The Central government has mandated the implementation of digital service books across all ministries and departments, as part of administrative reforms. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued an order directing the transition from traditional paper-based service records to the e-HRMS 2.0 portal, marking a major shift in how employee data is managed.
With the new directive, all such information will be securely stored online and accessible anytime, anywhere. The digital format is now officially recognised as the primary and legally- valid record.
The service book is a comprehensive record of a government employee’s career—from appointment to retirement—including transfers, promotions, salary changes, and leave history. Until now, this information was maintained manually, which often caused issues with tracking, verification, and data security.
Now, departments have been instructed to enter and verify employee data on the portal immediately and phase out the use of physical service books. This transition is in line with the Government’s Digital India initiative and is expected to enhance transparency, accountability and operational efficiency.
The digitalisation of employee records comes alongside several other recent measures benefitting Central government employees and pensioners. Reforms in the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) have expanded access to private hospitals and improved cashless treatment options for retirees. In certain cases, employees now have the option to shift back to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), especially in instances of death or disability during service.
