There are specified guidelines outlined in the Ministry of Urban Development, Directorate of Estates Office Memorandum dated 16th March 2017, which are as follows:

However, CSS Officers are being allotted less space than mandated, impacting confidentiality and efficiency. The seating arrangement in Kartavya Bhawan-3 too 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. Further, office space for 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, adversely affecting focus and critical thinking essential for analytical work, as well as the discreet handling of sensitive matters.

It is pertinent to highlight that a Under Secretaries, who are entrusted with highly sensitive and confidential matters like classified files, court cases, and vigilance issues, require a private workspace. However, they have been provided open office space, wherein their telephonic and in-person discussions with senior authorities and other officials can be easily overheard, posing a serious risk to confidentiality. This is particularly problematic for sections dealing with sensitive matters, where premature disclosure could compromise outcomes. In the existing set up, separate rooms are used to be provided to Under Secretaries to ensure the necessary confidentiality for their critical responsibilities.

It is also relevant to mention that officers at pay level -11 similar to Under Secretary such as DC from CAPFS and similarly ranked officers from PSUs and subordinate offices, who are on attachment in Ministries, have been provided with closed cabins in recognition of the sensitive nature of their roles. On contrary, Under Secretaries who are part of sanctioned strength of the Central Ministries, have functional requirement for closed space, and Secretariat officers for whom the office spaces in the Central Vista buildings were originally designed, are now being compelled to work from open office space. This is despite the fact that Under Secretaries have historically been provided with closed office spaces in recognition of the nature and sensitivity of their work. Such an arrangement not only undermines the intended design and operational efficiency of the new infrastructure but also creates a demoralising environment for officers who rightfully belong to the Central Secretariat's core staffing structure.

The CSS forum requested to ensure strict compliance with the office space entitlements for CSS officers as per the MOHUA Office Memorandum dated 16.03.2017 without any discrimination compared to similarly placed officers of other services, thereby upholding the dignity and functionality of their roles.