PREFACE The Right to Information Act 2005 is a historic legislation in the annals of democracy in India. One of the major objective of this Act is to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority by enabling citizens to access information held by or under the control of public authorities. In pursuance of this Act, the RTI Cell of National Archives of India had brought out the first version of the Handbook in 2006 with a view to provide information about the National Archives of India on the basis of the guidelines issued by DOPT. The revised version of the handbook comprehensively explains the legal provisions and functioning of National Archives of India. I feel happy to present before you the revised and updated version of the handbook as done very meticulously by the RTI Cell. I am thankful to Dr.Meena Gautam, Deputy Director of Archives & Central Public Information Officer and S/Shri Ashok Kaushik, Archivist and Shri Uday Shankar, Assistant Archivist of RTI Cell for assisting in updating the present edition. I trust this updated publication will familiarize the public with the mandate, structure and functioning of the NAI. LOV VERMA JOINT SECRETARY & DGA Dated: 2008 Place: New Delhi Table of Contents S.No. Particulars Page No. ============================================================= 1 . Introduction 1-3 2. Particulars of Organization, Functions & Duties 4-11 3. Powers and Duties of Officers and Employees 12-21 4. Rules, Regulations, Instructions, 22-27 Manual and Records for discharging Functions 5. Particulars of any arrangement that exist for 28-29 consultation with or representation by the members of the Public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof 6. A statement of the categories of documents 30-101 that are under its control or held by it 7. A statement of Boards, Council, Committees 102-113 and other bodies constituted as its part 8. The names, designations and other particulars 114-115 of the Public Information Officers 9. Procedure followed in decision making process 116-117 10. Directory of Officers and Employees 118-123 11. The monthly remuneration received by each 124 of its Officers and Employees 12. The Budget allocated to each Agency 125-134 (particulars of all Plans proposed Expenditures and report on Disbursement made) 13. The manner of execution of Subsidy programmes 135-138 14. Particulars of recipients of concessions, 139 permits or authorization granted by it 15. Norms set by it for the discharge of its Functions 140 16. Information available in an Electronic Form 141 17 Particulars of the facilities available to 142 Citizens for obtaining Information 18. Other useful information 143-154 ANNEXURES S.No. Particulars Page Nos. =================================================================== 1. Annexure I Duties of Employees 155-168 2. Annexure II Public Records Act, 1993 169-175 3. Annexure III Public Records Rules, 1997 176-185 4. Annexure IV Archival Advisory Board 186 5. Annexure V Indian Historical Records Commission 187-194 6. Annexure VI National Committee of Archivists 195-196 7. Annexure VII Board of Studies 197-198 8. Annexure VIII Historical Document Purchase Committee 199-200 9. Annexure IX Scheme of Financial Assistance to State/ 201-208 Union Territories Archival Repositories, Government Libraries and Museums 10. Annexure X Financial Assistance for Preservation of 209-223 Manuscripts/ Rare Books 11. Annexure XI Schedule of Delegation of Powers-Administrative 224-228 and Financial-to different officers of National Archives of India, Regional Office and Record Centers 12 Annexure XII Monthly Remuneration of the Officers 229-241 and Employees 13. Annexure XIII Right to Information Act 2005 242-259 14. Annexure IV Fee Regulations 260-263 CHAPTER I Introduction BACKGROUND This handbook has been prepared with reference to the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 with a view to provide the public with the desired information about National Archives of India (NAI), an attached office of Ministry of Culture. DEFINITIONS a. ‘Archives’ means the Repository ; b. "appraisal" means the evaluation of public records in association with the National Archives of India or Archives of the Union Territory as the case may be; c. "classified records" means the files relating to the public records classified as top-secret, secret, confidential and restricted in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Manual of Departmental Security Instruction circulated by the Ministry of Home affairs from time to time; d. "custody" means the possession of public records; e. "defunct body" means a corporate or non-corporate body which has been wound up with no successor to carry on its functions; f. "declassification" means downgrade the security classification after their evaluation; g. "file" means a collection of papers relating to the public records on a specific subject- matter consisting of correspondence, notes and appendix there to and assigned with a file number; h. "form" means the form appended to these rules; i. “non current records” means the record no longer needed for current issues/working; j. "private records" means records lying in the possession of a private individual or with any non-governmental organization; k. "public records" includes - i. any document, manuscript and file; ii. any microfilm, microfiche and facsimile copy of a document; iii. any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm (whether enlarged or not); and iv. any other material produced by a computer or by any other device, of any records creating agency; l. "records creating agency" includes, - i. in relation to the Central Government, any ministry, department or office of the Government; ii. in relation to any statutory body or corporation wholly or substantially controlled or financed by the Central Government or commission or any committee constituted by that Government, the offices of the said body, corporation, commission or committee; iii. in relation to a Union Territory Administration, any department or office of that Administration; iv. in relation to any statutory body or corporation wholly or, substantially controlled or financed by Union territory Administration or commission or any committee constituted by that Government, the offices of the said body, corporation, commission or committee; m. "recording" means the process of closing a file after action on all issue considered thereon has been completed; n. "records of permanent nature" means the public records being maintained after recording for a period specified, under sub-rule (1) of rule 5 by the records creating agency in accordance with the procedure laid in its Manual of Office Procedure or Instructions on the subject; o. "retention Schedule of records" means a schedule which provides the period of retention; p. "review" means periodical evaluation of recorded files on the expiry of the period of retention for determining their further retention or destruction as the case may be; q. "section" means the section of the Act; r. “semi current records” means the dormant stage/transitive period of the record in between its current and noncurrent stages; s. "standing guard file" means a compilation of papers on a particular subject-matter consisting of copies of policy decision, orders, instructions or any another matter incidental thereto arranged in a chronological order; CONTACT PERSON FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Dr.(Mrs) Meena Gautam Deputy Director of Archives and Central Public Information Officer National Archives of India Janpath, New Delhi-110001 Tel : 011-23388557 Fax : 011-23384127, 011 2338 5967 e-mail : [email protected] CHAPTER 2 Particulars of Organisation, Functions and Duties OBECTIVE/PURPOSE The National Archives of India is the repository of the non-current records of the Government of India and its predecessor bodies preserved for the use of administration and scholars. It also have a key role in guiding and shaping the development of the Archives both at National Archives of India as well as at the State Level. BRIEF HISTORY The National Archives of India was established in 1891 at Calcutta as a result of the efforts of the British Government of India to find a permanent solution to the problem of storage and preservation of their ever increasing bulk of records and was known as the Imperial Record Department headed by an ‘Officer-in-charge of the records of Government of India’. Following the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi, in 1911, it was shifted to Delhi and the designation; ‘Officer-in-charge’ was changed to ‘Keeper of Records’ in late 1915. After independence in 1947, the organization was re- named as National Archives of India headed by ‘Director of Archives’ and later by ‘Director-General of Archives’ since 01.6.1990. Presently, it is an Attached Office under the Union Ministry of Culture having a Regional Office at Bhopal and Record Centres at Jaipur, Bhubaneswar and Pondicherry. The aims of National Archives of India are to encourage the scientific management, administration and conservation of records all over the country; to foster close relations between Archivists and Archival institutions both at the National and International level; to encourage greater liberalization of access to archival holdings; to help in developing greater professionalism and a scientific temper among creators, custodians and users, proper care and use of our documentary heritage; to help in spreading a feeling of national pride in our documentary