any sequence without affecting their meaning.
(Ref. WCAG 1.3.2)

5.7
Multilingual Versions
India is a country with diverse cultures and as many as 22 languages. One of the major
users of Government websites are common citizens with highly diverse demographic
profiles. Due to the various initiatives taken by Centre and State Governments, as well as
the private sector, Internet is now accessible even in the remote parts of the nation.

At present, a majority of the content in Government websites is in English, except few

which have content in Hindi or one of the Regional languages. Thus, even though
Government websites are accessible, they are still not usable. Hence, there is a need to
put the information in Regional languages. Depending on the nature of the content and
its prospective usage, content should be translated in desired languages and should be a
part of the same website with prominent links. Technology for publishing the content in
Indian languages is already quite developed and a large number of tools are available to
support this.

5.7.1 Ideally all the pages on the website should be translated in Hindi or other Regional
languages. In case it is becoming difficult to do so, Departments MUST identify the
content which is widely accessed by the public and begin to put up such content in
multiple languages. The web pages MUST use Unicode character set.
5.7.2 It MUST be ensured that the documents/pages in multiple languages are updated
simultaneously so that there are no inconsistencies, at any point, between the various
language versions. Prominent link to the bilingual version must be provided.
5.7.3 In case it is practically difficult to update the versions in all languages simultaneously
due to delays on account of translation etc., the obsolete information should be
removed from the site till the latest information is uploaded. In any case, a time
stamp indicating the date of uploading the information and its validity should be
put along with all the time sensitive documents.

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Chapter 06 Design

6.1 Visual Identity

6.2 Page Layout

6.3 Graphic Buttons & Icons

6.4 Typography

6.5 Colour

6.6 Images

6.7 Audio / Video / Animation

6.8 Navigation

6.9 Site Search

6.10 Sitemap

6.11 Frames
 Guidelines
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Design
6.1
Visual Identity
Design in the broad sense is a process that achieves the end result of enhancing the user
experience by presenting the content in a form that is easily understandable, navigable
and searchable by the user, in addition to being visually appealing. The branding of a
website can be established by incorporating common design elements such as colours,
logos, styles, etc., into every page. This presents a professional and consistent visual
identity as well as an important signpost that tells visitors where they are.

6.1.1 Therefore, visual/textual identity elements highlighting the Indian Government’s

ownership of the site MUST prominently stand out on the page.

6.2
Page layout
Page Layout is a significant consideration in the overall design interface of any website.
Following are some guidelines to achieve well laid out pages:

6.2.1 A consistent page layout with reference to navigation elements MUST be

maintained throughout the site, i.e., placement of navigation elements should be
uniform across the website. (Ref. WCAG 3.2.3)
6.2.2 Focus should be laid on a few important elements of the page, so that the visitor
may be guided to those portions, which deserve most attention. If a lot of
elements in a webpage are blinking/flashing or highlighted, the visitor will not
be able to concentrate on the essence of the page.
6.2.3 There should be a clear demarcation of components. This can be guided by the
Information Architecture where information of one kind is grouped together
and presented visually at one point in the page.

6.3
Graphics, Buttons & Icons
Buttons and icons are symbolic representation of objects and the representation of actions

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that can be applied to objects. Icons, if used properly can be a powerful technique for
communication and attracting attention. They can hold the users attention, add interest
to a website and quickly convey information. They are also free from the barriers of
language.
6.3.1 While using national identity symbols like Flag, National Emblem etc., it MUST
be ensured that the images are in a proper ratio and colour.

6.3.2 The graphic elements like buttons and icons should be simple and their meaning
and symbolism should be self explanatory and relevant.Buttons and Icons should
be large enough to be distinguishable on a high-resolution monitor, since the
display size of components decreases with the increase in the screen resolution.

6.4
Typography

6.4.1 The content of the site should be readable with default standard fonts.

6.4.2 Fonts like Verdana and Georgia that are suited for screen viewing may be used.
Text that must be in a particular font for reasons such as branding may use an
image and provide the same as Alt text. (Ref. Section: 6.6.3)

6.4.3 When using Hindi/Regional language fonts the page MUST be tested on major
browsers for any inconsistency (loss of layout). Unicode character must be used.

6.4.4 Italic fonts are not legible in small font sizes. Paragraphs in all capital characters
and italics should be used sparingly as they hinder legibility in big blocks of text.

6.4.5 It is author’s responsibility to create Web content that does not prevent the
user agent (e.g. browser) from scaling the content effectively, therefore Except
for captions and images of text, text MUST be resizable without the use of
assistive technology by upto 200% without loss of content or functionality.
(Ref. WCAG 1.4.4)

6.4.6 Font properties should be such that the text MUST be readable both in electronic
and print format and the content MUST print correctly on an A4 size paper.

6.5
Colour
6.5.1 Proper contrast between text and background is essential for users who have low

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vision. Therefore the visual presentation of text and images of text MUST have a
contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 except:
• If the text is purely for decorative purpose.
• Is not visible. or Is a part of an inactive user interface.
• Is a part of a logo where it has no minimum contrast requirement.
• That are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content.
• If the text is substantially large in size (18 pt or 14 pt bold)
it must have a contrast ratio of 3:1. (Ref. WCAG 1.4.3)

6.5.2 Use of colour should depend on the target audience. For example, a site for
children may use bigger fonts and bright colours to grab the attention of kids
while a site designed for researchers and academicians should focus on content
with subtle use of colours.

6.5.3 Websites should ensure the colours used for text and graphics look good on a
variety of platforms, monitors and devices.

6.5.4 Color is an important asset in presentation of Web content however, some users
have difficulty perceiving color e.g. People with partial sight or older users who
do not see color well. In addition there are people using text-only, limited-color
or monochrome displays and browsers.If a page has information that is conveyed
by color differences like: “required fields are red”, “error is shown in red”, and
“january sales are in red, july are in blue” or indications of an action like using
color to indicate that a link will open in a new window then these users may not
be able to access such information. Therefore it MUST be ensured that Color is
not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action,
prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. (Ref. WCAG 1.4.1)

6.6
Images
6.6.1 Use of images for representing text should be limited
Though images add life to a website, they also increase downloading time. Images
should only be used when it adds value to the content. Images should not be used
to present text as those using text only browsers shall not be able to access the
information thus rendering the site inaccessible to many. Therefore, text MUST
be used to convey information rather than images of text except when the image of
text can be customised to the users requirement or when a particular representation
of text is essential for the information being conveyed (such as a text in a logotype):
The use of text, rather than images of text, should be considered for page headings
and website navigation items (Menus). (Ref. WCAG 1.4.5)

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6.6.2 Size of image files should be minimised

The size of image files should be reduced as much as possible to minimise the
download time of web pages. A variety of techniques can improve the download
time of pages:
• Scaling of images should be avoided as they tend to distort when scaled.
Instead, a correct size should be prepared in image processing software.
• A thumbnail (a smaller version) for a large image and link to the full-size copy
should be provided where appropriate.

6.6.3 Images and other non text content MUST be made Accessible
• A meaningful explanatory text equivalent MUST be specified for images
and other non text content e.g. by using the ALT attribute. The ALT
text for an image is displayed before the image is fully downloaded. It
is the main source of image information for users of text-only browsers,
users of browsers with graphics turned off, and users who are sight
impaired. The description should summarise the content or purpose of the
image. For example, to use the description ‘Picture’ to explain a graphic
does not serve any purpose. The following situations are exceptions:

(i) If the non text content is a control or accepts input e.g. a submit button
then it must have a name describing the purpose of the control.

(ii) If the non text content is time based media (audio/video) then the
text equivalent provides a descriptive identification of the same.

(iii) If non-text content is a test or exercise that would be

invalid if presented in text, then text alternatives at least
provide descriptive identification of the non-text content.

(iv) If non-text content is primarily intended to create a

specific sensory experience, then text alternatives at least
provide descriptive identification of the non-text content.

(v) CAPTCHA: If the purpose of non-text content is to confirm that content

is being accessed by a person rather than a computer, then text alternatives
that identify and describe the purpose of the non-text content are provided,
and alternative forms of CAPTCHA using output modes for different types of
sensory perception are provided to accommodate different disabilities.

(vi) If non-text content is pure decoration, is used only for visual formatting,

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or is not presented to users, then it is implemented in a way that it can be

ignored by assistive technology (by using blank alt attribute). (Ref. WCAG 1.1.1)

• The HEIGHT and WIDTH dimension attributes force the browser to

allocate space for images and download the text first. The height and width
specifications should be the same as the actual height and width of the image.
This speeds up the time to download the web page and display the content.

6.7
Audio / Video / Animation
The use of audio/video clips in a website can enrich the content and render the
communication more effective for the visitor; however, the following guidelines should
be followed while including audio/video clips on the website.

6.7.1 Download Details for Video and Audio Clips

a. Download information MUST be provided to help users determine whether

they wish to access the video or audio clip. This includes the download and
usage instructions, file size, and file format.

b. If a specific software programme is required to access the multimedia file, a

link to enable the user to download it MUST be provided.

6.7.2 Text Equivalents for Video and Audio Clips

In order to ensure that content of video and audio clips is accessible to all,
including those with impaired vision, hearing impaired or those accessing the
information on slow connections:

a. Government websites MUST provide equivalent information of audio only/

video only clips (e.g. a text description of the audio/video). In case of video-
only clips audio description of the video may also be provided in place of text.
Ref. WCAG 1.2.1

b. When audio (live or pre recorded) is synchronised with other media for
presenting information the audio information MUST be presented as
captions for the benefit of hearing impaired or those who do not have access to
audio. Captions must not only include dialogue, but identify who is speaking
and include non-speech information conveyed through sound, including
meaningful sound effects. In case of video presented in synchronised media

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audio descriptions must be provided (if all of the information in the video
track is already provided in the audio track, no audio description is necessary)
WCAG 1.2.2 & 1.2.3.

6.7.3 Animations
The use of animation can be an effective means for drawing attention to
key aspects of a website. However, Government websites should ensure
that animations used on the site do not distract or irritate users or lead to
unacceptable download times. Animation should be used only if it adds value
to a page. File sizes of animated images should be kept small by limiting the
number of frames.

a. Certain special effects such as blinking or flashing have been reported to cause
epileptic seizures. It is also seen that people are more sensitive to red flashing
than other colours.Web pages MUST not contain anything that flashes more
than three times in any one second period. (Ref. WCAG 2.3.2)

b. For any moving, blinking or scrolling information that starts automatically and
lasts for more than 5 seconds and is presented in parallel with other content,
there MUST be a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it (unless the
movement, blinking, or scrolling is part of an activity where it is essential).
Many web pages also contain auto updating content that disappears or is
updated in a preset interval of time e.g. stock prices, news etc. In such case
also the user MUST have a mechanism to pause, stop or hide the content or to
control its frequency unless this auto updation is a part of an activity where it
is essential. (Ref. WCAG 2.2.2)

c. If any audio on a Web page plays automatically for more than 3 seconds,
there MUST be mechanism to pause or stop the audio. Individuals who use
screen reading software can find it hard to hear the speech output if there is
other audio playing at the same time. Also as screen readers speech output
is controlled via the same volume control as the system sound control the
webpage MUST provide a means to control the volume of audio playing in
the page independently from the overall system volume level. (Ref. WCAG 1.4.2)

6.8
Navigation
Consistent navigation makes it easy to use a website since a visitor does not need to
understand or remember different navigation styles for different sections. Therefore to
promote ease-of-use for all citizens, Government websites must have a navigation scheme
that is used consistently across the website.

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The organisation and navigation scheme of the content in the website should
be either categorised by subject (topic, tasks, services, life events), by audience
group, by geographic location, or by any combination of these factors. Web
information managers should analyse the wants and needs of citizens and other
intended target groups when organizing the content of Government websites.

6.8.1 It must be possible for a visitor to reach the Homepage from any other page in
the website.

6.8.2 Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of
Web pages MUST occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated,
unless a change is initiated by the user. (Ref. WCAG 3.2.3)

6.8.3 Navigation items of the same type should look and behave the same way. For
example, if a set of pages on one topic has subtopic links in the left navigation
bar, pages on other topics should also have subtopic links in the left navigation
bar that look and behave identically.

6.8.4 Links to under construction pages MUST be avoided as far as possible.

6.8.5 Each page MUST be a standalone entity in terms of ownership, navigation and
context of content.

6.8.6 List of all levels between the homepage and current page should be provided on
each page (as breadcrumbs).

6.8.7 Navigation to external websites should be enabled in such a manner that the
external website opens in a small sized browser window. This is to ensure that the
context remains on the screen for the visitor.

6.8.8 Web pages and applications often have content that is repeated on other pages
or screens (for example navigation links, heading graphics, banner frames etc).
A sighted user can ignore the repeated material by focusing on the main content
area but it is not possible for a person using a screen reader as the content is
read sequentially. Therefore Web pages MUST provide a mechanism to bypass
blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages. This may be done
by providing a link at the top of each page that goes to the main content area.
(Ref. WCAG 2.4.1)

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6.9
Site Search
“Search” is a standard facility on any website now as visitors expect to be guided to the
desired information and service through an easy to use search facility. Effective search
functionality is crucial for mining through the large volumes of information made
available on Government websites. Following are some of the guidelines to achieve the
same:

6.9.1 Government websites MUST include either a “Search” box or a link to a

“Search” page from every page of the website. The search box or link must be
titled “Search”, as it is a standard term understood by web surfers world over. As
per internationally accepted Usability principles, search boxes are most effective
when placed in the same position on all pages (usually within the upper third
part of the webpage). (Ref. WCAG 2.4.5)

6.9.2 Search results should be displayed in an easy-to-read format that, at a minimum,

shows visitors the term(s) they searched for and may highlight the term(s) in each
search result. Search results should be marked with an HTML heading so that
the screen reader users can quickly locate search results.

6.9.3 Departments should carefully determine the scope of their search index to
determine which content should be included and which content should be
excluded. This further implies that the content not meant to be in the public
domain should not be included in any web-based file that could be retrieved
through any search engine.

6.9.4 The frequency of indexing the content of a Government website should be pre-
decided by the hosting provider. Content that is added and updated frequently,
such as press releases, should be indexed more frequently.

6.9.5 Government Departments should regularly use traffic analysis tools to identify
the common search terms used to reach their website. This shall enable a higher
ranking of the site on search engines after due customisation.

6.9.6 Although usability research indicates that very few people use “advanced” search
features, Departments should allow visitors to conduct more refined, focused
searches to achieve more relevant results.

6.9.7 Considering the fact that many people are unfamiliar or unskilled at using search
technology, the website should provide help, hints, or tips, and include examples,
along with its search facility to aid the visitors.

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6.9.8 Users may expect the site index/search to access all the appropriate content and
not display content from outside the site. In case the search results reflect the results
from outside the website, it should be clearly distinguished and mentioned on the
top of the page.

6.10
Sitemap: Powerful Navigation Aide
The citizens visiting Government websites need to be able to find the information and
services they seek, as easily and quickly as possible. A site map represents the structure
of a website, textually as well as graphically, on a single page. A proper ‘Site-Map’ can
provide a convenient and easy-to understand view of the contents in the whole site. It
also facilitates quick access to the information that the citizens want. Following guideline
pertains to site maps:

6.10.1 Every Indian Government website MUST have a ‘Sitemap’ linked through to
Homepage as well as all important entry pages of the site. (Ref. WCAG 2.4.5)

6.11
Frames

Frames are an HTML technique used by web site designers to display two or more
pages in the same browser window. Each frame is built as a separate HTML file,
but with one “master” file to identify each frame. When a user requests a page with
frames, several pages are displayed as panes. Framesets are not supported in HTML5.
Use of frames must be minimised as many search engines do not index framed web
pages properly, however if frames are used, it should be ensured that:

• Each frame is titled to facilitate frame identification and navigation.

• HTML file name of each frame is meaningful.
• A text title is included on each frame (this can be hidden in visual browsers).

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Chapter 07 Development

7.1 Markup Languages

7.2 Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

7.3 Scripting Languages

7.4 File Formats

7.5 Ready Reference for Developers

7.6 Validation & Testing

7.7 Web Application Security

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Development
Use of Open Standard based tools and technologies for the development of websites,
software as well as content are very important to interoperability and accessibility of
websites. World wide web consortium (W3C) is an International body working towards
defining standards in web technologies and formats for publishing content on the web.

With respect to markup languages Indian Government websites should comply with
W3C standards. Most of the browsers, softwares, companies/communities, also try to
comply with W3C standards. Some of the commonly required standards are listed below:

7.1
Markup Languages
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is at the core of the foundation of World Wide
Web. Language has undergone a number of revisions to enable it to be more powerful.
HTML 4.01 version established it as a structural document markup language and is
oriented towards the use of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). The latest standard in HTML
is version 5.0. XML (Extensible Markup Language) is the means to extend HTML
further and make it more generic. XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language) is the preferred
style sheet language of XML. XHTML 1.0 is an XML based markup language and gives
a new dimension to markup languages.

Indian Government websites/web documents/pages/forms should validate to following

published grammars:

• HTML 5.0
• XHTML 1.0
• XML 1.0

Web pages should be tested for compliance with validation tools such as W3C markup
validator. For further details on the above markup languages, visit the website of W3C at
http://www.w3c.org.

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7.2
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation
of a document written in a markup language. Its most common application is to style
web pages written in HTML and XHTML. The CSS specifications are maintained by the
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Its current specifications is CSS3.
CSS is used by both the authors and readers of web pages to define colours, fonts,
layout, and other aspects of document presentation. It is designed primarily to enable
the separation of document content from document presentation. This separation can
improve content accessibility, provide more flexibility and control in the specification
of presentational characteristics, and reduce complexity and repetition in the structural
content. CSS can also allow the same markup page to be presented in different styles for
different rendering methods, such as on-screen, in print, by voice (when read out by a
speech-based browser or screen reader) and on Braille-based, tactile devices.
To know more about CSS, visit
http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/.

Advantages of using CSS include:

• Presentation of information for an entire website or collection of pages can be
held in one CSS file, allowing global changes to be propagated quite conveniently.
• Web browser software can store a copy of the CSS file in the computer’s cache,
so that it doesn’t have to be downloaded each time the user views a web page that
references it, hence improving the access time.
• Different users and screen readers can have different style sheets: for example a
large text alternative for visually impaired users or a layout optimised for small
displays for mobile phones.
• The document code is reduced in size and complexity, since it does not need to
contain any presentational markup.

7.2.1 Therefore Indian Government websites should use Cascading Style Sheets to
control layouts/styles and MUST make the interface responsive to cater to a wide
range of screen sizes.
7.2.2 Websites that use style sheets should ‘degrade’ gracefully so that the site remains
fully functional even if the stylesheet settings are ignored. Therefore the Web pages
in Indian Government websites MUST have the same logical order without the
style sheets as they have with the style sheets.

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7.3
Scripting Languages
Scripting languages are an easy and fast means to enable or include more controls in Web
pages. They can be implemented either as Server side scripting languages using PHP, JSP,
PERL and ASP or as Client side scripting language using JavaScript.

7.3.1 Server side scripting languages should be preferred over Client side since client
side scripting may face issues of browser incompatibility, scripts being turned off
by browsers, security etc.
7.3.2 It should be ensured that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other
programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible,
provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page.

7.4
File Formats
Documents form a very important and significant component of Government websites.
Indian Government Websites should therefore provide access to documents in appropriate
File Formats that are based on open standards and do not impose an unnecessary burden
of downloading or acquiring specific software on the intended audience.
When choosing file format(s), Departments should consider: Intended use of the
material, Frequency of use, Accessibility of the format and Level of effort and time
required to convert the material to the specific format.

File formats for different forms of content are discussed below:

7.4.1 Graphics & Multimedia files

a. Sites should have image and graphic components in JPEG, PNG and GIF
formats and the same should be compressed without losing on visual quality
as far as possible, to allow faster downloads.
b. Multiple graphic images at the server may be used (such as providing a
thumbnail image with a link to a higher resolution graphic) to make the site
more usable even for low bandwidth connections.
c. Departments may use Web and multimedia technologies to enhance sites, on
the condition that all elements are accessible.

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7.4.2 Documents

a. Government websites shall have a lot of information in the form of documents

such as Acts, Rules, Schemes, Gazettes, Forms, Circulars and Notifications.
Accessibility and usability of these documents by all citizens is as important as
that of the entire website. Departments MUST either use HTML format or
any other format that makes the document accessible. In case documents are
published in a format other than HTML format, departments MUST provide
a link to the website from where the document reader can be downloaded free
of cost.
b. When the document has been provided in a format other than HTML,
websites should include a text description of the document, including the
title, file type, file size, and effective date. This will ensure that visitors have a
reasonable understanding of what to expect when they view the document.
c. When the document has been provided in a format other than HTML,
websites should include a text description of the document, including the
title, file type, file size, and effective date. This will ensure that visitors have a
reasonable understanding of what to expect when they view the document.
The document should be properly tagged and should not contain scanned
images of text (Ref. 6.6.1).This will ensure that the document is accessible to
screen reader users (refer guidelines website web.guidelines.gov.in for details).

7.5 R
Ready Reference for Developers
a. It MUST be ensured that in content implemented using markup languages,
elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according
to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and
IDs , if any, are unique, except where the specifications allow these features.
This helps to ensure that user agents, including assistive technologies, can
accurately interpret and parse content. If the content cannot be parsed, then
different user agents may present it differently. Some user agents use “repair
techniques” to render poorly coded content. Since repair techniques vary
among user agents, authors cannot assume that content will be rendered
correctly by specialized user agents. (Ref. WCAG 4.1.1)

b. Labels or instructions MUST be provided when content requires user

input (for example in forms). Text instructions that describe the input
must be provided at the beginning of a form or set of fields. Elements
associated with input must be labeled to ensure that information about
the input field is spoken by screen readers when the field receives focus.

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(Ref. WCAG 3.3.2)

c. In situations where web functions are time-dependent, (for example, filling out
online form) it will be difficult for people with disabilities such as blindness,
low vision, dexterity impairments, and cognitive limitations to perform the
required functions before a time limit occurs. This may render the service
inaccessible to them. It must therefore be ensured that such users are given
adequate time to interact with Web content whenever possible. For each time
limit that is set by the content, the user MUST be allowed to turn off the time
limit, adjust the default setting before encountering it or is warned before
time expires and given option to extend the time limit with a simple action
(for example, “press the spacebar”). (Ref. WCAG 2.2.1)
Activities that essentially require a time limit (for example an online auction)
or the time limit is too long (say 20 hours) are exceptions.

d. Many users including the visually challenged cannot perceive shape, size or
use information about location or orientation. For such users the content that
relies on knowledge of the shape or position of objects becomes inaccessible
(for example, “round button” or “button to the right”). Hence It MUST be
ensured that instructions provided for understanding and operating content
do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape,
size, visual location, orientation, or sound. Additional information needs to
be provided to clarify anything that is dependent on this kind of information.
(Ref. WCAG 1.3.3)

e. If an input error is automatically detected, the error MUST be described to

the user in text. The error message should be as specific as possible. This will
ensure that users are aware that an error has occurred and can determine what
is wrong. Describing the error in text in addition to highlighting the errors
will help screen reader users, who cannot distinguish colour and users with
cognitive disorders who have difficulty in perceiving the meaning of other
visual cues. (Ref. WCAG 3.3.1)

f. All functionality of the content MUST be operable through a keyboard

interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes, except
where input depends on the path of the user’s movement (for example,
drawing freehand curves or using handwriting to write). (Ref. WCAG 2.1.1)

g. Whenever a web page is rendered using plug-ins or embedded applications, it

is possible that functionality of the Web page restricts the keyboard focus to
a subsection of the content, unless the user knows how to leave that state and
“untrap” the focus. This situation may affect navigation for people who rely on
a keyboard or keyboard interface to use the Web, including visually challenged

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and people with physical disabilities. Therefore it MUST be ensured that if

focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface,
then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard
interface, and, if it is not possible the user is advised of the method for
moving focus away. (Ref. WCAG 2.1.2)

h. It MUST be ensured that the purpose of each link can be determined from
the link text alone or from the link text along with its programmatically
determined link context e.g. by using title attribute as a tooltip to clarify the
purpose of link. (Ref. WCAG 2.4.4)

i. When any component receives focus, it MUST not initiate a change of

context. Developers must use “activate” rather than “focus” as a trigger for
change of context. This ensures that functionality is predictable as visitors
navigate their way through a webpage. (Examples of changing context when a
component receives focus include forms being submitted automatically when
a component receives focus or new windows launched when a component
receives focus). (Ref. WCAG 3.2.1)

j. Entering data or selecting a form control must have predictable effects.

Changing the setting of any user interface component MUST not
automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of
the behaviour before using the component. Unexpected changes of context
can be disorienting for users with visual disabilities or cognitive limitations.
(Ref. WCAG 3.2.2)

k. Metadata adds semantic information to pages and sites and provides contextual
information for people navigating the site, especially those with screen readers
who rely on things such as page titles, structured page headings and lists.
Metadata may also be used by some search engines. Indian Government
websites MUST provide metadata like, keywords, and description at least on
Homepage and all important entry pages.

l. Tables help in organising and presenting data on a webpage. However, many

designers in the past have been using tables to make the layout of Web
pages. This has resulted in the Web pages not being accessible to people using
assistive technologies such as screen readers. For this reason, Use of Tables
for page layout should be avoided. For data tables, proper tags and markup
MUST be provided to identify row and column headers and associate data
cells and header cells.

m. When users navigate sequentially through content, they should encounter

information in an order that is consistent with the meaning of the content

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and can be operated from the keyboard. Hence if a Web page can be navigated
sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation,
focusable components MUST receive focus in an order that preserves meaning
and operability. (Ref. WCAG 2.4.3)

n. For all user interface components, it is a MUST that the name and role
can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values can be
programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to
assistive technologies. (Ref. WCAG 4.1.2)

o. Any keyboard operable user interface MUST have a mode of operation

where the keyboard focus indicator is visible. This helps the user know which
element among the multiple elements present in the page has focus. For e.g.,
in case of a button a visual change in the button (e.g. color, size) can indicate
that the focus is on the button. (Ref. WCAG 2.4.7)

p. If an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction

are known, then the suggestions MUST be provided to the user, unless it
would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content. Input error occurs
if the user omits a certain information that is required by the webpage or the
information provided by the user is not in the correct format or falls outside
the permissible value.This is to ensure that the users receive appropriate
suggestions for correction of input errors if possible. (Ref. WCAG 3.3.3)

q. For Web pages that cause legal commitments or financial transactions for
the user to occur, that modify or delete user-controllable data in data storage
systems, or submit user test responses, at least one of the following MUST be
true: (Ref. WCAG 3.3.4)

• Reversible: Submissions are reversible.

