UNIT 5

SECRETARIAL PRACTICE
ROLE OF SECRETARY:
The role of a secretary can vary depending on the context, but
generally involves administrative tasks and supporting other
professionals:
 Administrative tasks:
Answering phones, scheduling appointments, managing
correspondence, maintaining diaries, and organizing
documents and files
 Supporting other professionals:
Greeting clients, assisting executives with project tasks,
and supervising staff
 Meeting organization:
Planning meetings, circulating agendas, taking minutes,
and ensuring meetings are effectively organized
 Maintaining records:
Keeping contact details, filing minutes and reports, and
keeping a record of the organization’s activities
 Upholding legal requirements:
Acting as a custodian of the organization’s governing
documents, checking quorum, and ensuring elections are
in line with procedures
 Communication and correspondence:
Responding to all committee correspondence, filing all
committee correspondence received, and keeping a record
of any of the organization’s publications

 Handling finances:

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 Handling the finances and accounts of the organization,
such as budgets, invoices, and receipts
 Supporting office bearers:
Supporting the Chairperson and other office bearers of the
organization, such as providing advice, information, and
assistance
In the government, a Secretary is the administrative head of a
Ministry or Department. They are the principal adviser to the
Minister on all matters of policy and administration within their
Ministry or Department.
In a company, a company secretary is responsible for documents
such as the letter of allotment, share certificates, debentures,
and mortgages.
DEFINITION:
A secretary is a person who is employed to do office work, such
as typing letters, answering phone calls, and arranging
meetings. 2. Countable noun. The secretary of an organization
such as a trade union, a political party, or a club is its official
manager.
APPOINTMENT :
The appointment of a company secretary in India is governed by the
Companies Act, 2013 and the Companies (Appointment and
Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014. The process for
appointing a company secretary includes:
 Board resolution
The board of directors must pass a resolution to appoint a company
secretary.

 Terms and conditions

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 The board members must endorse the terms and conditions of the
appointment.
 Written consent
The company secretary must provide written consent for the role.
 Register of Key Managerial Personnel (KMP)
The details of the company secretary must be entered into the KMP
register and submitted to the Registrar of Companies (ROC) within
30 days.
 Form MGT-14
Form MGT-14 must be filed with the CTC and Consent Letter
within 30 days of the board resolution.
 Stock exchanges
If the company is listed, the appointment details must be notified to
all stock exchanges where the company's securities are listed.
To be eligible for appointment as a company secretary, an individual
must meet one or more of the following qualifications:
 Membership of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India
 A pass in the Intermediate examination conducted by the Institute
of Company Secretaries of India
 A post-graduate degree in commerce or corporate secretary ship
 A degree in law
 Membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
 Membership of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of
India
A post-graduate degree or diploma in management sciences

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONAL SECRETARY:
A personal secretary’s primary duties include managing their
employer’s calendar, handling correspondence (emails and
phone calls), scheduling appointments, organizing travel
arrangements, taking notes at meetings, preparing documents,
and generally assisting with administrative tasks to alleviate their

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employer’s workload, all while maintaining confidentiality and a
high level of organization.
Key responsibilities of a personal secretary:
 Calendar Management: Efficiently scheduling meetings,
appointments, and deadlines in the employer’s calendar.
 Correspondence Handling: Answering and directing phone
calls, managing emails, and composing correspondence on
behalf of the employer.
 Travel Arrangements: Booking flights, arranging
transportation, and ensuring all travel documents are in
order.
 Meeting Support: Preparing meeting agendas, taking
minutes, and distributing meeting materials.
 Document Management: Creating, editing, and filing
important documents.
 Research and Reporting: Gathering information and
preparing reports as needed.
 Personal Errands: Running errands or making personal
appointments as required.

Essential Skills for a Personal Secretary:

 Excellent Communication Skills: Clear and concise verbal
and written communication to effectively interact with
various stakeholders.
 Strong Organizational Skills: Ability to prioritize tasks,
manage multiple projects simultaneously, and maintain a
structured work environment.
 Attention to Detail: Ensuring accuracy in all tasks and
maintaining a high level of precision.

