All types of official correspondence

1. U N I T- 4
OFFICIAL
CORRESPONDENCE

2. OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD O.C.
• DIFFERENT TYPES OF OFFICIAL
CORRESPONDENCE
• DRAFTING OF O.C.
OFFICIAL LETTERS
SEMI-OFFICIAL LETTERS
CIRCULARS
MEMO

3. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
• Official Correspondence means the official form of
communication and includes any routine part of work in an
office.
• The letters are written between various departments and
government departments, autonomous bodies, or
government and semi-government departments.
• It includes letters written between two governments, from
one state government to another state government or
central government or vice versa, between
intergovernmental governments.
• The official correspondence is not friendly, just like
business correspondence.

4. • The personal touch is not to be given to any of the official
correspondences.
• It is also defined as the correspondence continued formally
between officials and different divisions of the administration,
for example, orders, reports, letters, endorsements, and so
forth.
• All the official correspondence between the heads of the
various branches of the organizations of any order and its
administrator must go through a proper channel.
• When officials communicate they have to go through the
hierarchy and have to come through the same for making
proposals, requests, or asking for any kind of privileges.

5. • An official letter, also known as a "formal letter," is a document
professionally written for another company or business
professional.
• They can be used when applying for jobs, issuing a complaint,
expressing interest in a job position or thanking someone.
• Official letters are often written using simple and direct
sentences with a formal greeting and signature included.
• Writing an official letter typically requires following a very
structured and specific format.

6. Points of Difference Official Correspondence
Business
correspondence
Purpose
The reason for the official letter is
to serve the official interest.
The reason for Business letters is
to make or keep up business or
business relations.
Nature Its nature is official. Its nature is business.
Subject
An official request, guidance,
roundabout, is communicated
through an official letter.
Different elements of business, for
example, exchanging, fabricating,
showcasing, HR exercises,
obtainment of materials, securing
and removal of resources, credit
the executives, promotion of the
product offering, contact with
different private and govt. bodies
are managed through business
letters.
Structure
The particular and pre-decided
structure is needed to be followed
to compose such a letter
Any sort of formal structure can be
followed here
Salutation
There could conceivably be any
formal greetings in such a letter
Welcome is necessary here
Complimentary Close
There is no obliging free close in
such a letter
The obliging free close is an
absolute necessity in such a letter.
Method
It can use both direct and indirect
It uses only the direct method

7. ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
• Clarity of thought
• Organized information
• Highlight special words with color
• Auto text
• Show your optimism
• Estimate the pulse of a reader
• Conclude with a reminder
• Proofreading

8. HOW TO WRITE AN OFFICIAL LETTER
• Set up your font and margins.
• Create your heading.
• Write your salutation.
• Use your body paragraphs to state your reasons for
writing.
• Add your closing body paragraph and signature.
• Mention and add your enclosures.
• Proof-read and send your letter.

9. FORMS OR TYPES OF OFFICIAL
CORRESPONDENCE
• The official correspondence can come into play or action in
any of the following forms:-
1. Official Letters
2. Demi-official letters(also known as D. O. Letters)
3. Office Memorandum (also known as ‘memo')
4. Circulars
5. Endorsements
6. Notifications
7. Resolutions
8. Press Communiqué

10. OFFICIAL LETTERS
• These letters are used generally in the communications
in government or semi-government offices.
• They have different lay-out, style, language etc.
• The official letters are supposed to be fine blend of
correctness, conciseness and clarity in all aspects