• Checked: Data entered by the user is checked for input errors and the
user is provided with an opportunity to correct them.

• Confirmed: A mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and

correcting information before finalizing the submission.

7.6
Validation & Testing

Websites should be validated and tested with automatic tools and human review.
Automated methods are generally rapid and convenient but cannot identify all issues.
Human review can help in issues like ensuring clarity of language and ease of navigation.

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Following are some important validation methods that may be followed:

a. Departments may use automated accessibility tool and browser validation tool.
• Validate syntax (e.g., HTML, XML, etc.).
• Validate stylesheets (e.g, CSS).

b. It is a MUST that Indian Government websites are tested for multiple browsers
and versions of browsers, operating systems, connection speeds, and screen
resolutions to ensure access by all.

c. Use of a self-voicing browser, a screen reader, magnification software, small

display, etc.
d. Use spell and grammar checkers. Eliminating grammatical errors increases
comprehension.
e. Review the document for clarity and simplicity. Readability statistics, such as
those generated by some word processors may be useful indicators of clarity
and simplicity. Better still, ask experienced (human) editors to review written
content for clarity.
7.7
Web Application Security

Web Application security is of paramount concern to owners as well as consumers of

the website. A lot of security threats are handled at data centres and server administrator
level where the application is hosted. Application developers should however be sensitive
about security aspects, as a large number of security threats arise due to vulnerability of
application software code.
These application driven attacks sometimes turn out to be quite fatal. Best Practices
to follow while developing web applications using various technologies are available on
CERT-IN website (http://www.cert-in.org.in) as well as in internet space. Developers
should read, understand and follow these Best Practices during development. NIC as
well as CERT.IN have empaneled a number of agencies to conduct the security audit of
applications.
7.7.1 Each website/application MUST undergo a security audit from empaneled
agencies and clear the same, prior to hosting and after addition of new modules.

7.7.2 Department MUST formulate a security policy to address various security issues
related to the website.

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Chapter 08 Website Hosting

8.1 Website Hosting

8.2 Hosting Service Provider

8.3 Contingency Management

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Website Hosting
8.1
Website Hosting
The fundamental purpose of a Government website is to deliver the information and
services to the citizens and other stakeholders using the medium of Internet. Generally,
websites/portals/web applications are hosted on special purpose servers in a Data Centre.
Data Centre is a facility equipped with controlled power, cooling systems, physical
security and access control. Generally, a large number of servers are hosted in a Data
Centre, powered by high speed networking infrastructure, storage system along with a
storage network. Provision for back-ups of data/information residing in Data Centres
is also an important service of Data Centre. Multi-tier security infrastructure is also a
crucial component of Data Centres.
While it is extremely important to develop websites using state-of-the-art technologies,
hosting infrastructure plays a crucial role in the performance, availability and accessibility
of these websites to end users with varying set-ups.
Hence, configuration of hosting server infrastructure as well as facilities at Data Centres
are important aspects to review, prior to hosting. Following section details the kinds
of facilities and services that the Department should expect from their hosting service
providers.

8.2
Hosting Service Provider

8.2.1 Indian Government websites must be accessible to the public in a fast and secure
manner on 24x7 basis. It is important that the Web Hosting Service Provider
(HSP) for a government department be chosen with extreme caution and care,
keeping the following in mind:
a. The HSP MUST possess state-of-the-art multi tier security infrastructure at
both, physical and network level as well as security policies to ensure the best
possible security to Government websites.
b. The Web Hosting Service Provider MUST also use devices such as firewall
and intrusion prevention systems to make the website more secure.

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c. The Web Hosting Service Provider MUST have a redundant server

infrastructure to ensure fastest restoration of the website in the event of any
unforeseen hardware/software failure.
d. The HSP MUST have a Disaster Recovery (DR) Centre in a geographically
distant location and a well drafted DR plan for fast restoration of the services
during any disaster.
e. P
rovision should be given to the concerned Department to remotely update
their website in a secured manner.
f. The HSP should also provide the facility of staging infrastructure in order to
facilitate the testing of the new websites as well as their enhanced or revised
versions’ content prior to publishing on the internet.
g. HSP should provide web server statistics required for performance evaluation
on a regular basis. If possible, online access to the traffic analysis should be
provided so that the Department can access the traffic analysis at any point
of time for the purpose of evaluation.
h. W
eb Hosting Service Provider MUST provide helpdesk and technical
support to the department on 24 x 7 x 365 basis.

8.3
Contingency Management

The website of a Government Department is its presence on the Internet and it is very
important that the site is fully functional at all times. It is expected of the Government
websites to deliver information and services on a 24x7 basis. Hence, all efforts should be
made to minimise the downtime of the website as far as possible.
It is therefore necessary that a proper Contingency Plan MUST be prepared in advance
to handle any eventualities and restore the site in the shortest possible time. The possible
contingencies include:

8.3.1 Defacement of the website: All possible security measures must be taken
for a Government website to prevent any possible defacement/hacking by
unscrupulous elements (Ref. 7.7.1). However, if despite the security measures in
place, such an eventuality occurs, there must be a proper contingency plan, which
should immediately be executed. If it has been established beyond doubt that the
website has been defaced, the site must be immediately blocked. The contingency
plan must clearly indicate as to who is the person authorised to decide on the
further course of action in such eventualities. The complete contact details of this
authorised person must be available at all times with the web management team.

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Efforts should be made to restore the original site in the shortest possible time. At
the same time, regular security reviews and checks should be conducted in order
CH 09 to plug any gaps in the security.
8.3.2 Data Corruption: A proper mechanism has to be worked out by the concerned
Government Departments, in consultation with their web hosting service
provider, to ensure appropriate and regular back-ups of the website data are
being taken. These enable a fast recovery and uninterrupted availability of the
information to the citizens in view of any data corruption.
8.3.3 Hardware/Software Crash: Though such an occurrence is a rarity, still in case the
server on which the website is being hosted crashes due to some unforeseen reason,
the web hosting service provider must have enough redundant infrastructure
available to restore the website at the earliest.
8.3.4 Natural Disasters: There could be circumstances wherein due to some natural
calamity, the entire data center where the website is being hosted gets destroyed or
ceases to exist. A well planned contingency mechanism has to be in place for such
eventualities wherein it should be ensured that the Hosting Service Provider has
a ‘Disaster Recovery Centre (DRC)’ set up at a geographically remote location
and the website is switched over to the DRC with minimum delay and restored
on the Web.
Apart from the above, in the event of any National Crisis or unforeseen calamity,
Government websites are looked upon as a reliable and fast source of information to
the public. A well defined plan for all such eventualities should be in place within all
Departments/Organisations so that the emergency information/contact help-lines
could be displayed on the website without delay. For this, the concerned person in the
Department responsible for publishing such emergency information should be identified
and his/her complete contact details should be available at all times.

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Chapter 09 Website Promotion

9.1 Search Engine Optimisation

9.2 Website Promotion Techniques

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Website Promotion
Web is a medium of mass information dissemination. With the exponential growth in
the number of websites, which has even crossed the one billion mark, the question of
visibility on the Internet/Web has assumed critical significance.
The ultimate aim of any Government website should be to provide information and
services to as many citizens as possible. The existence of any Government site lying
inaccessible on the web is meaningless. For this purpose a conscious and concentrated
effort has to be made to increase the reach of the website.
Therefore, the importance of website promotion, especially in the context of Government
websites which aim to reach the largest possible number of citizens and stakeholders
cannot be overemphasised.

9.1
Search Engine Optimisation

People usually search for a website through search engines. Therefore searching for a site
in a search engine by using the Department name or the services offered by it as keywords
should preferably bring the website in the first five results on major search engines.

In order to achieve this, the following guidelines may be followed:

9.1.1 The Page Title should include useful and distinctive indication of the contents
and should be self-explanatory. The HTML title should be chosen carefully
considering its role in search engine indexing, query responses, window title bar
and in bookmark labels. (Ref. 2.1.6)

9.1.2 Department name, services offered, schemes, location etc. should form a part of
the Meta information (meta tags) of the HTML page. The important meta tags
that MUST be included are keywords and description tag. These tags are present
in the <head> portion of the html page and while they are not displayed as part
of the page content in web, search engines can read them.

9.1.3 Search engines often display the first few lines of a Web page to help searchers to
identify the sites they want to visit. The description meta tag should be used to
provide guidance to search engines on what to present to the users in the search
response.

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9.1.4 Search engines only consider limited number of keywords when indexing pages.
Government websites should present keywords in the order of priority and
without duplication.

9.1.5 The content of the web page should be in textual form as far as possible, including
hyperlinks. Important points/programmes/schemes etc. should be highlighted as
headings marked by HTML heading tag.

9.1.6 HTML links should be specific. Instead of just ‘Our Programmes’, a link saying
‘The Programmes of Department name’ will be more favourable for a search
engine.

9.1.7 Link exchange with related Government sites increases the weightage of the site
for search engines, thus improving its ranking in search results. It will also bring
more visitors, who are looking for similar schemes, services or information, to
the site.

9.2
Website Promotion Techniques
Apart from search engines the website may be promoted through other media like print,
television etc. This will prompt casual visitors to browse the website and if they find the
information useful, they may visit the site more often.
9.2.1 All the advertisements/public messages including Press Releases, Tender
Notifications etc. issued in the Newspapers/Audio-visual media by the concerned
Department MUST prominently mention the URL of the web site clearly in order
to give it due publicity. It should be directed that no press release or advertisement
of any Government Department shall be issued to the press without checking the
presence of the URL of the website and necessary steps should also be taken to
ensure the presence of relevant corresponding information on the website.

9.2.2 All the stationery items of the Department such as Letterheads, Visiting Cards
Publicity material such as Brochures, Pamphlets and documents such as the
Annual Report etc. MUST display the URL of the web site.

9.2.3 The website URL may become a part of the mail signature for all the outgoing
mails from the Departments and its employees.

9.2.4 The website should also be promoted by link exchange with other Government
websites as well as international websites.

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9.2.5 Providing regular and updated news on various issues related to the Government,
citizens etc. are very important tools of promotion. Regular revised updates on
CH 10 all important issues related to Government and in interest of the citizens should
be highlighted/placed on the website. Frequent updates and change in contents
will bring the visitors back to the portal and will keep the readers interested in
the website.

9.2.6 Sending regular updates on the websites to registered and interested users through
an electronic newsletter should form an important means of promotion.

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Chapter 10 Website Management

10.1 Website Management Team

10.2 Website Maintenance Tools

10.3 Website Monitoring

10.4 Archiving of Documents

10.5 Compliance with Guidelines and Standards

10.6 Website Review and Enhancement

10.7 Website Policies

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Website Management

10.1
Website Management Team
The success of any endeavour depends upon the backing of a strong and enthusiastic
team. In case of a Government website, the role of a Website management team assumes
paramount importance in ensuring its credibility amongst its patrons.

10.1.1 Departments MUST appoint a Web Information Manager (WIM) whose role
shall be to ensure that there is a proper flow of content to the site and that
content quality and user satisfaction issues are taken care of. To achieve this
WIM has to coordinate with the various groups within the Department and
undertake the following activities with regard to the Indian Government website
being maintained by her/him.
• Formulation of policies concerning management of content on the web
through its entire life cycle viz. Creation, Moderation, Approval, Publishing
and Archival. Ensuring that all content on the website is always authentic,
up-to-date and obsolete information or services are removed.

• Set a mechanism for periodically validating links to related information. An

automated report can provide a list of broken links on the site, which can be
immediately corrected.

• Getting the website certified for Guideline Compliance and ensuring that
it remains compliant throughout its lifecycle.

• Web Information Manager is overall responsible for quality and quantity of

information and services on the website. The complete contact details of the
Web Information Manager should be displayed on the website, so that the
visitor could contact him/her in case of some queries or requirements.

• Since the websites receive a significant amount of feedback/query mails

from the visitors, it is the responsibility of the Web Information Manager to
either reply to all of them himself/herself or designate someone to regularly
check and respond to the feedback/query mails.

10.1.2 Besides the Web Information Manager, a Technical Manager should also be
appointed for every Indian Government website whose responsibilities would be:

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• Regular monitoring of website for Performance, Security and Availability.

• Ensuring compliance with policies (organisational, regulatory, legislative,
etc.) that may require changes in website content, architecture, and security.
• Periodic security audit of the website in line with major revisions.
• Analysis of traffic on website and feedback to development/management
team.
10.1.3 In case of a large website/multiple websites, a team should be setup with Web
Information Manager having professionals skilled in HTML Authoring,
Programming, Design, Content etc.

10.2
Website Maintenance Tools

Web is a dynamic medium and a website grows with time with addition of new content
and features. The website therefore requires regular maintenance to ensure that the
quality is maintained and it meets the expectations of the visitor. With the increase
in content size and complexity, it becomes difficult to manually maintain the site and
therefore automated tools should be used for updation, analysis and checking the site. It
is intended that the practice of using these tools may be adopted from the beginning as
it avoids difficulties later.
Some such tool categories are suggested below:

10.2.1 Website Authoring Tools

Website Authoring Tool is a software for generating well-engineered web pages.
Lots of web page authoring tools are available in the market, as well as in the
free domain. One can choose any tool based on the requirements, however, the
following should be ensured while selecting the tool:
• It generates pages that conform to all of the requirements, recommendations
and options of this guideline.
• It conforms to the Web Consortium’s Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines.

10.2.2 Web Content Management System

A web Content Management System (CMS) is the software used for creating
and managing web content. It is used to manage and control a large, dynamic
collection of content on a website/portal (HTML documents and their associated
documents and files). CMS facilitates content creation, content control, editing,

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and many essential content maintenance functions. Usually the software provides
interface where users with little or no knowledge of programming languages
and markup languages can create and manage content with relative ease of use.
A wide variety of CMS solutions are available right from customised CMS to
enterprise class CMS software available commercially as well as in free domain.
Ease of use, support for a variety of content, automated templates, content
workflow management are some of the features to be looked into in CMS
software. For small scale websites, developers could also develop website specific
CMS solutions, as it may turn out to be cost effective in many instances.

10.2.3 Web Analytic tools

Many organisations rely on statistics regarding site usage to measure the impact
of the site and also for reorganising or enhancing their website further. Some use
simple counters while others use more sophisticated Web analyser tools to obtain
data. Counters add little value to a site and often appear to be self-congratulatory.
Web analyzer tools provide more information and are virtually transparent to the
end user, therefore Web analyser tools should be the standard means of collecting
site usage data. Counters should not be used to perform this function.

10.2.4 Validation and Testing

The code of the webpages, scripts and applications may be tested manually or
with automated tools to ensure that the quality of web content is maintained and
all compliance related guidelines are adhered to.

10.3
Website Monitoring

Web being a dynamic medium, changes in terms of technologies, access devices and even
the users requirements happen frequently. Keeping this in mind, Indian Government
websites MUST have a website monitoring policy in place. Websites must be monitored
periodically in accordance with the plan to address and fix the quality and compatibility
issues around the following parameters:

a. Performance: Site download time should be optimised for a variety of

network connections as well as devices. All important pages of the website
should be tested for this.
b. Functionality: All modules of the website should be tested for their
functionality. Moreover, interactive components of the site such as discussion
boards, opinion polls, feedback forms etc. should be working smoothly.

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c. Broken Links: The website should be thoroughly reviewed to rule out the
presence of any broken links or errors. A number of tools and techniques are
now available to easily detect the broken links in a website.
d. Traffic Analysis: The site traffic should be regularly monitored to analyse the
usage patterns as well as visitors’ profile and preferences. Traffic Analysis tools
also give reports on broken links.
e. Feedback: Feedback from the visitors is the best way to judge a website’s
performance and make necessary improvements. A proper mechanism for
feedback analysis should be in place to carry out the changes and enhancements
as suggested by the visitors.

10.4
Archiving of Documents

Government websites generally are storehouses of a large number of documents and

reports, which are of relevance and importance to specific audiences as well as citizens at
large. Many times, these documents also have historical importance and are also referred
to extensively for academic and research purposes. These documents can be accessed
online only for a specific period of time and need to be moved to offline archives on
the expiry of the pre-decided duration. This is important since these old documents
sometimes need to be referred to for regulatory or legal purposes.
The Departments MUST have a well-defined Archival Policy with regard to such old
documents stating the duration for which they would be kept online, when would they
be moved to offline archives and if/when would they be permanently deleted or purged.

10.5
Compliance with Guidelines and Standards

Since these guidelines aim at fulfilling the common objective of making the Indian
Government websites citizen friendly and conform to high standards of quality, the
website development and management teams in all Departments should endeavor to
comply with these guidelines in earnest spirit.
Further, the website management teams should ensure that all Government websites
undergo and clear a security audit carried out by an authorised empaneled agency before
being hosted, as well as after major revisions.

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10.6
Website Review & Enhancement

Departments and Organisations that own Government websites, and the citizens they
serve, want these websites to be as useful as possible. Government Departments at all
levels should evaluate visitor satisfaction and usability of their websites and use the
outcome of assessments to improve the websites.
10.6.1 Besides regular feedback through feedback form, Departments may obtain
visitor feedback through online questionnaires or surveys where the visitors can
be asked to rank the website on various parameters and give detailed inputs on
what improvements they would like to see on the website.
10.6.2 Detailed review of web analysis reports over a long span may also reveal a lot of
information on usage or expectations from the website.
10.6.3 In order to keep abreast with the latest technologies as well as to cater to the
visitor’s demands for major changes and enhancements in the website, Indian
Government sites should opt to undergo a formal review by an internal group or
an external agency to further orient them towards citizens and other stakeholders.

10.7
Website Policies

Websites represent the face of the department in the cyber world. Like the Department
itself, the website also has to continually grow and evolve. As the website grows in size
and reach, the expectations of the citizen also grow. It is therefore important that we set
down rules and regulations to operate and manage the websites effectively.

Although different policies and their need and purpose is explained in various sections
of this document for the sake of convenience, a complete list of policies along with the
section are referenced below:

S. No. Policy Ref. No.

1. Copyright Policy 3.1
2. Hyperlinking Policy 3.2
3. Terms & Conditions 3.3
4. Privacy policy 3.4

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S. No. Policy Ref. No.

5. Content Contribution, Moderation and Approval 5.2.1
Policy (CMAP)
6. Web Content Review Policy (CRP) 5.2.3
7. Content Archival Policy (CAP) 5.2.6
8. Website Security Policy 7.7.2
9. Contingency Management 8.3
10. Website Monitoring Policy 10.3

All the above policies MUST be duly approved by the Web Information Manager.

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Chapter 11 Mobile App Guidelines

11.1 Scenario

11.2 International Standards

11.3 Objective

11.4 Mobile Accessibility Guidelines

11.5 General Guidelines

11.6 Hosting

11.7 Contingency Management & Disaster

Recovery

11.8 Mobile Application Policies

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Mobile App Guidelines

11.1
Scenario
There has been a spurt in development of mobile applications due to shift to digital
governance. This has empowered citizens like never before. Most of the mobile platforms
come bundled with assistive technologies which have been a boon for persons with
disabilities. Developers should give due consideration to platform specific features
including accessibility in order to ensure rich and useful experience for all users.

Government initiatives such as the Digital India campaign are increasingly delivering
basic functions of governance through information technologies. In the past year, the
government, private sector and the world at large have embraced mobile applications as
a preferred medium for user interactions and transactions.

In addition, the overall app market in India has also grown manifold. The users
are downloading apps for accessing various everyday services like transportation,
communication, health and entertainment.However, for persons with disabilities, many
of these apps, and consequently the services they provide, are inaccessible and often
impossible to use.

The Government of India has recognized that accessibility is a concern which it needs to
address if it has to engage comprehensively and effectively with the public. The Guidelines
for Indian Government Websites (GIGW 2009), the National Policy on Universal
Electronics Accessibility (2013) and most recently the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Act 2016 all require compliance with web accessibility standards and provision of public
information and resources in accessible electronic format. The increasing adoption of
mobile as an engagement platform hence necessitates the adoption of guidelines to ensure
that applications are accessible to and usable for persons with disabilities.

11.2
International Standards
Presently there is no single international standard on the accessibility of mobile apps. The
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is working on a standard, which will take time
to be published. In the meantime it has published some best practices, primarily based
upon the (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. There are also guidelines
available from Android and iOS.

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11.3
Objective
The objective of these mobile accessibility guideline is to help developers, designers and
testers to create mobile apps that are universally accessible. An accessible application is
one which is usable by everyone irrespective of their abilities. These mobile accessibility
practices have been formulated after reviewing various globally accepted standards and
guidelines, as mentioned in the section on the international position on Mobile app
standards.

The Mobile Accessibility practices discussed below are not technology specific, but the
examples are based on either Apple iOS or Google Android operating systems. The other
mobile platforms are not used widely. The techniques to test or implement a specific
practice may differ depending on the operating system.

Both the Android and iOS operating systems provide standardized mechanisms to
communicate various attributes of a user interface element (UI Element) such as the label
associated with a UI element, role of a UI element (such as whether it is a button or an
edit control,) and state information (such as whether it is disabled, checked or pressed.)
This mechanism is called Accessibility Application Programming Interface (API) and it
provides reasonably good information for standard UI elements.

11.4
Mobile Accessibility Guidelines
11.4.1 Platform accessibility settings
Most mobile platforms provide accessibility settings such as contrast between
background and foreground text, invert colors, large text, grayscale, mono audio
etc. Users select the relevant setting as per their requirement and expect all the
apps to behave accordingly. All the accessibility options in the device settings
should be reviewed and it must be ensured that each accessibility feature behaves
as intended. For example, if a user chooses invert color option, and the app is
already showing black text on a white background then it should show white text
on black background which is easy on the eyes for many users with photosensitive
eyes. Many other users without any well-known eye condition also find this easier
for prolonged reading. Hence it MUST be ensured that platform accessibility
features are optimally used and they behave as intended. App designers
should also follow platform specific design guidelines.
11.4.2 UI Labels
Each UI element must have an accessible label for content such as images, buttons
and other controls. An accessible label is recognizable by assistive technology

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such as Voice over or Talk Back. labels that are embedded into an image must be
avoided as they cannot be parsed by screen readers. Hence it MUST be ensured
that Proper labels have been provided for all UI elements.
Following key points should be considered while labeling UI elements:
a. A label must be precise and clear: Think about the purpose that the UI
element serves. For example, label “Add to favourites” for adding an item to
favourites. Action verbs that describe the purpose of the UI element must be
used in order to provide appropriate labels.
b. Timely Update:In case the functionality of the UI element changes, the label
must be updated as well. For example, “Play” button must change to “Pause”
and vice versa for media files. Updated labels make it easy for the users to
interact with the app.
c. Role and state information should not be provided as the as part of label:
This information is provided separately through Accessibility API (described
in Practice 3).For instance, “Play ”button to be labeled as “Play”, and not
“Play button” because the button’s role will be indicated through accessibility
API.
d. Label strings should be localised: This is required for users using the
applications in different languages.
11.4.3 Role information for UI elements
Every UI element can be identified visually with its look and feel. As users with
blindness cannot perceive visual information, the role for a UI element MUST
be available programmatically so that assistive technology can report this
either through speech or Braille. In order to do so, use platform specific roles or
traits for standard UI elements. For example, a button is announced as “Button”
along with the label for assistive technology users. In case of custom UI elements,
use platform accessibility API to report the role information.
11.4.4 Hints for active UI controls
A Hint is a brief, localized phrase that describes the results of an action on a
UI control. It is like a tool tip that lets the user find out how to interact with
the UI control. Hints are only required for UI controls that allow users some
interaction, and are not required for UI elements such as labels or plain text.
In case of custom UI controls, hints also report the screen reader gestures that
users could perform to interact with the control. The standard UI controls have
hints supplied by the APIs, but those hints might have to be changed depending
on the usage. It MUST be ensured that hints are provided for all active UI
control elements.

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11.4.5 State information for a UI control

In addition to the role of a UI control, assistive technologies must identify
the current state of a UI control. For example, the state of checkbox checked/
unchecked, tab selected or not, a push button pressed or not etc. should be
notified. This information must also be reported as soon as it is changed. The
standard UI controls provide this information by default, but for custom
controls, this information must be supplied by platform specific accessibility
APIs. The changes of state of UI controls MUST be dynamically updated
and accurately available to the assistive technologies.
11.4.6 Grouping of Related UI elements
Related UI elements such as book title and author name for a book MUST
be grouped together so that assistive technologies can present it as a single UI
element, reducing the gestures for interaction. This also helps to increase the
touch target so that users with low vision, users having motor difficulties and
users with big fingers can more easily interact with it. The following points are
important for grouping related elements:
a. A group must have only one actionable UI control.
b. Updating UI controls such as progress bar must not be grouped with any
other control as users need only the updated information.
11.4.7 Simple interface and enough spacing between elements
UI should be clean and simple. Vertical and horizontal scrolling should be
avoided. This allows users with low vision to zoom and interact with the controls
with ease. A non-interactive space of at least one point for iOS or 1 DP for
android MUST be provided between actionable UI elements. This allows
users with low vision, users having motor difficulties and users with big fingers to
avoid touching a wrong UI element.
11.4.8 Touch Target
Many users find it difficult to interact with small screen elements. It could be due
to big or unsteady fingers or motor or visual difficulties. So, the touch targets
MUST be at least 9x9mm regardless of screen size.
11.4.9 Bring focus to the active UI control
Since Mobile screens are small, all the UI elements cannot fit on the screen at a
time. UI elements such as buttons that take less space are used to bring up other
UI elements such as dropdowns. For example, users would activate the “MM”
button to bring up the month dropdown. In such scenarios, the dropdown should
get the focus when the user activates the button. If the focus is not set properly,
blind and low vision users may not be able to realize that the UI has changed.

