- Not all email needs retention, depending on subject matter.
- All email (internal/external) must be deleted after 12 months.
- Staff should keep only the insignificant minority related to business issues.
- SRMIST archives deleted email for 6 months, then permanently deletes it.
- Business-related emails should be downloaded to a service center or user directory on the server.
- SRMIST emails shouldn't be stored/transferred to non-work computers except as necessary/appropriate.
- Confidential/proprietary information shouldn't be sent to outside sources.
- Staff exceeding a storage limit will be unable to send/receive until reduced (notified as they approach the limit).
- Job-vital emails should be copied to the staff's D: drive folder and printed/stored in the workspace.
- PDF documents: retention depends on content/category; maximum retention 6 years. Job-vital PDFs should be printed and stored in the workspace.
- Text/formatted files: annual review; unnecessary/outdated files deleted. After 5 years, all text files deleted from network and device. Job-vital files printed/stored in the workspace.
3. Web Page Files (Internet Cookies)
Internet Explorer scheduled to delete cookies monthly on all workstations.
SRMIST doesn't automatically delete files beyond specified dates — staff are responsible for adherence. Daily tape backups of all electronic files/email run per the Disaster Recovery Plan (1-year retrieval safeguard, not an official record repository). Monthly/yearly tapes stored offsite per the Disaster Recovery Policy.
Ensure necessary records are protected/maintained, and unneeded/valueless records discarded at the proper time; aids employees in understanding obligations for retaining electronic documents.
Represents SRMIST's policy on retention/disposal of records and electronic documents.
A Record Retention Schedule (Appendix A) is the approved maintenance/retention/disposal schedule. The Registrar ("Administrator") administers the policy and may modify the Schedule.
On subpoena, document request, government investigation/audit, or litigation, the employee informs the Administrator and disposal is suspended until determined; the Administrator informs all staff promptly.
Applies to all physical records (originals and reproductions) and the electronic documents described above. Approved by the Board of Management.
Sections: A. Accounting & Finance · B. Contracts · C. Corporate Records · D. Correspondence & Internal Memoranda · E. Grant Records · F. Insurance Records · G. Legal Files & Papers · H. Miscellaneous · I. Payroll Documents · J. EPF Documents · K. Personnel Records · L. Property Records · M. Tax Records · N. Contribution Records · O. Programs & Services Records · P. Fiscal Sponsor Project Records · Q. Academic Records · R. Admission Records · S. Controller of Examinations Records
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Accounts Payable ledgers and schedules |
7 years |
| Accounts Receivable ledgers and schedules |
7 years |
| Annual Audit Reports and Financial Statements |
Permanent |
| Annual Audit Records (incl. work papers) |
7 years after audit completion |
| Annual Plans and Budgets |
2 years |
| Bank Statements and Cancelled Cheques |
7 years |
| Employee Expense Reports |
7 years |
| General Ledgers |
Permanent |
| Interim Financial Statements |
7 years |
| Notes Receivable ledgers and schedules |
7 years |
| Investment Records |
7 years after sale |
| Credit card records (with card number) |
2 years |
Credit card record retention: Records with credit card numbers must be locked away when not in immediate use. If retention beyond 2 years is needed for other content, the credit card number is cut out of the document.
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Contracts and related correspondence |
2 years after expiration/termination (if no litigation) |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Corporate Records (minute books, signed BoM/committee minutes, seals, articles of incorporation, bylaws, annual reports) |
Permanent |
| Licenses and Permits |
Permanent |
General principle: retained per the document it supports. Project-related records take on the project's retention period.
- Routine (no lasting consequence): discarded within 2 years (e.g., acknowledgment-free notes, congratulations, transmittal letters, meeting plans, form letters, closed-cycle inquiries, address-change complaints, chronological files).
- Copies of interoffice correspondence duplicated elsewhere: read and destroyed (unless needed for project traceability).
- Non-routine/significant consequence: generally retained permanently.
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Original grant proposal |
7 years after grant period completion |
| Grant agreement + modifications |
7 years after completion |
| IRS/grantee correspondence (determination, "no change" letters) |
7 years after completion |
| Final grantee reports (financial/narrative) |
7 years after completion |
| Evidence of returned grant funds |
7 years after completion |
| Formal correspondence incl. counsel opinion letters |
7 years after completion |
| Report assessment forms |
7 years after completion |
| Grantee invoice/matching-grant documentation |
7 years after completion |
| Pre-grant inquiry forms (expenditure responsibility grants) |
7 years after completion |
| Grantee work product |
7 years after completion |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Annual Loss Summaries |
10 years |
| Audits and Adjustments |
3 years after final adjustment |
| Certificates Issued to SRMIST |
Permanent |
| Claims Files |
Permanent |
| Group Insurance Plans – Active Employees |
Until amended/terminated |
| Group Insurance Plans – Retirees |
Permanent, or 6 years after death of last eligible participant |
| Inspections |
3 years |
| Insurance Policies (incl. expired) |
Permanent |
| Journal Entry Support Data |
7 years |
| Loss Runs |
10 years |
| Releases and Settlements |
25 years |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Legal Memoranda and Opinions |
7 years after close of matter |
| Litigation Files |
1 year after matter ends |
| Court Orders |
Permanent |
| Requests for Departure from Records Retention Plan |
10 years |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Consultant's Reports |
2 years |
| Material of Historical Value |
Permanent |
| Policy and Procedures Manuals – Original |
Current version with revision history |
| Policy and Procedures Manuals – Copies |
Retain current version only |
| Annual Reports |
Permanent (1–2 reference copies) |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Employee Deduction Authorizations |
4 years after termination |
| Payroll Deductions |
Termination + 7 years |
| W-2 and W-4 Forms |
Termination + 7 years |
| Garnishments, Assignments, Attachments |
Termination + 7 years |
| Labor Distribution Cost Records |
7 years |
| Payroll Registers (gross/net) |
7 years |
| Time Cards/Sheets |
2 years |
| Unclaimed Wage Records |
6 years |
General principle: retained until the employee retires (or as remarked).
