DEFINITION OF DAK

Dak includes every type of written communication such as letters,,

telegrams, interdepartmental notes, files, wireless message, telex,
fax message, email etc., which is received by post, messenger or
by other means. The dak is generally received in the central
registry, from where it is distributed to the different sections
through the help of “work allotment chart”.

What is classified Daks?

Some dak will have security grading and will be addressed to an
officer by name and not by designation. This is due to the fact that
the dak is of a confidential nature and its contents are not shown
to be all. Such type of dak bearing security gradings like ‘secret’,
‘confidential’ etc. are known as classified dak. These type of dak
are not opened in the Central Registry but are sent to the
concerned officer in whose individual name it has been addressed.

Dak may also be classified as immediate, top priority, urgent, fixed

date etc.
 What is Receipt ?

Receipt : You can say that dak after it has been received by the
concerned section of the officer in charge of the section as receipt.
As soon as a correspondence reaches a section or section officer
then we call t he dak as receipt.

What is Receipt of Dak ?

The incoming dak is received in the central registry during office

hours is called receipt of dak.

• Sometimes important or immediate dak is addressed by name

or sent through a special messenger. In such cases, the dak will
be received by the officer concerned or by his personnel
assistant.
Outside office hours dak will be received by:
a. By the addressee themselves at their residence, if marked
immediate and addressed by name; and
b. In other cases by the officer on duty in the control room if it is
functioning.
The head of office should himself open the covers of all the
correspondence addressed to them by name, when they are
absent from headquarters, the covers should be opened by the
officers who is put in charge of the current duties.

Registration of Dak
(a) All the covers, except those addressed to officers by name or
those bearing a security grading, will be opened by the Central
Registry
(b) After opening the covers, the dealing assistant in the central
registery will check enclosures, the signature of the sender,
and make a note of any enclosures found missing.
(c) Urgent dak will be separated from other dak and will be dealt
with first.
(d) All opened dak, as well as the covers of unopened classified
dak, will be date stamped as per specimen shown below:

Office of the ………….. Name of the office……………………………….

Received on …………………………………..
Central Registry No………………………..
Section Diary No……………………………
noting we mean the process of making
remarks on a case in a note sheet. The process
of writing notes is an important part of office
procedure and it needs skills to prepare an
effective note. Notes are important as all the
points and issues to be raised and
discussed are highlighted and the decision of
the appropriate superior officers given in
the note. A few guidelines for noting are listed
below:
a) While writing notes you must be careful and
write what is relevant and to the point i.e.
the notes should be concise. In case a lengthy
note is inevitable, then you should
conclude the note with a paragraph bringing
out clearly but briefly the points for
considering a decision. Paragraphs of notes
should be serially numbered.
b) The verbatim reproduction of extracts from
a paraphrasing of the paper under
consideration should not be attempted. The
same principle applies to fresh receipts
or any other part of the correspondence or
notes on the same job.
c) When passing orders or making suggestions,
an officer will confine his notes to the
actual points he proposes to make without
reiterating the ground already covered in
(e) The entire dak will then be sorted out section wise (and officer wise if
addressed by name). To facilitate this the Central Registry will maintain an
alphabetical index of the subject, dealt with in each branch/section.
(f) The Central Registry in the dak Register will the register the following
categories of dak :-

i Telegrams, wireless messages, telex messages, fax messages and email.

ii Registered postal dak.
iii Court Summons and receipts acknowledging valuable documents, eg. Service
Book, Agreements etc.
iv Assembly question, resolution, cut motion and references seeking information
relating to them.
v Unopened inner covers containing classified dak.
vi Letters from members of Assembly/Parliament ; and
vii Any other categories covered by office instructions
• The Central Registry will maintain one or more dak registers as may be found
convenient. In no case, however, will a single register be maintained/operated
upon by two or more assistants. Where more than one dak register is
maintained each register will be identified with an alphabetical code letter ‘A’,
‘B’ and ‘C’ and so on.

• In case of two or more dak registers , there should be a grouping of

correspondences register-wise so that the receipts are not registered
randomly in any volume of the register

• All the dak received must be entered date wise and serially as shown below. In
the column 2 & 3 you write down the letter number and date of the particular
dak that you are entering. In the remarks column you may note your
comments as shown in the coloum 6 shown below:
 DAK REGISTER

A specimen copy of the Dak Register is shown with some entries made therein.

S.No. Particulars of Dak From whom To whom Remark

Received Received sent s
Number Date
01 02 03 04 05 06
• The delivery assistant in the central registry will prepare an invoice separately
for each section to which the dak will be distributed. The dak along with the
invoice will be sent to the section concerned and acknowledged by the diarist.
The invoice duly signed will be returned to the Central Registry where it will be
filed section wise and date wise.
• Alternatively the Dealing Assistant may send the dak to be distributed in a
messenger book or dak register maintained section wise and the
acknowledgement obtained.
• The procedures mentioned above is also applicable to the dak meant for
officers, which will be acknowledged by their personal staff or by the officers
themselves.
 What is Diarising ?