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It sometimes takes many attempts to find out the new elements and if such
interactions are time sensitive, a timeout could occur and the user would have
to start all over again. Even without timeouts, new users could find it difficult to
manage such interactions thus impacting the user experience. Therefore focus
MUST be brought to the active UI control.
11.4.10 Custom actions for context specific UI
When a UI control has context specific menu items, users MUST be
informed that such a menu is present and must be able to activate those
menu items. A Custom Action is an effective technique to support such an
interaction. Both Android and iOS provide Custom Actions that are available
to assistive technology users. When an element with a custom action is focused,
assistive technology lets the user know that such actions are available and then
users can use well known gestures to perform those actions. Alternatively, use
the accessibility API to report to the user what new UI elements are available
and where such elements are present on the screen. This way users can locate
those elements. This technique should only be used if Custom Actions are not
available.
11.4.11 Logical and meaningful sequence
Screen reader mobile users rely on gestures to navigate and interact with the
content and the UI controls. Content when navigated using the screen reader
gestures, MUST form a meaningful sequence. The controls on the mobile
screens and the interaction produced need to be logical.
11.4.12 Screen orientation
Assistive technology users could lock screen orientation to avoid interference
with their interaction with the device. Hence the following should be followed
while handling screen orientation:
a. If the user has turned on “Locked Orientation” option for iOS or disabled
the Auto-rotate screen option for Android, then the app should not try
to change the screen orientation.
b. If Screen orientation change is not disabled then it should be ensured
that the screen orientation change is not disruptive and the focus does
not move from the focused screen element.
c. Screen orientation change should be reported using accessibility API.
d. Report Screen orientation at the start if it is different from the default
setting when screen orientation change is disabled. Otherwise,
the change should be reported every time the orientation changes.

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11.4.13 Resizable Content

Users with low vision may need to increase the size of the UI elements to be able
to see well. The app MUST resize its UI elements in accordance with device
settings for text size.
11.4.14 Color contrast
Users with low vision or users in poor lighting condition would find it difficult
to see the UI elements on the screen if the foreground elements cannot be
differentiated from the background. Therefore, color contrast ratio between
foreground text for up to 18 point font and background MUST be at least
4.5:1.
11.4.15 Color or shapes MUST not be used to communicate important information
Relying only on color or shape to communicate important information can be
problematic for certain persons with disabilities such as users with color blindness
or users with blindness. The following considerations are critical:
a. Text equivalence for color coded or shape dependent information must
be added. For example, if an app has a required field, then it could
provide the word (Required) if the space permits or use placeholders.
b. The app must disable the button used to move the menu forward until
the field is filled-out. Just relying on the shape of a button to indicate the
disabled state does not work for many users with disabilities.
c. Apps must not use color-based references such as Click on Red or Square
button; instead have text references such as Click on Next button.
11.4.16 Onscreen keyboard and hardware keyboard
Mobile platforms provide support for both onscreen keyboard and hardware
keyboard. App designers must ensure that both are accessible with assistive
technology such as magnifier or a screen reader. Note the following points while
developing and testing the input interface:
a. Do not automatically change focus: If a user is entering data and the
focus shifts automatically, the user would find it difficult to enter data.
Focus MUST be changed only when the user activates a UI element
that is designated for confirming an action such as the Submit button.
b. Select the correct onscreen keyboard: It MUST be Ensured that the
appropriate keyboard is invoked by the app depending on the type
of field or the data that needs to be provided by the user. For example,
the appropriate on-screen keyboard must be invoked for normal text,
numerical data, email address or web address. This recommendation is

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not only helpful for users with disabilities; it also enhances the comfort
of other users.
c. Though many users work with the onscreen keyboard, others still
prefer using a hardware keyboard that comes built-in or is connected
with mobile devices via Bluetooth. Apps must be tested with hardware
keyboards as well. It MUST be ensured that Apps are compatible with
hardware keyboard.
11.4.17 Gesture commands
Complex gesture patterns make application usage difficult for those who do not
have use of all of their fingers, or use the device with a single-hand. Gestures that
require 3 or more fingers to interact with UI elements MUST be avoided.
If such complex patterns cannot be avoided, provide an alternate to perform
the same action or allow the user to create a custom gesture. For example, an
additional setting may be provided to customize gestures as per user requirements.
11.4.18 Time Provided for action
Many users require extra time to be able to finish an action. Session timeouts
MUST be avoided. If a timeout cannot be avoided, then an option MUST be
provided for users to extend the time limit before the timeout occurs. Also,
make sure that the time extension element focus is properly set.
11.4.19 Captions and subtitles/transcripts
Many users who have hearing difficulties or who find the language in the audio
difficult to understand would need captions or transcripts that help them to
understand the content of the audio. Captions MUST be provided for all audio
content and subtitles/transcript MUST be provided for all video content
that is accompanied by audio.
11.4.20 Audio descriptions for video content
Users with blindness may find it difficult to understand important visual
information which is not available in the audio format. If the application
contains video that does not have an audio equivalent, audio description for
the video content that is crucial for blind users to understand the content
MUST be provided. It is not required to provide audio for decorative and non-
essential video content.
11.4.21 Flashing content
Some users get seizures if any content flashes more than 3 times per second.
Therefore, it MUST be ensured that no content flashes more than 3 times
in one second.

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11.4.22 Meaningful Notifications and Error Messages

Notifications are meant to inform and guide users. They can be error messages,
alerts, instructions, and changes of state, responding to an interaction or a range
of other cues. Use operating system alerts or inline messages.It should be Ensured
that the notifications are audible and can be read by screen readers. Preference
should be given to operating system alerts as they are easier to understand.
Custom made notifications should be clear and precise.

11.5
General Guidelines
11.5.1 App size and performance
a. Users are reluctant to install and use apps which are large in size as
mobiles have limited storage. The app should be small to encourage
installs and retentions.
b. Applications may be used in areas where network connectivity is erratic
or slow therefore the app should be able to perform bare minimum
functionality in absence of network connectivity. The users should be
appropriately informed.The app should use network in an efficient and
optimized manner. Platform specific guidelines should be followed for
network management.
c. Users may not be able charge the mobile frequently hence apps with
heavy battery usage are uninstalled immediately. Battery draining features
may be avoided.
11.5.2 Testing
Before uploading the app on the play store it should be ensured that the app
looks good on variety of screen sizes and the app runs on all popular versions
of the target platform.
11.5.3 App Icons and other images
In order to make the app’s Play store listing compelling, unique app icon,
attention-grabbing images, video of app in action and crisp short description
may be used . Check the following links.
Android:
https://developer.android.com/distribute/best-practices/launch/store-listing.
html

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iOS:
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/insights/
11.5.4 App Promotion
To increase awareness about the app follow the best practice at
Android:
https://developer.android.com/distribute/best-practices/index.html
iOS:
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/marketing/guidelines/
11.5.5 User Feedback
User Feedback is an important source for suggestions and improvements. Hence
keep a constant watch on app feedback and reviews at the platform specific stores.
Android:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/#topic=3364260
iOS: iTunes Connect
11.5.6 Minimum Content for the mobile applications
As it difficult to maneuver large menus and complicated elements on a mobile
screen due to limited screen size; the amount of information bundled with the
app should be limited. This will ensure easy navigation and will also keep the size
of the mobile app small. However the following should be are adhered to.
a. Splash screen should clearly indicate the name of app, logo and Ministry/
Department Name and address.
b. Using Logo, App Name etc on each page should be avoided so that due
importance can be given to the app content.
c. Clear instructions on using the app MUST be provided.
d. An “about <name of the app>” section in the app’s main navigation
menu giving details about the version/build of the app and various other
information such as contact information, ownership details, copyright
notice, terms of use, privacy statement etc should be provided.
11.5.7 Security
Security lapses during the development of the mobile app may result in large
scale sensitive data theft besides being an embarrassment for the organization.
Hence due importance must be given to the security audit of the mobile app

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and the backend APIs. Also developers should always keep in mind that the
mobile device is liable to be easily misplaced/lost and the user may also use open
networks where data can be easily compromised.
a. Wherever possible sensitive information must not stored be on the
mobile.
b. App should be checked against the mobile app security
https://www.owasp.org/images/1/1b/Mobile_App_Security_
Checklist_0.9.3.xlsx
c. Mobile app and APIs MUST be security audited by Cert-in
empanelled vendors.
d. Follow platform specific Security best practices.
Android
https://developer.android.com/training/articles/security-tips.html
IOS: https://developer.apple.com/security/
e. Only HTTPS must be used to access APIs
11.5.8 App Expiry
Due to increased visibility and ease of use mobile apps are launched for time
bound events such as elections, examinations etc. Hence purpose and relevant
timelines should be clearly indicated for the app. On completion of pre-decided
timeline the app should be removed from the play-store. In addition to this the
app should also be able to generate notification on the installed device informing
the user about the end of the life cycle.
11.5.9 Data Capture for key elements
The data capture for key elements of the App Such as Aadhar, Voter-ID, PAN,
Vehicle numbers, employee-id, beneficiary-id etc. may be read as QR CODE
(2D Barcode) in order to eliminate typo errors and to provide service instantly.
Care should be taken to implement the guideline form UIDAI whenever Aadhar
number and e-KYC details are used.

11.6
Hosting
11.6.1 Mobile API Hosting
a. Security Audited APIs MUST be hosted in highly secure data centers

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equipped with firewalls and other security features.

b. Hosting service provider MUST provide 24X7 accesses to APIs and
backend databases.
c. Appropriate disaster recovery site should be configured at different
geographical location to avoid disruption of service in case of natural or
manmade disasters.
d. API hosting service provider should also provide technical support and
help to the owner of the application.
e. Adequate security measures must be built in the API to detect and
discourage unauthorized use of the APIs.
11.6.2 Mobile App hosting
Apps are invariably hosted on the play stores of the target platform which have
their own policies and guidelines. Play stores are public platforms and any user
is allowed to upload app after paying a nominal fees to become a registered user.
However for better visibility and access ensure that the app is uploaded through
the official account of the API hosting service provider. Ensure compliance to
target platforms policies.

11.7
Contingency Management & Disaster Recovery

11.7.1 APIs
Contingency management plan should be similar to the one adopted for other
websites and portals hosted in the data Center.
11.7.2 Mobile Apps
Mobile applications are hosted on Play stores of the respective vendors having
their own Contingency Management Plan & Disaster Recovery Process.

11.8
Mobile Application Policies

11.8.1 Privacy Policy for Mobile Application

Privacy policy should be a carefully written document clearly stating purpose of
collecting the information if any through the app. It should also clearly state the

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mobile resources app is liable to use such as contact list , SMS, Folders, etc.
Sample privacy Policy
This privacy policy governs your use of the <Name of App> mobile application
that is hosted at NIC’s e-Gov Mobile App Account in Google Play Store. The
contents published on these Applications were provided by the concerned
Ministries/Departments of Government of India or the allied government
establishment. This information provided through these applications may not
have any legal sanctity and are for general reference only, unless otherwise
specified. However, every effort has been made to provide accurate and reliable
information through these applications. Users are advised to verify the correctness
of the facts published here from the concerned authorities. National Informatics
Centre will not be responsible for the accuracy and correctness of the contents
available in the application.
User Provided Information
The Applications may obtain the information you provide when you download
and register the Application. Registration is optional. However, please keep
in mind that you may not be able to use some of the features offered by an
Application unless you register.
When you register and use the Application, you generally provide (a) your name,
email address, age, user name, password and other registration information; (b)
download or use applications from us; (c) information you provide when you
contact us for help and (d) information you enter into our system when using
the Application, such as contact information and other details.
The information you provided may be used to contact you from time to time to
provide you with important information and required notices.
Automatically Collected Information
In addition, the Application may collect certain information automatically,
including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device you use, your mobile
devices unique device ID, the IP address of your mobile device, your mobile
operating system, the type of mobile Internet browsers you use, and information
about the way you use the Application.
When you visit the mobile application, it may use GPS technology (or other
similar technology) to determine your current location in order to determine the
city you are located within and display a location map. The location information
may be sent to authorities for taking necessary actions and making policy
decisions.
If you do not want the app to use your location for the purposes set forth above,

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you should turn off the location services for the mobile application located in
your account settings or in your mobile phone settings and/or within the mobile
application. However, if the service provided by the Application requires the
location services using GPS technology, such services offered by the application
will not be available to you.
We may disclose User provided and Automatically Collected Information as
required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, or similar legal process when
we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect
your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government
request with our trusted service providers who work on our behalf, do not have
an independent use of the information we disclose to them, and have agreed to
adhere to the rules set forth in this privacy statement.
You can stop all collection of information by the Application easily by uninstalling
the Application. You may use the standard uninstall processes as may be available
as part of your mobile device or via the mobile application marketplace or
network.
Data Retention Policy, Managing Your Information
We will retain User provided data for as long as you use the Application and for
a reasonable time thereafter. We will retain Automatically Collected information
also for a reasonable period of time depending on the nature of application and
thereafter may store it in aggregate. Please note that some or all of the User
Provided Data may be required in order for the Application to function properly.
Misuse by Non Targeted Users
All mobile apps are meant for use by the targeted audience only. Misuse by non-
targeted users should be prevented by owner of the mobile.
Security
We are concerned about safeguarding the confidentiality of your information. We
provide physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect information
we process and maintain. For example, we limit access to this information to
authorized employees and contractors who need to know that information in
order to operate, develop or improve our Application. Please be aware that,
although we endeavour to provide reasonable security for information we process
and maintain, no security system can prevent all potential security breaches.
Changes
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time for any reason. We will
notify you of any changes to our Privacy Policy by posting the new Privacy Policy
here . You are advised to consult this Privacy Policy at (http://your_privacy_policy_

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url) regularly for any changes, as continued use is deemed approval of all changes.
You can check the history of this policy by clicking here.
Your Consent
By using the Application, you are consenting to our processing of your information
as set forth in this Privacy Policy now and as amended by us.
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding privacy while using the Application, or have
questions about our practices, please contact us via email at <e-mail_id>[at]
gov[dot]in.
11.8.2 IPR and Copyright
As mobile applications are hosted on Play stores which are essentially a public
platform IPR and copyright have an extremely important role to play. An
appropriate copyright notice can help deter infringement/plagiarism of the app
as well as associated APIs.
Copyright statements can also be uploaded on the play stores along with the app
clearly indicating the ownership.
Before launching an app get the app Name and logo protected through IPR
(http://ipindia.gov.in/index.htm).
Ministries/Departments owning the app should identify competent authority
to report/ escalate issues related to copyright infringement and misuse of APIs.
Android:
https://support.google.com//legal/troubleshooter/1114905
Apple App Store:
https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/appstorenotices/#?lang=en
Sample Copyright policy
Name Logo and design of the app is subject to copyright protection. The content
may be viewed/downloaded without requiring any specific prior permission.
Any other proposed use of the material is subject to the approval of (Name of
Department). Application for obtaining permission should be made to (email
address of the concerned Department).
11.8.3 Terms and conditions
Clearly worded terms and condition will set the rules and regulation that needs
to be followed by the owner of the app and the users of the app. Terms &
Conditions shall address the Ownership Details, Usage Policy of Content, Legal

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Aspects
Sample Terms and Conditions
The App is designed, developed and maintained by (Name of the Department)
Government of India.Though all efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy
and currency of the content on this app, the same should not be construed as
a statement of law or used for any legal purposes. In case of any ambiguity or
doubts, users are advised to verify/check with the Department(s) and/or other
source(s), and to obtain appropriate professional advice.
Under no circumstances will this Department be liable for any expense, loss or
damage including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or
damage, or any expense, loss or damage whatsoever arising from use, or loss of
use, of data, arising out of or in connection with the use of this app.
These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the Indian Laws. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions shall
be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of India.
You must comply with App T&Cs as these apply to your use of the App and the
Service T&Cs apply to your use of the Service that you access and use through
the App. Any violation of these App T&Cs or the Service T&Cs may result in
the termination of your access to the App and/or the Service.
The App is for your own personal use only. Any commercial use will result in
termination of your access to the app and service. You cannot distribute or copy
or modify any part of it in any way.
You must not attempt to extract any source code from the App, disassemble
it or make any derivative versions, or attempt to interrupt or decipher the
transmissions between the App and our systems.
The user of the app must not use the app for any the following
a. Unlawful, malicious or criminal activity;
b. Defamatory, harassing or threatening activity. This includes any
information that you may add or upload to the app;
c. Create disruption in service for other users of the app;
d. You must not use the App in a way that may damage or impair the App,
the Service or the underlying systems and security.
The App and all copyright, database rights, and other intellectual property rights
related to it belong to us.

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COMPLIANCE MATRIX

Website Compliance Matrix

1. General Guidelines

2. Accessibility Guidelines

Mobile App Compliance Matrix

1. Accessibility Guidelines

2. General Guidelines
 Guidelines
for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Website Compliance Matrix

Given below is a checklist of mandatory guidelines outlined in this document. Depart-
ments may use this checklist to validate their websites against these guidelines and make
necessary modification to ensure compliance.

S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

1. General Guidelines
1 Department has nominated a Web Information Manager as defined in 10.1.1
the guidelines.
2 It has been ensured that all stationery of the department as well as 9.2.1,
advertisements/public messages issued by the concerned Department
prominently display the URL of the web site. 9.2.2
3 Website has the following clearly defined policies and plans approved 10.7
by the web information manager.
1. Copyright Policy. 3.1.1
2. Content Contribution, Moderation & Approval (CMAP) 5.2.1
policy.
3. Content Archival (CAP) policy. 10.4
4. Content Review (CRP) policy. 5.2.3
5. Hyper linking Policy. 3.2.1
6. Privacy Policy. 3.4.2
7. Terms & Conditions. 3.3.1
8. Website Monitoring Plan. 10.3
9. Contingency Management Plan. 8.3
10. Security Policy. 7.7.2
4 Source of all documents, not owned by the dept. that have been 3.1.5
reproduced in part or full, is mentioned.
5 Due permissions have been obtained for publishing any content 3.1.4
protected by copyright.
6 Home page of website displays the last updated/reviewed date. 5.2.2
7 Complete information including title, size format and usage 4.4.7(a),
instructions is provided for all downloadable material.
6.7.1(a),

6.7.1(b)

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S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

8 With respect to each, Circular, Notification, Document, 4.2.3
(a,d,e),
Form, Scheme, Service and Recruitment notice,
4.2.4
The following should be clearly listed in the Website: (b,d),
a. Complete title 4.2.5
(b,c),
b. Language (if other than English)
4.2.6
d. Purpose/procedure to apply (as applicable) (c,e,f ),
e. Validity (if applicable) 4.2.7
(a,d),

4.2.9
(a,b,d)
9 All outdated, irrelevant content (like Announcements, Tenders, 5.2.6
Recruitment notices, News and Press Releases) is removed from the
website and/or placed into the archives as per the archival policy.
10 The language is free from spelling and grammatical errors. 5.3.5
11 Mechanism is in place to ensure that there are no ‘broken links’ 3.2.9
(internal as well as external) or ‘Page not found’ errors.
12 There are no links to ‘under construction’ pages. 6.8.4
13 The mechanism is in place to check the accuracy of Hyperlinked 3.2.8,
Content and Clear indications are given when a link leads out to a non
government website. 3.2.5
14 Website provides a prominent link to the ‘National Portal’ from 2.3.1,
the Home Page and Pages belonging to National Portal load in new
browser window. 2.3.2
15 Association to Government is demonstrated by the use of Emblem/ 2.1.1,
Logo in proper ratio and color, prominently displayed on the homepage
of the website. 6.3.1,

6.1.1
16 Ownership information is displayed on the homepage and on all 2.1.2
important entry pages of the website and each subsequent page is a
standalone entity in terms of ownership, navigation and context of 6.8.5
content.
17 Website uses Cascading Style Sheets to control layouts/styles and 7.2.1,
incorporates responsive design features to ensure that the interface
displays well on different screen sizes.
18 Website is readable even when style sheets are switched off or not 7.2.2
loaded.

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S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

19 Proper page title and language attribute along with metadata for page 7.5(k),
like keywords and description are appropriately included.
9.1.2
20 Data tables have been provided with necessary tags/markup. 7.5(l)
21 The website has a readily available Help section linked from all pages 4.4.6
of the website.
22 All information about the department, useful for the citizen and other 4.2.1
stakeholders, is present in the ‘About Us’ section and mechanism is in
place to keep the information up to date.
23 Website has a ‘Contact Us’ page providing complete contact details of 4.2.11(a)
important functionaries in the department and this is linked from the
Home Page and all relevant places in the website. 4.2.11(c)
24 Feedback is collected through online forms and mechanism is in place 4.4.5(a)
to ensure timely response to feedback/queries received through the
website. 4.4.5(c)
25 The website has been tested on multiple browsers. Hindi/Regional 6.4.3,
language fonts have been tested on popular browsers for any
inconsistency (loss of layout). 7.6(b)
26 Minimum content as prescribed in the guidelines is present on the 4.5.1,
homepage and all subsequent pages.
4.5.2
27 It is ensured through content moderation and approval policy that 4.7.2
Website content is free from offensive/discriminatory language.
28 Text is readable both in electronic and print format and the content 6.4.6
prints correctly on an A4 size paper.
29 Website has cleared security audit. 7.7.1
30 Website is in the nic.in or gov.in domain. 2.2.1
31 Website is hosted in a data centre in india having the following facilities: 8.2.1

1. State-of-the art multi-tier security infrastructure as well as (a,b,c,

devices such as firewall and intrusion prevention systems.
d,h)
2. Redundant server infrastructure for high availability.

3. Disaster Recovery (DR) Centre in a geographically distant

location.

4. Helpdesk & technical support on 24x7x365 basis.

32 Website is bilingual with a prominent language selection link and uses 5.7.1
Unicode characters.
33 Documents/Pages in multiple languages are updated simultaneously. 5.7.2

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S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

34 Documents are provided either in HTML or other accessible formats. 7.4.2 (a)
Download details (File Format Size) & instruction for viewing these
is provided.
35 Mechanism is in place to ensure that all tender/recruitment notices are 4.2.8,
published/linked through the website.
4.2.9
36 All documents have a publish date on the main page. 5.2.5
2. Accessibility Guidelines
1 All non-text content (like images) has a text alternative that provides 6.6.3
equivalent information as the image itself.
2 Scanned Images of text have not been used. 6.6.1
3 The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio 6.5.1
of at least 4.5:1 between the foreground and background. Large scale
text and images of text have a contrast ratio of 3:1.
4 Text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent 6.4.5
without loss of content or functionality.
5 There is a mechanism to pause, stop or hide scrolling, blinking or auto 6.7.3 (b)
updating content that starts automatically and lasts for more than 5
seconds.
6 Web pages do not contain any content that flashes for more than three 6.7.3 (a)
times in a second.
7 Instructions provided for understanding and operating content do not 7.5 (d)
rely solely on sensory characteristics such as shape, size, visual location,
orientation, or sound.
8 Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, 6.5.4
indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual
element.
9 Captions or transcript are provided for all prerecorded and live audio 6.7.2
and video content.
(a, b)
10 For any audio on a Web page that plays automatically for more than 3 6.7.3 (c)
seconds, a mechanism is available to pause, stop or control the volume
of the audio independently by from system volume level.
11 Information, structure, and relationships that are conveyed visually on 5.6.3
a web page must also be programmatically determined or are available
in text.
12 When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a 5.6.4
correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined.
13 All functionality that is available on the web page is operable through 7.5 (f )
keyboard.

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S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

14 Complete web page is navigable using keyboard only (using tab or 7.5 (g)
arrow keys).
15 Current navigation location (Keyboard focus indicator) is visible on 7.5 (o)
the webpage while operating or navigating the page through a key-
board.
16 Web pages allow the user to bypass blocks of content like navigation 6.8.8
menus that are repeated on multiple pages (by using the skip to con-
tent link).
17 Any web page within the website is locatable either through “search” 6.9.1,
or a “sitemap”.
6.10.1
18 Navigational mechanisms that are repeated across the website occur in 6.8.2,
the same relative order on each page.
6.2.1
19 If a webpage can be navigated sequentially and the navigation se- 7.5 (m)
quence affect the meaning of operation, then all components must
receive focus in the same meaningful sequence (Creating a logical tab
order through links, form controls, and objects).
20 The purpose of each link is clear. 7.5 (h)
21 Time limit for time dependent web functions is adjustable by the user. 7.5 (c)
22 Complete & self-explanatory title that describes the topic and purpose 2.1.6
of the page has been provided.
23 Headings wherever used, correctly describe topic or purpose of con- 5.6.1
tent.
24 Language of the complete web page has been indicated. If there is a 5.3.7
change in language within a webpage it also indicated.
25 Nomenclature of components that have the same functionality is uni- 5.4.2
form across the website.
26 When any component on the web page receives focus or its settings are 7.5 (j)
changed it does not initiate change in context.
27 Changing the setting of any user interface components does not auto- 7.5 (i)
matically cause a change in context.
28 If an input error is detected, the item is identified and the error is 7.5 (e)
described to the user in text. Suggestions for correction if known are
provided to the user. 7.5 (p)
29 Labels or instructions have been provided wherever input from the 7.5 (b)
users is required.
30 For Web pages that cause legal commitments or financial transactions 7.5 (q)
a mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and correcting in-
formation before finalizing the submission.

©2017,NIC 125
 Compliance Matrix

S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

31 Web Page uses markup language as per specification. 7.5 (a)
32 Name and Role of all interface components can be programmatically 7.5 (n)
determined.

