No classified info shall be handed in e-format

Over 14.50 lakh paper files of the central government have been digitised but the latest manual of procedure issued on Tuesday says "no classified information shall be handled through e-office" since they are susceptible to be stolen.

It says the "classified" documents shall strictly be carried out only on a standaline computer or the computers connected to the "dedicated network" that cannot be accessed through Internet. There are already instructions on photocopying of the "classified" documents, requiring the authorised officer to sign each copy and destroy all copies after their due utilisation.

The manual also opens the "virtual private network" (VPN) of the government for the non-classified documents to the officers of the rank of the deputy secretary and higher posts in the government to allow them to work on the office files even after officer hours and also from home.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) that handles all government networks has been asked to introduce additional security features to secure the VPN use.

The revised manual bars the government servants except under special orders to communicate "directly or indirectly any official document or any part thereof or classified information to any government servant or any other person to whom he is not authorised to communicate such a document or the classified information.

It also lays down not to convert the paper files into the digital format if they are to be destroyed after a specified period of 10 years or so. Henceforth, the digitisation will be limited to two categories of files: Category A files of historical importance which must be preserved permanently in e-format and also microfilmed and Category B files which need to be permanently preserved though not requiring microfilming.