OFFICIAL NOTING

1. Introduction.
2. Definition of a note.
3. When note is required.
4. When note is not required.
5. Requirement of a note.
6. Objective of a note.
7. Advantages of noting.
8. Structure of a note:
a) First Part
b) Second Part
c) Third Part
9. Good noting.
10. Bad noting.
11. Checks and counter checks.
 INTRODUCTION
Note is the minutes recorded on the note portion of the
file to settle a matter while remaining in the framework
of Rules and Regulations. A note is initiated usually by
a grade 17 Officer in the Federal secretariat on file
describing the case which is under consideration. Two
or three alternatives can be proposed to settle the
issue. In other words, a note is a statement of facts
describing the issue under consideration, suggesting
course of action to reach a decision.
 DEFINITION

A note means an officer's views in

writing on a file within a prescribed
procedural framework to facilitate
the high ups to decide the case
under consideration.
WHEN NOTING IS REQUIRED
Whenever a condition arises that a matter is
to be decided by a Senior Officer, a note is recorded in
file. It is always prepared within certain procedural
framework such as:
i) It should clearly state the point
under consideration.

ii) Brief background of the case may also be

given in order to highlight the facts of the case.
iii) Mis-statement of facts, if any, should
also be pointed out while writing a
note.
iv) The statutory instructions should be
adopted while dealing with a case, such
as consultation with the other Ministries
/Divisions as indicated in the Rules of
Business.
v) After a brief description of the
facts of the case, the Rules /
Regulations that are applicable in
the case under consideration
are mentioned. A copy of the
relevant Rules is often placed in
the correspondence portion.
vi) Relevant precedents may also be
quoted, if required.
vii) In the final portion of a note, the
points for decisions are highlighted
again and course of action is
suggested. In this regard you may
propose a few alternates and
suggest the best course of action.
WHEN NOTING IS NOT REQUIRED
No noting is required when the officer
himself is competent to dispose of a matter
under certain clear cut instructions, orders
or delegated powers.
Similarly when a case is already decided
by a senior officer and he has asked for a draft
reply, the noting is not required unless there is
any point which has been escaped from the
notice of the senior officer.
 REQUIREMENTS OF A NOTE

1. All notes are written on the note

sheet and no note should be recorded on
the receipt itself.

2. If a higher officer has given some

minutes on the receipt, these should be
copied out on the note sheet before
subsequent notes are recorded.
3. The officer recording the note should
affix his signature on the right side of the
note sheet where the note ends. His / her
name, designation and date should also
be typed or rubber stamped below
his / her signature.
 OBJECTIVE OF A NOTE

A note is written to assist the competent

authority to decide a matter easily. It
helps the seniors to study the whole picture
of a case as portrayed by the junior
officers. The decision of the matter is the
end point of a note.
OBJECTIVE OF A NOTE…Contd.

A well written note leads to correct decision

and a badly composed note may lead to
confusion, wastage of time and ultimately
to a bad or wrong decision.
ADVANTAGES OF NOTING
a. It presents the various aspects of a
matter in a clear perspective and
bring out pros and cons of the
point under consideration.

b. It put down the views of the writer

in black and white and records the
precise reason for adopting a
particular course of action
considered to be the best out of all
possible courses.
c. A note is a record of discussion
leading to a particular decision. It
can be used as precedent for future
references.

d. Recorded notes help in understanding

reasons for a particular decision, and
in finding out, at what level the
decision was taken.

e. Responsibility for a particular

decision can be fixed on the bases of
recorded note.
f. Note enables people who come
afterwards to pick up the tasks
where others left.

g. A note is a historical record and

source of information for the
coming officials.
STRUCTURE OF A NOTE

A note has three main parts:

1. First Part: It gives the brief introduction

of the case under consideration.

2. Second Part: Main points. Mis-statement

of facts if any. Relevant rules, policy of govt.
precedents if any.

3. Third Part: Third part is the conclusion.

It may be in the form of a proposal or
recommendation or suggestion.
QUALITIES OF GOOD NOTING

a. Paragraphs of a note should be

numbered continuously from the
beginning onwards.

b. It should be temperate, objective

and free from personal remarks.

c. It should embody all the relevant

material about a case concisely,
but should not repeat facts,
arguments, words and phrases.
d. There should be sequence in
narration. The points which
should be stated in the
beginning must be so stated and
those which should appear in
the end, must come at the end. A
disjoined statement of facts
will confuse the reader.

e. The expression should be clear,

precise and simple.
f. It should be properly documented and
referenced.

g. All previous papers, precedents,

rules and regulations orders, etc. which
are relied upon in a note, should, as far as
possible, be put up with it, and
referenced.
BAD NOTING
1. Reproduction of PUC or FR
should be avoided. The case
under consideration should be
explained briefly in your own
words.

2. Un-necessary details and

information contribute to bad
noting.
3. Incorrect statement and
unauthenticated facts lead to
wrong decision and therefore
adds to bad noting.

4. Personal biases and prejudices

make a note bad.

5. Use of flowery language, long

sentence and foreign words are
considered bad noting.
CHECKS AND COUNTER CHECKS
1. Read the P.U.C. carefully. It will
help you to understand the
procedure to be adopted for
settling a matter.

2. Know the facts of the case.

Your personal interest in
the case will help you to find
out any misstatement of
facts or data.
3. Review the pertinent files,
relevant to the case and search
out the Rules / Regulations
that are applicable in the case.

4. The policy of the Government

should also be kept in mind
while writing a note.
5. Do not forget to mention the
misstatement of facts or data if any
in you note.

6. Review grammar, spelling and

punctuation marks of your
note before signing it.

7. Make sure that the file is

properly referenced and flagged
before its submission to the
higher officer.
SPECIMEN OF NOTE
56. Ministry of Law, Justice & Human
Rights vide FR have requested for posting of Mr.
Muhammad Naeem, Section Officer,
Establishment Division for posting in Provincial
Program Management Units (PPMU) of Punjab
on deputation basis for a period of three years.

57. It is pointed here that Ministry of Law,

Justice & Human Rights have earlier requested
for nomination of OMG officers for posting in
PPMUs of Punjab, NWFP and Baluchistan under
Access to Justice Program on deputation basis.
58. The nomination of Mr. Muhammad
Naeem, Section Officer, Establishment Division
was forwarded to Ministry of Law, Justice &
Human Rights for posting in PPMU, Punjab on
deputation basis.
59. It is submitted here that Mr.
Muhammad Naeem was appointed as Section
Officer on the basis of Section Officers
Promotional Examination 1999. The officer
remained posted in the Cabinet Division,
Finance Division and Establishment Division.
He has not availed any posting/appointment on
deputation during his entire service. He is also
desirous for posting in Lahore due to some
domestic problems.
60. It is stated here that the officer can be
posted on deputation basis on standard terms
and conditions of deputation contained in
Establishment Division’s OM No. 1/13/87-R-I,
dated 3-12-1990.

61. It is, proposed that as desired by

Ministry of Law, Justice & Human Rights we may
place the services of Mr. Muhammad Naeem,
Section Officer, Establishment Division at their
disposal for further posting in PPMU Punjab on
deputation basis.
62. Submitted for approval of Secretary.

(Muhammad Ijaz Ghani)

Section Officer (OMG-II)
DS (OMG)