126
 Guidelines
for Indian Government Apps & Websites

Mobile App Compliance Matrix

S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

1. Accessibility Guidelines
1 Platform accessibility features have been optimally used and they 11.4.1
behave as intended.
2 Proper labels have been provided for all UI elements. 11.4.2
3 The role for a UI element is available programmatically so that assistive 11.4.3
technology can report this either through speech or Braille.
4 Hints have been provided for all active UI control elements. 11.4.4
5 The changes of state of UI controls are dynamically updated and 11.4.5
accurately available to the assistive technologies.
6 Related UI elements have been grouped together. 11.4.6
7 A non-interactive space of at least one point for iOS or 1 DP for 11.4.7
android has been provided between actionable UI elements.
8 Touch targets are at least 9x9mm regardless of screen size. 11.4.8
9 Focus is always on the active UI control. 11.4.9
10 When a UI control has context specific menu items, users are informed 11.4.10
that such a menu is present and are able to activate those menu items.
11 Content when navigated using the screen reader gestures forms a 11.4.11
meaningful sequence.
12 The app resizes its UI elements in accordance with device settings for 11.4.13
text size.
13 Color contrast ratio between foreground text for up to 18 point font 11.4.14
and background is at least 4.5:1.
14 Color & shape is not the only means to communicate important 11.4.15
information.
15 Focus is changed only when the user activates a UI element that is 1 1 . 4 . 1 6
designated for confirming an action such as the Submit button. (a)
16 Appropriate keyboard is invoked by the app depending on the type of 1 1 . 4 . 1 6
field or the data that needs to be provided by the user. (b)
17 Apps is compatible with hardware keyboard. 11.4.16
(c)
18 Gestures do not require 3 or more fingers to interact with UI elements. 11.4.17
19 Session timeouts have been avoided. If a timeout cannot be avoided, 11.4.18
then an option has been provided for users to extend the time limit
before the timeout occurs.

©2017,NIC 127
 Mobile App Compliance Matrix

S.No. GUIDELINE REF. No.

20 Captions have been provided for all audio content and subtitles/ 11.4.19
transcript have been provided for all video content that is accompanied
by audio.
21 For videos that do not have an audio equivalent, audio description 11.4.20
for the video content that is crucial for blind users to understand the
content has been provided.
22 No content flashes more than 3 times in one second. 11.4.21
2. General Guidelines
1 Clear instructions on using the app have been provided 11.5.6
(c)
2 Mobile app and APIs have been security audited by Cert-in empan- 1 1 . 5 . 7
elled vendors. (c)
3 APIs have been hosted in secure data centers equipped with firewalls 1 1 . 6 . 1
and other security features. (a)
4 Hosting service provider provides 24X7 accesses to APIs and backend 1 1 . 6 . 1
databases. (b)

128
For any feedback on these guidelines contact us at:

Address for Data Centre and Web Services Division

Correspondence National Informatics Centre
A- Block, CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003
Email : [email protected]
Phone : 011-24305374
Fax : 011-24368854

ISBN - 978 - 81 - 909457-0 -7

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DOCUMENTS ON INDIAN GOVERNMENT WEBSITES

Standard Operating Procedure

NIC-IID-PDF-ACC-2020-01

August 2020

Version 2.0

INDUSTRY INFORMATICS DIVISION

NATTIONAL INFORMATICS CENTRE
Ministry of electronics & Information technology
GOVT. OF INDIA
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Disclaimer

Adobe Acrobat professional, Microsoft Word and (Libre Office Writer Open Source Software),
Tesseract, Imagemagick, PAC3 and FreeOCR are copy right of respective Owners / Open Source
Community. The users of templates indemnify NIC for their use and are requested to comply with
licensing of the Propriety and OSS tools used. In no event will the Government or NIC be liable for
any expense, loss or damage including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage,
or any expense, loss or damage whatsoever arising from use, or loss of use, of data, arising out of or
in connection with the use of these templates. The information provided in this document are/is as
basis without warranty.

NOTICE: This document is received in confidence and its contents cannot be disclosed or copied
without the prior written consent of National Informatics Centre (NIC). Nothing in this document
constitutes a guaranty, warranty, or license, express or implied. NIC disclaims all liability for all such
guaranties, warranties, and licenses, including but not limited to: Fitness for a particular purpose;
merchant-ability; not infringement of intellectual property or other rights of any third party or of
NIC; indemnity; and all others. The reader is advised that third parties can have intellectual property
rights that can be relevant to this document and the technologies discussed herein, and is advised to
seek the advice of competent legal counsel, without obligation of NIC. NIC retains the right to make
changes to this document at any time, without notice. NIC makes no warranty for the use of this
document and assumes no responsibility for any errors that can appear in the document nor does it
make a commitment to update the information contained herein.

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Amendment Log

Version Release Date Description Section(s) Prepared By Reviewed by Approved

Modified By
0.1 - Process & All Sections Yatindra R Vijay -
Observations on Saxena , Raghavan,
Accessibility of Scientist-F Scientist-F
PDF Documents
on Indian Girish Chandra
Government
( Scientist-F &
Websites
HoD)

0.2 - Process & All Sections Yatindra R Vijay -

Observations on Saxena , Raghavan,
Accessibility of Scientist-F Scientist-F
PDF Documents
on Indian Girish Chandra
Government
( Scientist-F &
Websites
HoD)

Narinder Singh
Arneja
( Scientist-G &
HoG)

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Table of Contents
Foreword................................................................................................................................................. 6
Preface .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................. 9
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Intended Audience ................................................................................................................................ 10
Prerequisite Skills .................................................................................................................................. 10
Guidance for Users................................................................................................................................ 10
References ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Executive Summary............................................................................................................................... 12
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 14
1.1. Portable Document Format (PDF) ......................................................................................... 14
1.2. What is Accessible PDF ......................................................................................................... 14
1.3. Standards .............................................................................................................................. 14
1.4. What is Tagged PDF .............................................................................................................. 14
1.5. Background ........................................................................................................................... 14
1.6. Present Status ....................................................................................................................... 15
2. How to Make PDF Documents Accessible .................................................................................... 15
2.1. Software/Tools used .............................................................................................................. 15
2.2. Create accessible PDF documents from source documents ................................................. 16
2.2.1. Using Proprietary Software Microsoft Word 2010 ....................................................... 18
2.2.1.1. Verify Accessibility ................................................................................................ 20
2.2.1.1.1. Using MS Word 2010 ........................................................................................ 20
2.2.1.1.2. Using Acrobat 9 Extended ................................................................................ 23
2.2.1.1.3. Using PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3)............................................................ 26

2.2.1.2. Repairing to make it accessible per PDF/UA Compliant ........................................ 28

2.2.1.2.1. Using MS Word ................................................................................................. 28
2.2.1.2.2. Using Acrobat 9 Pro .......................................................................................... 30
2.2.2. Using Open Source Libre Office Write 64.5.2 ................................................................ 31
2.2.2.1. Verify Accessibility ................................................................................................ 33
2.2.2.1.1. Use Libre Office ................................................................................................. 33
2.2.2.1.2. Using Acrobat Pro ............................................................................................. 34
2.2.2.1.3. Using PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3)............................................................ 38
2.2.2.2. Repairing to make it Accessible ............................................................................ 40

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2.2.2.2.1. Use Libre Office ................................................................................................. 40

2.2.2.2.2. Using Acrobat Pro ............................................................................................. 40
2.3. Create Accessible document from scanned images PDF Files .............................................. 41
2.3.1. Using Acrobat 9 Pro ...................................................................................................... 41
2.3.1.1. Verifying Accessibility............................................................................................ 47
2.4. Errors Requiring Human Inspection ...................................................................................... 49
2.5. Draft Process to obtain Accessible PDF ................................................................................ 50
2.5.1. Using Word Processors ................................................................................................. 50
2.5.2. Using Image Scanned PDF ............................................................................................. 52
2.5.3. Using latest versions of Word Processors & Acrobat Pro ............................................. 52
3. Using Other Open Source Tools .................................................................................................... 52
3.1. PyPDF and pytesseract .......................................................................................................... 53
3.2. OCRFeeder ............................................................................................................................ 53
3.3. VietOCR.Net .......................................................................................................................... 53
3.4. Tesseract ............................................................................................................................... 53
3.5. FreeOCR (a9t9) ...................................................................................................................... 55
3.6. Imagemagick ......................................................................................................................... 58
3.6.1. Convert an entire PDF to an single image ..................................................................... 59
3.6.2. Convert a PDF document to a series of enumerated images. ...................................... 59
3.6.3. Convert only specified pages to images: ....................................................................... 59
4. Digitally Signing a Document ........................................................................................................ 59
4.1. Using native source document in MS Word or Libre Office ................................................. 60
4.1.1. Using Ms Word.............................................................................................................. 60
4.1.2. Using Libre Office .......................................................................................................... 60
4.2. Using Acrobat Pro ................................................................................................................. 60
5. Using Assistive Technologies ........................................................................................................ 61
5.1. Using Read Loud Feature of Acrobat Reader/ Pro................................................................. 61
5.2. Using NVDA ........................................................................................................................... 61
6. Considerations for STQC Certification Benchmark ....................................................................... 66
7. Suggestions from CDAC................................................................................................................. 66
8. Annexures ..................................................................................................................................... 67
8.1. MeitY Office Memorandum dated 10th December, 2019 ..................................................... 67
8.2. DEPWD Office Memorandum dated 26th Feb, 2020 ............................................................. 68
8.3. Observations of OTG, NIC ..................................................................................................... 69

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Foreword

Congratulations! To Mr. Yatindra Saxena, Scientist-F and Mr. R Vijay Raghavan, Scientist-F of NIC,
Industry Informatics Division for making extensive research on making accessible PDF documents
available on the Indian Government websites as per the mandatory Policy given in the Guidelines for
Indian Government Websites issued in 2009 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.)

This report describes in detail the process/tools available for making accessible documents,
limitations of various tools and how to achieve 100% compliant accessible documents.

NARINDER SINGH ARNEJA

Deputy Director General, NIC

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Preface

Why Accessible document? As per the Govt. of India Guidelines for Indian government Websites,
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0 are the mandatory policy documents all Indian Govt.
website needs to be compliant.

After making lot of research on the various Govt. Ministries/Departments/Attached offices websites
both at Central level and at State Level, it is noticed that only 5-10% documents are in accessible
format. The reasons for this are summarized below:

a. Lack of technical knowledge to the user departments.

b. Casual approach in publishing of documents
c. Efforts and time required in making accessible documents.
d. Old documents published only in image format requires lot of efforts/time and money to
make them compliant accessible documents.
e. Lack of will of the user organization.
f. Govt. of India Guidelines for Indian Govt. websites is not being fully followed.

This document has been written to educate the user on making accessible documents using various
open Source/propriety tools, Issues/challenges and efforts required in this activity.

The activity was started with the letter on the subject from the MeitY to all the Administrative
Secretaries of the Govt. of India. We noticed that even the documents being published on the DPIIT
website are not accessible. The matter was discussed with my senior NIC colleagues and Shri N.S.
Arneja, DDG & HOG. It was decided to find out the necessary tools required to publish all documents
in the accessible format as per the mandate given.

During the period of study, we discussed the subject with many domain experts in NIC, officers at
Open technology Centre, NIC Chennai and got lot of useful input. By using those inputs and
performing actual runs of various tools on the different types of documents, we have come up with
this document for the use and benefit of all the users who wish to publish accessible documents on
their website.

This document shall serve as our contribution to society and especially to the visual challenged
persons who would like to visit Government websites to know the different policies, acts, orders

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and notification etc. prevailing in different Government Organizations. During recent times, many
new initiatives such as Skill India, Digital India, Make in India, Start-up India etc. have been launched
by the Government of India and most of the contents related to such schemes have been published
in PDF document on different Government Website. An accessible PDF document shall help those
intellects, who in spite of being visually challenged can contribute by availing and contributing in
such schemes and for that they should have a mechanism to understand what is written in such
documents.

However, we were working on different aspects of accessibility of PDF file during the start of the
year 2020 but momentum was gained after July 2020 when we received comments from various
domain expert groups of NIC and then this document was authored with practical example
illustrated in it. While authoring this document, we initially faced problems when practically
demonstrating the accessibility of PDF using different tools mentioned in the report but the help
from online documentation really helped to complete it. We feel that the steps and techniques to
make PDF document accessible shall look easy once content managers will start working on the
accessibility guidelines on their initial website documents to make them accessible.

Content managers of different website in Government domain may consult this document to make
pdf documents published on their respective website accessible to visually challenged persons.

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Acknowledgement

I would like to express my sincere thanks to my NIC colleagues Mr. Pramod Kumar, Mr. Anil Kumar
Awasthi, Mr. Mohinder Kumar and Mrs. Anju Sondhi who have always been supportive to me while
authoring this document.

I am highly thankful to Mr. Piyush Chandra Dubey (Sr. Programmer) from M/s Velocis who helped me
a lot during testing of tools mentioned in this document.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Mr. Girish Chandra, Scientist-F & HoD who persuaded to
me to work on accessibility of documents.

I would express my deep and since gratitude to Mr. Narinder Singh Arneja, Scientist-G & HoG for
providing me invaluable guidance to work on this document. His dynamism, vision and motivation
have deeply inspired me.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge with gratitude the support & love of my family. They all kept me
going and this work would not have been possible without their support.

Yatindra Saxena
Scientist-F

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Abstract
The Process & Observations on Accessibility of PDF Documents on Indian Government Websites is
offered to create accessible PDF file for websites and to convert existing PDF Documents available
on all Indian Government Websites to an accessible format.

WCAG 2.0: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 covers a wide range of
recommendations for making Web content more accessible. Following these guidelines will make
content accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities, including blindness and low vision,
deafness and hearing loss, learning disabilities, cognitive limitations, limited movement, speech
disabilities, photosensitivity and combinations of these. Following these guidelines will also often
make your Web content more usable to users in general.

WCAG 2.0 success criteria is written as testable statements that are not technology-specific.
Guidance about satisfying the success criteria in specific technologies, as well as general information
about interpreting the success criteria, is provided in separate documents. See Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview for an introduction and links to WCAG technical and
educational material.

For more information on these, please read PDF Techniques for WCAG 2.0 .

Intended Audience
All Indian Government Website Stakeholders including Web Information Managers, Hired Resources,
and Operational Staff & Content Managers who intend to manage PDF documents on respective
websites.

Prerequisite Skills

Knowledge on MS Word, Libre Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Guidance for Users

NIC, Industry Informatics Division, while formulating this document have used MS Word 2010,
Acrobat 9 Pro and Libre Office 6.4.5.2 to achieve accessibility of PDF documents/files. However, it is
advisable to check for latest versions of MS Word and Acrobat Pro for more accessibility feature
such as direct PDF/UA compliance and in such cases, the use of PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3) can
be ignored. Users of this document can take a view on this by referring the manual and features of
the latest versions of software, if being used by them. Users are free to use any other Proprietary /
Open Source Tool to achieve accessibility of PDF documents as per available standards.

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References
 Users of this document are advised to visit hyperlinks to different websites for reference
that have been added in this document for further details.
 Many Important Instructions, Results and Information have been marked in BOLD for the
users of this document.

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Executive Summary

This document describes techniques for creation of Accessible PDF documents to be published on
Indian Government Websites which complies to PDF/UA and WCAG2.0 standards using Proprietary
software ( MS Word 2010 and Acrobat 9 Pro Extended), Open Source (Libre Office 6.4.5.2) and
Shareware PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3) . This document also highlight techniques for using Open
Source Tools such as Imagemagick and Tesseract, to convert an image scanned PDF to an OCR PDF
document.

This document is intended for content managers of Government websites having knowledge of MS
Word, Libre Office and Acrobat Pro.

The process described in this document to create accessible PDF have been formulated based upon
using the source document in word processors and scanned images of text in PDF documents that
had been published on Government websites.

It is to inform the users of this document that foremost requirement of any PDF to be declared as
accessible is by Meticulous Tagging its contents. A tagged PDF includes hidden accessibility mark-
ups that, when properly applied, help to optimize the reading experience of those who use screen
readers and other assistive technology (AT). A properly tagged PDF can also re-flow to adapt its
presentation to different screen sizes, for example to provide a high-quality experience to users of
smart mobile devices.

To start with, MS Word has an in-built checker, which could be used to first check the accessibility of
MS Word file itself. This document lists recommended techniques, which should be implemented in
a MS Word document before saving it as Tagged PDF. It is pertinent to mention that a Tagged PDF
generated from MS Word may not be PDF/UA compliant, if the version of MS Word being used does
not support it. In such cases, Acrobat Pro Full Check feature could be used to check the Accessibility
of PDF document where by the Acrobat Pro lists errors and helpful hints for repairing it. Acrobat
advanced editing tool such as Touch-up Object tool and Touch-up Reading Order Feature of
accessibility could be used to fix most of the issues listed during checking of accessibility in Acrobat
Pro.

Since different users of this document may have different version of Acrobat Pro and some of
those version may not be checking the PDF/UA criteria, therefore to help such users, a shareware
PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3) could be used to audit PDF document for accessibility. If required,
a few iteration could be made between Acrobat Pro and PAC3 to make PDF document PDF/UA
compliant. While checking a PDF document using PAC3 for accessibility, errors and warning which
are listed up could be fixed using Acrobat Pro. If the user is not very well conversant with Acrobat
Pro, then use of online documentation available could be used to fix the error and warnings to make
it PDF/UA compliant.

The same process used for making MS Word generated tagged PDF accessible could be used if the
native source document has been authored using Open Source Libre Office.

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The Image scanned PDF document available on Government websites could be made accessible by
using OCR Text Recognition and Adding Tags to the document to make it Tagged PDF. A similar
approach of few iteration between Acrobat Pro and PAC3 could be made to make PDF document
PDF/UA compliant.

Based upon the observations of OTG, NIC the use of open source tools such as Tesseract,
Imagemagick and FreeOCR have been defined in the document. Imagemagick could be used to
convert an image scanned PDF to an image which further could be fed to Tesseract to generate an
OCR based PDF. Generation of Tagged PDF is a limitation in Tesseract.

It is pertinent to mention that the Industry Informatics Division, NIC have used the common tools
such as MS Word, Libre Office, and Acrobat Pro in this document. However, users of this document
are free to use any other Proprietary / Open Source Tool to achieve accessibility of PDF documents
subject to the conforming of standards prescribed in Government website guidelines.

The document shall help content managers of Government websites in complying with one of the
objective of Accessible India Campaign launched by Government of India where Enhancing
proportion of accessible and usable public documents and websites that meet internationally
recognized accessibility standards are defined.

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1. Introduction
1.1. Portable Document Format (PDF)
The Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe in the 1990s to
present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of
application software, hardware, and operating systems.

1.2. What is Accessible PDF

An accessible PDF is a PDF document that can be read and accessed by people with
disabilities, primarily for the persons with impaired visions. They may use assistive
technology to read the file through text-to-speech or a Braille printout of an accessible pdf
document. A PDF document is considered to be accessible only if it meets a set of
accessibility guidelines

1.3. Standards
 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
 PDF/UA (PDF/Universal Accessibility), formally ISO 14289, is an ISO standard for
accessible PDF technology

1.4. What is Tagged PDF

A tagged PDF includes hidden accessibility mark-ups that, when properly applied, help to
optimize the reading experience of those who use screen readers and other assistive
technology (AT). Meticulous tagging is a crucial component of achieving a truly accessible
PDF. A properly tagged PDF can also re-flow to adapt its presentation to different screen
sizes, for example to provide a high-quality experience to users of smart mobile devices.

1.5. Background
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) had Accessible India
Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) as a nation-wide Campaign for achieving universal
accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). One of the objectives of Accessible India
Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) is enhancing proportion of accessible and usable public
documents and websites that meet internationally recognized accessibility standards. This
target will ensure conversion of public documents published as of a specified year and all
current websites meeting the relevant International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
criteria that are found in ISO / IEC 40500: 2012, Information Technology – W3C Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Public documents refer to all documents issued by the
national government as well as all subnational documents. These include all publications
such as laws, regulations, reports, forms and informational brochures. The target includes
conducting accessibility audit of 50% of all government (both Central and State
Governments) websites and converting them into fully accessible websites and ensuring that
at least 50% of all public documents issued by the Central Government and the State
Governments meet accessibility standards

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MeitY OM No 18(3)/2018-E-Infra (Pt.) dated 10th December, 2019 (Annexure -‘A’) requesting
Secretaries of all Central Ministries/Departments and Chief Secretaries of States/UTs to make
the public documents accessible on Government websites. It has been suggested that the all
the Government notifications/ orders uploaded on the website should be digitally signed and
in ePub or OCR based PDF only along with a technical write-up regarding conversion. Their
OM also mentions the procedure of making OCR based PDF files, W3C guidelines .

Subsequently, DEPWD in their OM dated 26th February, 2020 (Annexure -‘B’) has requested
all Ministries / Department that document to be published on website should be in
accessible format i.e. ePub or OCR based PDF formats.

1.6. Present Status

Most of the documents such as Acts, Orders, Notification, and Reports available on
Government websites are in PDF files. They have been created mostly by using Microsoft
Office Suite and saved as PDF without keeping accessibility in view. Moreover, large number
of documents whose native source is not available has been imaged scanned and published
on websites without performing Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Such documents pose
inability to visually challenged persons to know their contents.

2. How to Make PDF Documents Accessible

Two main issues related to accessibility of PDF files on Government websites for Persons
with Special Abilities (Divyangans) are as follows:-

i. How to create accessible PDFs from source document like Word processors,
Spreadsheet, Presentations etc.
ii. Which process is to be adopted to ensure accessibility of scanned images of text in
PDF file that had been published on Government websites in the past?

2.1. Software/Tools used

The following Propriety / Open Source / Shareware were used while drafting the
procedures and observations in this document.

S.No Name & URL Version

1. Microsoft Word (available with NIC-DPIIT) Version 2010
2. (*) PDF Accessibility Checker 3. PAC 3
Download PAC3
Please read License

3. (*) Libre Office Download Libre Office 6.4.5.2

License : MPLv2.0 (secondary license GPL, LGPLv3+
or Apache License 2.0 )

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S.No Name & URL Version

4. Acrobat 9 Pro Extended (available with NIC-DPIIT) 9
5. (*) OCR Engine libtesseract and a command line – Apache License 2.0
Tesseract Download Tesseract Tesseract open source OCR
Engine v5.0.0-
alpha.20200328
6. (*) Free OCR GNU AGPL V3
Download FreeOCR (a9t9) Free OCR for
Windows Desktop V1.08
7. Imagicmagick Download Imagemagick Version Imagemagick
7.0.10-26 Q16 x64
IMDisplay Version 1.0
8. Nonvisual Desktop Access(NVDA) Screen Reader 2020.2
Download NVDA

2.2. Create accessible PDF documents from source documents

Overview of Accessible Documents

Few basic steps to assure that document are readable by individuals with disabilities.

 Use Headings

Headings and subheadings should to be identified as such using the built-in heading features
of the authoring tool. Headings should form an outline of the page content (Heading 1 for
the main heading, Heading 2 for the first level of sub-headings, Heading 3 for the next level
of sub-headings, etc.). This enables screen reader users to understand how the page is
organized, and to quickly navigate to content of interest. Most screen readers have features
that enable users to jump quickly between headings with a single key-stroke. Virtually every
document authoring format includes support for headings and subheadings.

 Use Lists

Any content that is organized as a list should be created using the list controls that are
provided in document authoring software. Most authoring tools provide one or more
controls for adding unordered lists (with bullets) and ordered lists (with numbers). When lists
are explicitly created as lists, this helps screen readers to understand how the content is
organized. When screen reader users enter a list, their screen reader informs them that
they’re on a list and may also inform them of how many items are in the list, which can be
very helpful information when deciding whether to continue reading.

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 Use Meaningful Hyperlinks

Links presented in an electronic document should convey clear and accurate information
about the destination. Most authoring tools allow the creator to assign a hyperlink to text.
For documents that will be circulated as print material, use a URL shortening service to
create a customized and meaningful link name.

 Add Alternate Text for Images

Users who are unable to see images depend on content authors to supplement their images
with alternate text, which is often abbreviated ‚alt text‛. The purpose of alt text is to
communicate the content of an image to people who can’t see it. The alt text should be
succinct, just enough text to communicate the idea without burdening the user with
unnecessary detail. When screen readers encounter an image with alt text, they typically
announce the image then read the alt text. Most authoring tools provide a means of adding
alternate text to images, usually in a dialog that appears when an image is added, or later
within an image properties dialog. If images are purely decorative and contain no
informative content, they do not require a description. However, they may still require
specific mark-up so screen readers know to skip them. The methods for hiding decorative
images from screen reader users is described in more detail in the format-specific pages
within this section of the website. Also, images that require a more lengthy description, such
as charts and graphs, may require additional steps beyond adding alt text.

 Identify Document Language

Leading screen reader software is multilingual, and can read content in English, Spanish,
French, and a wide variety of other languages. In order to ensure that screen readers will
read a document using the appropriate language profile, the language of the document
must be identified. Identification of the language of any content written in a language other
than the document’s default language should be mentioned. With this information,
supporting screen readers will switch between language profiles as needed on the fly. Most
document authoring tools provide a means of identifying the document language as well the
language of specific parts.

 Use Tables Wisely

Tables in documents are useful for communicating relationships between data, especially
when those relationships can be best expressed in a matrix of rows and columns. Tables
should not be used to control layout. Authoring tools have other means of doing this,
including organizing content into columns. If the data is best presented in a table, try to keep
the table simple. If the table is complex, consideration should be done to divide it into
multiple smaller tables with a heading above each. A key to making data tables accessible to
screen reader users is to clearly identify column and row headers. Also, if there are nested
columns or rows with multiple headers for each cell, screen readers need to be explicitly
informed as to which headers relate to which cells.

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 When Exporting to PDF, Understand How to Preserve Accessibility

In order for an Adobe PDF document to be accessible, it must be a ‚tagged‛ PDF, with an
underlying tagged structure that includes all of the features already described on this page.
There are right ways and wrong ways to export documents to PDF. Some authoring tools
don’t support tagged PDF at all while others provide multiple ways of exporting to PDF.
Some produce tagged PDF but some do not.

2.2.1. Using Proprietary Software Microsoft Word 2010

A sample MS Word file comprising of Text, Images, Bullets, Number List and Table have
been used here. Following should be applied to make MS Word document accessible.

 Use MS Word to correct the Errors and Warning mentioned in the Accessibility
Checker Pane before saving as PDF File
 Whenever possible, please return to the source document file and add accessibility
features in the authoring application such as MS Word
 Best Practices for making Word document accessible (Refer Microsoft Support)
 Preserve Fidelity while sharing this document by embedding the Fonts
(File>>Options>>Save>>Embed Fonts in the File)
 List formatting

Check to ensure that bulleted, numbered, outline and multi-level lists are formatted
properly. Improper formatting makes it difficult for non-sighted users to find a list,
navigate through a list, identify the list type, and identify when there are multiple
levels within a list.

