WN ON NOTING DRAFTING CABINET NOTE

WN ON CABINET NOTE

While a significant portion of the Government business gets disposed of at the departmental level, certain cases,
or class of cases that are important from the national perspective, require approval of the Cabinet or one of the
Cabinet Committees.

The cases that require approval of the Cabinet, are indicated in the Second Schedule, and those requiring
approval of the Cabinet Committees are indicated in the First Schedule to the ToB Rules, 1961.

Some of the illustrative cases required to be placed before the Cabinet are:
(a) Cases involving legislation including the issue of Ordinances.
(b) Proposals to appoint public commissions or committees of inquiry and
(c) consideration of the reports of such commissions or committees.
(d) Proposals relating to creation of posts of the level of Joint Secretary to the
(e) Government of India or higher.
(f) Cases in which a difference of opinion arises between two or more Ministers and a Cabinet decision is
desired.
(g) Proposals to vary or reverse a decision previously taken by the Cabinet.

The proposals concerning country’s security are required to be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Issues impacting the economy are generally placed before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
All infrastructure projects costing above `300 crore are placed before the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure’.

FORMAT AND PRESENTATION OF THE NOTE

1. Cabinet note is prepared in a specific format (shown in Annex-I of Handbook on Cabinet Note), on A-4
size paper.
2. The Note is to be made both in English, and Hindi. Both versions are to be sent to the Cabinet Secretariat
together.
3. It should be typed on both sides of the paper, in double space, in Arial font size 12-14.
4. The typing impression should be legible and clear in all pages.
5. The Note should not exceed 7-8 pages. Other details should be brief and be relegated to annexes.
6. A wide margin (not less than 1.5 inch) should be left towards that edge of the paper i.e. the left edge on
the obverse and the right edge on the reverse of the page.
7. All paragraphs and sub-paragraphs of the Notes are to be appropriately numbered. Bullets/arrows are not
to be used in the place of para numbers.
8. The Notes are to be security graded “Secret” or “Top Secret”. All proposals to be brought before the
Cabinet/Cabinet Committees are to be classified at least as “Secret”, depending on the content.
9. Copy number is to be indicated on the top right side on the first page of the note.
10. Below that, in the centre, the file number and the name of the sponsoring Ministry and Department are to
be indicated, on each page of the note on the top including appendices and annexures. (Copy number
should not be indicated on other pages).
11. Below that, On the right hand corner of the first page, the date of the note is to be
indicated clearly. It has to be the date on which the note is signed and its copies sent to the Cabinet
Secretariat. The date on the front page and all other pages should be the same.
12. The words “Note for the Cabinet” or “Note for the Cabinet Committee/Empowered Group of
Ministers/Group of Ministers on__________”, as the case may be, are to be indicated below the name of
the Ministry/Department on the first page.
13. Below this caption, a brief subject heading is to be given. While being brief, the heading should be fully
indicative of the proposals contained in the Note.
14. Every note should, as far as possible, be so structured as to include paragraphs on introduction,
background, proposal, justification, details of inter-ministerial consultations, financial implications,
approval required and a paragraph stating that the note has been approved by the Minister-in-charge.

15. Appendix I should be “Statement of Implementation Schedule”. A brief reference should be made to that
effect in the body of the note.
16. 16. All pages in the Note, including the annexes, appendices etc. should be page numbered on the
bottom extreme right hand corner, simultaneously indicating total number of pages, in the manner “page
3 of 6”.
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17. It should be indicated in the final paragraph of the Note that the proposals made therein have the
approval of the Minister-in-charge.
18. The Note should be properly tagged or stapled. No other form of binding is advised.
19. The note should be signed by a Joint Secretary or higher officer in the main Ministry/Department
sponsoring the note.(JS of Attached or Subordinate Office should not sign the Note)
20. The telephone number of the officer signing the note should necessarily be indicated in the note as well
as Appendices.

II. CONTENTS

1. The note should be brief but self-contained and should bring out all relevant details and no material fact
should remain unstated.
2. All abbreviations used in the text should be expanded, when the term is first used in the note.
3. The note should have a brief introduction in three-four sentences, followed by a brief background. Then
details of the proposal with its financial implications. Interministerial consultations, consultations with
State Government, recommendations of any expert bodies etc., details about Appendices/Annexures
attached and approval required etc.
4. The approval paragraph should be self-contained and it should indicate the specific point or points on
which approval/decision is sought.
5. In cases, where draft legislations are to be placed before the Cabinet, the draft Bill duly vetted by the
Legislative Department should be attached to the note, as an annexure.
6. The Note should state that “the Statement of Implementation Schedule” is at Appendix-I; This should be
placed immediately after the main note.

FORWARDING OF NOTES TO CABINET SECRETARIAT

After the Minister-in-charge of a Department/Ministry has approved the note, a copy of the note should be
forwarded to the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister immediately and thereafter, comments/advice of the
PMO awaited for seven working days. Simultaneously, a copy of the final note will also be forwarded to the
Cabinet Secretariat. Accordingly, only after expiry of seven working days, the final note should be sent to the
Cabinet Secretariat.

The forwarding memo should be addressed to and all copies of notes sent to Director (Cabinet), Room No. 12,
Cabinet Secretariat, South East Wing, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi- 110004 and not to anyone else.

PRESS BRIEF

“Draft Press Brief‟ prepared on the assumption that the proposal would be approved as such by the
Cabinet/Cabinet Committee with two copies each of the same in Hindi and English should be enclosed with the
communication forwarding the note for the Cabinet/Cabinet Committee. The press briefs should bring out the
essence of the proposals or highlight the details about their possible impact, implementation strategy, targets and
benefits expected to be achieved through the programmes/schemes approved by the Government.

