Patna: The Bihar government has introduced new guidelines to streamline the functioning of government offices by limiting official meetings to 50 minutes under normal circumstances and encouraging alternative modes of communication for routine matters.
Issued by the General Administration Department, the Guide on Conducting Effective Meetings applies to government offices and the Secretariat. The government said the measures are intended to improve administrative efficiency, reduce delays in public services and ensure officials spend more time addressing citizens’ concerns.
Meetings Limited To 50 Minutes
Under the new guidelines, official meetings should not exceed 50 minutes except in exceptional circumstances.
The government said prolonged meetings often delay decision-making, slow file disposal and reduce the time available for officials to attend to public grievances.
Agenda Mandatory Before Every Meeting
The guidelines require every meeting to have a clearly defined agenda circulated in advance to all participants.
Officials are expected to review the agenda beforehand so discussions remain focused and decisions can be taken within the scheduled time.
The department has also advised against convening meetings for issues that can be resolved through telephone calls, video conferencing or email.
Restrictions On Timing And Mobile Phone Use
To minimise disruption to routine office work, meetings should not be scheduled during lunch breaks or immediately before or after office hours.
The guidelines also instruct participants to avoid using mobile phones or checking emails during meetings so discussions remain focused and decisions can be reached more efficiently.
Minutes To Be Issued Within Three Days
Departments will be required to issue the minutes of every meeting within three days.
According to the guidelines, the minutes must record the decisions taken, assign responsibilities to the concerned officials and specify timelines for implementation. The government said the provision is intended to strengthen accountability and improve follow-up on administrative decisions.
Part Of Officer Training
The General Administration Department has decided to incorporate the Guide on Conducting Effective Meetings into the training curriculum for Bihar Administrative Service officers.
Officials said the initiative is aimed at promoting time management, accountability and result-oriented administration among new entrants to the state civil service.
Focus On Citizen-Centric Administration
According to the government, the new guidelines are intended to improve public access to government offices by reducing instances where officials remain unavailable because of prolonged meetings.
The administration said the measures are expected to speed up file processing, improve implementation of development programmes and make government services more responsive to citizens.
