🎬 Video explanationRecords Management, Filing and Indexing (अभिलेख व्यवस्थापन)
⏱ 4 min read
📘 Kharidar syllabus: Paper II, Section A, Units 1.3.1, 1.3.2 and 1.3.4 · Open the full Kharidar course
Record management (अभिलेख व्यवस्थापन) has four sub-units: records, modern technology, filing and indexing. Filing methods are in Filing and Records Management; this note covers the other three.
1. Record (अभिलेख): meaning
A record is any document or information, on paper or electronic, created or received by an office in the course of its work and kept as evidence: letters, files, registers, minutes, accounts, maps, photos, emails and databases.
2. Purpose of records
- Evidence of decisions and actions (accountability).
- Memory of the office: past decisions guide future work.
- Legal proof in disputes and audits.
- Basis for planning, reports and statistics.
- Protection of rights of citizens and the state (land, citizenship, accounts).
3. Types of records
| Basis | Types |
|---|---|
| Importance and life | Permanent (स्थायी), long-term, temporary (अस्थायी) |
| Form | Paper (physical), electronic (digital), audio-visual |
| Security | Open, confidential (गोप्य) |
| Use | Active (चालु) and inactive (निष्क्रिय) |
4. Indexing (अनुक्रमणिका)
An index is a guide or list that shows where a file or document is kept, so it can be found quickly. It is like the index at the end of a book.
- Importance: saves time, avoids loss of files, helps quick decisions, shows what records exist.
- Types: page index (पृष्ठ अनुक्रमणिका), card index, vowel/alphabetical index, visible index, subject-wise index, and computer (database) index.
- Good index: simple, accurate, updated, easy to expand.
| Index type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Page index | Book or register with pages for each letter or subject |
| Card index | One card per file, arranged in drawers alphabetically |
| Visible index | Cards overlapping so the titles are visible at a glance |
| Computer index | Database searchable by name, number, date or keyword |
5. Modern technology in record management
- Digitisation: scanning old paper records into electronic form.
- Database and file-tracking software: search records by keyword, number or date.
- e-Patra / electronic document systems: paperless letters and darta–chalani.
- Cloud and server backup: copies kept safely in another place.
- Microfilm for long-term archiving.
- Security: passwords, access control and regular backups protect electronic records.
- Advantages: fast search, less space, easy sharing, less loss. Challenges: cost, training, cyber security and power or internet problems.
6. Life cycle of a record
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Creation or receipt | A letter is written or received, a file is opened, or data is entered. |
| 2. Use (active) | The record is used often for current work and kept close at hand. |
| 3. Maintenance | It is filed, indexed and protected from damage, loss and misuse. |
| 4. Inactive storage | When rarely used, it moves to a record room or archive but can still be found. |
| 5. Disposal | Records whose keeping period is over are destroyed by an approved process, while important ones go to the National Archives. |
Records must not be destroyed at will. Offices follow the rules on keeping periods, and records of historical value are protected under the Archives Preservation Act, 2046.
7. Worked example: making a simple alphabetical index
An office has personal files of staff kept in numbered boxes. A clerk makes an alphabetical index:
| Name | File number | Box / shelf |
|---|---|---|
| Adhikari, Sita | PF-014 | Box 2, Shelf A |
| Bhandari, Ram | PF-003 | Box 1, Shelf A |
| Chaudhary, Hari | PF-021 | Box 3, Shelf A |
| Gurung, Maya | PF-009 | Box 1, Shelf B |
- Names are written surname first and arranged A–Z.
- Each entry shows the file number and exact place, so anyone can find the file in seconds.
- When a new staff member joins, a new line is added in the right alphabetical place.
- In a computer index, the same table becomes a searchable database by name, file number or section.
8. Common problems and solutions
- Files not found when needed: keep an up-to-date index and a file movement register showing who took which file.
- Damage from damp, insects or fire: use dry rooms, proper shelves, fire safety and digitise important records.
- Loss of electronic data: take regular backups and keep a copy in another place.
- Unauthorised access: lock confidential files and use passwords and user rights for digital records.
9. How this topic is asked in the exam
- Objective: the meaning of record (अभिलेख) and index (अनुक्रमणिका), types of index, and types of record.
- Short answer: “Write the importance of indexing” or “Write the use of modern technology in record management.”
- Practical: “Prepare an index of given files” — arrange them alphabetically with file number and place, as in section 7.
📌 Key points to remember
- A record is information kept as evidence of office work, on paper or electronically.
- Records give accountability, legal proof and office memory.
- Types: permanent/temporary, paper/electronic, open/confidential, active/inactive.
- Index = guide showing where a file is kept; types: page, card, visible, computer.
- Modern tools: digitisation, database, e-Patra, backup, access control.
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Records, Indexing (अनुक्रमणिका) and Modern Technology in Record Management
Practise Record (अभिलेख): meaning, Types of records and Modern technology in record management with 50 questions. Each attempt picks 25 at random.
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