Assignment Code: ASP-01/TMA/2022-23

Course Code: ASP-01

Assignment Name: Secretarial Practice

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions:

1. Who are eligible to be appointed as secretary of a government department? Briefly explain the administrative and executive functions of the secretary of a government department. (5+15)

Ans) The Latin word "Secretarius," which means "the keeper of secrets" or "the confidential officer," is actually where the word "secretary" comes from. Similar to how the Manual of Secretarial Practice describes the secretary's profession as one of the oldest, it also states that "wherever a man of action was, there was a man of the pen to record his deeds.” Therefore, generally speaking, the following characteristics of a "secretary" can be stated:

1. The secretary is a person, male or female.

2. He/she should be able to perform the works of confidential nature.

3. He/she works for another person an organization.

4. He/she holds an official position.

In today's society, the secretary holds a key position in business, industry, social organisations, clubs, government agencies, and even with famous people like statesmen, doctors, lawyers, and members of parliament. Conducting correspondence and maintaining records and accounts are among his responsibilities. as well as serving as the employee's public relations representative and drafting minutes and reports.

Only by considering a secretary's position in relation to his employer and the tasks he is expected to complete can the nature of his or her job be explained. The secretary may hold a position of great responsibility within the organisation he works for, or his duties may be limited to simple clerical work or serving as a confidential assistant, depending on the specifics of his employment contract. Basically, the secretary's role depends on the nature and significance of his function. It also depends on the employer's ability and willingness to carry out responsible work as well as the organization's size, nature, and willingness to delegate work with responsibility. The secretary's responsibilities may also be governed by legal rights, obligations, and liabilities, as in the case of a corporation.

As part of his job, the secretary is accountable for planning and overseeing the daily operations of the office. This entails organising, supervising, controlling, and performing routine clerical tasks like correspondence, record-keeping, accounts, and so forth. Convening meetings by giving notice, making the necessary preparations for the meetings to be held, maintaining a record of the proceedings at the meeting, etc. are all examples of the secretarial work that needs to be supervised and coordinated. As the office's administrative leader, a secretary is responsible for handling all issues involving the office staff, including hiring and selecting staff, assigning tasks, keeping track of performance, and upholding office decorum.

Depending on the terms and conditions of his employment, the activities of his employer, and his position within the organisation, the responsibilities of a secretary can vary greatly. The responsibilities of an "Executive Secretary" and a "Routine Secretary" can be broadly distinguished. The executive head of the office, responsible for overseeing daily office operations, is typically a "Routine" secretary. His responsibilities primarily involve planning and managing office operations, or effectively and economically providing clerical services to the organisation.

The secretary's responsibilities are similar to those of a line executive when it comes to office activities related to general services like correspondence, record maintenance, etc. for all departments. These responsibilities include selecting, training, placing, and compensating office staff; providing forms, stationery, machines, and equipment required for office work; and creating a pleasant work environment for the office staff so they can effectively carry out their duties. In addition to the aforementioned general services, the departmental staff also performs some office tasks in various functional departments. The secretary performs the duties of a staff officer in terms of these office activities and provides advice to the departmental heads.

2. “The success or failure of a meeting depends on its chairman.” Elucidate the statement with special reference to the powers and duties of the chairman of a meeting. (10+10)

Ans)

Duties Before the Meeting

1. Depending on the purpose and significance of the meeting and anticipated attendance, the secretary should choose the date, time, and location of the meeting in consultation with the chairman.

2. If it is a general body meeting, the secretary should then make arrangements to reserve the hall or conference room. However, if it is a small meeting, such as a board or committee meeting, it can be scheduled on the grounds of the organisation or in a tiny conference room.

3. The notice and agenda must be prepared by the secretary, who will then have them printed, if necessary, after receiving the chairman's approval.

4. He will set up the mailing of agenda papers and notices using a postal certificate. Papers may be handed out if it is a small meeting with only local members.

Dudes During the Meeting

1. The secretary should be present at the location on the scheduled meeting day well in advance of the start of the meeting to oversee the various arrangements. He must make alternative plans in the event that he cannot arrive before the meeting begins.

2. He should inspect the seating arrangements in the main hall and on the dias. He ought to delegate to the stewards the responsibility of looking over any admission cards and directing attendees to their proper seats. Press representatives should have their own arril1gemeno.

3. He should personally make sure that supplies of writing instruments, such as pencils, writing paper, and pins, are available and kept in the right locations. He must also check that everyone is receiving refreshments and that the water arrangements are in place.

4. He is responsible for ensuring that attendance is accurately noted in the Attendance Register. Before the meeting starts, he should be aware of the precise attendance to determine whether the required quorum is present.