In the event, there has been a lapse of two or more weeks between the date of preparation of the brief
and the date on which the item is taken up in the Cabinet meeting, an updated brief inter-alia indicating
subsequent developments, if any, should be handed over to the Cabinet Secretariat on a day prior to the date of
the meeting for taking necessary action. In case of any significant development, an updated brief may be given,
even if the gap between the preparation of the brief and the date of the meeting is less than two weeks.

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SPECIMEN FORMAT OF THE MAIN NOTE

SECRET
Copy No.________
No.______________________________
MINISTRY OF _____________________
DEPARTMENT OF _________________
New Delhi, the (date of the note)

NOTE FOR THE CABINET

Subject:______________________________________________

1. INTRODUCTION
A snapshot of the proposal in 3 or 4 sentences.

2. BACKGROUND
A brief background of the proposal to understand its genesis. This would include consideration of the matter earlier
by Cabinet/Cabinet Committees/EGoM/GoM or Commissions/High level committees etc., if relevant, and other
pertinent details.

3. PROPOSAL
The proposal may be stated with clarity and precision so that there is no ambiguity in what the Ministry/Department
aims to achieve by implementing the proposal. The time-lines for completion of different
stages of the projects/scheme/plan etc, where relevant, need to be clearly spelt out.

4. JUSTIFICATION
Rationale of the proposal may be brought out in this part of the note.

5. INTER-MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIONS
Details of all inter-ministerial consultations and their views/comments as elaborated in the consolidated instructions
should be brought out in this section. This should also give details of the appraisal of the
proposal by any appraisal bodies or financial institutions.

6. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The financial implications of the proposal may be worked out as accurately as possible and should be detailed in this
section. Further, the manner in which the expenditure is proposed to be borne may also be clearly indicated.

7. APPROVAL PARAGRAPH
The approval paragraph is the most crucial paragraph containing the proposal on which consideration and approval of
the Cabinet/ Cabinet Committee is solicited. It should be a self contained paragraph and drafted with clarity and
precision leaving no scope for ambiguity or differing interpretations.

8. STATEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE (APPENDIX-I)

As per prescribed format and conforming to the approval paragraph.

9. APPROVAL OF THE MINISTER-IN-CHARGE

The last paragraph should indicate about the approval of the Minister-in-charge to the proposal(s) contained in the
note.
Signature_________________
Name____________________
Designation_______________
(Joint Secretary or higher in the
sponsoring Ministry/Department)
Telephone No._________________

SECRET
Note:- The above format is indicative and the exact headings may vary.
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SPECIMEN OF IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

SECRET

No.-----------------------------------
Ministry of--------------------------
Department of---------------------

STATEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

Subject:________________________________________________

****

Gist of decision;

Anticipated benefits/results of the Project;

Time-frame and manner of implementation

Reporting to Cabinet Secretariat.

Signature_________________
Name____________________
Designation_______________
(Joint Secretary or higher in the
sponsoring Ministry/Department)
Telephone No._________________
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECRET
ANNEX- II

SPECIMEN FORMAT FOR THE PRESS BRIEF

Name of Ministry:
Date of decision:

Subject of the Note for the Cabinet/Cabinet committees

1. Decision
2. Point-wise details
3. Background
4. Implementation strategy and targets
5. Major impact
6. Expenditure involved
7. No. of beneficiaries
8. States/districts covered
9. Details and progress of scheme if already running

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Model Forwarding Office Memorandum
Copy No_______
SECRET

No.
Ministry/Department of
New Delhi, dated__________

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The undersigned is directed to enclose…… copies of the note (both in Hindi and English versions) on the
above mentioned subject for consideration by the Cabinet/Cabinet Committee on……

2. It is informed that the Ministries/Departments of ………,…..…, and …. and the Prime Minister‟s Office have been
consulted at the draft stage. The comments of the consulted Ministries/Departments have been included in the main
body of the note.

3. Since the proposal does not have any financial implications, the stipulated period of 15 days for inter-ministerial
consultations was over on……. OR Since the proposal has financial implications, the stipulated period of four weeks for
inter-ministerial consultations was over on……. However, despite having taken pro-active steps to solicit the
views/comments of the concerned Ministries including a demi-official reminder at the level of Secretary, the
comments of the Ministry/ Department of ……………, …………..were not received. OR This being a complex case, the
Ministry/Department of …. had requested additional time. The Cabinet/Cabinet Committee note has been approved
by the Minister of Finance (where relevant).

4. A copy of the final note for the Cabinet/Cabinet Committee on……… had been forwarded to PMO on………. Seven
working days, after sending the final note to PMO, lapsed on……….. No comments have been received from PMO on
the subject OR The comments received from the PMO have duly been taken into account while finalizing the note. A
copy of the final note had also been sent to the Cabinet Secretariat on the day it was sent to PMO.

5. A tabular statement indicating the views/comments of PMO and action taken thereon by the
Department/comments of the Department are annexed with this Office Memorandum.

6. It is also stated that there are no differences on the proposals with the consulted Ministries/Department OR there
are differences on certain proposals and brief details thereof are as below:
………………………
………………………
………………………

7. The concerns expressed by the consulted Ministries/Departments have duly been addressed.

8. It is requested that the note may be placed before the Cabinet/ Cabinet Committee at an early date OR there is
urgency for consideration of this item by the Cabinet/Cabinet Committee keeping in view………. (reasons to be given)
and therefore, it is requested to place the note in its next meeting.
(XYZ)
Designation
Tel. No.
E mail….
To
Cabinet Secretariat {Director (Cabinet)}
Room No.12, Rashtrapati Bhawan,
New Delhi 110004.