What is Noting & Drafting?

What is Noting & Drafting? 

Noting is a process of preparing the brief essence of a proposal or a paper under consideration with correct facts, statistics, and ruling position, etc., in the file to make an important final decision by a Government officer on the file. The note is submitted by the dealing official to his intermediatory officers between him and the officer competent to decide the case, such officer also records their views, adducing reasons. Then it will be submitted to his higher authorities for final orders.

Drafting is a rough copy of a document or an initial attempt of preparing a document that can be corrected, improved, or changed before it is finally approved.

The crucial function of English noting & drafting is to initiate and complete the process of disposal of a case in a logical manner either supported by a rule or a precedent if no rule exists specifically.

***   ***   ***

I would update this page daily as it is a big topic to cover.

Answer to Previous IPO Paper Questions (2019) on Noting & Drafting

Question-1. A fraud of misappropriation of funds in a Single-Handed Post Office has been detected by you at the time of inspection. As Inspector Posts, make a report on how the fraud was committed and recommend further course of actions.

Answer-1:

Department of Posts, India

O/o Inspector Posts, Q Subdivision

Mysore-570010

Confidential

To

The Sr Superintendent of Post Offices,

Mysore Division,

Mysore

No………………………………. dated at …………………. the 29-11-2020.

Sub: Misappropriation of funds in X SO, a Single-Handed Post Office – Reg.

***     ***     ***

         This is regarding the misappropriation of funds in X SO, a Single-Handed Post Office. In this regard, it is to submit that the Inspection of X SO was carried out on 28-11-2020 for which DLI is 01-12-2019.  Sri M is working as Sub Postmaster since DLI.

I . How the fraud Came into Light?

During the course of the Annual Inspection, few SB passbooks have been obtained from the customers and verified whether the balance in the passbook agrees with the Finacle balance using command HALCI. It is noticed that the balance differs on checking as mentioned and the Sub Postmaster has committed SB frauds as detailed below:

II. Modus-operandi:

Shri M,  SPM, X SO has accepted total cash of Rs70,000 from the depositor P.Pallavi towards SB deposits in her Post office SB Account 3018520055, made entries in the passbook under his initials and impressed date stamp in token of having received the amount from the depositor, but failed to credit the same into Post office accounts.

III. Details of Accounts Defrauded:

On verification of the following SB account, misappropriation has been noticed.

1. SB A/C No.3018 5200 55 –

The SPM Sri M had failed to account for the SB deposits as mentioned below deposited by Smt. P. Pallavi, in her SB account no. 3018 5200 55 of X SO in contravention of provisions of Rule Contravention of Rule 31(2) (i) (b) (i) POSB Volume- I (Second Edition):

Transactions as per PB				Transactions accounted				Amount not taken into Govt. accounts(Rs)
Date	Dep	withdrawal	BAT	Date	Dep	Withdrawal	BAT
04.05.2020	50,000	–	50,157	–	–	–	–	50,000
10.06.2020	20,000		70,157					20,000
Total amount misappropriated in Rs.								70,000

2. Statement of  Depositor:

Smt P.Pallavi with SB A/C No. 3018 5200 55 in her statement dated 28-11-2020 stated that the SPM has accepted cash Rs50,000 on 04-05-2020 and Rs20,000 on 10-06-2020 and made entries in the SB Passbook under his initials and made date stamp impression.

3. Statement of SPM M:

Sri M, in his statement dated 28-11-2020 has admitted that he has accepted Rs50,000 cash on 04-05-2020 and Rs20,000 on 10-06-2020 from the depositor Smt P.Pallavi and did not credit into Post office Account and utilized the money for his personal use.

 

5. As seen from the Finacle menu HACLI, the Finacle ledger, the deposits Rs50,000 and Rs20,000 made on 04-05-2020 and 10-06-2020 respectively were not credited into Government accounts on the date of deposit or subsequently. As per the other relevant records like SO Account, SB LOT/Long book, original passbook, SO Daily Account, etc., the non-credits were confirmed.
6. During the course of inspection on the test check of the Passbooks, it is suspected that there is a misappropriation of funds in the Sub Post Office. It is requested to issue necessary orders for detailed Past Work Verification of the Sub Post Office. All the relevant records have been seized.

IV. Recommendations for further course of action:

7. In view of the modus operandi mentioned above and the amount involved in fraud is high, the following further course of action is recommended:

(i) It is recommended for a change of date stamp immediately. Experimental Date stamp may be supplied from Divisional office immediately.

