Introduction, purpose, need and importance of record management in the office.

The office is the place from where the assigned work is done. Goods and services flow. The office is the representative of the central unit of an organization or organization, which collects, records, analyzes and presents to the management the information required for policy making, decision making and planning. The office is the focal point of the organization, which manages, coordinates, controls and assists in the overall managerial work of the organization.

The importance of office

The importance of office can be mentioned in the following points:

To gather the information the organization needs,

To record, analyze and present the necessary information,

To communicate information and correspondence inside and outside the office

To provide the necessary resources (human resources, material resources, financial resources, information resources) to the organization to provide different types of services.

To securely record the entire resources of the organization,

To simplify and implement policy making, decision making and planning work,

To coordinate the activities and resources of the organization,

Records:

Record is a formal writing of any facts of information that created for possible future use.

A record is a formal record of facts or information that has been created in connection with a performance, can be used in the future and will remain as evidence.

All kinds of informational documents, which have legal basis and which can be useful in the decision making process, are called records. For example: books, documents, maps, sounds, signs, movies, videos, computerized copies, etc. Archives can be written, coded and recorded. It can also be audio-visual.

Record Management:

Archive management is the process of collecting, classifying, prioritizing letters, film videos, documents, etc. created or received in the office on the basis of their subject, nature, time, and importance. Archive management is the aggregate of all the tasks from receipt and creation of records to keeping the required documents in a systematic manner and washing away the unnecessary documents.

Archive management begins with the registration of information and letters received from external offices and sources. Registration serves as the basis for records management. Similarly, the details of the work done or the listed records sent to other offices and areas are done through challan.

Produced documents and information records are systematically filed and kept in drawers, racks or other easy and accessible places. It is now common practice to keep records on a computer.

Record management is the process of keeping documents, documents, evidences and decisions produced or created in connection with the performance of work in the office in a systematic, safe and easily available manner when needed in the future.

Methods of managing records:

• Filing
• Reports and registers
• Micro film
• Museum, archives
• Web page
• Computer

Types of records:

• Important: Documents that will never be destroyed. Never replaced and destroyed. Documents related to treaties, agreements, maps, borders. Documents related to peace and security, arms. Court decisions.
• Important records: Documents to be kept safe for 10 to 20 years. Information to be kept for a certain period of time, information to be handed over, purchase, contract, important report.
• Useful records: Circulars, instructions, bills, reimbursements, invoices, audits, etc. to be preserved for 1 to 10 years.
• Unnecessary records: Generally to be kept safe for 1 year. Documents with no value in the future, general instructions, leave forms, invitation cards, greeting cards, etc.

 

What should a good record look like?

Specific, Updated, Reliable, Precise, Relevant, Informative, Spontaneous, Evidential, Scientific

• Records must be specific.
• Must be updated from time to time.
• Must be reliable and trustworthy.
• Time should be relevant.
• Should be concise
• Must be informative.
• Must be used as evidence.
• Records should be natural. Should not be impossible
• Must be categorized on the basis of subject and importance.
• It should be easily found at the time of searching.
• Inexpensive, scientific and modernly managed.
• Using electronic or digital medium.

Record Management Cycle:

The aggregate process in the office from production, creation and receipt, prioritization, classification and processing of records to safe management of required documents and washing of unnecessary documents is called record management cycle.

Creation, Administration, Retention and Disposal (CARD)

• Record creation
• Classification, prioritization and use of records
• Proper storage of records
• The flow of records
• Washing out unnecessary information and data

Need / Importance / Benefits of Record Management in the Office:

• To keep the documents, evidence, instruments, and decisions of the office created and obtained from elsewhere safe by classifying and prioritizing them on the basis of their importance, nature and necessity.
• To reduce the workload by simplifying the daily administrative work of the office.
• Scientific management of records.
• To reduce the time, cost, and space involved in archiving.
• To preserve records for institutional memoirs in the future. To protect authenticity.
• To wash unnecessary documents in time.
• To formulate, implement, analyze and provide necessary information in implementation and evaluation.
• To make the policy and decision making process simple, easy, uniform and effective.
• To get information about the past practice and work progress of the organization.
• Makes time management effective.
• Reliable source of information. Promotes the right to information by providing stakeholders with access to information and transparency.
• The study provides information for research.
• The layout of the office is beautiful, attractive and organized.

Arrangements for records management in Nepal:

Constitutional and legal

• Right to Information
• Right to Information Act, 2064 and Rules.
• Rules for washing government documents, 2027

Institutional

• Central Statistics Department
• Ministry of Health and Population
• Nizamata / Police / Soldier / Teacher Library
• National Archives
• Financial Records: Auditor General, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Inland Revenue Offices
• Land Records: Land Revenue Offices, Survey Offices, Ministry of Land Management
• Legal Records: Supreme Court, High Court, District Court, Office of the Attorney General, Ministry of Law
• Regarding diplomatic missions:
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense
• Archaeological Archives: National Archives, Department of Archeology, Ministry of Tourism
• Economic Records: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, Trade and Export Promotion Center
• Various thematic ministries, and offices.

Problems arising in records management in Nepal:

•  Inadequacy of physical structure.
• Failure to make proper arrangements for storage and security of records in the office. As a result, records are destroyed by termites, insects, water and fire.
• Managing records in traditional style.
• Lack of knowledge related to record management.
• Lack of adequate resources for archive management.
• Classification and prioritization of records based on need and importance and not updated from time to time.
• The tendency to hide and misuse information. Lack of coordination between divisions, branches and fields leads to loss of records. Employees should not use records and keep them in place.
• Not completely IT based. Do not stop using paper and sticks even where it is.
• Not keeping records on the basis of certain methods and criteria.
• Record management has not become a national priority.

   

What could be the solution to the problems?

• To arrange the services provided by the office, the pressure of the service recipients, the physical infrastructure that can easily support the number of employees.
• To manage records on the basis of scientific methods and criteria. To provide responsibility and training to the concerned employees.
• In order to make the record management in public administration scientific, systematic, economical and effective, the post of record manager / store keeper will be created and the corresponding curriculum will be developed and skilled manpower will be recruited through competitive examination.
• To develop management information system in every office.
• To provide adequate resources and budget for records management.
• Emphasize security by inspecting records from time to time.
• To do networking between the concerned bodies.
• Electronize the forms by modifying them.
• To prepare and publish reports of records of long-term importance.
• To make the national archives systematic, strong and modern.
• To establish information centers.

Classification of Records in Public Administration of Nepal: Provision made by the Government Documents Laundering Act, 2027

1. Very important records:

• Records that should never be washed or destroyed.
• Foreign treaty agreement.
• Country map and border documents.
• Court decision Red sealed documents.
• Decisions of the Council of Ministers.

2. Important records:

• The fixed period should be 10 to 20 years.
• Financial statements, contract documents.
• Regarding bidding.
• Passport original book.

3. Useful records

• To be kept for 1 to 10 years.
• Documents corresponding to daily operations.
• Annual report, bill, reimbursement.

4. Unnecessary / ordinary records

• Not very important in the future.
• Generally can be washed after 1 year.
• Acts, Rules, Orders, Draft Letters of Information and Accounts Ready, Nomination Cards, Greetings Cards
• Daily and monthly reports
• Leave forms etc.