 Language settings

Check to ensure the language setting is defined properly for passages of text.
Improper language settings result is mispronounced words and impaired
comprehension by non-sighted users.

 Document properties

Check to ensure that the document title, author, subject, and keywords are provided
under document properties. Missing information will make it difficult for non-sighted
users to discern this important information about the document.

 Colour and contrast

Check to ensure that all text is readable and distinguishable from background
colours, watermarks, and background images, and that all text is readable in High
Contrast mode. This will help user with partial visual impairments read the
document more easily.

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 Complex table

Check to determine if the document contains complex tables. If it does, move on to

complete Step 2, and then convert the document to an accessible PDF document.

 Unclear hyperlink text

Hyperlink text, which is not meaningful, descriptive, and unique, needs to be

appropriately labelled. For example, a link titled click here does not provide enough
information to a non-sighted user to understand the link's destination or purpose.

 Unstructured document

Documents, which are not, formatted using styles and heading levels may not
contain enough structure to enable a non-sighted user to navigate through a
document as quickly as a sighted user.

 Skipped heading level

Skipped heading levels exist when heading levels are defined in the document but in
an inconsistent logical reading order (for example, a heading formatted as level 3
follows a heading formatted as level 1). Skipped heading levels make it difficult for
non-sighted users to navigate a document.

 Repeated blank characters

Blank spaces used for formatting purposes (for example, multiple carriage returns,
and the use of tabs and spaces to align text) create reading issues for non-sighted
users.

 Object not inline

Objects, which are not ‘inline’ with text (also called floating objects), cannot be
found by a non-sighted user and should not be used.

 No header row specified

When heading rows are not defined, non-sighted users may have difficulty
identifying the meaning of data cells and how they relate to other data in the table.

 Blank table rows or columns

When tables contain blank rows or columns, it is difficult for non-sighted users to
understand and navigate through the table.

 Missing alt text (table)

Titles or summaries should be added to tables so non-sighted users can comprehend

the purpose and design of the table without going through the entire table.

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 Missing alt text (picture, text box, other elements)

Picture, text boxes, and other non-decorative images require text descriptions (also
called alternative text or "Alt Text"), to convey information to non-sighted users.

 Heading is too long

This issue can be ignored. Please avoid long headings, but this is not a requirement
of Section 508, and often unavoidable with government documents. Use plain and
concise language for headers and otherwise ignore this test result.

 Infrequent headings

This issue can be ignored. It is safe to ignore this test; it is a redundant test already
covered by the 'Unstructured Document' test.

 Merged or split cells

This issue can be ignored. It is safe to ignore this test; it is a redundant test already
sufficiently covered by the 'Unstructured Document' test.

 Use image watermark

This issue can be ignored. See the manual check titled "Colour and Contrast" for
more relevant guidance for SSA.

 Check reading order

This issue can be ignored. Microsoft's automated checker suggests using tables to
create a logical reading order structure within a document. However, SSA
discourages the use of tables for page formatting because layout tables create many
accessibility challenges. If using tables for formatting/layout complete all the manual
and automated tests and convert the document to an accessible PDF.

2.2.1.1. Verify Accessibility

2.2.1.1.1. Using MS Word 2010

Before saving as PDF, the accessibility of the word document itself
can be checked as follows:-

 Go To File >>Info>>Check for Issues>>Check Accessibility (refer Figure-1)

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(Figure-1)

 Accessibility Checker Pane on the right list inspection Results which comprises
of Error and Warnings (Refer Figure-2)

(Figure-2)

 Refer (Figure-3) – Most of the error and warning have been fixed using MS Word
Accessibility Checker pane.

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(Figure-3)

 Save as PDF Document

File >>Save As >>Select PDF Type>>Option>>Document Structure Tags for

Accessibility (Refer Figure-4)

(Figure-4)

 Please Note: - If the PDF/A compliance is selected then for editing it in Acrobat Pro, PDF/A
compliance has to be disabled.

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2.2.1.1.2. Using Acrobat 9 Extended

Sometimes even if MS Word Accessible converted, PDF is opened in

Acrobat Pro, it highlights some error and those can be corrected
using Acrobat Pro. In order to check the accessibility of PDF files, Full
Check Feature of Acrobat Pro under Accessibility can be used .The
results are displayed in the Accessibility Checker panel on the left,
which also has helpful links and hints for repairing issues such as
Adding Tags, Character Encodings, Alternate text, Language
Attributes etc.

Please Note -:

Other methods in Acrobat can be used to check PDF accessibility:

 Reflow view to check the reading order.

 Read Out Loud
 Save the document as accessible text and then read, it in a word
processor.This exercise enables to emulate the end-user
experience of readers who use a braille printer to read the
document.
 Reading order Tool, Order, Tags, and Content panels can be
used to view the structure, reading order, and contents of a PDF
document.

The PDF document created using MS Word in section 2.2.1.1.1 is

checked for accessibility as illustrated above and it fails accessibility
criteria (Refer Figure-5, Figure-6 and Figure-7).

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(Figure-5)

(Figure-6)

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(Figure-7)

The error listed in the Accessibility Report on the left pane of

Acrobat Pro can be resolved with the help of Hints for Repair
mentioned there and the document can be made accessible (Refer
Figure-8).

Advanced Editing tools such as “Touch-up Object Tool” are used

for some type of listed repairs. The “Touch-up Reading Order Tool”
provides the easiest and quickest method to fix reading order and
tagging issues. The Reading Order tool is intended for repairing
PDFs that were tagged using Acrobat, not for repairing PDFs that
were tagged during conversion from an authoring application.
Whenever possible, return to the source file and add accessibility
features in the authoring application. Repairing the original file
ensures that repeatedly touch up future iterations of the PDF in
Acrobat will not be required (Refer here).

 Sometimes it is quite possible that native source document of

PDF in MS Word etc. is not available and in such case editing of
PDF can be done using Acrobat Pro and accessibility can also
be achieved by using the Full Check Feature of Acrobat Pro.

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(Figure-8)

2.2.1.1.3. Using PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3)

A shareware PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3) can be downloaded

subject to their Licence Agreement to check the accessibility of PDF
documents. This checker lists the errors but it does not display hints
to resolve the issue. This checker, which confirms to standards of
PDF/UA (also mentioned by OTG, NIC in their observation) can be
used to identify the accessibility issues.

In the following Figure-9 and Figure-10, the document, which was

declared accessible by Acrobat Pro, is rechecked using PAC 3 to find
out whether the document confirms to PDF/UA standards.

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(Figure-9)

(Figure-10)

It can be seen in Figure-9 & Figure-10 that the document which was
declared accessible by Acrobat 9 Pro is not PDF/UA complaint as per
PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3).

 In the test case mentioned above, we used Microsoft 2010 and

Acrobat 9 Pro. The latest version of MS Word or Acrobat Pro
DC may exhibit PDF/UA compliance, however, we have not

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explored these latest versions for the conformance of PDF/UA

compliance using PAC3

2.2.1.2. Repairing to make it accessible per PDF/UA Compliant

2.2.1.2.1. Using MS Word

In this section, an attempt has been made to repair the native MS
Word Files iteratively and saving it as tagged pdf document by
checking its PDF/UA compliance using PDF Accessibility Checker
PAC3. Acrobat Pro has not been used in this process.

(Figure-11)

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(Figure-12)

(Figure-13)

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(Figure-14)

Now it was attempted to resolve the errors with the help of MS Word. The MS Word
document confirms to most of the accessibility criteria such as Document Title, Alt Text,
Table Header, Hyperlink, Creating list etc. as mentioned in Section 2.2.1.1.1 but PAC3 report
has listed accessibility issues (Refer Figure-11, Figure-12, and Figure-13 & Figure-14). Hence, a
good knowledge of MS Word may help to achieve PDF/UA compliance although we were not
able to achieve this compliance using MS Word 2010 alone.

2.2.1.2.2. Using Acrobat 9 Pro

The Error listed in PAC3 were resolved using Acrobat Pro and the
PAC3 results are shown in Figure-15 & Figure-16

 A Good Knowledge of Acrobat Pro is essential to achieve PDF/UA

compliance. The user can also seek the help from Internet in
finding the solution and fixing the issued pointed by PAC3 but this
process could be time consuming.
 We were able to achieve PDF/UA compliance using the old Acrobat
9 Pro Extended (only warnings are left which can also be removed).

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(Figure-15)

(Figure-16)

2.2.2. Using Open Source Libre Office Write 64.5.2

Same contents, which were earlier edited in MS Word, are entered in Libre Office
Write, which comprises of Text, Images, Bullets, Number List and Table etc. has been
used here. Fonts that were used in this document were embedded (Refer Figure-17).

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(Figure-17)

Following should be taken into consideration to make Libre Office Write document
accessible.

 Use Accessible Templates

 Specify Document Language
 Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects
 Avoid ‚Floating‛ Elements
 Use Headings
 Use Named Styles
 Use Built-In Document Structuring Features
 Create Accessible Charts
 Make Content Easier to See
 Make Content Easier to Understand
 Check Accessibility
 Use Accessibility Features when Saving/Exporting to Other Formats
 Consider Using Accessibility Support Applications/Plugins
Some of the best practices to make a Libre Office Document accessible can
be found at (LibreOffice documentation-1 and LibreOffice documentation-
2).

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2.2.2.1. Verify Accessibility

2.2.2.1.1. Use Libre Office

 AccessODF extension (.odt) can be downloaded and In
LibreOffice, go to Tools > Extensions, and browse to the OXT file
to add the extension.
 After restarting LibreOffice, please locate a new "Accessibility
evaluation" item in the Tools menu.
 Using AccessODF

Go to "Accessibility evaluation" in the Tools menu. This opens a

task panel to the right of the editing area. Press the
"Check/Recheck" button at the bottom of the task panel and wait
for the evaluation to complete. AccessODF will create a tree-like
list of errors and warnings. Review each error and warning. For
each issue, AccessODF displays its name, a description (what the
problem is and why) and repair suggestions. For some issues, the
Repair button will become active; pressing this button will either
repair the issue automatically or open the dialog where the
issues can be fixed. For other issues, it is needed to follow the
instructions in the repair suggestions. If AccessODF erroneously
flagged something as an issue, press the Ignore button. When
ready, press the Check/Recheck button again for a new
evaluation. If all issues have been solved, AccessODF will display
a success dialog.

 Please Note that AccessODF 0.1.0 is not compatible with

the sidebar in LibreOffice 4.0. The sidebar panel where the
AccessODF user interface should appear remains empty.
This will be fixed in a later release of AccessODF (refer
LibreOffice Extension ).
 Export LibreOffice File to tagged PDF as depicted in Figure-
18 & Figure-19.
 Save as PDF Document

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File >>Export As >>Export As PDF >>Select Tagged PDF Type

(Figure-18)

(Figure-19)

2.2.2.1.2. Using Acrobat Pro

In order to check the accessibility of PDF files exported from Libre

Officer Write, Full Check Feature of Acrobat Pro under Accessibility
can be use. The results are displayed in the Accessibility Checker

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panel on the left, which also has helpful links and hints for repairing
issues such as Adding Tags, Character Encodings, Alternate text,
Language Attributes etc.

Please Note -:

Other methods in Acrobat can be used to check PDF accessibility:

 Reflow View to check the reading order.

 Read Out Loud
 Save the document as accessible text and then read, it in a
word processor.This exercise enables to emulate the end-
user experience of readers who use a braille printer to read
the document.
 Reading Order Tool, Order, Tags, and Content panels can be
used to view the structure, reading order, and contents of a
PDF document.

The pdf document created using Libre Office in section

2.2.2.1.1 is checked for accessibility as illustrated above and
it fails accessibility criteria (Refer Figure-20, Figure-21,
Figure-22 and Figure-23).

(Figure-20)

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(Figure-21)

(Figure-22)

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(Figure-23)

The error listed in the Accessibility Report on the left pane of

Acrobat Pro can be resolved with the help of Hints for Repair
mentioned there and the document can be made accessible (Refer
Figure-24).

Advanced Editing tools such as “Touch-up Object Tool” are used

for some type of listed repairs. The “Touch-up Reading Order Tool”
provides the easiest and quickest method to fix reading order and
tagging issues. The Reading Order tool is intended for repairing
PDFs that were tagged using Acrobat, not for repairing PDFs that
were tagged during conversion from an authoring application.
Whenever possible, return to the source file and add accessibility
features in the authoring application. Repairing the original file
ensures that repeatedly touch up future iterations of the PDF in
Acrobat will not be required (Refer here).

 Sometimes it is quite possible that native source document

of PDF in Libre Office etc. is not available and in such case
editing of PDF can be done using Acrobat Pro and
accessibility can be achieved by using the Full Check
Feature of Acrobat Pro.

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(Figure-24)

2.2.2.1.3. Using PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3)

A shareware PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3) can be downloaded
subject to their Licence Agreement to check the accessibility of PDF
documents. This checker lists the errors but it does not display hints
to resolve the issue. Hence, such checker, which confirms to
standards of PDF/UA (also mentioned by OTG, NIC in their
observation) can be used to identify the accessibility issues.

In the following example, the document, which was declared

accessible by Acrobat Pro, is rechecked using PAC 3 to find out
whether the document confirms to PDF/UA standards.

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(Figure-25)

(Figure-26)

It can be seen in Figure-25 & Figure-26 that the document, which

was declared accessible by Acrobat 9 Pro, is not PDF/UA complaint
as per PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC3).

 In the test case mentioned above, this division of NIC. Used

Libre Office 6.4.5.2 and Acrobat 9 Pro. The latest version of
Acrobat Pro may exhibit PDF/UA compliance, however, we

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have not explored these latest version for the conformance of

PDF/UA compliance using PAC3

2.2.2.2. Repairing to make it Accessible

2.2.2.2.1. Use Libre Office

Since there was no mechanism, found in Libre Office to view the

accessibility issue because AccessODF extension is not compatible
with the latest versions of Libre Office, so the repairing in Libre
Office has been ignored.

2.2.2.2.2. Using Acrobat Pro

(Figure-27)

 It has been observed that tagged PDF file exported from Libre
Office listed fewer errors in PAC3 as compared to tagged pdf
saved from MS Word although the native source document
was same in both the cases.

The Error listed in PAC3 were resolved as shown in Figure-27

 A Good Knowledge of Acrobat Pro is essential to achieve

PDF/UA compliance. The user can also seek the help from
Internet in finding the solution and fixing the issued pointed by
PAC3 but this process could be time consuming.

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 We were able to achieve PDF/UA compliance using the old

Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.

2.3. Create Accessible document from scanned images PDF Files

2.3.1. Using Acrobat 9 Pro

It has been observed that most of the PDF documents available on the Indian
Government Websites are image scanned which have been uploaded by Content
Managers after image scanning the hard copy of the documents available with them.
Visually Challenged persons cannot access such documents by using Assistive
Technologies.

Such documents can be easily made accessible by using the Acrobat Pro. As an
example, two scanned pages of GIGW manual have been used to illustrate the
process.

i. Performing OCR on a scanned PDF document to provide actual text

“OCR Text Recognition” feature of Acrobat Pro can be used. Depending upon
resolution and clarity of Text, OCR converts images of words and characters to
actual text. Text, which is not recognized by Acrobat Pro, is listed as an ‚OCR
suspect,‛ or text element that Acrobat suspects were not recognized correctly. The
suspects can be fixed by using the options “Find First OCR Suspects”. These
suspects are presented one at a time, which can be corrected use Acrobat Pro touch-
up tools. Alternatively, “Find All OCR Suspects” can be used to display all OCR
suspects at the same time for faster editing (Refer Figure-28, Figure-29 & Figure-30).

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(Figure-28)

(Figure-29)

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(Figure-30)

ii. Adding Tags to document

Tags can be added to untagged documents using Adobe Acrobat Pro. There
are several ways to do this:

 Add Tags from the Make Accessible Action Wizard (Acrobat Pro
Latest Versions).
 Add Tags from the Accessibility Checker results.
 Add Tags Manually via the Tags panel: - For example, ‚Add tags to
the Document‛ feature of Acrobat Pro can be used to add tagging to
the OCR document (Refer Figure-31).

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(Figure-31)

iii. Checking the accessibility of PDF File using Acrobat Pro

In order to check the accessibility of PDF files, Full Check Feature of Acrobat
Pro under Accessibility can be used. The results are displayed in the
Accessibility Checker panel on the left, which also has helpful links and hints
for repairing issues such as Adding Tags, Character Encodings, and Alternate
text, Language Attributes etc. (Refer Figure-32, Figure-33, and Figure-34 &
Figure-35).

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(Figure-32)

(Figure-33)

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(Figure-34)

(Figure-35)

Advanced Editing tools such as “Touch-up Object Tool” are used for some
type of listed repairs. The “Touch-up Reading Order Tool” provides the
easiest and quickest method to fix reading order and tagging issues. The
Reading Order tool is intended for repairing PDFs that were tagged using
Acrobat, not for repairing PDFs that were tagged during conversion from

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an authoring application. The document, which was made accessible using

Acrobat Pro, can be seen in Figure-36.

(Figure-36)

For more information on reading order of tags and Content, Order and Tag
please refer the following:-

 W3C Website
 Adobe Website Help
 Adobe Accessibility (PDF file format accessibility features combined with
Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader allow universal access to documents).

2.3.1.1. Verifying Accessibility

The PDF declared accessible by Acrobat Pro is verified use PDF Accessibility
Checker (PAC3) but PDF/UA accessibility norms fails (Refer Figure-37 &
Figure-38)

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(Figure-37)

(Figure-38)

Certain steps were performed in Acrobat based on error listed by PAC3

and the pdf document was made PDF/UA complaint.

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(Figure-39)

 A Good Knowledge of Acrobat Pro is essential to achieve PDF/UA

compliance. The user can also seek the help from Internet in finding the
solution and fixing the issued pointed by PAC3 but this process could be
time consuming.
 We were able to achieve PDF/UA compliance using the old Acrobat 9 Pro
Extended (Refer Figure-39).

2.4. Errors Requiring Human Inspection

It has been observed in this document that MS Word 2010, PAC3 and Adobe Acrobat Pro are
used to verify the accessibility of the PDF, however a need of a human expert to find the
errors that could not be detected by the automated tools is required. Accessibility checking
requires manual inspection and some human judgement (e.g. ‚What is meaningful
alternative text for an image?‛

PAC does not detect the following common PDF accessibility errors and so a human
inspection is required.

 List Numbering attribute for ordered list

 Header and footer artefacts
 Table header cell not tagged as a header
 Non-table content tagged as a table
 Complex table header IDs
 Z order problem
 Actual Text with null string
 Actual Text – Alt Text – Expansion Text – Contents Key
 I ran out of heading levels!
 Insufficient contrast for text

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2.5. Draft Process to obtain Accessible PDF

2.5.1. Using Word Processors

(Process Flow Chart-1)

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(Process Flow Chart-2)

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2.5.2. Using Image Scanned PDF

(Process Flow Chart-3)

2.5.3. Using latest versions of Word Processors & Acrobat Pro

 Please Note: - We have used MS Word 2010, Acrobat 9 Pro and Libre Office
6.4.5.2 in this document to achieve accessibility of PDF files. However, it is
advisable to check for latest versions of MS Word and Acrobat Pro for
more accessibility feature such as direct PDF/UA compliance and in such
cases, the use of PAC3 can be ignored. Users of this document can take a
view on this by referring the manual and features of the latest versions of
software if being used by them.

3. Using Other Open Source Tools

This section provides information on some of the open source tools mentioned in the observations
of OTG, NIC and the best practices that can be followed.

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3.1. PyPDF and pytesseract

Both PyPDF and pytesseract requires python platform and therefore we have not evaluated
its use, because it has been observed that most of content managers do not have an
expertise to work on Python Platform.

3.2. OCRFeeder
OCRFeeder works on UNIX and therefore its use has not been evaluated by us, as most of
content manager's works on Windows / MAC platforms.

3.3. VietOCR.Net
VietOCR.Net required .NET platform and therefore we have not evaluated its use, as most of
content managers do not have such technical expertise.

3.4. Tesseract
This package contains an OCR engine - libtesseract and a command line program - tesseract.
Tesseract 4 adds a new neural net (LSTM) based OCR engine which is focused on line
recognition, but also still supports the legacy Tesseract OCR engine of Tesseract 3 which
works by recognizing character patterns. Compatibility with Tesseract 3 is enabled by using
the Legacy OCR Engine mode (--OEM 0). It also needs trained data files which support the
legacy engine, for example those from the tessdata repository.

Tesseract has Unicode (UTF-8) support, and can recognize more than 100 languages "out of
the box".

Tesseract supports various output formats: plain text, hOCR (HTML), PDF, invisible-text-only
PDF, TSV. The master branch also has experimental support for ALTO (XML) output.

It should be noted that in many cases, in order to get better OCR results, there is a need to
improve the quality of the image given to Tesseract.

Tesseract command line takes images as an input. In case, if available information is

available in PDF file, then some tool such as Imagemagick may be used to convert it into an
image file. (Learn Tesseract). Refer Figure-40 where an image file has been shown in
Windows Photo Viewer.

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(Figure-40)

It can be converted to PDF file using tesseract command line as shown in the following
Figure-41.

(Figure-41)

The command line usage/help of Tesseract to convert an image to PDF file is shown below
in Figure-42.

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(Figure-42)

 Though Tesseract was able to create searchable PDF but when checked with Acrobat Pro
and PAC3, Tesseract did not tag the document therefore for PDF/UA compliance, editing
with Acrobat and verifying with PAC3 is required as explained in section 2.3
 It is to mention that an Image file can also be converted to Text file using Tesseract and
the generated Text file can be accessed using Assistive Technologies.

Tips for better recognition results:

 Tesseract’s output will be very poor quality if the input images are not pre-processed to
suit it:
 Images (especially screenshots) must be scaled up such that the text height is at least 20
pixels.
 Any rotation or skew must be corrected or no text will be recognized,

Dark borders must be manually removed, or they will be misinterpreted as characters.

3.5. FreeOCR (a9t9)

Free OCR application for the Windows Desktop - Essentially a graphical user interface (GUI)
for the Tesseract OCR engine. The application also includes support for reading and doing
OCT of PDF files. It has been observed that the conversion quality is not very good. This
software takes Image or PDF as an input and after OCR, the output can be saved as a text or
MS Word file. The output can then be converted to accessible PDF using Word Processor,
PAC3 and Acrobat Pro, if required.

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We could not achieve OCR of Hindi and English+Hindi bilingual documents even though Hindi
trained data file was added in the tessdata language folder (Refer Figure-43 and Figure-44).

(Figure-43)

(Figure-44)

On doing OCR a good quality and resolution, scanned PDF with English text resulted in a text
file with little distortion. OCR of a bad quality and resolution scanned PDF with English text
resulted in a text file with complete distortion (Refer Figure-45 and Figure-46)

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(Figure-45)

(Figure-46)

One more FreeOCR downloaded from FreeOCR was able to OCR a bad and good quality
image scanned PDF to a partial distorted and better quality text respectively (Refer Figure-47
& Figure-48).

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(Figure-47)

(Figure-48)

3.6. Imagemagick

Imagemagick can be used to convert a PDF document to image. The resultant output of
multiple pages PDF can be appended in a single file or as separate image file for each page of
PDF file

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3.6.1. Convert an entire PDF to an single image

Command

Convert -density 150 -antialias "input_file_name.pdf" -append -resize 1024x -quality

100 "output_file_name.png"

Key parameter here is -append which actually makes a difference if PDF is converted
to a single image or to a series of images.

3.6.2. Convert a PDF document to a series of enumerated images.

Command

convert -density 150 -antialias "input_file_name.pdf" -resize 1024x -quality 100

"output_file_name.png"

Because of this command, a series of image files named output_file_name-0.png,

output_file_name-1.png, output_file_name-2.png “. etc., will be created in the
working directory. If having more than 10 pages, it would come in handy to have
those enumerated file names with multiple digits, for the convenience of easy
sorting. If including a C-style integer format string, for example if adding %03d to the
end of output file name, the result will be output_file_name-001.png,
output_file_name-002.png, output_file_name-003.png, etc.

3.6.3. Convert only specified pages to images:

Command

convert "input_file_name.pdf[1]" "output_file_name.png"

This will actually convert page 2 of PDF to PNG, since numbering starts with 0. To
convert range of pages, from i to j, use this command:

convert "input_file_name.pdf[i-j]" "output_file_name.png"

 It is to mention that the output generated from Imagemagick can be fed to

tesseract to generate resultant OCR based PDF file which can be converted to
PDF/UA complaint using additional software such as Word Processor, Acrobat
Pro and PAC3

4. Digitally Signing a Document

MeitY OM No 18(3)/2018-E-Infra (Pt.) dated 10th December 2019 (Annexure -‘A’) requesting
Secretaries of all Central Ministries/Departments and Chief Secretaries of States/UTs to make the

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public documents accessible on Government websites. It has been suggested that the all the
Government notifications/ orders uploaded on the website should be digitally signed and in ePub
or OCR based PDF only along with a technical write-up regarding conversion.

The document can be signed either in the native source document such as MS Word or Libre
Office or in the PDF document using Acrobat Pro.

4.1. Using native source document in MS Word or Libre Office

4.1.1. Using Ms Word

 Open Document.
 Insert Signature Line.
 Fill the Signature setup and sign after selecting the certificate.
 Create an accessible PDF and check its accessibility as explained in Section 2.2

4.1.2. Using Libre Office

 Go to File
 Select Digital Signature
 Select Sign Document
 Select the Certificate from list
 Provide Description, if any
 Click Sign
 Create an accessible PDF and check its accessibility as explained in Section 2.2

4.2. Using Acrobat Pro

 First remove all tags
 Add Digital Signature Form Field
 Add tags to Documents
 Remove Errors
 Apply Signature
 Perform Full Check Feature

OR

 Add Digital Signature Form Field

 Add Form fields to tags(Check for unsigned annotations and tag the element then
Choose form field type while tagging and give title)
 Remove Errors
 Apply Signature
 Perform Full Check Feature

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5. Using Assistive Technologies

5.1. Using Read Loud Feature of Acrobat Reader/ Pro

It has been observed that Acrobat Pro / Reader is suitable for reading English text. Although
a /Lang entry can be set in Acrobat Pro to specify the language for a paragraph or for a
specific word or phrase etc. However, we could not listen to Hindi text using Read Loud
feature of Acrobat Reader or Pro. As far as English is concerned, the Read Loud feature
works perfectly. Refer W3C Webpage. Since Adobe includes 16 languages so for Hindi,
please use its ISO 639 code instead of name.