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Retirement and connected records |
2 years |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Commissions/Bonuses/Incentives/Awards |
7 years |
| EEO-1/EEO-2 Reports |
2 years after superseded/filing (longer applies) |
| Employee Earnings Records |
Separation + 7 years |
| Employee Handbooks |
1 copy kept permanently |
| Employee Medical Records |
Separation + 6 years |
| Employee Personnel Records (attendance, applications, status changes, evaluations, termination papers, withholding, garnishments, test results, training) |
6 years after separation |
| Employment Contracts – Individual |
7 years after separation |
| Correspondence with Employment Agencies/Job Ads |
3 years from hiring decision |
| Non-Hired Applicant Records |
2–4 years (4 if offer-adjacent correspondence exists) |
| Job Descriptions |
3 years after superseded |
| Personnel Count Records |
3 years |
| Forms I-9 |
3 years after hiring, or 1 year after separation (whichever later) |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Correspondence, Property Deeds, Assessments, Licenses, Rights of Way |
Permanent |
| Original Purchase/Sale/Lease Agreement |
Permanent |
| Property Insurance Policies |
Permanent |
General principle: records material to federal/state/local tax administration must be kept.
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Tax-Exemption Documents and Correspondence |
Permanent |
| IRS Rulings |
Permanent |
| Excise Tax Records |
7 years |
| Payroll Tax Records |
7 years |
| Tax Bills, Receipts, Statements |
7 years |
| Tax Returns – Income, Franchise, Property |
Permanent |
| Tax Workpaper Packages – Originals |
7 years |
| Sales/Use Tax Records |
7 years |
| Annual Information Returns (Federal/State) |
Permanent |
| IRS/Government Audit Records |
Permanent |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Records of Contributions |
Permanent |
| Documents Evidencing Terms of Gifts |
Permanent |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Programs and Services (general) |
7 years |
| SRMIST Convening records |
Permanent (1 copy) |
| Research & Publications |
Permanent (1 copy) |
| Record Type |
Retention Period |
| Sponsorship agreements |
Permanent |
| Type |
Document Type |
Retention Period |
Disposition |
| Academic Calendar |
E-Document |
2 years |
Archived on completion of the academic year |
| Student Admission/Readmission/Transfer |
E-Document/Paper |
N+2 years |
Digital in Student Info System; paper in record room |
| Regulations |
E-Document |
10 years / until last student graduates |
— |
| Curriculum and Syllabus |
E-Document |
10 years / until last student graduates |
— |
| Student Attendance Records |
E-Document |
Permanent |
Digital in Academia (ADC) |
| Student Test/Model Exam Marks |
E-Document |
Permanent |
Digital in Academia (ADC) |
| Detention list |
E-Document/Paper |
Permanent |
Digital in Academia (ADC) |
| Hall Ticket Issued ledger |
Paper |
Permanent |
Record room |
| Examination Results |
E-Document/Paper |
Permanent |
Digital + paper (record room) |
| Student Mark Sheet Documents |
E-Document/Paper |
Permanent |
Digital + paper (record room) |
| Provisional/TC/Migration/Consolidated Mark Sheet |
Paper |
Permanent |
Record room |
| Break of Study |
Paper |
2 years / until readmission (whichever earlier) |
Record room |
| Type |
Document Type |
Retention Period |
| Application for Admission/Readmission |
E-Document/Paper |
4 years |
| SRM Joint Entrance Exam Scores |
E-Document/Paper |
4 years |
| SRM Rank List |
E-Document/Paper |
4 years |
| All Correspondence with Applicants |
E-Document/Paper |
Until enrollment |
| Provisional Allotment Letter |
E-Document/Paper |
Until enrollment |
| Scholarship Recommendation |
E-Document/Paper |
Until graduation |
| Admission Cancellation Documents (pre-enrollment) |
E-Document/Paper |
Until the end of that academic year |
| # |
Particulars |
Retention Period |
| 1 |
Answer Scripts – Theory and Practical |
1 year |
| 2 |
Scanned Images of Answer Scripts |
1 year |
| 3 |
Minutes of Question Paper Audit |
2 years |
| 4 |
Answer Keys |
1 year |
| 5 |
Minutes of Result Passing Board Meeting |
N+2 years |
| 6 |
Elective list and Enrollment form |
N+2 years |
| 7 |
Examination application forms |
N+2 years |
| 8 |
Qualifying Proof certificates |
N+2 years |
| 9 |
Detention list |
N+2 years |
| 10 |
Time Table copy |
N+2 years |
| 11 |
Internal & External Assessment Marks (Theory/Practical, hard + scanned) |
N+2 years |
| 12 |
Approved Malpractice documents |
N+2 years |
| 13 |
List of Graduates – Convocation Register |
Permanent |
| 14 |
Transcripts, Statement of Marks/Grade Cards, Provisional/Degree/Migration Certificates, Rank Certificates (soft copies) |
Permanent |
| 15 |
Original Signed Office Copy and Display Copy of Results |
Permanent |
| 16 |
Regulations, Curricula and Syllabi |
Permanent |
| 17 |
Special Approvals Documents |
Permanent |