(ii) The case of suspension of the official may have to be examined keeping in view the amount of fraud and other aspects.

(iii) As the amount involved is Rs.70,000 which is beyond the limit of Rs50,000, the case may have to be reported to the police. The draft submitted in this regard may please be approved.

(iv) Cent Percent verification of the X SO or detailed past work verification is recommended in this case.

Conclusion:

In anticipation of orders from the competent authority, past work verification is commenced and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that loss is recovered.

Further instructions are prayed for in this regard.

(-sd-)

Inspector Posts

Q Subdivision

Mysore

***   ***   ***

The above report is just an example, you can improvise even more effectively to draw the attention of the evaluator. You may suggest a few such things in the comments section to add more value to the readers.

Noting & Drafting

Important Points to Note while Drafting:

1. File Numberis important. As far as possible this should not be missed out. An appropriate Case mark may be given with the date & location included at the end. For example loss and fraud cases are dealt with case-mark ”F” in Divisional offices. You may write the same. ( It carries marks.)
2. Mention the subject. ( It carries marks.)
3. From Addressas the office of…., duly mentioning the Department, Location is expected. ( It carries marks.)
4. To addresswith Pincode. ( It carries marks.)

5. Introduction:

There are as many as 90 variations/ versions of the introduction of a draft/letter/report which I will share in the coming days shortly (here only). The very popular one is” This is regarding….”.

6. Sub Headings:Based on the topic, relevant subheadings may be given neatly underlined with a colon added at the end. ( It carries marks.)
7. One that is specifically asked for in the Question:For example in the above draft, you are asked (i) how the fraud was committed and(ii) recommend further course of actions. So, writing a draft without including the points asked for makes no-sense. As such, carefully read the question twice and check for what is specifically asked for in the question, and include it invariably. ( It definitely carries marks.)

8. Conclusion:

A conclusion should be given at the end with a mention of the steps taken by you proactively in the report and also with a request for further instructions or whatever deems fit to the subject asked for in the question. ( It carries marks.)

9. From Address and Signature:

10. Finally, the from address/designation stamp under your signature is a must for reports. ( It carries marks.)

11. Body of the Report:

The main essence with reasoning/logic, rulings, examples, precedents, reports based on which the inference is made in the paras can be highlighted. Anything that is sought for from the other side may be mentioned. ( It carries marks.)

12. Show your grip on  the subject:

  It is easier said than done. It is a fact that we know many rules and had rich experience on the subject. But, until you express it on paper(particularly exam), the evaluator does not come to know that you know. ( It gives an edge over others.)

13. So, your aim is to make the evaluator know that you know well.That to happen, you need to express in a proper way that depicts your grip on the subject with minute details.
14. Be brief, but be authentic in information/communication flow. No grammar mistakes; Never miss the Sequence. Avoid Repetition of words by using a variant (a different phrase with more or less the same meaning). 

15. Quote rules:

Quote rules wherever necessary and highlight them by underlining them to grab the attention of the examiner. ( It carries marks & gives an edge over others.)

You may ask: What if you don`t know the exact rule number?

You may write the relevant ruling head topic. For example: As per SB Act, OR as per PO SB (CBS) Manual or as per Post office Life Insurance Rules, 2011, etc. 

You may further say if you are not sure about the ruling head topic also.

Viola, you may simply say as per rules on the subject. That’s it. But, do remember that one who writes ruling will have an edge on those who did not mention it. But, you don’t want to get disturbed by that, so, this is the final resort.

16. How to make your noting and drafting evaluator friendly?

Be in the shoes of the evaluator, he will be entrusted with more than 50 papers to correct in a day manually. If you are given that job for a while, imagine what you do?

You will go by principles of evaluation given by the Department wherein marks are to be awarded for each item specifically.

Say, for example, 1 mark for case-mark, date, and location; 1 mark for From and To address, introduction, 1 mark for the subject line, 1mark for sub-headers(sub-headings), 4 marks for Body, 1/2 mark for the conclusion, 1/2 mark for the ruling position, 1/2 for what it is asked for specifically in the question. 

In such a case, what you will do?

You will check for those items from the draft written by the candidate in the paper. sometimes, you may find it difficult to find what you are searching for, if the draft is clumsy or not neat, or not highlighted.

suppose the candidate highlighted those items that carry marks, then it makes your (evaluator) job. Am I correct?

So, come back as a candidate, what you have to do now as a candidate to facilitate the evaluator?

Obviously, you start highlighting those items that carry marks.

How? you don’t have a computer to make it italic or bold or color it?