5.2. Using NVDA

This Screen Reader is able to read English or Hindi contents. To invoke Hindi language for
reading, please follow the following procedure (Refer Figure-49 to Figure-58).

 Download two Driver to support Hindi language

Download from given first line link

(Figure-49)

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 Click To Go to The Individual Catalogue on above figure.

(Figure-50)

 Choose Hindi and Filter from above Figure.

(Figure-51)

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 Download Lekha Premium

(Figure-52)

 Select Manage add-ons from the NVDA hidden icon in task bar

(Figure-53)

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 Select Install and then Choose-Add-on Package (2 file) one by one

(Figure-54)

 Select Manage add-ons from the NVDA hidden icon in task bar
 Both the Add-on package files have been installed.

(Figure-55)

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(Figure-56)

 Now Select Speech and then change Synthesizer to Nuance Vocalizer expressive 2.2 and
press OK. Rate, Pitch, Inflection and Volume can be changed as desired.

(Figure-57)

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(Figure-58)

6. Considerations for STQC Certification Benchmark

 If the STQC certification on GIGW 2.0 requires a PDF document on website to be

PDF/UA compliant then Industry Division, NIC is of the view that in order to make a
document PDF/UA compliant, content managers of the website should be well versed
with the operations of the software such as MS Word, Libre Office, and Acrobat Pro
etc.
 However, if STQC compliance on PDF documents can be relaxed to an OCR tagged PDF
in case of Image scanned document and Tagged PDF saved and exported from MS
Word and Libre Office respectively, then the efforts of content managers could be
reduced.

7. Suggestions from CDAC

Since most of available PDF documents on Government websites are published in Hindi and other
Regional languages, therefore CDAC may be approached to provide the technology guidelines on
accessibility of documents in Hindi and other regional languages including bi-lingual documents
while using Assistive Technologies.

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8. Annexures
8.1. MeitY Office Memorandum dated 10th December, 2019

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8.2. DEPWD Office Memorandum dated 26th Feb, 2020

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8.3. Observations of OTG, NIC

END OF DOCUMENT

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Guidelines for Indian Government Websites

Compliance
&
Certification
Handbook

National Informatics Centre

About the Document
As the world adopts the Internet media for delivery of information and
services, it becomes necessary to establish standards that serve as a frame of
reference to guide construction efforts in the virtual world. The Government
of India’s National Informatics Center (NIC) has devised such standards
in the form of Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW).
These guidelines have become an integral part of the Central Secretariat
Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP), and have also been adopted
by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
(DARPG).

To help Indian Government websites become compliant with GIGW,

a detailed manual is available to registered users at the website http://
guidelines.gov.in, a helpdesk is available during office hours on all working
days, and regular workshops are conducted by NIC.

The purpose of this document is to augment the GIGW manual and serve as
a ready reference of all relevant information in one place for all stakeholders
of Government websites, who need to ensure their websites comply with
GIGW. This document helps clearly understand various aspects that can
ensure GIGW compliance & aid in completion of the certification process.

I
Contents
Background of GIGW ........................................ 01

Compliance with GIGW .................................... 02

Responsibilities of website stakeholders ............. 03

Policy Templates ................................................ 05

Appendix i ............................................................ i
Demystifying the GIGW Compliance Matrix

Appendix ii .......................................................... xii

Achieving GIGW Compliance using a Content
Management System (CMS)

Appendix iii ....................................................... xvii

SUGAM Web Editions

III
 GIGW Compliance & Certification Handbook

Background
In the last two decades, our human world has seen a new parallel universe emerge along with
the widening of Internet’s reach. The Internet ensures that citizens who seek information
and services can do so without having to visit a physical brick-and-mortar government
office, and without being constrained by limited office/working hours, by simply visiting
the government office’s website from anywhere at any time!

This seemingly simple e-enabling to deliver government’s information and services requires
significant effort by various stakeholders of the government office’s website so that the
citizens’ lives benefit truly through rendering of information & services in an accurate,
efficient, relevant, timely manner. The website stakeholders operating behind the scenes
need to bear in mind aspects of the human computer interface carefully so that all citizens,
including those with different abilities are able to feel facilitated vs hindered.

To use an analogy, in a brick-and-mortar world having multiple storey structures, in

addition to a staircase, an elevator is built to enable accessibility to all storeys by citizens,
including those with limited limb movement. Or, even in single-storey structures, along
with a flight of stairs, a ramp is built with supporting hand-railings to enable a citizen
navigating on a wheelchair to travel between two levels.

In the case of websites, being considerate to the needs of all citizens, including those with
different abilities, such as audio-visual impairments, information & services are rendered
in a manner that allows access by all. For example, a government website can make available
the text transcript of an audio so that audio-impaired citizens can read it, or the same
transcript can be read by assistive technologies like screen readers to help visually challenged
citizens to access the information conveniently. All such simple yet significant measures
show the government’s responsiveness towards the needs of its citizens, and its intent of
being inclusive in delivering the benefits of governance to all, without discriminating on
the basis of abilities, access to bandwidth, technology etc.

In keeping with the above philosophy and to set a minimum benchmark for all government
websites ‘Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW)’ were formulated
by National Informatics Centre (NIC). GIGW was adopted by the Department of
Administrative Reform and Public Grievances (DARPG), and made an integral part of
the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP) in January 2009 to ensure
Indian Government websites conform to the UUU trilogy, viz., user-centric, user-friendly,
& universally accessible.
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What is Compliance with GIGW

Compliance with GIGW ensures that a website is user-centric, usable, & universally
accessible at all stages: starting from launch, continuing during its operations &maintenance.

GIGW promotes standards that are broadly placed in three categories: advisory, mandatory,
& voluntary. Mandatory standards are the minimum criteria that every website MUST
meet; advisory standards are the guidelines that websites SHOULD endeavor to comply
with; & voluntary standards are those which websites MAY adopt based on their discretion.

GIGW Compliance matrix provides a checklist of 115 mandatory guidelines/checkpoints.

Majority of these checkpoints relate to the front end of the website (accessibility, identity,
content, and design) while others relate to backend policies, processes and plans to enable
better management of websites. These 115 checkpoints are exhaustive and cover all the
possible scenarios that may apply to the entire universe of government websites. There
may be few government websites to which each of the 115 checkpoints may be applicable.
A majority of government websites may be such that while most of the 115 checkpoints
would apply, some checkpoints may not be applicable.

Website stakeholders need to ensure compliance with the mandatory guidelines that are
applicable for the particular website in such a manner that the:

• user interface is fully compliant • backend policies are honored fully

Once a website conforms to the applicable mandatory guidelines, the owner department
must apply to Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) for GIGW
compliance certification.
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Roles & Responsibilities of Website Stakeholders

The responsibility to ensure GIGW compliance is shared between 3 stakeholders:

In addition certain guidelines related to issues like accessibility and content authenticity
and currency will be systemically complied with, if a Content Management System (CMS)
is adopted, which is recommended as a best practice.

Department
A Government department can initiate steps towards GIGW
compliance by designating a Web Information Manager (WIM),
at the level of Joint Secretary, who spearheads the department’s
website initiative. A WIM is responsible for deliverables such as:
• Approving all policies to handle legal aspects such as
copyright, hyperlinking, privacy etc
• Approving all policies for effective management of
the website’s content, as required by GIGW: content
moderation, review, and archival
• Approving processes and plans to effectively monitor the
website and handle any contingencies
• Ensuring effective promotion of the department’s website

Developing/Maintaining Agency
The department can engage the services of a Developing /
Maintaining agency to ensure the department website is
developed to comply with GIGW guidelines not just at the
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time of website launch, but through the life of the website in

the listed ways:
• All content is universally accessible
• Government identity and the department’s lineage is
prominently displayed through the proper use of emblem,
flag etc.

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• Prescribed minimum content and functionality as stipulated by GIGW is present

on the website e.g., Feedback, Help, Search, Sitemap etc.

Hosting Service Provider

The Hosting Service Provider can ensure GIGW compliance by
providing infrastructure to enable :
• Multi-tier security
• Effective & regular backups
• Disaster recovery
Collective efforts of all stakeholders to fulfill their respective
responsibilities can help deliver the desired common goal:
websites that truly serve interests of all visitors!

Refer Appendix i - Demystifying the GIGW Compliance Matrix to see details

of the mapping between specific GIGW guidelines that are complied with,
by design through action by various functional owners, such as Government
department, developing/maintaining agency, and hosting service provider.

Refer Appendix ii - Achieving GIGW Compliance using a Content

Management System (CMS) to see how a Content Management System (CMS)
can help comply with GIGW guidelines specific to Accessibility, Content
Scope and Quality, Visual Identity, Consistent page layouts design etc.

Refer Appendix iii - SUGAM Web Editions to see editions, that aim to engage
all stakeholders who are involved in delivering eGovernance in a meaningful
way to ensure Sustainable User-centric Governance through Accessible and
Managed websites.
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Policy Templates for STQC Certification

To keep delivering government information and services with consistently good quality
through a department’s website, while continually conforming to GIGW guidelines, it
is important to establish a framework of “ground rules” that can be clearly understood
& honored by all website stakeholders in both the design and daily operations of the
website. These ground rules consider all factors that may impact the website content’s
accuracy, its validity, accessibility, website security, up-time etc. To enable all government
website stakeholders to adopt a consistent and tested framework, so that uniformity can
be maintained, a set of template policies has been devised. These templates can be suitably
customized to reflect specific details of each website. Conformance in letter and spirit to
these policies included in the handbook would ensure that the website meets the citizen
expectation at all times: authentic, accurate, easily accessible information from a credible
source such as an official Government website.

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4a

Content Archival Policy (CAP)

Purpose:
Government websites generally are storehouses of a large number of documents and
reports, which are of relevance and importance to specific audiences as well as citizens at
large. Many times, these documents also have historical importance and are also referred
extensively for academic and research purposes. These documents can be kept for online
access only for a specific period of time and need to be moved to offline archives on the
expiry of the pre-decided duration. This is important since these old documents sometimes
need to be referred to for regulatory or legal purposes.

The Departments MUST have a clear-cut Archival Policy with regard to such old documents
stating for how long would they be kept online, when would they be moved to offline
archives and if/when would they be permanently deleted or purged.

Content Archival Policy (clauses 10.4, 5.2.6)

The <section names e.g., visitor statistics, newsletter and spotlight items> will be online
archived automatically after entering <yth year> from the date of their publishing.

<Name of Ministry / Department / Organization> maintains online archives for a period

of <x years> to allow for the retrieval of content which has expired.

<Schemes, Tenders, Forms, Recruitment Notices> which have been withdrawn, or

discontinued, or have exceeded <x years> after archiving, may be expunged.
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4b

Content Contribution, Moderation, & Approval

Policy (CMAP)

Purpose:
Each and every bit of content published on a Government website should be verified
and checked thoroughly as the public expects nothing less than authentic and accurate
information from a credible source such as an official Government website.

The Departments MUST have a Content Contribution, Moderation and Approval Policy
(CMAP) stating the responsibility, authorisation and workflow details with regard to
content publishing on the site.

Scope:
• Departments/Agencies must have a (documented) process and audit trail to ensure
that content has an appropriate authorization from within the Department/Agency
before being published to the website
• The documentation at minimum must show who has the authority to approve
content and track the approval for each content item (showing who approved and
when)
• Depending on the scale of a website, a suitable Content Contribution, Moderation
and Approval Policy (CMAP) structure may be adopted.
This can be implemented easily by assigning workflow roles in the Content Management
System.

Content Contribution, Moderation & Approval Policy (clause 5.2.1)

Policy Statement for 2-tiered CMAP structure (for small websites)

The <Website / Portal / Web Application> of <Name of Ministry / Department /
Organization> represents a single department where most content is contributed by a
single set of sources. We hereby adopt a 2-tiered structure to implement CMAP requiring
minimum 2 officials to execute the CMAP roles, viz.,
• Contributor
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• Moderator/Approver

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Template to implement 2-tiered CMAP structure for small websites

ROLES
SECTIONS CONTRIBUTOR MODERATOR &
APPROVER
Home page
News, Press Releases,
Recruitments, Tenders etc
Who’s Who, Organization <Preferably Admin/ <Preferably HOD
Chart, Circulars/Notifications Personnel Deptt> Admin/Personnel>
Acts, Documents, Forms,
Reports etc

Policy Statement for 3-tiered CMAP structure (for large websites)

The <Website/Portal/Web Application> of <Name of Ministry/ Department / Organization>
represents multiple divisions/departments. We hereby adopt a 3-tiered structure to
implement CMAP needing minimum 3 officials to execute the CMAP roles, viz.,
• Contributor
• Moderator
• Approver

Template to implement 3-tiered CMAP structure for large websites

ROLES
SECTIONS
CONTRIBUTOR MODERATOR APPROVER
Home & common
sections e.g., FAQs,
Help etc
Who’s Who, <Preferably <Preferably <Preferably Web
Organization Admin/Personnel Admin/Personnel Information
Chart, Circulars / Manager>
Notifications Deptt> Deptt HoD>
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<Section2: <Preferably Deptt-1> <Preferably HOD> <Preferably Web

Department 1> Information
Manager>
<Section 3: <Preferably Deptt-2>
Department 2>

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4c

Copyright Policy

Purpose
Copyright is a form of protection provided under law to the owners of “original works of
authorship” in any form or media. It is implied that the original information put up on the
website by a Government Department is by default a copyright of the owner Department
and may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed
only if the copyright policy of the concerned Department allows so. The copyright policy of
a Department could be liberal, moderate or conservative depending upon their preferences
based on the kind of information available on their website.

However, since it is a duty of a Government Department to provide all the information

in the public domain freely to the citizens, the Departments should aim to have a liberal
copyright policy.

Copyright policy (clause 3.1.1) Moderate

Material featured on this <Website / Portal / Web

Application> may be reproduced free of charge after taking
proper permission by sending a mail to us. However, the
material has to be reproduced accurately and not to be
used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context.
Wherever the material is being published or issued to
others, the source must be prominently acknowledged.
However, the permission to reproduce this material
shall not extend to any material which is identified as being copyright of a third party.
Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained from the departments/
copyright holders concerned.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
Indian Laws. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions shall be subject to the
exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of India.

Copyright policy (clause 3.1.1) Conservative

Material featured on this <Website / Portal / Web
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Application> may NOT be reproduced under any

circumstances.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and

construed in accordance with the Indian Laws. Any
dispute arising under these terms and conditions shall be
subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of India.

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Copyright policy (clause 3.1.1) Liberal

Material featured on this <Website / Portal / Web
Application> may be reproduced free of charge. However,
the material has to be reproduced accurately and not to be
used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context.
Wherever the material is being published or issued to
others, the source must be prominently acknowledged.
However, the permission to reproduce this material shall
not extend to any material which is identified as being
copyright of a third party. Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained
from the departments/copyright holders concerned.
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4d

Content Review Policy (CRP)

Purpose:
Every piece of content appearing on the Government website should be reviewed after a
pre-decided duration for its accuracy, relevance and currency. All Government Departments
MUST formulate a proper web Content Review Policy (CRP) depending upon the nature
of their content and if possible also publish the policy on their website.

Content Review Policy (CRP) (clause 5.2.3)

The <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>
is the face of the Government disseminating government information and services. This
content Review Policy has been formulated to keep the content on the <Website / Portal
/ Web Application> current and up-to-date. Since the type of the content on the <Name
of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> varies,
different Review timelines are defined for the diverse content elements.

This Review Policy is based on different types of content elements, their validity and
relevance as well as the archival policy.

As a general rule:
• The entire website content shall be reviewed in a phased manner over a period of
<x months> to ensure the currency of the content. The exception to the above is
listed below:
Content Review Timeline
SECTION REVIEW PERIODICITY
Home Page <periodicity e.g.,Daily>
News Page Daily
Who’s who list As and when required
Newsletter, Circulars, Notifications etc No review required
Acts, Rules <periodicity e.g., 1 year>
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4e

Contingency Management Plan & Disaster Recovery

Process

Purpose:
The website of a Government Department is its presence on the Internet and it is very
important that the site is fully functional at all times. It is expected of the Government
websites to deliver information and services on a 24x7 basis. Hence, all efforts should be
made to minimise the downtime of the website as far as possible.

It is therefore necessary that a proper Contingency Plan MUST be prepared in advance to

handle any eventualities and restore the site in the shortest possible time.

Contingency Management Plan & Disaster Recovery Process (clause 8.3)

<Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>
has been placed in protected zones with implementation of firewalls and IDS (Intrusion
Detection System) and high availability solutions.

(i) Defacement Protection

• <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>
is audited for protection against Security & Performance degradation.
• Any application level modification on the <Name of Ministry / Department /
OrganizationWebsite / Portal / Web Application> requires re-audit.
• All the server configuration and logs are monitored timely.
• Only System administrator users are allowed to access the servers for doing
administration and configuration tasks.
• All the backend servers are under lock and net secured.
• Contents are updated through a <secure FTP using VPN / CMS>.
(ii) Monitoring

There are <two> ways of monitoring of defacement of <Name of Ministry / Department /

Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>.
• Cyber security division monitors by analyzing the log files.
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• <Website Monitoring Team specifics> also monitors the <Name of Ministry /

Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> after interval of
every <frequency> for possible defacement or undesirable change in the <Name of
Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>. (in
case the site has a dedicated monitoring team)

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(iii) Defacement Response Plan

In case of any eventuality who ever notices the defacement (either Website Monitoring
Team or Cyber Security) informs the Web Information Manager on phone as well as
through mail. NIC Cyber Security Division or Help Desk also informs the Administrator
<Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> on
telephone and also by mail.

S. NO. PERSON IN DESIGNATION MAIL TELEPHONE

CHARGE ADDRESS NUMBER
1. <Name>
2. <Name>
3. <Name>

As soon as the <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web

Application> Server Administrator gets the information regarding the defacement, s/he
takes the following steps.
• According to the degree of defacement, the site is stopped or continued partially.
• Log files are analyzed to troubleshoot the source of defacement and blocking of
the service.
• Type of the defacement is analyzed and fixed.
• The Portal Service is started from DR site in case of complete loss of data or
during long downtime.
• Log files are given to security division for analysis.
• Based on security recommendation, all vulnerability is fixed and the application
is re-audited.
• The affected/corrupted content and the site are restored from the backup.
Time for Restoration after defacement

The time taken for restoration of depends on the degree of defacement and services affected
by the defacement. Ideally it will take <x hours> for the restoration.

(iv) Natural Calamity Response Plan

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There could be circumstances whereby due to some natural calamity (it may due to any
reason that is beyond control of any person), the entire data centre where the <Name
of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> has been
hosted gets destroyed or ceases to exist. In such case first of all the In-charge of National
Data Centre will declare the natural calamity and would instruct the sites to be started
from the DR site, which is located at <Name of Data Center Location>.

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4f

Hyperlinking Policy

Purpose:
Since Government websites receive queries and requests from owners of other websites who
might want to provide a hyperlink to their web pages, every Indian Government website
must have a comprehensive and clear-cut hyperlinking policy defined and spelt out for
those who wish to hyperlink content from any of its sections. The hyperlinking policy
enumerates the detailed criteria and guidelines with respect to hyperlinks with other sites.
The basic hyperlinking practices and rules should ideally be common across the websites
of a any Government entity e.g., State/Ministry.

Hyperlinking policy (clause 3.2.1)

Links to external websites/portals
At many places in this <Website
/ Portal / Web Application>, you
shall find links to other <Websites/
Portals/Web applications/Mobile
apps>. These links have been placed
for your convenience. <Department
Name> is not responsible for the
contents of the linked destinations
and does not necessarily endorse
the views expressed in them. Mere
presence of the link or its listing on this <Website / Portal / Web Application> should not
be assumed as endorsement of any kind. We can not guarantee that these links will work
all the time and we have no control over availability of linked destinations.

Links to <Website / Portal / Web Application> by other websites

We do not object to you linking
directly to the information that is
hosted on this <Website / Portal
/ Web Application> and no prior
permission is required for the same.
However, we would like you to
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inform us about any links provided

to this <Website / Portal / Web
Application> so that you can be
informed of any changes or updates
therein. Also, we do not permit our pages to be loaded into frames on your site. The pages
belonging to this <Website / Portal / Web Application> must load into a newly opened
browser window of the User.

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4g 4g

Performance Evaluation & Monitoring Process

Purpose:
Hosting Service Provider should provide web server statistics required for performance
evaluation on a regular basis. If possible, online access to the traffic analysis should be
provided so that the Department can access the traffic analysis at any point of time for the
purpose of evaluation.

Performance Evaluation & Monitoring Process (clause 8.2.1 h)

(i) Application Performance

Application performance is regularly monitored using <CMS-specific tools, or other tools>
avaiable to application administrator.

This may include CMS specific Status Report (which is comprehensive report based on
various parameters of application availability, security, performance and access restrictions)
OR list any other reports available with the tools being used to monitor application
performance.

(ii) Server Performance

Host of servers including webserver and database servers are monitored periodically to
ensure high availability and smooth functioning of the <Name of Ministry / Department /
Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>.

(iii) Download Speeds

• Frequency: <frequency e.g., daily / weekly etc>
• Process: Using the open source tools and add-ons available with browsers <like
Firebug’s netstat for Mozilla> the download speed of pages across portal are
checked on different Internet connectivity.
• Pages are tested at various connections and slow loading pages are identified and
corrected (once)
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(iv) Availability of Portal

Availability of <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web
Application> is monitored at intervals of <frequency> by the <Website Monitoring team
(if there is a dedicated monitoring team)>. Homepage and important landing pages have
been marked and provided to monitoring team for regular check.

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4h 4h

Privacy Policy

Purpose:
In case a Department solicits or collects personal information from visitors through their
websites, it MUST incorporate a prominently displayed Privacy Statement clearly stating
the purpose for which information is being collected, whether the information shall be
disclosed to anyone for any purpose and to whom.

Privacy Policy (clause 3.4.2)

<Name of Website / Portal / Web Application (e.g, India Portal, DoT website, TRAI website,
IRCTC etc)> does not automatically capture any specific personal information from you
(like name, phone number or e-mail address), that allows us to identify you individually.
If you choose to provide us with your personal information, like names or addresses, when
you visit our website, we use it only to fulfil your request for information. To use the <xyz
section(s)>, this website <requires user registration/does not require registration. <[If
user registration is required] Information so collected is used to facilitate interaction>.

We do not sell or share any personally identifiable information volunteered on this site to
any third party (public/private). Any information provided to this website will be protected
from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

We gather certain information about the User, such as Internet protocol (IP) address,
domain name, browser type, operating system, the date and time of the visit and the pages
visited. We make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting
our site unless an attempt to damage the site has been detected.

Use of Cookies:
A cookie is a piece of software code that an internet web site sends to your browser
when you access information at that site. A cookie is stored as a simple text file on
your computer or mobile device by a website’s server and only that server will be able
to retrieve or read the contents of that cookie. Cookies let you navigate between pages
efficiently as they store your preferences, and generally improve your experience of a
website.
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<We are using following types of cookies in our site:

• Analytics cookies for anonymously remembering your computer or mobile
device when you visit our website to keep track of browsing patterns.
• Service cookies for helping us to make our website work efficiently,
remembering your registration and login details, settings preferences, and
keeping track of the pages you view.

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• Non-persistent cookies a.k.a per-session cookies. Per-session cookies serve

technical purposes, like providing seamless navigation through this website.
These cookies do not collect personal information on users and they are
deleted as soon as you leave our website. The cookies do not permanently
record data and they are not stored on your computer’s hard drive. The
cookies are stored in memory and are only available during an active
browser session. Again, once you close your browser, the cookie disappears.>
<You may note additionally that when you visit sections of <Website / Portal /
Application> where you are prompted to log in, or which are customizable, you may
be required to accept cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is
possible that some sections of our web site may not function properly.>

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4i 4i

Security Policy

Purpose:
Security is of paramount concern to owners as well as consumers of the website. A lot
of security threats are handled at data centres and server administrator level where the
website/application is hosted. Website/Application developers should however be sensitive
about security aspects, as a lot of security threats arise due to vulnerability of application
software code.

These application driven attacks sometimes turn out to be quite fatal. Best Practices to follow
while developing web applications using various technologies are available on CERT-IN
website (http:// www.cert-in.org.in) as well as in internet space. Developers should read,
understand and follow these Best Practices during development. NIC as well as CERT. IN
have empaneled a number of agencies to conduct the security audit of applications.

Security policy (clause 8.3.1)

• <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web

Application> has been placed in protected zones with implementation of firewalls
and IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and high availability solutions.
• Before launch of the <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website
/ Portal / Web Application>, simulated penetration tests have been conducted.
Penetration testing has also been conducted <x times> after the launch of the <Name
of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>.
• <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web
Application> has been audited for known application level vulnerabilities before
the launch and all the known vulnerability has been addressed.
• Hardening of servers has been done as per the guideline of Cyber Security division
before the launch of the <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website
/ Portal / Web Application>.
• Access to web servers hosting the <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization
Website / Portal / Web Application> is restricted both physically and through the
network as far as possible.
• Logs at <x number> different locations are maintained for authorized physical
access of <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web
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Application> servers.
• Web-servers hosting the <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website
/ Portal / Web Application> are configured behind IDS, IPS (Intrusion Prevention
System) and with system firewalls on them.
• All the development work is done on separate development environment and is
well tested on staging server before updating it on the production server.