All the receipts sent from the Central Registry are received by the designated
assistant and he enters the receipts in the section diary or The process of
diarising means registering or in other words entering the serial no. and date etc.
in the section diary.
 Section Diary
Date………….

S.No. Number and Date of From whom Brief To whom File No. Remarks
Receipt Subject marked
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 What is Filing System ?

• To streamline the case of office working and have an easy access the file
system is maintained.
or
• The file system is meant for recording all the documents i.e. Notings,
Correspondence, Orders, Circulars isued from time to time are kept in a
particular subject file. A file consists of two main parts namely, notes and
correspondence.
• Generally, we take the file numbers and Register numbers from Central
Control Register of files which is lying in Administration Section of the
Organization.

Classification of files
• There are two types of classification of files i.e. (i) General (ii)
Secret/Confidential.
• On the note parts, we make notes according to the correspondence placed in
the correspondence right side. The correspondence parts contains all
communications received and the office copies of all letters issued.
• The correspondence part is arranged according to the date of receipt and the
earliest correspondence received should be at the top.

• When notes or correspondence portion of a file becomes bulky (e.g. one hundred
page or so) it will be kept in a separate cover and marked volume I, of the file.
Further action on the file will be continued in a new volume of the same file,
marked as volume II.

• Every paper in a file will be punched at the left hand top corner to the correct guage
(one inch from either side) before it is tagged to the correspondence to the notes. It
may also be ensured that the documents of file from both the note and
correspondence side must be numbered serially.

• Page Numbers should be given in the centre at the top of the page on both the side.

• File Number should invariably be written on every page on the top at right side.
• T Linking – Shows the correspondence of a particular case where they ar placed.

• Transfer of files: - When the files are transferred to one section to another or one
department to another department all the previous closed files are also transferred
to the concerned departments / sections.
 What is note ?

• Note means the remarks recorded on a case to facilitate its disposal. It

includes a précis of previous papers, a statement or analysis of the questions
requiring decisions. In addition, it may also contain suggestions regarding the
course of action and the final orders passed by the Senior Officers. For
example, if there is a leave application from an employee in the office praying
for earned leave. Then in the notes portion you have to highlight when the
employee had gone on earned leave on previous occasion, how much leave is
at his disposal, whether earlier earned leave had been sanctioned or not. In
this way noting has to be done.
• A draft is a rough sketch of a communication to be issued after approval by the
officer concerned

Points to be noted:

A draft should :
• carry the exact messages sought to be conveyed
• be clear, concise and incapable of misconstruction

• result in the desired response from the received

• be divided into proper paragraphs, according to the logical sequence or order of
ideas expressed in the draft
• contain references to previous correspondence, if any

Avoid:
• Lengthy sentences, abruptness
• Repetition of words, observations or ideas
• Offending, discourteous language
 Noting
Guidelines for noting

In the beginning of this unit we have given you a brief definition about the word
note. By noting we mean the process of making remarks on a case in a note
sheet. The process of writing notes is an important part of office procedure and it
needs skills to prepare an effective note. Notes are important as all the points
and issues to be raised and discussed are highlighted and the decision of the
appropriate superior officers given in the note. A few guidelines for noting are
listed below:

a) While writing notes you must be careful and write what is relevant and to the
point i.e. the notes should be concise. In case a lengthy note is inevitable, then
you should conclude the note with a paragraph bringing out clearly but briefly
the points for considering a decision. Paragraphs of notes should be serially
numbered.
b) The verbatim reproduction of extracts from a paraphrasing of the paper under
consideration should not be attempted. The same principle applies to fresh
receipts or any other part of the correspondence or notes on the same job.
 Noting
Guidelines for noting

c) When passing orders or making suggestions, an officer will confine his notes to
the actual points he proposes to make without reiterating the ground already
covered in the previous notes. If he agrees to the line of action, suggested in the
preceding note, he will merely append his signature.

d) Any officer/official who has to note upon a file on which a running summary of
facts is available will, in drawing attention to the facts of the case, refer to it in his
own note. In case a running summary of facts are not available, then a self-
contained summary will be prepared and put up with the case to be submitted to
superior officer.

e) While writing the notes we have to be careful about the use of language. It
should be devoid of harsh language. For example, if some apparent errors or mis-
statements are to be pointed out or criticized, care should be take to write the
observation in courteous and temperate language free from personal remarks.
The notes must be written in the third person.
f) When a paper under consideration raised several major points, each requiring
detailed examination and order each point will be noted upon separately in the
sectional notes.

g) Notes and orders will be recorded on note sheets.

h) The dealing assistant will append his legible signature with date on the left
below the note. Officers will append their signature on the right side of the note.
In case of delay of more than 7 days in the submission of a case the signature and
the date below that should be in red.
 Check your progress
Please tick the correct answer: True False
a. While writing notes you should ensure
that they are generally lengthy and without paragraphs.

b. Notes should not contain verbatim reproduction of extracts

from a paraphrasing of the paper under consideration.

c. Points already covered and analyzed in a paper

under consideration should not be repeated in a note.

d. It is not necessary to put up a running summary of facts with the case.

e. While noting we are at liberty to use harsh language.

f. Notes should be written in the third person.

g. Notes and orders will be recorded on fullscape paper.

h. The dealing assistant should append his signature with date on the right hand
corner of the note sheet below the note.
 Noting on files received from other sections

a) Sometime you may receive notes or files from another section on certain
issues which your section will have to examine and decisions, opinions or ruling
communicated to the section concerned. The officer to whom such note is
submitted will either accept the note or record a note of his own.