Seems impossible? No, not at all.

(i) Make it italic by slant writing: Practise slant writing (slanting towards the right) at home for 1 or 2 days; you are good to go now.

(ii) Make bold by rewriting: Rewrite on the same line already written to make it thick, ya it is as good as bold.

(iii) Use CAPITAL Letters:

If you can not color it, leave it. You can use CAPITAL Letters(as I made it for HALCI in the draft above) to draw the attention of the evaluator.

(iv) Underline:

You always have the liberty to underline those important rulings or menus or examples you would want to draw attention to.

***   ***   ***

Styles in Notes and Drafts- The Usual mistakes

Noting & Drafting looks elegant if correct form/structure without any redundancy is used.

The correct form of drafting is as follows:

SLNO	Wrong (instead of )	Correct (use this )
1.	Informations	Information/ pieces of information
2.	The same	it
3.	Therein, thereon	In it, or on it
4.	Make the assessment	assess
5.	Purchase	Buy
6.	commence	begin
7.	Omitted to, failed to	Did not
8.	Make enquires	Enquires
9.	Building purposes	Buildings
10.	Has been omitted to be entered in the register	Has been omitted from the register
11.	For being	To be
12.	For doing	To do
13.	Returned for being stamped	To be stamped
14.	In case in which	When, where, if
15.	Necessary entries, necessary corrections, necessary instructions	Use ‘’necessary’’ sparingly
16.	Do the needful	Do what is necessary;
17.	Avail, avail of; The leave was availed of; I availed of the leave; he is permitted to avail the holidays	Took the leave
18.	Available, not readily available	Avoid the word’’ available’’
19.	To kindly state	Kindly to state
20.	The Deputy Commissioner will, in the circumstances now stated, be requested	In the Circumstances now stated, the Deputy Commissioner will be requested to________’’
21.	Marginally noted; having marginal notes	Noted in margin
22.	Plan marked;	Marked with plans
23.	The figure for 1949, 1950 and 1951 were 256,257 and 348 respectively	The figure for 1949 was 256, that for 1950 was 257 and that for 1951was 348.
24.	Former, later	Avoid these words
25.	With reference to; with advertence to	In reply to, As directed in; In their order—–Govt directed–
26.	Hand over	Give
27.	As well as	And
28.	In case	If
29.	I am unable to	I cannot
30.	As to whether	Whether
31.	As against as compared with	Against compared with
32.	penultimate	Last but one
33.	Make an application	Apply
34.	I am directed to request that you will be so good as to furnish me with information as to whether	I am directed to enquire whether
35.	Dispose it off	Dispose of it
36.	Tear off	Tear up
37.	Stick up	Stick in
38.	Slips have been pasted	Pasted-in
39.	Papers have been stitched	Stitched together/sewn together
40.	In lieu of	Instead of
41.	Proceeded;	Went to
42.	reside	Dwell/live
43.	label	Stamp
44.	cover	Envelope/letter
45.	Enough of money	Enough money
46.	None made an offer	No one made an offer
47.	It is not used by any	It is not used by anyone
48.	This is known to all	Everyone knows this
49.	There is no use of sending	It is no use sending; there is no use in sending; it is no use to send
50.	He was absent in his house	He was away, OR he was not at home; was out
51.	He did not address the letter and did not also stamp it	Nor did he stamp it.
52.	I enquired into the witness	Examine witnesses; enquire into a case
53.	Investigate into a case	Investigates it
54.	My family members	Members of my family; Male members of my family
55.	Through =past; cross= went past I went through the temple. I crossed the temple	Cross river; crossroad (from one side to other)
56.	Has breathed his last; is no more;	Is dead
57.	You should insist on the secretary to reply	Should insist on his replying…
58.	Govt sanctioned a peon to the Manager	Govt sanctioned a peon for the manager
59.	Petitioner wants that the land should be transferred	Petitioner wants the land transferred/to be transferred
60.	Make enquiries	Enquire
61.	Omitted to be entered	Omitted
62.	For being	To be
63.	For doing	To do
64.	For being stamped	To be stamped
65.	The question as to whether	Question whether
66.	Under the circumstances	In the circumstances
67.	You are kindly requested to look into the matter personally	Will, you kindly look into the matter personally; will you be kind enough to look into the matter personally.
68.	Cope up with it	Cope with it
69.	I am well and wish to hear the same from you	I am well and hope you are well
70.	Please Furnish a copy; furnish the details	Please forward(supply) a copy; please forward(supply) the details