STANDING GUARD FILES MUST BE MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE DECISION IS IN CON FORMITY WITH EARLIER DECISIONS AND DEPARTURE IF CONTEMPLATED.

DECISION MUST BE SYSTEMATIC :-- Systemetic decision making process involves Systemetic maintenance of the information required for the decision making. The filing system is necessary for the purposes,however ,often informations required may not be easily accessible from the system for which system is too resposible to arrange for the additional devices mentioned below:-- STANDING GUARD FILES:-- A standing guard file consists of all decisions on a particular subject matter deliberation collected at one place. In order to prepare such files , wherever an important decision is to be taken, a copy must be endorsed to the guard file on the issue and matter related to the subject and it must be prepared in each section separately maintained in different parts subject wise .It is determined by the branch officer or the higher levels Officer and it's each part will consist of three sections namely:-- SECTION 1 :-- An index containing sub head wise name of the subject of the file and the date and the number of decisions or orders . SECTION  (2) Full copies of the decision or orders referred to be placed in chronological order. SECTION (3) Model forms to be used in the issue of orders , notifications,etc .When ever any decision is taken on the subject matter deliberation it will be suitably incorporated in the relevant section of the guard file and the branch officer will indicate the circulars and decisions to be placed in the guard file by giving initials on the same.This applies to both to the decision taken with in the department and too by the government in other departments.Whenever an important decision is to be taken on the subject matter deliberation required to be verified by the office it is advisable to consult the guard file on the subject to ensure that the decision is in conformity with the earlier decisions and orders and departure if contemplated, is a conscious one.As soon as a new officer joins a Department, it will be the duty of the section incharge to bring the standing guard file of Department to the notice of the officer concerned,so that he is properly apprised of the history of case file and decisions on the subject matter.This will ensure that the decision making is quick and logical in the light of transpancy for which the precedent register is a guide to find out the Important decisions taken in the past in the Department, especially where the decision is not issued as a formal communication and therefore does not find place in a guard file.