Open office concept in Central government offices irks officials

The Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Forum, a body representing government officials has written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that the open office spaces in new government buildings compromise privacy and pose serious risks to confidentiality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate Kartavya Bhavan-3, one of the first of several upcoming Common Central Secretariat buildings on Wednesday (August 6, 2028). All Ministries will eventually move to the new office buildings built at Kartavya Path in Lutyen’s Delhi. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which had been synonymous with the North Block address on Raisina Hills for the past 90 years is among the first offices to shift to the new building.

‘Lacks spatial integrity’

In a letter to the PMO and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the CSS Forum said that CSS officers are being allotted lesser spaces than mandated, impacting confidentiality and efficiency.

“The seating arrangement in Kartavya Bhawan-3 lacks the necessary spatial integrity and functional separation of sections. In addition, multiple sections are housed in a single work hall without clear demarcation. Assistant Section Officers (ASOs), who are central to file processing and examining, lack dedicated storage for both physical files and stationery, as well as partitions between their workspaces,” the Forum which represents 13,000 officials, said.

It said that office spaces for the Section Officer and Under Secretary level officers has been created by putting low height almirahs, which not only compromises privacy but also causes intermittent distractions, affecting discreet handling of sensitive matters.

‘Risk to confidentiality’

“Under Secretaries, who are entrusted to handle highly sensitive and confidential matters like classified files, court cases, and vigilance issues, require a private workspace. However, they have been provided an open office space, wherein their telephonic and in-person discussions with senior authorities and other officials can easily be overheard, posing a serious risk to confidentiality. This is particularly problematic for sections dealing with sensitive matters, where premature disclosure could compromise outcomes,” the Forum said.

The Forum has demanded that Ministries should be directed to review existing seating arrangements and implement corrective measures to align with the prescribed norms. It further asked for allocation of adequate office spaces, including closed chambers for all.