Office Correspondence and Government Communication Formats for SSC Stenographer: Letters, Office Memorandum, Circular and Notification
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.Parts of an Official Letter
- 2.Types of Government Communications
- 3.Drafting and Noting
- 4.Forms of Address and Subscription
- 5.Common Abbreviations in the Offices
- 6.Tips for the Stenographer
- 7.Quick Tips
- 8.Quick Revision Points
- 9.Practice Questions With Answers
- 10.How to Practise This Chapter
- 11.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: Office Correspondence and Government Communication Formats for SSC Stenographer: Letters, Office Memorandum, Circular and Notification
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A stenographer in a government office takes dictation and also prepares letters, memoranda and orders. Knowing the formats of government communications helps in transcription and in the general office procedure. This guide on office correspondence and government communication formats for SSC Stenographer explains the parts of a letter, the types of official communications and the rules of drafting, with practice questions and FAQs.
Parts of an Official Letter
| Part | Details |
|---|---|
| Letterhead or sender’s address | Name of the ministry or department and address |
| Reference (file) number and date | For example, F. No. 12/5/2025-Estt., and the date |
| Inside address (addressee) | Name and address of the person or office to which the letter is sent |
| Subject line | A brief statement of the matter; a short phrase in bold or underlined |
| Salutation | “Sir”, “Madam” or “Dear Sir” |
| Body | The text of the letter in clear paragraphs |
| Complimentary close | “Yours faithfully” (to a stranger) or “Yours sincerely” (to a known person) |
| Signature, name and designation | Of the sender |
| Enclosures and copy to | The list of attached papers and the copies sent to others |
Types of Government Communications
| Type | Features and Use |
|---|---|
| Official letter | A formal letter sent by one office to another or to a member of the public; written in the third person with a reference number |
| Demi-official (D.O.) letter | A personal-style letter between officers of a senior level; begins with “Dear Shri…” and ends with “Yours sincerely”; used to draw attention to a matter personally; the reference number is often given as D.O. No. |
| Office Memorandum (OM) | Used for communication between the departments of the Government of India and for the instructions within the department; written in the third person; begins with the subject and ends with the name and designation of the officer and the date at the end |
| Circular | A communication of general interest sent to many people or offices at the same time for guidance |
| Notification | An official announcement published in the Gazette of India to give legal effect to a rule or appointment |
| Resolution | A formal statement of the decision or policy of the Government, published in the Gazette |
| Order | A direction to a person or office for action, such as the transfer or promotion of employees |
| Press note or press release | Information given to the media |
| Memorandum (to a minister) | A detailed note of the facts on a subject |
| Telegram, fax and email | Rapid messages; email is now the main mode |
Drafting and Noting
- Noting is the writing of comments on a file in the notesheet to help the decision; drafting is the preparation of the communication to be sent out.
- A good draft is correct, clear, brief, complete and courteous.
- A communication should have one subject only; the subject line should be specific.
- Use the simple words; avoid slang, jargon and long sentences.
- Always give the file number and date; mention the previous reference if it is a reply.
- Marks such as URGENT, IMMEDIATE and MOST IMMEDIATE are used for the priority; “CONFIDENTIAL” and “SECRET” are the classification marks.
Forms of Address and Subscription
| Addressee | Salutation and Closing |
|---|---|
| An official letter to a government office | “Sir” — “Yours faithfully” |
| A D.O. letter to a senior officer | “Dear Shri / Dr. (Name)” — “Yours sincerely” |
| A letter to a friend or equal | “Dear (Name)” — “Yours sincerely” |
| An OM or circular | No salutation; only the subject and the text; signature at the end |
| A letter to a Minister | “Respected Sir”; closing “Yours faithfully” |
Common Abbreviations in the Offices
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| F. No. | File Number |
| D.O. | Demi-Official |
| O.M. | Office Memorandum |
| U.O. Note | Unofficial Note (inter-departmental note) |
| Encl. | Enclosure |
| C.C. or cc | Carbon copy / copy to |
| P.S. / P.A. | Private Secretary / Personal Assistant |
| MoU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| RTI | Right to Information |
| PIB | Press Information Bureau |
Tips for the Stenographer
- Take down the heading, reference and the addressee carefully during dictation.
- Ask for the spelling of names and numbers when you are not sure.
- Keep the format standard: margins, date at the right or left, subject centred or underlined.
- Proofread the draft for spelling, punctuation and facts before giving it for the signature.
- Keep a record of the despatch of the communications.
Quick Tips
- Learn the difference between a letter, an OM and a circular.
- Use “Yours faithfully” for official letters and “Yours sincerely” for D.O. letters.
- Keep the subject line specific.
- Proofread every draft before it is signed.
Quick Revision Points
- An OM is for communication between the departments.
- A notification is published in the Gazette.
- A D.O. letter is a personal-style letter between senior officers.
- Official letters use “Sir” and “Yours faithfully”.
- Noting is writing comments on the file.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which communication is published in the Gazette to give legal effect?
Answer: Notification - What does D.O. letter stand for?
Answer: Demi-official letter - Which closing is used for an official letter to a stranger?
Answer: Yours faithfully - What is an office memorandum used for?
Answer: Communication between the departments and internal instructions - What is a circular?
Answer: A communication of general interest sent to many offices - What is noting?
Answer: Writing comments on a file in the notesheet - What does RTI stand for?
Answer: Right to Information - What is the salutation for an official letter?
Answer: Sir - What does Encl. stand for?
Answer: Enclosure - What is a resolution?
Answer: A formal statement of a government decision
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Stenography notes page, read the previous topic Shorthand Systems and Pitman Principles and the next topic Central Secretariat Hierarchy and Office Procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an official letter?
A formal letter from one office to another written in the third person with a reference number.
What is a D.O. letter?
A demi-official letter written in a personal style by one officer to another.
What is an OM?
An office memorandum used for the departmental communication and instructions.
What is a circular?
A letter of general interest sent to many offices at once.
What is a notification?
An official announcement published in the Gazette.
What is the difference between a resolution and a notification?
A resolution states a policy decision, a notification gives legal effect to a rule or appointment.
What is noting?
The writing of comments on a file to help in taking a decision.
What is drafting?
The preparation of the communication to be sent out.
What is the closing of an official letter?
Yours faithfully.
Is this topic asked in SSC Stenographer?
The skill test focuses on dictation, but the knowledge of office procedure helps in the general awareness and in the job.
What do the marks Urgent and Immediate mean?
They show the priority of the communication.
What is the subject line?
A short heading that states what the letter is about.
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Shorthand Systems and Pitman Shorthand Principles for SSC Stenographer: History, Strokes, Vowels, Positions and Speed Tips
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Central Secretariat Hierarchy and Government Office Procedure for SSC Stenographer: Ranks, Files, Noting and Cabinet Secretariat
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.