Rule 288 — GFR 2017
Original Rule Text
Rule 288
(1) Service Book. Detailed Rules for
maintenance of Service Books are
contained
in
SRs.
Service
Books
maintained in the establishment should
be verified every year by the Head of
Office who, after satisfying himself that
the services of Government servants
concerned are correctly recorded in each
Service Book shall record the following
certificate “Service verified from ……(the
date record from which the verification is
made)
........................................upto
…….................(date)…………”
Rule 288
(2) The service book of a government
servant shall be maintained in duplicate.
First
copy
shall
be
retained
and
maintained by the Head of the Office and
the second copy should be given to the
government servant for safe custody as
indicated below:-
(i)
To the existing employees -
within six months of the date on
which
these
rules
become
effective, if not already given.
(ii)
To new appointees - within one
month
of
the
date
What This Means
This rule outlines the essential procedures for managing 'Service Books' for government employees. A Service Book is a comprehensive record of an employee's entire career, detailing appointments, promotions, leave, and other significant service events. The rule mandates that the Head of Office must annually verify these records to ensure their accuracy and completeness. Following this yearly check, the Head of Office is required to sign a specific certificate confirming the verification.
A key aspect of this rule is the requirement for every government employee to possess a duplicate copy of their Service Book. The original copy remains with the office, while the employee receives a second copy for their safe keeping. This provision was to be implemented promptly: within six months for existing employees and within one month for new appointees. Furthermore, every January, employees are required to submit their personal copy of the Service Book to the office for necessary updates, and the office must return it to them within thirty days.
Finally, the rule addresses situations where an employee's personal copy is lost, stipulating that it can be replaced upon payment of Rs. 500. It also strongly recommends the digitisation of all Service Books. This measure aims to facilitate easy reference and prevent potential issues that could arise from the loss of physical records.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- 1The Head of Office must annually verify and certify the accuracy of all government employees' Service Books.
- 2Every government employee must be provided with a duplicate copy of their Service Book for safe keeping.
- 3Existing employees were to receive their duplicate copy within six months of the rules' effectiveness, and new hires within one month of appointment.
- 4Government employees must submit their personal Service Book copy to the office every January for updating.
- 5The office is required to update and return the employee's Service Book within 30 days of receipt.
- 6A lost employee copy of the Service Book can be replaced upon payment of Rs. 500.
- 7All Service Books should be digitised to ensure easy access and prevent issues related to physical loss.
Practical Example
Imagine Mr. Sharma is the Head of Office at the Department of Rural Development. Every year, typically in March, he initiates the annual verification process for all Service Books under his charge. He assigns Ms. Priya, the Senior Administrative Officer, to meticulously cross-check the entries in each Service Book against official records like appointment letters, promotion orders, leave registers, and pay fixation documents. For instance, she verifies that Mr. Anil Kumar's promotion from Assistant to Section Officer in 2020 is correctly recorded with the right date and pay scale. After Ms. Priya completes her review and addresses any discrepancies, Mr. Sharma personally reviews a sample and then signs the required certificate in each Service Book, stating, "Service verified from 01.04.2023 upto 31.03.2024."
In January, all employees, including Ms. Geeta, an UDC, hand over their personal copies of the Service Book to the administration section. The section updates Ms. Geeta's book with her recent training completion and a change in her home address. They ensure it's returned to her by the end of January, well within the 30-day limit. If, hypothetically, Ms. Geeta had lost her copy, she would have to pay Rs. 500 to get a new one issued. Meanwhile, the department is also working on a project to scan and upload all physical Service Books into a secure digital database, following the recommendation to digitise them for better record management.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.