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  Confidentiality: Maintaining discretion when handling
sensitive information.
 Time Management: Effectively managing schedules and
meeting deadlines.
 Proficiency in Office Software: Expertise in Microsoft Office
Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
QUALIFICATION FOR APPOINTMENT AS PERSONAL SECRETARY:
To be appointed as a Personal Secretary, typical qualifications
include a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university,
proficient computer skills, excellent communication abilities,
strong organizational skills, experience in administrative tasks,
and often, proficiency in shorthand and typing, with some roles
requiring additional specialized knowledge depending on the
industry or employer’s needs; a relevant postgraduate degree or
professional certification may also be beneficial.
Key qualifications:
 Education:
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field like business
administration, secretarial studies, or office management.
Some positions may require a postgraduate degree or
professional certification.

Skills:
 Computer proficiency: Excellent knowledge of Microsoft
Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other relevant
software.
 Communication skills: Strong written and verbal
communication abilities to effectively interact with various
stakeholders.

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  Organizational skills: Ability to prioritize tasks, manage
multiple projects simultaneously, and maintain detailed
records.
 Attention to detail: High level of accuracy in handling
sensitive information.
 Time management: Efficiently meet deadlines and manage
a busy schedule.
 Administrative skills:
 Calendar management: Scheduling appointments,
meetings, and travel arrangements.
 Correspondence management: Drafting and editing letters,
emails, and other documents.
 Meeting coordination: Preparing agendas, taking minutes,
and following up on action items.
Other desirable qualifications:
 Shorthand and typing proficiency: Depending on the role,
the ability to take dictation and transcribe accurately at a
high speed.
 Experience in relevant field: Prior experience as an
administrative assistant, executive assistant, or personal
secretary.
 Confidentiality: Ability to handle sensitive information with
discretion.
 Adaptability: Flexibility to adjust to changing priorities and
work demands.
 Important considerations:
Specific requirements may vary depending on the
company, industry, and role level .
Some positions might require specialized knowledge in a
particular field, like legal, medical, or finance .

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 Personal qualities like professionalism, initiative, and
positive attitude are highly valued .
M ODERN TECHNOLOGY AND OFFICE COMMUNICATION:
Modern technology has changed the way people communicate in the
office in many ways, including:
 Collaboration
Technology allows employees to work together across distances
and time zones. For example, platforms like Slack and Microsoft
Teams combine instant messaging, file sharing, and other tools.
 File storage and sharing
Cloud-based services like Dropbox and Google Drive allow
employees to access and collaborate on files from anywhere.
 Brainstorming
Digital whiteboards like Miro and MURAL allow employees to
visualize and brainstorm ideas together.

 Speed
Technology has made it possible to deliver messages almost
instantly, which can speed up decision-making.
 Remote work
Technology has made it possible for teams to collaborate and share
information without being in the same room.
Other examples of modern communication technologies include: Email
and instant messaging, Voice over IP (VoIP) and video conferencing,
Social media platforms, Mobile communication apps, and Integration
of AR and VR.

EMAIL, VOICE MAIL, INTERNET

Email" refers to electronic mail, a digital message sent through the
internet, "Voicemail" is a recorded voice message left for someone
when they miss a phone call, and "Internet" is the global network of

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computer networks that allows users to access and share information
online; essentially, you can access your voicemail through the internet,
often by having it forwarded to your email as an audio file.

Key points to remember:

 Email:
Text-based communication sent through an email address,
accessible via a computer or phone.
 Voicemail:
A recorded voice message left by a caller when someone misses
their call, typically accessible by dialing a specific number on your
phone.
 Internet:
The global network that allows for communication and access to
information online, which is necessary to send and receive emails
and access voicemail through certain features.
M ULTIMEDIA AND SCANNER:
A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic
prints, posters, magazine pages and similar sources for
computer editing and display. Scanners work by converting the
image on the document into digital information that can be stored
on a computer through optical character recognition (OCR).
Video conference and web-casting :
Video conferencing and webcasting are both ways to share video media
with a large audience, but they differ in a few ways:
 Communication
Video conferencing is primarily focused on two-way
communication and interactivity between participants. Webcasting
is primarily focused on broadcasting content to a large audience.
 Environment

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 Video conferences are usually more closed and controlled
environments. Webcasts can be played multiple times on demand
and can be easily shared.
 Content
Video conferences can include audio and visual components, as
well as instant messaging, document collaboration, and sub-
conferencing capabilities. Webcasts can be a single content source
distributed to many simultaneous listeners/viewers.
Examples
Examples of video conferences include webinars, which are online
group events that involve an organizer broadcasting sessions to a
selected set of attendees. Examples of webcasts include company
town halls, panel discussions, niche award ceremonies, or
marketing events.
AGENDA AND MINUTES:
An "agenda" is a pre-circulated list of topics to be discussed during a
meeting, outlining the order of discussion and often including time
allocations for each item, while "minutes of a meeting" are a written
record of what was discussed, decided, and actioned during the
meeting, capturing key points and next steps taken by attendees.