11. LAY OUT OF AN OFFICIAL LETTER
(a) Heading – The official letters do not have attractively printed letter heads but are written on plain papers. The heading in official
letter is written with the prefix ‘From' or by giving the official designation and name, address of the office of the writer at the top of
the letter.
(b) Reference number and date: - In official letters, the reference number are generally lengthy and are written at the same
place as in a business letter. The date is written in a way that it is followed by the name of the place.
(c) Name and address of Addressee: - They are usually written with the prefix ‘To' and immediately after the sender's name and
address.
(d) Salutation and Subject:- In official letter, the usual way of salutation is ‘Sir' when it is written to higher official otherwise words
‘Dear Sir/Madam' may be used for salutation. The subject in an official letter is written before the salutation whereas the subject is
written after salutation in business letters.
(e) Body of Letter: - In official letters, the body of letter is divided into convenient and suitable paragraphs in serial numbers. The
opening sentences of the official letters are generally written with words – ‘I am directed to inform you' or ‘With reference to your
letter No. …….dt…, or ‘In continuation to our letter No……..dt…, I am directed' etc. The closing sentences are different from
business letters as there is no sales point in official letters.
(f) Subscription or Complimentary close: - The general way of writing subscription is ‘Yours Faithfully' and is followed by blank
space for signature and then the name of the official is written with designation.

13. DEMI-OFFICIAL LETTERS
• They are personal cum official letters written by officers in their personal
official capacity.
• They are also called D.O Letters and is addressed in personal name with
the official designation of the officer concerned and is also addressed to
another officer by his name and his official designation.
• They are generally printed or typed on printed personal letter head
containing the name, official designation and name and address of the
office.
• D.O Letters are intended to show personal relationship between the
correspondent and sender.

14. • The main objectives of writing D.O Letters are as
following:
(a) They are written to get the information or things done
at the earliest.
(b) They are written to involve the personal attention of
correspondent by ignoring the usual lengthy office
procedure.
(c) They are written to keep the information confidential.

15. THE BASIC ESSENTIALS OF DRAFTING D.O LETTERS
ARE AS FOLLOWING
1. Demi-official letters are generally written or typed on printed
personal letter heads containing personal name, official designation,
name and address of office etc.
2. In these letters, reference number and date are written as usual.
3. The starting point of a D.O Letter is ‘Dear Mr. ……..' or ‘My dear
Shri ………' in the form of salutation.
4. They are written in first person using “I"instead of “We" and official
language is used in minimum way.
5. The general or usual way of subscription in D.O Letter is written as
‘Yours sincerely' and thereafter the personal name is typed or written
in brackets.
6. In these letters, the name and letters of the addressee is written at
the end on left hand bottom corner of letter together with his official
designation.

16. OFFICE MEMORANDUM
• It is also called ‘Memo' and is used for inter office
correspondence in the offices.
• These letters are written in normal simplified style and it
abstains from salutation as well as complimentary close.
• The memo is used usually used in offices for routine matters
like granting of annual increments, confirmation in services,
salary and leave adjustments etc.

18. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEMO AND LETTER
1. In a memo, it is essential to write official designation, department
with or without the name of sender and the recipient. In letter it is
not necessary and we can simply write the nomenclature of the
person signing the letter.
2. In memo, the words ‘From' and ‘To' are written consistently but
not in a letter.
3. In memo, there is no salutation or complimentary close but they
are essentially written in a letter.
4. Memo is written in direct style and in brief but not in a letter.

19. CIRCULARS
• In an office, whenever any information or matter is to be communicated
to a large number of persons or offices, members or branches of the
same organization, then they are done through Circulars.
• They are in a form of letter addressed TO ALL OFFICES, TO ALL
BRANCHES or TO ALL DEPARTMENTS.
• They are drafted in such a way that the information is understandable,
reasonable and useful to all the concerned persons or offices. So
circulars are drafted carefully so that it covers up all information and
should be correctly written or typed.
• Circulars should be written in third person and should be printed or
cyclostyled, depending upon the nature and coverage of the contents or
matter.
• Circulars are different from ‘Circular Letter' as the name and address of
addressee is not specific but is written in general.
• In circular letters the name and address of the addressee may not be
written specifically.
• Circulars are generally referred for internal use of one particular
organization or department or branch but circular letters refers to persons
outside organization.

21. NOTIFICATIONS
• They are the formal announcements intended for the purpose of the information to
the general public or to all the concerned persons.
• In Government offices, notifications are published in Gazette while in other offices
they are displayed in the form of notices on notice boards.
• They are written or typed with the reference number, date, designation and
signature of the concerned authority.
• Notifications are written in third person and are generally written in regard to new
appointment of officers, transfers etc or other such information that are useful for
the all the concerned or for the general public.

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