In the former case, he may direct that the note in question or a specified portion
thereof may be reproduced on the main file for communication to the section
concerned.

In the latter case he will record a suitable note on the main file itself.

In either case, a copy of the note recorded on the main file will be kept in the
routine notes for retention in the receiving section before the file is returned to
the original section.
b) Where the reference requires information of a factual nature or other action
based on a clear precedent or practice, the dealing assistant in the receiving
section may note on the note straight away.

c) Where a note on a file is recorded by an officer after obtaining the order of

higher officer, the fact that the views expressed therein have the approval of
the latter should be specifically mentioned.

d) In case of oral discussion between two or more officers or between the officer
and the assistant, the conclusions reached will be recorded on the relevant file
by the officer authorizing the action.
1. What is the system of noting and putting up papers under correspondence that
you have been following so far in your office ? Can you write down the main
points ?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

2. Can you compare the system of noting followed by you with the procedure
given in this unit and list out the differences ?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
 Arrangements of papers in a case
When you are putting up the file the papers in a particular case will be arranged in the
following order from top downward:

a) At the outset will be placed the reference books on rules, regulations laws etc. The
relevant portions of the laws, rules etc. should be flag marked with pieces of paper
indicating there in the page number.
b) Thereafter you have to put the running summary of facts and flag mark the relevant
portion thereof.

d) A draft prepared for replies to the paper under consideration if any will have to be
placed for approval.
d) Correspondence portion of the current file ending with the latest issue or receipt as
the case may be

e) Appendix to notes and correspondence

f) Studying guard file, standing note or reference folder if any

g) Other paper, if any, referred to e.g. extracts of notes or correspondence from other
files, copies of orders, resolutions, gazettes, arranged in chronological order, the
latest being placed on top.

h) Recorded files if any, in chronological order, the latest being placed on top.
 Use of Urgency Gradings

Sometimes it may so happen that your supervisor will ask you to put up the file urgently.
In an office some work have to be done urgently while others can be done normally. In
order to facilitate your work, the use of urgency grading is resorted to. The following
three kinds of urgency markings are authorized for use:

1. a). Immediate
b) Urgent
c) Fixed date

2. Each of these urgency markings has a distinctive use and should not be used
indiscriminately:
a) Immediate cases should be taken up immediately on receipt, if necessary by stopping
all other work and should be attended to on the day of receipt or at the latest on the
next day.
b) Urgent cases should be attended to within 3 days.
c) Fixed date cases should be given precedence over other ordinary cases to which no
urgency labels have been attached, keeping in view the date fixed for the case.

d) Cases bearing no urgency markings should be attended to as early as possible but in

any case not later than 7 days.
 Check your progress

True False
Please tick the following questions

(a) Rules, regulations, laws, etc. should be

put up with a case where necessary.

(b) Appendix to notes and correspondence

should not be put up with a case.

© Immediate, urgent and fixed date are the

three kinds of urgency markings that are used.

(d) Urgent cases should be attended to within 8 days.

(e) Parliament questions are to be attended to immediately.

(f) Cases bearing no urgency markings should be attended to

within 7 days.
• Pay bill will be kept upto 25 years . Retention period of the same depends as
prescribed in departments particular manual.

• Service Book will be kept in safe custody after 25 years of retirement.

• Policy/Rules related files kept in a safe custody whole life while the correspondence
file are retained for 03 years w.e.f. effected date, except court cases files which will be
retained till the final decision given.

• There are two types of records exists in Govt. Deptt. i.e. Effective and Non-Effective :-

Effective Category prevails all service records of the individuals who are in service.

Non-Effective all service records in respect of employees who have

retired/death/resignation.
Types of letter: Simple letter :- Carrying address at left hand side, Subject, Body of Draft,
No Salutation requires, No Salutation like Thanking you, Yours faithfully etc. required.

Only name, signature, designation bill will appear at the end of letter

N.O.O. :- (Not on original) means we don’t inform the sender’s from where we are
sending / forwarding copies. However, in the office copy it will bear N.O.O. and the
address of the addressee where we are forwarding the copies. Such type of letters must
be written in 3rd Person i.e. It is requested etc.

Demi Official Letter must be written in 1st or 2nd person for example :- I am in receipt your
letter no. etc.