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• After testing properly on the staging server the applications are uploaded to the
production server using SSH and VPN through a single point.
• The content contributed by/from remote locations is duly authenticated & is not
published on the production server directly. Any content contributed has to go
through the moderation process before final publishing to the production server.
• All contents of the web pages are checked for intentional or unintentional malicious
content before final upload to web server pages.
• Audit and Log of all activities involving the operating system, access to the system,
and access to applications are maintained and archived. All rejected accesses and
services are logged and listed in exception reports for further scrutiny.
• Help Desk staff at the <Identify Monitoring Team> monitor the <Name of Ministry
/ Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> at intervals of
<frequency> to check the web pages to confirm that the web pages are up and
running, that no unauthorized changes have been made, and that no unauthorized
links have been established.
• All newly released system software patches; bug fixes and upgrades are expediently
and regularly reviewed and installed on the web server.
• On Production web servers, Internet browsing, mail and any other desktop
applications are disabled. Only server administration related task is performed.
• Server passwords are changed at the interval of <x number> months and are shared
by <y number> persons <a name> and <b name>.
• <a name> and <b name> have been designated as Administrator for the <Name of
Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> and
shall be responsible for implementing this policy for each of the web servers. The
administrator shall also coordinate with the Audit Team for required auditing of
the server(s).
• <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web
Application> has been re-audited for the application level vulnerability after major
modification in application development [Not applicable at first launch].

Compliance Audit
The <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>
has been audited before launch and has complied with all the points mentioned in the
policies document of the Cyber Security Group mentioned above.

<Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application>

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has also been subjected to an automated risk assessment performed through vulnerability
identification software before and after the launch and all the known vulnerabilities have
been addressed.

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4j 4j

Terms & Conditions

Purpose:
With the increased proliferation of Internet, more and more citizens are accessing
information from Government websites. Clearly defined Terms & Conditions including
well-worded disclaimers regarding the usage of websites must be present on every Indian
Government website. Terms & Conditions address the following aspects:

• Ownership Details • Usage Policy of Content

• Legal Aspects • Responsibility towards hyperlinked Sites

Terms & Conditions (clause 3.3.1)

This website is designed, developed and maintained by <Name of Department>,
Government of India.

Though all efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the content on
this website, the same should not be construed as a statement of law or used for any legal
purposes. In case of any ambiguity or doubts, users are advised to verify/check with the
Department(s) and/or other source(s), and to obtain appropriate professional advice.

Under no circumstances will this Department be liable for any expense, loss or damage
including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any expense,
loss or damage whatsoever arising from use, or loss of use, of data, arising out of or in
connection with the use of this website.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
Indian Laws. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions shall be subject to the
jurisdiction of the courts of India.

The information posted on this website could include hypertext links or pointers to
information created and maintained by non-Government / private organisations. <Name
of Department> is providing these links and pointers solely for your information and
convenience. When you select a link to an external website, you are leaving the <Name of
Department> website and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/
sponsors of the external website.
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<Name of Department> does not guarantee availability of linked pages at all times.

<Name of Department> cannot authorise use of copyrighted materials contained in linked

website. Users are advised to request such authorisation from owners of linked websites.

<Name of Department> does not guarantee that linked websites comply with Indian
Government Web Guidelines.

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4k 4k

Validation & Testing Process

Purpose of the process:

The code of the webpages, scripts and applications may be tested manually or with
automated tools to ensure that the quality of web content is maintained and all compliance
related guidelines or adhered to.

Validation & Testing Process (clause 10.2.4)

<Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal / Web Application> is
tested regularly <manually and through automated testing> tools by the Technical Manager
for the following parameters.

(A) Quality Testing

(i) Broken Links
• Frequency: <Daily/Weekly etc>
• Process: <Name of Ministry / Department / Organization Website / Portal /
Web Application> is monitored for broken links <manually / automated tool>.
• Action taken : The reviewer sends a list of broken links to the quality manager
who rectifies them personally.
(ii) Spelling Errors
• Frequency : <Daily / Weekly etc>
• Process: By the QM <manually / throught automated tool>. It is the
responsibility of the Quality Manager to get the spelling mistakes rectified
from the concerned person depending on whether the mistake is in the static
or dynamic portion of content.
• Action taken: The Quality Manager sends a mail to the concerned person who
rectifies the mistake and responds back to the Quality Manager
(iii) Metadata
• Frequency: <Weekly / Monthly etc>
• Process: Based on the web analyzer tool reports the pages are checked for
January - 2014

proper methatags by the Quality Manager

• Action taken: The Quality Manager modifies the metadata if required

(B) Accessibility Testing

Conformance with respect to W3C norms, Tools such as <list available tools> are used for
testing.

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(C) Functionality Testing

• Frequency: <Weekly / Monthly etc>
• Process: Interactive components like forms etc are tested for functionality
issues
• Action taken: The Quality Manager informs concerned person through mail
in case of any problem and receives a confirmation mail on rectification of the
same.
January - 2014

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Appendix - i

Demystifying the GIGW Compliance Matrix

i
 GIGW Compliance & Certification Handbook

Demystifying the GIGW Compliance Matrix

Content Management System

CMS-Accessibility compliance (6 guidelines)

S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. All components receive focus in an order that preserves the 7.5 (m)
meaning/operation.
2. Documents are provided either in html or other accessible 7.4.2 (a)
formats. Instructions / Download details for viewing these
formats are provided
3. Website is readable even when style sheets are switched off or not 7.2.2
loaded.
4. Web pages allow the user to bypass repeated blocks of content 6.8.8
5. Web pages allow resizing of text without the use of assistive 6.4.5
technology.

6. Websites provide textual information such as Alt text & Captions 6.6.4
to describe non-text elements, such as audio/video clips &
multimedia presentations, images etc 6.7.2 (a)

6.7.2 (b)

CMS-Content compliance (10 guidelines)

S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Home page and every important entry page of website displays 5.2.2
the last updated /reviewed date.
2. Complete information including title, size (playing time for 4.4.7 (a)
audio/video), format, usage instructions and plug-in to view the
file is provided for downloadable material including documents. 6.7.1 (a)

6.7.1 (b)
3. Mechanism is in place to ensure that all the Citizen Services, 4.2.13
Forms, Documents and Schemes are registered with the respective
January - 2014

repositories of the National Portal.

4. All Discussion Forums on the website are moderated. 4.3.3 (c)

5. For every related link, the complete URL of the Home Page/ 4.3.4 (b)
concerned webpage is provided.

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CMS-Content compliance (contd.)

S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
6. Feedback is collected through online forms and mechanism is 4.4.5 (a)
in place to ensure timely response to feedback/queries received 4.4.5 (c)
through the website.

7. • Complete & self-explanatory title of the Home page 2.1.2

should be provided, and ownership information is
displayed on the homepage and on all important entry 2.1.6
pages of the website.
6.8.5
• Each page is a standalone entity in terms of ownership,
navigation and context of content.

8. With respect to each Act, Circular/Notification, Document, 4.2.3 (b)

Form, Scheme, Service, Tender/Recruitment notice, the following 4.2.3 (e)
should be clearly listed in the Website:
4.2.3 (f )
a. complete official title 4.2.4 (b)
4.2.4 (d)
b. clear description
4.2.5 (b)
c. language (if not English) 4.2.5 (c)
d. purpose/procedure to apply (as applicable) 4.2.6 (a)
4.2.7 (c)
e. validity 4.2.7 (e)
4.2.7 (f )
4.2.8 (a)
4.2.8 (d)
4.2.9 (a)
4.2.10 (d)

9. Metadata for page like title, keywords, description and language 7.5 (k)
is appropriately included. 9.1.2

10. Website’s Content Archival Policy is clearly defined to ensure 4.2.9 (d)
all outdated, irrelevant Announcements, Tenders/Recruitment
January - 2014

notices, News/Press Releases are removed from the website and/ 4.2.10 (g)
or placed into the archives
4.2.11

4.3.2 (a)

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CMS–Design (3 guidelines)
S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Website uses Cascading Style Sheets to control layouts/styles. 7.2.1
2. All pages on the website have a link to the home page. 6.8.1
3. • A consistent page layout & navigation scheme is used 6.2.1
throughout the website.
• Navigation items are positioned consistently on all pages, 6.8.2
and addressed using consistent terminology.

CMS-Maintenance (2 guidelines)
S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Mechanism is in place to ensure that there are no ‘broken links’ 3.2.9
(internal as well as external) or ‘Page not found’ errors.
2. The mechanism is in place to check the accuracy of Hyperlinked 3.2.8
Content
4.3.4

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Department
Department (4 guidelines)
S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Department has nominated a Web Information Manager as 10.1.1
defined in the guidelines.
2. It has been ensured that all stationery of the department as 9.2.1
well as advertisements/public messages issued by the concerned
Department prominently display the URL of the web site. 9.2.2

3. Due permissions have been obtained for publishing any content 3.1.4
protected by copyright.
4. Website should have clearly defined policies and plans such as 3.1.1
those listed below, and these should be duly approved by Head
of Department: 3.2.1

Copyright 3.3.1

Content Contribution, Moderation & Approval (CMAP) 3.3.3

Content Archival (CAP) 3.3.4

Content Review (CRP) 3.4.2

Hyperlinking 5.2.1

Monitoring 5.2.3

Privacy 5.2.6

Terms & Conditions 10.3

10.4

10.7
January - 2014

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Development
Development (37 guidelines including 18 for accessibility)
S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Information structure and relationship is preserved in all 5.6.2
presentation styles.

The meaningful reading sequence is preserved in all presentation

styles. 5.6.3
2. Role of all interface components can be programmatically 7.5 (n)
determined.
3. Data tables have been provided with necessary tags/markup. 7.5 (l)
4. Changing the setting of a component does not change the context 7.5 (j)
unless the user has been informed of the same.
5. When any component receives focus it does not initiate change 7.5 (i)
in context.
6. All input errors are flashed in text. 7.5 (e)
7. Instructions for operating/understanding content do not rely 7.5 (d)
solely on characteristics like shape size location etc.
8. Time limit for time dependent web functions can be adjusted by 7.5 (c )
the user (also refer exceptions).
9. Labels have been provided when content requires input from the 7.5 (b)
users.
10. In content implemented using markup languages the elements 7.5 (a)
have been used according to specification.

11. Purpose of each link is clear to the user and Clear indications are 3.2.5
given when a link leads out to a non government website.
7.5 (h)
12. Web pages are usable even when scripts, applets etc are turned 7.3.2
off.
13. There is a mechanism to control (stop, pause...) audio that 6.7.3 (a)
starts automatically. There is a mechanism to control scrolling,
blinking content. Web pages do not contain any content that 6.7.3 (b)
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flashes for more than three times in a second.

6.7.3 (c)

14. Functionality of content is operable through keyboard and Focus 7.5 (f )

is not trapped in any component while navigating through
keyboard only. 7.5 (g)

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Development (37 guidelines including 18 for accessibility) (contd.)

S. No. Guideline Ref. No.

15. All information conveyed with color is also available without 6.5.4
color.
16. There is adequate contrast between text and background colour. 6.5.1
17. Text is readable both in electronic and print format and the page 6.4.6
prints correctly on an A4 size paper.
18. Whenever there is a change in the language of a web page it has 5.3.8
been clearly indicated.
19. All Documents/Reports have a time stamp at least on the main 5.2.5
page.
20. The website has been tested on multiple browsers. Hindi/regional 5.7.2
language fonts have been tested on popular browsers for any
inconsistency (loss of layout). Documents / pages in multiple 6.4.3
languages are updated simultaneously.
7.6 (b)
21. Minimum content as prescribed in the guidelines is present on 4.5.1
the homepage and all subsequent pages
4.5.2
22. Website content is citizen-oriented, clear & simple in language, 4.7.2
consistent in nomenclature, free from offensive/discriminatory
language 5.1.1

5.3.1

5.4.2
23. Website has either a “search” box or a link to a “search” page from 6.9.1
every page of the website, along with a link to an updated Site
Map 6.10.1
24. All information, which is of direct importance to the citizen, is 5.6.1
accessible from the Homepage.
25. Mechanism is in place to ensure that all Tender/ Recruitment 4.2.9
Notices issued by the Department are published on the website.
4.2.10
26. All information about the department, useful for the citizen 4.2.1
January - 2014

and other stakeholders, is present in the ‘About Us’ section and

mechanism is in place to keep the information up to date.
27. Website ranks in the first five results on major search engines 9.1
when searched with relevant keywords.
28. All electronic commerce transactions are handled through secure 3.4.4
means.

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Development (37 guidelines including 18 for accessibility) (contd.)

S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
29. If the site uses frames, each frame is properly titled. 6.11
30. There are no links to ‘under construction’ pages. 6.8.4
31. Source of all documents, whether reproduced in part or full, is 3.1.5
mentioned.
32. Website has a ‘Contact Us’ page, linked from the Home Page 4.2.12 (a)
and all relevant places in the website.

The complete contact details of important functionaries in the

Department are given in the ‘Contact Us’ section. 4.2.12 (c)
33. The website has a readily available Help section. 4.4.6
34. Website provides a prominent link to the ‘National Portal’ from 2.3.1
the Home Page and Pages belonging to National Portal load in
new browser window. 2.3.2
35. Association to Government is demonstrated by the use of 2.1.1
Emblem/Logo in proper ratio and color, prominently displayed
on the homepage of the website 6.3.1
36. Visual/textual identity elements highlighting the Government’s 6.1.1
ownership of the website are prominently placed on the page.
37. The language is free from spelling and grammatical errors 5.3.6

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Hosting
Hosting (5 guidelines)
S. No. Guideline Ref. No.
1. Web Hosting Service Provider provides Helpdesk & technical 8.2.1 (i)
support on 24x7x365 basis.
2. Website is registered under ‘gov.in’ or ‘nic.in’ domain. 2.2.1
3. 1. The Hosting Service Provider has: 8.2.1 (a)

state-of-the art multi-tier security infrastructure as well as devices 8.2.1 (b)

such as firewall and intrusion prevention systems.
8.2.1 (e)
a Disaster Recovery (DR) Centre in a geographically distant
location and a well crafted DR plan for the website. 8.3

2. All possible security measures have been taken to prevent

defacement/hacking of the website

3. To handle any eventuality, a contingency plan is in place

4. Website has cleared Security Audit by certified agency and has a 4.4.7 (c)
Security Policy.
7.7.1
Applications configured to send mail are enabled over smtp -
auth. 7.7.2

Mechanism is in place to ensure that all downloadable material 7.7.3

is free from virus.
5. The Hosting Service Provider has redundant server infrastructure, 8.2.1
and performs regular backup of the website to ensure high
availability in an efficient and secure manner on a 24x7 basis 8.2.1 (c)

8.2.1 (d)
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Appendix - ii

Achieving GIGW Compliance using a

Content Management System (CMS)

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Content Management System

A Content Management System (CMS) is a system that enables managing of content &
displaying it on a user interface.

To achieve the simple objectives of content management & display in an effective manner,
a CMS should meet the broad requirements listed below:
1. Content creation
2. Content management
3. Content publishing
4. Content presentation

Content creation
Content creation is the functionality needed by the authors (content contributors) who use
the CMS. With an effective authoring process, users would be able to successfully adopt
the CMS.

A CMS should provide for the following functionality & features to enable authors to
effectively contribute content:
• Single-sourcing (content re-use)
A CMS must allow content to be contributed once, and re-used in different contexts.
For example, a circular/notification/picture/press release/new scheme/forms etc may
be updated on the website, and be available under various sections e.g., Download,
What’s New, Press Release etc. without the need to upload it…….
• Metadata creation
Metadata is data about data. A CMS should provide functionality to capture metadata
such as creator, subject, keywords etc. For example keywords etc about a picture, or
scanned image would make the information contained therein searchable.
• Ease of use & efficiency
A CMS must allow authors to create pages without using HTML or other technical
knowledge. A CMS would be considered most effective, if it is easy to create and
maintain content.
January - 2014

Content management
For a CMS to be effective in managing content, following functionality & features should
be included:

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Content Management System (contd.)

• Version control & archiving
A CMS should have features such as login based access to ensure tracking of details
such as who has created, modified, or approved content. Such features ensure
accountability on the part of content creators / approvers.

A CMS should also include ageing features to automatically flag & change the state of
content to “Archived” upon reaching a pre-defined age. This helps not only maintain
archives of old and relevant content, but also ensures display of only that content
which is current.
• Workflow
A CMS should enable content management in a decentralized manner. Ideally, content
input should be at source. For example, the Personnel department would be the source
where information about all changes in the allocation of responsibility, designation,
physical location etc would be formalized. So, the Personnel department should be
responsible for updating the appropriate content in the CMS.

A CMS should also provide for a proper workflow so that multiple levels of personnel
are responsible for contributing content, reviewing and approving it. This feature
would help ensure accuracy of content. The CMS workflow should also be easily
customizable, so that it remains flexible to adapt any changes in the organisational
structure.
• Reporting
A CMS must provide an extensive range of reports, for both users and administrators.
Ideally, the system should pro-actively send alerts reminding about content that
needs to be reviewed, updated, archived, or permanently purged. This also enables
department users to maintain the currency of content.

Further, a CMS should also report any issues that arise, such as usage stats - most
popular pages, daily usage, search engine usage, downloads etc. This would help
review & address enhancements to areas that are most frequently used or are attracting
little footfall.

Support for customized reporting is also desirable.

January - 2014

Content Publishing
A CMS should provide for the following publishing functionality and features:
• Stylesheets & Support for multiple formats
Final appearance of content is controlled through the use of stylesheets. Stylesheets
help separate the content from its presentation, thus providing flexibility to display

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Content Management System (contd.)

the same content in different formats.

The CMS must publish to multiple formats, such as: HTML (web), printed, PDF,
hand-held (WAP), and more options that may emerge as technology evolves.

In order to achieve high-quality in every format, it is critical that the content be

separated from presentation at the time of authoring. This allows distinct stylesheets
to be used for each output.
• Page templates
Overall page layout is specified via page templates. Ideally, a non-technical interface
should be provided for managing the layout. These templates help to maintain
consistency since the page layout e.g., position of navigation bar, menus, pictures,
carious sections etc need not be modified every time when the content in any one or
more sections is updated.

Content Presentation
A CMS must ensure that the published pages meet certain standards so that they remain
of value to users.

The key standards to be met may include:

• Usability
This covers aspects such as ease of use, learnability and efficiency. Usability can be
assured by conducting tests on the prototype designs with real users.
• Accessibility
The CMS must publish content that conforms to standards such as the W3C Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Conformity would ensure that the
content remains accessible by all despite differences in ability, say, by senior citizens,
audio or visually challenged; overcoming boundaries of devices, say, using a PC,
laptop, handheld device etc; remaining functional across multiple browsers, say, with
or without support for stylesheets, scripting etc.
• Valid markup
January - 2014

All pages must conform to the current HTML specification. This ensures maximum
compatibility across browsers and platforms.

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Appendix - iii

SUGAM Web Editions

Sustainable User-centric Governance

through Accessible & Managed Websites

xvii
 GIGW Compliance & Certification Handbook

Issue I, 15 October, 2013

Pluck the low-hanging fruit

With the help of this handbook, the GIGW Team is pleased to share a list of the easiest
issues to fix on websites, which once fixed can pave the way for early GIGW compliance.
By facilitating awareness & thereafter implemention of these easy fixes, we hope to keep
growing the community of compliant websites through a step-by-step approach:
• Identifying most frequently occurring issues that affect GIGW compliance
• Finding and sharing resolutions for the most commonly found issues

Frequently Occurring issues

S. No. Issue Fix Impact
1. Improper page titles, Add page titles in the format Screen readers that assist
& also, without “Home: Ministry of Social visually-challenged visitors
lineage Justice & Empowerment, enabled to inform correct
Govt. of India” whereabouts

2. Incorrect or missing Use the H1, H2 etc hierarchy Screen readers able to
page structure correctly to categorize text distinguish headings from
under appropriate headings body text to improve
e.g., Chapter 1 could use navigability for visually-
h1, Sections could use h2, challenged visitors
Sub-sections h3, and so on.

3. Missing Alt-text Add Alt-text for all images Images become accessible
or Alt attribute for for Visually-challenged
images Add meaningful Alt-text for readers & text-only
non-decorative images; browsers; also, act as
advance informers during
For aesthetic images, use slow loading instances
blank Alt attribute e.g,. Alt
= “”

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Issue I, 15 October, 2013

Frequently Occurring issues (contd.)

S. No. Issue Fix Impact
4. Missing Title • Add Title attribute Visually challenged visitors
attribute for non- with distinctive text able to easily & correctly
descriptive links, value to identify distinguish between
e.g., “Read More” context different “Read More”
• Title attribute is links
NOT mandatory for
all links, so, use it
only when required.
5. Missing form control Add label tag to link a form
Visually-challenged
labels control e.g., text box, radio
visitors able to interact
button, check box with with form controls (text
appropriate label box, check box etc) by
getting to know the
associated label
6. Improper Table Use <th> to markup Table Screen readers able to
markup Headers and <td> for data distinguish between table
cells headers and table content
7. Missing ‘Skip’ links Use ‘Skip to main content‘ Visually challenged visitors
link on each page able to skip hearing menu
items that are common
across all pages, and access
the main content on each
page

Our belief is these fixes can be done easily for even the largest websites at the most
comfortable pace.

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Issue II, 15 November, 2013

Heralding Change
Circa decade of 2000s: India was overcoming the usual challenges all developing nations
faced at the time & emerging quite a winner - world leader in GDP growth, offering
opportunity to global firms to outsource services, attractive destination for foreign
institutional investors, greater liquidity providing funds for expansion to micro, small and
medium enterprises!

The Internet, aka the World Wide Web (www) acted as a catalyst in improving the speed
of communication between individuals and departments, erasing geographical boundaries,
raising the quality of life for citizens.

Some key changes over the decades that have transformed the way citizens lead lives today:

Just like the radical changes in railways bookings, netbanking, eGovernance transformed
citizen experience, a HUGE opportunity exists to herald a MASSIVE shift by delivering
governance as smoothly and efficiently as looking up schedules of trains & paying bills
online.

Imagine the ease a senior citizen would feel in being able to be remitted pensions without
the painstaking journey to the office, & waiting in a queue; or the invaluable relief for
a differently-abled citizen to fill an online form seeking admission in to an academic
institute; or the immense productivity gain for a rural netizen to find out fertilizer
availability, or the next vaccination camp for livestock without having to invest half a day
in visiting the block or district veterinary centre!

Visualize the significant efficiency improvements that can be made within and across

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Issue II, 15 November, 2013

government departments by fast-tracking workflows, such as a file traversing 23 desks,

without the risk of being lost, and still honouring office procedure mandates to turnaround
with approvals or objections within pre-defined times.

All that is needed in order to materialize this transition to smooth-flowing governance, is

clear understanding of the ingredients, & metamorphosing the erstwhile static electronic
brochures into fully-functional, interactive websites that serve as virtual offices:

User-Centric User-friendly Universally Accessible

Relevant & easily searchable Intuitive, navigable interface Accessible content despite
information constraints of different
abilities e.g., age-related,
visual, devices etc

The process to blend the above ingredients, which are hallmarks of a transformed virtual
office is straightforward:
• A Govt. Department appoints an owner for its virtual office, called a Web
Information Manager (WIM).
• WIM finalizes all policies that would apply to conduct of operations in the
virtual office, once operational.
• WIM aided by a technical team, oversees design of an effective information
architecture to ensure all information and services are served through the
department’s virtual office. Subsequently, WIM drives the construction efforts
to build the virtual office in compliance with the architecture.
Upon conclusion of the construction efforts, WIM seeks a “completion certificate” from
STQC to ensure the virtual office is compliant with statutory guidelines.

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xvii Issue III, 15 December, 2013

Revolutionizing Democracy With Governance 2.0

India’s Constitution ensures inter-alia, fundamental rights to equality and non-
discrimination. To honor the Constitution, its guardians need to be on the constant lookout
for instituting ways and means to ensure that these rights are upheld on a continuing basis.
As emerging technologies like internet, social media, mobile telephony pervade our lives,
shaping the way citizens communicate, exercise choices, & execute daily functions, they
also empower us to access various opportunities in different and easier ways. Government
of India has to keep pace to ensure citizens can access Government services likewise with
equal ease, and at the same time, leverage the opportunity to enhance citizen participation
in governance.

All technology-enabled opportunities once adopted comfortably, allow us to invest

significantly lesser human effort and resources, thereby freeing us to focus on further
improving the quality of life. In the past, citizens may have had to undertake long journeys
spanning miles and face now-avoidable hurdles to access opportunities. They would have
wrestled with weeks or even months of fact-finding & still find themselves in a dilemma
trying to identify the relevant data that could help to make informed choices. However,
now, using suitable Electronics and Information Communication Technology (ICT)
solutions, such as ATMs, assistive design/technology tools, cell phones, websites, and social
media, all citizens can achieve most of the erstwhile daunting tasks without proportionate
herculean efforts!

To ensure all citizens can equally enjoy the liberating fruits of emerging technology without
any discrimination on the basis of abilities: academic, economic, physical, technical etc,

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xviii Issue III, 15 December, 2013

and independent of access to certain kinds of devices, bandwidth etc, Government of India
has been evolving guidelines, policies, standards, frameworks and their implementation
plans. The most recent such initiative has been the announcement in October 2013 of the
National Policy on Universal Electronics.

National Policy on Universal Electronics: To facilitate equal and unhindered access to

Electronics and ICTs products and services by differently-abled persons (both physically
and mentally challenged) and to facilitate local language support for the same. This
shall be achieved through universal access to Electronics & ICT products and services to
synchronize with barrier free environment and preferably usable without adaptation. Click
to access the PDF available at http://deity.gov.in/ (PDF, 30KB)

The above said policy follows similar initiatives listed below which are aimed at not only
facilitating ease of access to information and public services on government websites in
a non-discriminatory manner using various devices, including mobile phones, but also
enhancing the citizen-government interface by encouraging a two-way healthy, interactive,
and participative environment.

Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW): Technology-neutral standards

conformity with which helps government departments to ensure their websites remain
user-centric, user-friendly, universally accessible throughout the website lifespan. The
range of resources, tools, and services offered to facilitate GIGW compliance are available
at http://guidelines.gov.in. The GIGW guidelines are downloadable by registered users on
the above website, and by others at http://darpg.gov.in/ Click to access the PDF (PDF,
1.6MB)

Framework for Mobile Governance: The m-Governance framework aims to utilize the
massive reach of mobile phones and harness the potential of mobile applications to enable
easy and 24x7x365 access to public services, especially in the rural areas. Click to access the
PDF available at http://www.deity.gov.in/ (PDF, 480KB)

Framework & Guidelines for Use of Social Media for Government Organizations:
Using the inherent characteristics of Social media, viz., “voice to all”, instant outreach, and
24x7 engagement, Government can engage with stakeholders in real time to make policy
making citizen-centric. Click to access the PDF available at http://deity.gov.in/ (PDF,
543KB)

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xix Issue IV, 23 January, 2014

Raising India’s eGovernance Rank

The United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) mission is to encourage
the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices globally in sound public policies,
effective public administration and efficient civil services, through capacity-building and
cooperation among the United Nations Member States..