5. He should make the necessary preparations for distribution if copies of Chaman's Speech, the Secretary's Report, or other Financial Statements are to be distributed to members. Prior to the start of the meeting, the papers can be distributed to the attendees at the entrance or set up on each desk or table. He needs to direct people accordingly.

6. He needs to make sure the minutes book, notices, report, etc. are nearby his seat, which ought to be close to the chairman's.

7. The secretary should ensure that a person is nominated as the meeting's chairman in accordance with the rules and regulations in the event that there is no permanent chairman, or the permanent chairman is not present.

Duties After the Meeting

After the meeting, the secretary should do the following:

1. Using the meeting notes as a guide, he should draught the minutes and get the chairman's approval before submitting them.

2. The secretary should record the minutes in the Minutes Book following the chairman's approval. He should make arrangements to distribute copies of the minutes to all members within the allotted time, as needed. He should take good care of the Minutes Book.

3. Following that, the secretary should carry out his plans, send letters, copies of resolutions, and returns to the relevant authorities.

4. He is responsible for carrying out all decisions, such as those regarding appointments, the dispatch of papers, dividend warrants, share certificates, etc., and for following all applicable formalities.

5. Additionally, he should make plans to send press releases when necessary.

6. He should now proceed to make plans to call the subsequent meeting.

3. (a) What are the basic principles of business correspondence? (b)Write a complaint from Hari Ram to the Railway Authorities, Bareilly, that a railway parcel sent to his address has not reached. (10+10)

Ans) Business letter writing requires the application of specific communication principles in order to effectively convey any message. They offer standards for presentational content and tone. The following fundamental rules of business correspondence should be kept in mind when writing a business letter.

Clarity

The most important requirement for a letter is its clarity of content. Always avoid using difficult words that require the use of a dictionary and flowery expressions and poetic language. The language used should be clear and unambiguous. The letter must convey to the recipient exactly what the author is trying to say.

Coherence

The coherence or unity of a letter heavily influences how clear it is. A letter should, therefore, be written logically and with consistency of thought. A proper flow of thought should go from one to the next. The subject needs to be organised, and that organisation needs to be expressed in the right words.

Brevity

A successful business letter will be brief and precise. Only a letter writer with a wide vocabulary at his disposal can write concisely. A long letter with unnecessary details makes the writer and the business organisation look bad. However, completeness or clarity shouldn't be compromised in the name of being brief. The letter must specify all of its goals in detail.

Courtesy and Friendliness

Always be courteous and polite when writing a business letter. Never consider bluntness to be a sign of strength when writing a business letter. On the other hand, an offensive attitude expressed through the letter is only likely to result in a bad impression. In other words, a business letter ought to be respectful and friendly.

Simplicity and Natural Flow

A business letter needs to be concise, written in clear, everyday language, and have a smooth sentence structure. Avoid using flowery language and high-flown expressions. The letter shouldn't use quotations or artificial-sounding, pedantic (bookish) language. The message that is meant to be communicated should make an effort to feel personal.

Complaint from Hari Ram to the Railway Authorities, Bareilly, that a railway parcel sent to his address has not reached:

15 – A

Green Avenue

City

November 27, 2022

The Stationmaster

Railway Station

City

Subject: Complaint against damaged parcel

Sir,

I am writing to your good self to lodge against the poor freight service. My parcel was transported by my brother from Vijayawada on November 12, 2022, by train number 34198. It was a beautiful table. I received the parcel on November 20, 2022, at the station itself. However, when I opened the parcel to see whether any damage had been done to it or not, I found the table in bad shape. One of its legs was broken. There were many scratches on its new surface. It means the parcel had not been treated with care during the transportation. I appeal to you to look into the matter and take strict action against the careless personnel concerned.

Yours truly,

Amit Parekh

4. Distinguish between the following: (10+10)

a) Publicity and advertisement

Ans) Publicity is a very common practise that involves both official and informal means of disseminating information about a business or a specific product. It is an unpaid form of marketing strategy that frequently relies on outside sources like the media and the general public. Prior to a product's release, word-of-mouth promotion is the main goal.

Publicity is a very common practise that involves both official and informal means of disseminating information about a business or a specific product. It is an unpaid form of marketing strategy that frequently relies on outside sources like the media and the general public. Prior to a product's release, word-of-mouth promotion is the main goal.

Advertisement

1. The practise of paid promotion for a business to increase sales is known as advertising.

2. The businesses use advertising to draw in potential clients and investors.

3. Every business allocates a portion of its capital to pay for advertising, carry out marketing plans, etc.

4. As long as a business wants to promote a brand, advertising is a long-term strategy that uses a variety of media.

5. Sales are a direct reflection of how advertising has affected them.

Publicity

1. The process of third parties participating in an unpaid promotion is known as publicity.

2. Since the word is spread to both potential customers and the general public, publicity affects a wider audience base.

3. Publicity has no specific costs because it is more of an unpaid promotion strategy.

4. Since publicity is geared toward achieving short-term objectives, it ends quickly.

5. Publicity can aid in establishing a brand's reputation.

b) Formal and Informal Reports

Ans) Both formal and informal reports may be used by management in day-to-day operations. Formal reports are those that are created in accordance with established procedures and are delivered through the appropriate channels. These reports are created in accordance with a legal mandate or established protocol. Formal reports are typically submitted by various official also of companies. Because of their consistent organisation and presentation, managers can easily understand the facts presented in these reports.

