JSSD 2025

SERVICE WRITING
SCOPE
1. Differences

2. Good to Know

3. General Format

4. Service Letter Format

5. DO Letter Format

6. Email Format

7. Appendix Format
 Differences
 Underlining. All titles, headings, headings of references, appendices, annexures,
enclosures, distribution (including the column-headings ‘number of copies’, ‘copy
numbers’, ‘method’ and ‘remarks’), security grading, precedence and ‘copy to’ are
NOT to be underlined.

 Numbering changed only to arabic numerals. Eg

1.
1.1.
1.1.1.

 Attachments (Appendix, Annexures, Enclosures) have become center aligned.

 A4 size paper to be used for all correspondence including noting sheets. DO letter
may continue on B5/C5 paper.
 Differences
 Paragraphs, sub paragraphs, sub sub paragraphs in bold followed by full stop in bold.
 When particulars of personnel is published in nominal roll, the sequence is Personal
Number, Rank, Name, Decoration.

 Service Letter, Service Note, Letter to Civilians, personal application, merged to one
format ( Appendix E).

 Vertical space between center headings reduced from 3 lines to two line spacing.
(Appendix B)

 Spacing within paragraphs to be 1.15

 Appendices. The pages of an appendix are numbered in continuation of the parent

paper. The first page of the Appendix will not be treated as a first page of a standalone
document (implying that the page number on the first page will not be omitted).
 Differences
 A Correspondence. If a paper bears a security classification, it must be endorsed at
the top and bottom of the typed area of each page. It is to be spaced two lines below the
top edge and two-lines above the bottom edges in the centre of each page respectively. It
is written in block letters. All Classified documents will also have the security
classification watermarked diagonally across the page. In addition, for documents
classified SECRET and above, The watermark will bear the Copy no. and the
designation of the addressee.

 Page Numbering. All pages other than the first page are numbered at the top, two
line spaces below the security classification or from the top edge of the paper if no
security

 classification is used. The following conventions would be followed for page

numbers:-

 Page numbers are never underlined.

 Leading zero is not used for page numbers less than 10.
 Differences
 Enclosure. As in the case of ‘Annexure to a Paper’, an enclosure being an original
document or a copy, will have its original numbering.

 Number of Pages. The total number of pages of a classified document (irrespective

of containing one page or more than one page) will be indicated within brackets
immediately below the security classification at the top centre, on the first page only. In
the case of a single page, ‘Only page’ is written.

 Tabular Form.

 Individual columns will always have a title or column heading. The first column
heading pertaining to ‘serial number’ is to be abbreviated as ‘Ser No’. The headings
are to be bold; they will be aligned within the centre of the column.

 Where tables are standalone (as in the case of Appendices or Annexures in

support of content of the parent paper), the first column heading pertaining to ‘serial
number’ is to be abbreviated as ‘Ser No’. Standard paragraph numbering tenets will
apply starting with the Arabic numeral at level 1.
 Differences
 Computer applications allow for replication of the title row (row ofcolumn-headings)
across pages. When a table spills over to a next page, use the facility to ‘replicate
header rows’. This allows for addition and subtraction of data rows without having to
bother about the content of the first row in the

 Where tables are included between paragraphs, these contain data that is part of
the elaboration of paragraph content. The serial numbering of items in the table will be
a., b., c. and so on for the column and 1,2,3,4 and soon for the rows as shown in the
image :-
 Differences
 Content Alignment in a table. The left column may be a variable descriptor, defining
the names for contents in the following columns. Contents will always be left aligned.

 Data in the cells may be left aligned (or justified on both sides) if it is text.

 If the content is currency, it will always be aligned to the right.

 Where a ‘dash’ is used to imply no content in the cell, this will always be centre-
aligned.
 Good To Know
 Lengthy Addresses. If the address of the addressee is long and has to be split to
occupy two lines, then the second line should start two spaces from the left of the first
letter in the line above. However, an appointment is never split. A case of splitting the
address is as follows:-

The Officer-in-Charge
Gas Turbine Testing and
Tuning Team
c/o Fleet Mail Office
Visakhapatnam 530014

 Multiple Signatures. When a document is to be signed by more than one person of

equal protocol, the signature block will be in the same horizontal line with the senior-
most signing on the extreme right. Where the list of signatories exceeds the space
available to endorse signatures in the same line, the signature blocks will be split to
endorse signatures of the juniors in the line above and those of the seniors in the lower
line.
 Good To Know
 Indication of Time. In documents where the time of signature is required to be
indicated, time in a 24-hour clock will be recorded on the left hand margin in line with the
last line of the signature block prefixed with the word ‘Time’ and suffixed by ‘Hr’.

 Multiple Signatures. When a document is to be signed by more than one person of

equal protocol, the signature block will be in the same horizontal line with the senior-
most signing on the extreme right. Where the list of signatories exceeds the space
available to endorse signatures in the same line, the signature blocks will be split to
endorse signatures of the juniors in the line above and those of the seniors in the lower
line.

 Date-Time.
 In full - 01 January 2020.
 Abbreviated - 01 Jan 20.

 A date will always be abbreviated when writing within the services. It will be written in
full when writing to civilians, in Government of India letters and when legal requirements
so demand.
 Good To Know
 A date will always be abbreviated when writing within the services. It will be written in
full when writing to civilians, in Government of India letters and when legal requirements
so demand.

 A night is designated by both dates over which it extends eg. Night 29/30 Sep or
Night 30 Sep/ 01 Oct.

 Numerals. Arabic numerals are used in all service writing, except for the numbering
of all appendices, columns, enemy courses in an appreciation and item numbers in
minutes of meeting/ tour notes /agenda and army designations. This is to avoid mistakes
such as confusion of the Roman numeral ‘I’ with the Roman alphabet ‘I’. Some typical
conventions relating to use of numerals are:-

 Numbers one to nine are always written in words except when they are used in
the dimensional sense, eg 6-inch shell, or when they are part of the title of a
formation or unit.
 Good To Know
 If adjacent numbers indicate quantities and dimensions, the first should either be
spelled out, eg. twelve 10-tonne trucks, or the adjacent numbers separated by the
multiplication sign eg. 12 x 10-tonne trucks.

 If numbers below and above nine are contained in the same sentence, they
should all be written in words or in figures, whichever seems more appropriate.

 When used in number form, a leading zero is incorrect usage (eg No 07 Squadron
is wrong, No 7 Squadron is correct).

 Spelling. The Oxford English dictionary will be considered as the Standard English
dictionary for spellings. Where alternative spellings are given, the first one will be used.

 Use of Slant Stroke. The use of the oblique stroke (slant) is to be used only to
denote ‘or’. The slant stroke is to have no space after the preceding word and will have
a single space after the stroke viz. rail/ road.
General Format
Service Letter Format
DO Letter & E mail Format
Appendix Format