UNPAN has been conducting an eGovernment Survey at an interval of 2 years to assess

how information and communication technologies are being used to enhance public
services being delivered online to all citizens among its member nations. The 2012 survey
findings report out of 193 countries, India’s rank moved to 125 (from 119 in 2010).

UNPAN eGovernment Index focuses on service delivery & citizen engagement, and ranks
countries based on the listed component indices:

• Web Measure Index • Telecommunication Infrastructure Index

• Human Capital Index • e-Participation Index

UNPAN assesses the online web services offered on the parameters listed below, to build
the Web Measure index:
• Information dissemination/outreach: Existence of a national portal, Head
of State website, an eGovernment section, and ministerial websites that
should enhance dialogue between Government and citizens, provide news
&/or updates on policies, information about Govt. officials responsible for
provision of specific online services/queries, information about usage of the
website, access to back-office applications, archived information etc
• Access/Usability: Availability of Search, Contact Us, Audio/Video, online
payment by credit/debit/other methods, e-mail signup for receiving updates,
multiple languages, technology to send messages to mobile phones/handheld
devices, Security, and features to enable access for people with different abilities
• Service Delivery Capability: Downloadable/printable forms; Online forms,
Job opportunities, e-mail alerts & RSS feed for e-participation, SLA for Govt.
to respond to submitted forms/e-mails
• Citizen Participation/interconnectedness: e-participation policy, tools to
invite public opinion, calendar & archived information about participation
activities, provision for publishing results of citizen feedback including queries
& inputs from citizens
UNPAN evaluates the specific sectors listed below in each country on the above parameters:

1. Health 2. Education 3. Social Welfare

4. Labour 5. Finance

Each of the above parameters can be addressed comprehensively by ensuring compliance

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xx Issue IV, 23 January, 2014

with Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW).

To boost GIGW compliance and thus India’s eGovernance rank, in the process benefiting a
billion plus citizens, an initiative called SUGAM Web has been launched. The intent is to
achieve Sustainable User-Centric Governance through Accessible and Managed websites.
SUGAM Web leverages mechanisms listed below to enhance user-centricity, usability, and
universal accessibility of Indian Govt. web space.

# SUGAM Web Mechanisms

1. SUGAM Web aspires to foster a community of nationwide stakeholders who
are involved in delivering eGovernance by providing a platform for sharing
experiences, identifying the challenges & success factors specific to ensuring
GIGW compliance
2. Sensitization workshops to raise awareness about how conformity to guidelines can
help deliver sustainable user-centric eGovernance
3. Membership & participation in global consortia like W3C, and emulation of
global standards like WCAG to adopt & align with the best in global standards
4. Robust Helpdesk comprising of interactive support through phone, email, in-
person, website
5. Pre-assessment of GIGW compliance to expedite final certification by STQC
6. Ready reckoner to understand nuances & implementation roadmap of GIGW
compliance
7. Revision of GIGW guidelines to keep evolving with emerging technologies

Awareness of the factors that influence the UNPAN eGovernance Index, structure &
support offered through SUGAM Web, bolstered by the collective will of all stakeholders
should act as the essential catalysts to ensure India’s eGovernance rank keeps advancing to
take its rightful place among the leading nations of the world.

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Issue V, 18 February, 2014

Touching New Horizons

Congratulations! The World Wide Web (www) aka the
Internet turns 25in 2014!

Why is this birth anniversary so special, and how do we

make the most of it? Advances in information technology
like the Internet may have needed just a quarter century
to change quality of human life unimaginably for the
better. Think of something, seek it online, order over the
internet -­ without moving more than the fingers over a screen, or the tongue to issue
voice commands! Other advancements in related fields like touchscreen technology took
a while longer, about half a century to mature before enabling mainstream impact, but, the
resulting change has been remarkably radical - not only has touch technology significantly
reduced effort in navigating screens, activating functionality, and zooming etc features, but
the empowering experience it delivers has helped overcome boundaries of physical ability,
language & literacy.

Each one of these innovations has changed our lives in such a powerful manner that what
was considered fiction few decades ago is NOW easily usable, and taken-for-granted
effortless technology on a 24x7x365 basis, even in a 5 year young child’s hands!

Bringing potable water from distant water sources into homes by laying pipes underground
and making it flow on opening of taps improved quality of life by letting humans focus
on better things to do with the time and efforts saved. Likewise, the pipes of “internet
bandwidth” have the huge potential to bring to citizens all public information & services
sought, available on a finger “tap” gesture or speech!

To keep India moving ahead and to empower Govt. Departments, Development agencies,
& other stakeholders to keep continually converting the deemed impossible or difficult-to-
deliver public services into practical realities in our lives, Govt. and related entities can join
the World Wide Web consortium (W3C) which coincidentally turns 20 this year.

W3C World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international body with membership
from various segments of society, e.g., government, industry, academia, civil society,
individuals, and NGOs, that develops open web standards. These standards have the
potential to enable the design of rich interactive user experiences, powered by data stores
of text, images, audio, video etc, and availability on any device. Being a member of W3C
gives the opportunity to preview the standards while they are being formulated as well as
the ability to influence their development.

W3C members can choose to participate in the W3C groups below.

1.Working Groups. Working Groups typically produce deliverables (e.g.,

Recommendation Track technical reports, software, test suites, and reviews of the

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deliverables of other groups).

2. Interest Groups. The primary goal of an Interest Group is to bring together people
who wish to evaluate potential Web technologies and policies. An Interest Group is a
forum for the exchange of ideas.

3. Coordination Groups. A Coordination Group manages dependencies and

facilitates communication with other groups, within or outside of W3C.

Details of each of the membership types are available online at http://www.w3.org/2005/10/

Process-20051014/groups#charter-extension

SUGAM Web remains committed to the cause of helping all stakeholders experience,
appreciate, and expand the ease with which citizens of all abilities, age groups, locations
can be connected to the desired resources to improve lives ­exercising choices without going
through the erstwhile physically tiresome journey, efforts or inordinately long waits.

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Issue VI, 18 March, 2014

Sccess is incomplete without U!

SUGAM Web completes
six months in March. Just
like the occasion when
a human baby begins to
socialize by flashing the
first smile is memorable,
we are excited to report that
the young SUGAM Web community is beginning to socialize - as evidenced in members
sharing experiences gained when trying to ensure User-friendly, User-centric, Universally
Accessible (UUU) websites for their respective departments.
Based on the experiences shared by several departments, we conducted an investigation into
the nature of current issues preventing Govt. web sites from getting certified for GIGW
compliance. Interestingly, the following key findings are easy to fix, just like the 7 issues
reported 6 months ago in the 1st SUGAM Web edition:

# Issue Fix Impact

1. Most web sites do Ctrl+P keyboard Differently-abled,

not have printer- shortcut, or Print, keyboard-only, and all
friendly versions Printer-friendly etc link other users empowered
to allow visitors to print to issue printouts of
web page content sans relevant content
interactive, navigation etc
elements e.g., menu &
side bars

2. About 2 of 3 web Use of title attribute on Assistive technology

sites use external external links to clarify enabled to help
web site links e.g., “External site; differently-abled users
BUT, do not opens in a new window” identify & access
indicate this on external sites
the links

3. 3 of 5 web sites Templates of all policies Enabler to expedite

are missing readily available for GIGW compliance
Copyright, adopting/adapting in certification
Hyperlinking, GIGW Compliance &
Privacy policies Certification Handbook
[available on web.
guidelines.gov.in]

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Issue VI, 18 March, 2014

# Issue Fix Impact

4. More than 2 of 3 • At minimum, • Reassurance of

web sites do not use basic form interactivity &
provide form to structure with responsiveness to
fill Feedback fields such as to all users
collect visitor • Structured
identity, feedback feedback
subject, and collection &
comments limited analysis possible
by word count
• To facilitate
more structured
collection &
analysis, use
defined feedback
subject categories
& sub-categories

5. More than 3 of Easy inclusion of Reassurance of content

5 web sites do update/review date in quality to all users
not indicate last Content Management
updated/reviewed System, formulation
date & implementation of
Content Review Policy

6. Half the web sites Banners available along Conveys strong sense
do not either with hyperlink address of link to Indian
provide link to http://india.gov.in to national Government
National portal, or ensure GoI web sites
clicking the link link to National portal at
does not open the india.gov.in/link-us
National portal in
a new window

7. Nearly half the Identity symbols like Reassurance of

web sites do not national/state emblem, authenticity &
use proper Govt. organizational logo etc to authority
identity be prominently displayed
on Home page & all
important entry pages

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# Issue Fix Impact

8. Nearly half the • GOI search Empowered users

web sites do not available to all GoI able to easily locate
provide user- Departments so information through
friendly features can be embedded Search, Sitemap, FAQs
like Search, into easily from
Sitemap, Help/ http://goisearch.
FAQ gov.in/
• Each Department’s
Web site structure
is easily depictable
in text & graphic
form
• Help/FAQ
to contain at
the minimum
information that is
useful for visitors
to navigate & use
the web site, along
with frequently
sought details by
visitors

By implementing the easy fixes suggested above, each Government Department can ensure
that the respective department web site becomes truly valuable to all stakeholders - helping
them to fulfill the purpose of their visit & thus achieve success with Your help.

Remember: India’s Sccess is incomplete without U!

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Issue VII, 17 April, 2014

Building Bridges Across

“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true.”
- Richard Bach (RB)
In 2013, the website of Department of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare website was rated “Good but not compliant”. Several points were
found to be non-compliant as per STQC report (Standardisation Testing and Quality
Certification) which was officially shared during a workshop at DeitY (Department of
Electronics & Information Technology). Efforts were since undertaken to redesign the
website & submit to obtain STQC certification for GIGW compliance.

Early this year, the Department of Health & Family Welfare launched its redesigned
website (http://mohfw.gov.in) which is user friendly, restructured, content enriched and
user centric. It has a number of special features for visually challenged users and accessible
to all citizens/persons with other disability. It has been designed to comply with all other
mandates of GIGW. This is a giant leap towards effective e-Governance in the Ministry
and also enables Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to become an effective member of
SUGAM Web. In short, this website conforms to UUU trilogy i.e. Usable, User-Centric
and Universally Accessible.

The redesigned website has user friendly features and a search engine for advanced and
customized search operations. Contents have been grouped systematically under drop-
down Menu bars, allowing for easy navigation. All relevant policies have been placed on the
website for public view & the necessary business logic incorporated into a CMS (Content
Management System) which is deployed for updating the website content.

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The site is also offering improved features & services, such as:
• Enhanced content presentation
• Options to increase or decrease the font size
• Ability to view the website in standard and high contrast (helpful to
colour blind citizens)
• Screen Reader friendliness
• Comprehensive and up to date content, with the active collaboration & timely
inputs of the personnel in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Updating content on a continuous basis is being done to make this website a one stop shop
for all sorts of information related to the Health sector.

The GIGW Team is happy to congratulate the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on
this exemplary effort. We wish other departments & ministries also find similar success in
their journey towards GIGW compliance, and list below steps to create many more success
stories similar to the one shared in this edition!

“We’re the bridge across forever, arching above the sea, ...choosing ...triumphs challenges
impossible odds, testing ourselves over and again, ...!” - RB

Creating More Success Stories:

The GIGW Team is eager to hear from all stakeholders, & help organizations achieve
GIGW compliance:

STQC has evaluated websites of all the central ministries and departments

1. Have you received from STQC an assessment of GIGW compliance for your
organization website?

2. In the aforesaid report, what are the perceived hurdles stopping from achieving
GIGW compliance?

3. Any Other Comments, Suggestions: ___________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Send your responses to [email protected] before May 15, 2014

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Issue VIII, 15 May, 2014

Walking the last mile

After 31 weeks of sustained efforts that have begun bearing fruit, as evidenced by the
success stories that are trickling in, we renew our commitment to keep nurturing the
SUGAM Web platform: where community members can engage & gain useful tips to
cover each step of the journey of building and maintaining GIGW compliant websites.

Let us walk through what happens after the pre-requisite initial steps listed below have
been undertaken by a department:

1. A Govt. Department appoints an owner for its website (serving as its virtual
office), called a Web Information Manager (WIM)

2. WIM finalizes all policies that would apply to conduct of operations in the virtual
office, once operational

3. WIM aided by a technical team, oversees design of effective information

architecture to ensure all information and services are served through the
department’s virtual office. Subsequently, WIM drives the construction efforts to
build the virtual office in compliance with the architecture

Just like upon successful conclusion of the construction efforts of a bricks-and-mortar

building a certifying authority grants a completion certificate, WIM seeks a “compliance
certificate” from Standards Testing & Quality Certification (STQC) to ensure the
virtual office is compliant with statutory guidelines. This certification process involves:

1. Submitting a Web Quality Manual (WQM) [for policy templates, refer GIGW
Compliance & Certification Handbook available on the guidelines.gov.in website]
along with an Application form and necessary fees.

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2. Passing 2 rounds of testing by STQC; success criteria of each round explained below:

a. Round 1: Department resolving first list of issues of varying severity: minor,

medium, major; & submitting to STQC for re-evaluation

b. Round 2: Department filing closure report of any pending issue found by STQC
in Round 2, to STQC’s satisfaction

3. Department undergoing a physical site audit by Team STQC, which involves:

a. Inspection of documented form of policies (as specified in the WQM)*

b. Verification of procedures laid down to implement each policy

c. Audit of previous or current transaction records that demonstrate how each

procedure is performed

* NOTE: As part of ongoing efforts to expedite GIGW compliance, 1000 web sites
are being proactively evaluated by STQC for Round 1, without the website owners
submitting a WQM. Therefore Step 3a. is an exception. Under routine circumstances,
documented form of policy will be inspected at Step 1 itself.

After STQC has completed the physical site audit successfully, a certificate would be
granted, that may be proudly & prominently displayed on the department website.

Creating More Success Stories:

The GIGW Team is eager to hear from all stakeholders, & help organizations achieve
GIGW compliance:

STQC has evaluated websites of all the central ministries and departments

1. Have you received from STQC an assessment of GIGW compliance for your
organization website?

2. In the aforesaid report, what are the perceived hurdles stopping from achieving
GIGW compliance?

3. Any Other Comments, Suggestions: _________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Send your responses to [email protected] before Jun 15, 2014

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Issue IX, 30 June, 2014

Social Networks to Power eGovernance

Historically, our human species has been finding newer ways to connect with each other
and work together in the pursuit of happiness. From the cave-dwelling era, we have
been successful in communicating using media such as visuals, voice, words.

Less than 3 decades ago, with the birth of the Internet, we found a way to send messages
much farther and faster than was possible with any prior means. Then, came the birth
of Social media: our capability experienced tremendous growth in communicating even
faster and in affecting various dimensions of human life: social, political, economic.
What unleashed such unprecedented power in the hand of citizens is the set of inherent
characteristics of Social media, viz.

• “voice to all”

• instant outreach

• 24x7 engagement

Government can use the power of social media to engage with stakeholders in real time
and make governance and policy-making a citizen-centric exercise.

The broad roadmap that Government may follow to leverage Social media effectively
includes:

1. Define objectives - Most important 1st step, to identify the purpose of using
Social media e.g., generating awareness on action plans and implementation
strategies, seeking feedback, public relations, issue based & general interaction

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2. Be present on Social media - Build presence by creating a simple Facebook

page, Twitter handle etc

3. Give frequent and useful updates - Designate “spokespersons” from each

Ministry/Department to provide authentic & relevant updates

4. Invite comments & feedback on social, developmental issues from citizens on

Social media - Go beyond election manifestos to ensure effective implementation
of policies, plans, schemes & open the doors to feedback

5. Process & respond responsibly to citizen inputs - Share transparently actions

taken with regard to citizen inputs

Implementation of Social media offers more than the listed benefits:

• Lesser cost of setup vs. conventional outreach through print & traditional
electronic media

• Enhanced sense of participation in governance among citizens

• Faster turnaround in taking corrective measures based on real time &

uninhibited feedback from citizens & other stakeholders

Framework & Guidelines for Use of Social Media for Government Organizations
have been formulated by Department of Electronics and Information Technology
(DeitY), and can be referred at http://deity.gov.in/ to finalize your organization’s Social
media strategy.

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Issue X, 31 July, 2014

Celebrating Achievements with Web Ratna Awards

Celebrating is part of human existence. Since time immemorial, humans have been
prompt to rejoice over basic events like eating a meal together, to regular events such as
sowing seeds and harvesting the crops, to turn-of-life occasions like a birth, graduating
of a child from being a quadruped to a biped, performing feats such as returning with
the first hunt, weddings etc.

The act of celebrating involves acknowledging the happiness of the moment and in turn
of the many preceding acts that contribute to make the celebratory event possible. Such
acknowledgement helps further fuel humanity’s appetite for encores. For example,
eating a meal together would be preceded by gathering the ingredients for the meal, the
act of cooking, inviting and assembling all, serving the meal, and finally parting until
the next meal.

All of civilization’s constructive efforts are naturally meant to culminate in celebrations

of the worthy efforts invested in building something that adds significant value to
humanity, and keep improving upon the past with each iteration. The virtuous cycle of
investing effort, enjoying its outcome, and eagerly looking forward to doing it all over
again is a sign of life and its cyclic vitality!

In the same spirit, Web Ratna Awards (WRA), a biennial event (once-in-two years),
celebrate the achievements of Government departments in web based e-Governance
initiatives. This year, WRA seek to honour exemplary achievements under listed
categories:

• Outstanding Citizen Centric Service

• Public Participation Initiative

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• Outstanding Content

• Innovative Use of Technology

• Comprehensive Web Presence - Ministry/Department (Central Government)

• Comprehensive Web Presence - State/UT Government

• Open Data Champion - Ministry/Department/Organization/State

WRA realizes that a lot goes into making any e-Governance initiative successful
- beginning with the seeding of an idea to serve citizens better or to enhance the
departmental efficiency, going on to building consensus and sustaining a shared vision
so that stakeholders’ energy can be dedicated to ensuring effective fruition of the idea in
the form of a useful website/application/service/dataset!

The nominations for Web Ratna Awards 2014 may be submitted online at http://
webratna.india.gov.in Nomination form templates and all relevant links are available
on the home page of the website. The last date for submission is 31st August, 2014.

Look forward to participation from all stakeholders in the Indian Government.

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Issue XI, 27 August, 2014

Affirmative steps towards effective eGovernance

Just like a human child exhibits initiative by beginning to crawl on its own, but often
needs a helping hand to stand on its feet and take its first walking steps, Government
departments after having expressed their natural desire to build web presence - website
and/or web applications - need to be empowered in order to keep moving towards
effective eGovernance.

What may be the factors that a Government department should consider in its “internet-
infancy”?

• Web Vision: Articulate clear direction; decide what must the department’s web
presence do

• Capable Team: Lead by a Web Information Manager (Joint Secy or above) to

translate the vision into functional systems

• Robust Processes: To achieve steady state of the department’s web presence and
consequently, satisfied stakeholders

The department’s Web Vision is an extension of the department mandate which is already
defined for each department in the form of its Citizen Charter. Many if not all aspects
of the purpose of a department’s existence can be suitably served by its web presence.
For example, the department web site may offer information in a User-friendly, Usable,
Universally accessible (UUU) way about the department’s purpose, its services, the
various schemes it implements for the citizens’ benefit, forms that need to be filled to
obtain information/services from the department, other interactive opportunities such
as feedback about the department services etc.

The Web Information Manager can lead a capable team to build the department’s web
presence and maintain it so that it continues to serve its purpose to the satisfaction of all

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stakeholders. Building web presence is similar to construction of a physical building.

Just like the architecture of a building is decided in advance to serve the needs of its
occupants and visitors long before construction activities commence, the department
must finalize the information architecture for its web site in advance to ensure all
citizens who visit the web site can access information and services conveniently, and
the department officials should also feel empowered to maintain the web site with ease.

As time flows, human effort is continually focused on evolving technology in a way

that helps us do tasks faster, with better quality, and often in lesser overall costs. For
example, historically wedges were used in several forms e.g., axes, chisels, knives,
scissors to separate wood pieces or other thick and hard material that would have
otherwise required almost herculean effort to fragment. Over time, improvisations such
as sharper metal edges & laser technology have helped in further reduction of resource
input to produce remarkably & increasingly accurate results. The continued investment
of human effort into developing & smart usage of such tools results in delivery of
results with reduced inputs and greater precision. Departments need to likewise invest
energy in setting up such process of continuous improvement in the management of web
sites, so that content offered is always accurate, current, and accessible to all without
discrimination on the basis of ability, age, bandwidth, device etc.

Due attention to the above factors would help achieve efficiency for the department too,
freeing up valuable resources to focus on other priority tasks for nation building - thus
realizing the goal of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government through effective
eGovernance!

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Issue XII, 18 September, 2014

Citizen & Govt Partnership for effective

eGovernance
Since time immemorial, societies have thrived using simple structures where
responsibilities are divided to ensure fulfilment of a shared purpose - happy existence.
Citizens interact with each other and based on the outcome of the interaction, agree to
support each other in execution of respective responsibilities. Some citizens may be
entrusted with the role of formulating policies useful for governing various aspects
of life, and other citizens may perform the role of ensuring implementation of such
policies for everyone’s welfare.

As technology evolves, citizens must keep harnessing it to nurture a civil society that
can freely communicate its needs & concerns, and collaboratively devise means to
overcome any hurdles in the path of comfortable living. To continue honouring the
successful tradition of using role based structures to ensure happy societies, Government
of India has launched a platform called MyGov (http://mygov.nic.in) - that enables
citizen engagement with government for effective governance.

Based on simplicity, the MyGov platform allows both Citizens and Government to
engage as explained:

• Discuss: Participate in discussions that bring out the best of citizens to identify
issues and solutions

• Do: Tasks focused on nation building

• Disseminate: Government departments can spread information rapidly among the

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registered users using the new-age technology

The MyGov platform offers 3 choices to engage as outlined above:

1. Groups: Themes that the Government considers priority for inviting citizen
inputs

2. Creative Corner: To invite inputs on branding aspects of Government initiatives

like designing banners/logos, suggesting a name, or creative punch line etc

3. Open Forum: All issues of national importance can be discussed here widely
amongst all citizens registered on MyGov

Government departments stand to benefit tremendously by using the MyGov platform

to:

• Align with citizen needs and sentiments

• Encourage citizens to contribute to nation-building (crowd-sourcing)

• Ensure formulation of policies and their successful implementation

To join hands on this worthy journey, Government departments may visit MyGov and
associate with us at http://mygov.nic.in/associate_with_mygov.html

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Issue XIII, 22 October, 2014

Framework to energize eGovernance initiatives

An action-oriented framework can help all eGovernance initiatives of the Government
to begin, cross intermediate milestones and reach the desired goals at a satisfactory
pace. On its first anniversary, SUGAM Web is happy to share a IASS Framework
encompassing three distinct action areas that need to be invested in to ensure success
of any such initiative.

• INTRODUCE: Establish the need to act; engage all stakeholders in clarifying the
specific expectations and estimate resource requirements to achieve desired goals

• ASSIMILATE: Acquire, assemble the right resources to carry out the initiative, &
plan ahead to overcome anticipated hurdles

• SERVE & SUSTAIN: Deliver as per the plan, transparently report progress, and
identify any gaps in execution or areas worthy of exceeding beyond the originally
decided targets and address them

The first action area is inquiry into the need for the initiative. This area requires all
stakeholders to agree upon beginning an engagement to address the WHY of any
further action. For example, recently a need was identified - approximately over 7
crore families did NOT have access to formal banking services in India. In the absence
of such services, the families were prone to ills of human suffering such as deprivation
from secure facilities to keep monetary savings & exploitation by money-lenders,
which inspired Government into affirmative action to ensure financial inclusion of
those on the margins. This need is clearly introduced through a Mission Document on
the Department of Financial Services website http://financialservices.gov.in

The second action area involves getting together all stakeholders, possibly using multiple

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channels e.g., meetings of Government departments, outreach to citizens, academia,

industry etc to figure out the HOW for the tasks ahead. In the example begun above
on financial inclusion, the Government mobilized departments such as Department of
Financial Services, all public sector and privatized banks, and leveraged the citizen
engagement platform, MyGov (http://mygov.nic.in) to invite ideas, logos, tag-line for
financial inclusion. The citizen participation was encouraging, and the name Jan-Dhan
Yojana was chosen from the thousands of entries received online on MyGov.

The third and most vital link is sustained delivery & transparent reporting - ensuring
execution as per the plan, closely monitoring the rollout to see if the implementation
suffers from any unforeseen difficulties, or discover any new areas for improving quality
of life for our citizens. Continuing with the financial inclusion example, sustaining the
momentum and transparent progress reporting beyond the launch is a critical action area
that has been successfully achieved by the Jan-Dhan Yojana as evidenced by the 6 crore
plus accounts opened since launch. The progress is reported regularly through updates
on the Department of Financial Services website (Exact figure: 62547166 accounts
opened under Jan-Dhan Yojana till 18 October 2014, Source: http://financialservices.
gov.in/banking/ProgressReport.asp).

Another example of effective use of the web, in conformance with the IASS Framework
is the Swachch Bharat campaign, whose genesis, launch, sustenance and transparent
reporting are being done remarkably through the sites http://sbchallenge.mygov.in &
http://sbupdate.mygov.in

SUGAM Web wishes its subscribers a Happy Deepawali and hopes that successful
adoption of the IASS Framework by Government departments will help realize the
worthiness of using eGovernance effectively for nation building!

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For any feedback contact us at:

Address for Data Centre and Web Services Group

National Informatics Centre
Correspondence
A-Block, CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003

Email : [email protected]
Phone : 011 - 24305374
Fax : 011 - 24368854