Key differences:
 Purpose:
An agenda sets the structure for a meeting, informing participants
of what will be covered beforehand, whereas meeting minutes
document the actual discussion and outcomes that occurred during
the meeting.
 Content:
An agenda lists topics with brief descriptions, while minutes include
detailed summaries of discussions, decisions made, action items
assigned, and who is responsible for each action.

What to include in an agenda:

 Meeting date, time, and location

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  Attendee list
 Meeting facilitator
 Topic headings with brief descriptions
 Estimated time for each topic

What to include in meeting minutes:

 Meeting date, time, and location
 Attendee list
 Approval of previous meeting minutes
 Summary of discussion points for each agenda item
 Key decisions made
 Action items with assigned owners and deadlines
DRAFTING :
Drafting can refer to a number of things, including:
 Writing: The stage of writing where a first version of a piece of
writing is developed. It is an iterative process where multiple
drafts are written, each improving on the previous one. The final
draft is the last draft that is submitted.
 Technical drawing: The act of creating diagrams that
communicate how something is to be constructed or how it
functions. Examples include architectural, electrical,
engineering, plumbing, and structural drawings.
 Aerodynamics: Slipstreaming, or drafting, is when a runner runs
behind another runner to conserve energy when facing a
headwind.
 Campdrafting: An Australian equestrian sport.
 Conscription: The process of being drafted into compulsory
military service.
 Draft (sports): When teams choose new players rather than the
players choosing their teams.

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  Hand spinning: A method of preparing fibers for spinning into
yarn.
 Drafting dog: A dog that draws a cart

F AX MESSAGE:
A fax message is a scanned document that is sent over phone
lines to be printed by a fax machine. Fax is short for facsimile,
and it can also be called telecopying or telefax.
Here are some tips for writing a fax message:
 Include your information: Put your name, fax number, and
phone number at the top of the fax.
 Add the recipient’s details: Include the recipient’s company,
name, job title, and fax number.
 Add the date and time: Include the date and time of the fax
transmission.
 Include a subject: Mention the subject of the fax.
 Add an introductory message: Write an introductory
message for the recipient.
 List attachments: Include a list of all attachments.
 Add disclaimers: Include any disclaimers or special
handling notes.
 Review: Review the fax before sending it
M AINTENANCE OF AN APPOINTMENT DIARY:
Maintenance of an appointment diary” refers to the ongoing
process of accurately recording, updating, and managing all
scheduled appointments within a diary system, ensuring timely
access to information and preventing missed commitments by

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consistently adding new appointments, canceling or
rescheduling existing ones, and updating details as needed; this
can be done using a physical notebook or digital calendar
software.
Key aspects of maintaining an appointment diary:
 Accurate Entry:
Clearly record all appointment details including date, time,
duration, client/contact name, purpose of meeting, location,
and any relevant reminders.
Use a consistent format to easily locate information.
 Regular Updates:
Promptly add new appointments as they are scheduled.
Update existing appointments if any changes occur, such
as time, location, or contact information.
Cancel or reschedule appointments when necessary,
noting the reason for cancellation.
Prioritization and Time Management:
Utilize color-coding or other visual cues to highlight
important or urgent appointments.
Consider time blocking to allocate specific time slots for
different types of meetings.
 Accessibility and Sharing:
Ensure the diary is easily accessible to the relevant
individuals, whether it’s a physical book or a shared digital
calendar.
Delegate access to assistants or team members who need
to manage appointments on your behalf.
 Review and Clean-up:
Regularly review the diary to identify any potential conflicts
or scheduling issues.

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 Delete outdated entries or appointments that are no longer
relevant.
Tools for Appointment Diary Maintenance:
 Physical Diary: A traditional paper notebook for personal
use.
 Digital Calendar Software: Widely available options like
Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple Calendar for easy
sharing and synchronization across devices.
 Dedicated Appointment Management Systems:
Specialized software for businesses with advanced
features like client reminders and scheduling automation.

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