Classification of Documents

Classification of Documents

Security grading means security marking 'Confidential', 'Secret' or 'Top Secret'.

 

Urgent Dak means Dak marked “Immediate” or 'Priority' and includes letters telegrams, savingrams, wireless messages and telex/fax messages.'

 

Classification of Secret and Confidential Papers

There are four grades of security markings, shown below and all the protected documents in this Secretariat will be classified in one of these gradings.

Top Secret

This marking is reserved for papers containing information of such a vital nature that for reasons of national security, it must not be disclosed to any one for whom it is not essential to have knowledge of it for the proper performance of his duty.

Such documents include references to current or future Military operations, intending movements or dispositions of armed forces, shaping of secret methods of war, matters of high international and internal political policy, cyphers and reporters derived from secret sources of intelligence.

The distribution of papers having "Top Secret" classification must be limited to the minimum number of persons concerned, and in such cases, it will not be safer to err on the side of security.

Secret

This marking is reserved for papers containing information, the unauthorised disclosure of which would endanger national security, cause serious injury to the interest or prestige of the nation or serious embarrassment to Government or would be of great advantage to a foreign nation.

NOTE—This classification should be used for highly important matters.

Confidential

This marking is reserved for papers containing information, the unauthorised disclosure of which while not endangering the national security would be prejudicial to the interest of the nation, any Government activity or individual or would cause administrative embarrassment or difficulty or be of the advantage to a foreign nation.

NOTE—Most matters will, on proper analysis, be classified no higher than "Confidential".

 

The following procedure will be observed with regard to the treatment and safeguarding of secret and confidential information and papers:

(1) The Branch Officer will invariably determine whether a particular document is to be classified as 'Secret' or 'Confidential'.

(2) Papers which may be secret or confidential until the occurrence of some particular event or announcement will not be treated as such afterwards.

(3) All secret and confidential papers should be typed in the presence of the official who has dictated or initiated the same. The file in any case should be retained in the official's personal custody and only such papers should be removed from the file to be given to the stenographer/typist as are essential for the typing work in hand. All drafts, rough notes and other routine papers will invariably be destroyed as soon as the fair copy of the letter, note, etc., has been issued. The pages of stenographer's note book, in which dictation of secret and confidential papers has been taken, should be removed by the official concerned and destroyed or kept in safe custody for destruction.

(4) All secret and confidential material for risographing shall be received by the Head of the 'D' Branch who shall arrange to get them risographed/multigraphed in his presence. If, however, any such material is required to be multigraphed by any officer in his own presence, the needful shall be done without any delay. The copies made and the original copy of material shall be returned to the officer in whose presence the copies have been made. No unauthorised extra copies of such papers shall be made.

(5) Whenever copies of any of the secret papers are made, the Distribution Branch will maintain a record of the total number of copies made in a register (as shown in Appendix-IX). All entries made in this register from time to time, will be put up to the Branch Officer for his information and endorsement.

(6) Similarly, the Branches dealing with secret papers will maintain another register (as shown in Appendix-X) for recording the number of copies of such papers received from the Distribution Branch and their utilisation. This register will also be put up to the Branch Officer as soon as any entry is recorded in it, for his necessary endorsement.

(7) Papers marked secret or confidential will not pass in the ordinary course through the office but will be seen and dealt with only by persons explicitly authorised in that behalf. If not passed by hand from one authorised person to another, they will be sent in sealed covers or in the boxes provided for this purpose, which are fitted with special locks. The possession of keys for these boxes will be permitted only to persons particularly authorised and the safe custody of the keys will be a matter of great importance for which each authorised officer will be personally responsible.

(8) Papers marked secret or confidential will be handled by the Head of the Branch or by a thoroughly reliable dealing hand. They will be diarised or given a file No. by the person concerned without disclosing the subject.

(9) All covers marked secret or confidential, if not addressed to an officer by name, will be sent to the Branch Officer by the Receipt Clerk in 'D' Branch.

(10) No secret or confidential papers will be left lying in the Officers' Room or in the Branches where unauthorised persons might obtain access to them. Such papers will be carefully locked in secret almirahs or top secret boxes.

(11) Fair copies of secret or confidential material or floppy/disc, etc. containing secret or confidential information will be kept in the personal custody of the reliable officials particularly authorised for the safe custody of secret or confidential papers. Files in the computer containing secret or confidential information shall be given an appropriate password which is known only to the reliable officials.

(12) When sent by post, confidential or secret papers will be closed in double covers of which the inner one will be pasted or sealed and marked 'confidential' or 'secret' and super-scribed with only the name of the officer by whom it is to be opened. The outer cover will bear the usual official address. Letters or packets containing confidential or secret papers sent by post will invariably be registered and those containing secret papers will also be sent "acknowledgement due".

(13) Secret and confidential files when recorded will be kept under the supervision of the Head of the Branch concerned for their safe custody. Every classified file (other than confidential) will be reviewed once in five years for declassification. A declassified file considered fit for permanent preservation will be transferred to the Parliamentary Museum and Archives.

(14) It is not necessary to use double covers for the movement in office of 'Top Secret' and 'Secret' papers by hand provided the single cover used is carefully sealed and marked with the correct name, address and security marking, and the cover is entrusted to the hand of a reliable dealing hand who can take it direct to the officer addressed. When such papers are sent by the hand of an Attendant they should be enclosed in double covers.