Srinagar, Jul 24: To improve administrative efficiency and reduce delays in employee-related cases, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department has issued fresh guidelines for the streamlined processing and monitoring of study leave and other time-bound service matters across all institutions under its administrative control. The department has observed that undue delays in processing study leave proposals and other time-bound service matters have resulted in administrative complications, procedural lapses, employee grievances and the risk of avoidable litigation. Under the new guidelines, all proposals relating to study leave and other time-bound service matters must be processed promptly and forwarded to the competent authority with all required documents, recommendations and clear remarks. The department has also made it mandatory for every institution to maintain a separate register or digital database to monitor study leave cases and other time-bound service matters. Heads of institutions have also been instructed to conduct monthly reviews of all pending study leave and other time-bound service matters and take necessary steps for their expeditious disposal.