In contrast to formal reports, which are purely analytical, informal reports typically do not adhere to any set format or submission procedure. Informal reports are just as important and helpful as formal reports, but they are used less frequently in the real world of business. Informal reports don't always follow the same format. They are prepared in accordance with the organization's convenience and needs. These reports could either inform or make recommendations. They could be written as a letter or as a person-to-person communication. Informal reports are necessary to gather in-depth information, investigate a situation, report on an event, comment on the status of the project, propose a specific operating strategy, etc. The following formats are possible for informal reports:

1. Short Reports: These are delivered in the form of a straightforward letter or memorandum. No more than five pages may be included in the report. Only facts are reported as completely as possible, and the presentation style is straightforward.

2. Progress Report: These reports provide information on the development of a particular project or programme of work. These aid management in making wise choices regarding remedial actions. 

3. Staff Reports: These have been created in an effort to address specific staff issues quickly and simply. 

4. Justification Reports: These are used to justify a particular recommendation or a course of action.

5. Write short notes on the following: (4×5)

a) Practising company secretary

Ans) According to the Company Secretaries Act of 1980, a "person who is a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India" is a "company secretary." According to this definition, a company secretary may accept a full-time position as the company's secretary or work independently as a company secretary, either alone or in collaboration with one or more other company secretaries. A company secretary who chooses to work independently, either alone or in partnership with one or more others, is referred to as a practising company secretary. The Act specifies the following areas of practise for company secretaries in active practise:

1. to work as a company secretary for any company, or in connection with any company; or

2. service in connection with the promotion, formation, incorporation, fusion, reconstruction, reorganisation, or winding-up of companies; or

3. to provide expert advice on issues of principle or specifics pertaining to the practise of the profession of company secretaries; or

4. to provide any additional services that, in the council's opinion, a company secretary in the real world would provide or be able to provide.

b) Resolutions

Ans) A motion that has been approved by the majority of those in attendance and voting is known as a resolution. It conveys the formal opinion or will of the gathering. As a result, if a motion is the start of a discussion, a resolution is the conclusion. As long as the resolution is valid and does not violate any of the rules of the body in question, it becomes binding on the entire body, even the minority that disagrees.

Once passed, a resolution cannot be changed or revoked unless a repealing resolution is passed at a later meeting. A resolution declares the discussion of a particular item on the agenda to be over and recommends moving on to the next item. A resolution should be written clearly and precisely, without any room for interpretation. It needs to be precise, affirmative, and clear. The main part of the resolution is typically preceded by the words "Resolved that." Sometimes the main resolution begins with these words, followed by a brief explanation.

c) Correspondence with public utilities

Ans) There are organised public utilities that frequently offer the general public necessary services. All users are severely inconvenienced whenever these services are interrupted or fail. This category of services includes hospitals, city transportation, electricity, and water. Some of these services are managed by independent organisations, such as the Railways or DESU (Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking) or DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation). Similar distinctions can be made between hospitals run by independent societies and trusts and those run by the local government.

These vital services are used by many people every day. Users will undoubtedly experience issues with any performance interruptions or discontinuities. Therefore, specific requests for the availability of services or their correction in the event of interruptions must be made. It is necessary to communicate with these organisations in the politest way possible. We must not only take into account our own needs, but also recognise the challenges their staff, material supply, and financial situation may be facing. These institutions frequently have to consider the interests of sizable populations. As a result, they might not be able to offer some people specialised services as a result of the process. In the interest of the greatest number of people, individuals should therefore disregard this.

d) Precis writing

Ans) The French word "Precis" is derived from the Latin word "Praecissus," which means to cut off or to be brief and is related to the English word "Precis." A precis is a concise statement that captures the essence of a body of writing. Summarizing is what precis writing entails. It is a test of one's ability to concentrate, comprehend, and condense. One must carefully read and understand a piece of writing, speech, or storey before summarising it.

The main goal of precis writing is to present facts and information without wasting readers' time with extraneous details. Along with other areas of endeavour, business firms and government agencies frequently find themselves in need of quick document reading. The art of precis writing should be regularly practised by lawyers, journalists, students, and executive secretaries in their daily work. Lawyers must condense the key arguments in their cases, editors and reporters must condense speeches and news, and students must take notes from lectures and textbooks