Harvard must revise by August 1 more than 20 deficiencies cited by the Federal Government in its rejection of Harvard's non-discriminatory hiring plan.

Walter J. Leonard, special assistant to President Bok, said yesterday that he is "certain" Harvard will be ready with its revisions of the affirmative action program within the prescribed time-limit.

The major factor in the rejection of the University's affirmative action plan was the absence of a departmental breakdown of goals and timetables in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the hiring of women and minority group members.

President Bok early this week received projections from the Faculty's department chairmen regarding how many faculty and staff positions will become available in each department during the next two years, and estimates of the numbers of women and minority group members who may fill these posts.

Bok also requested utilization analyses from each of the department chairmen. These statistics on women and minority group members holding appointments, and on the available labor pool, are used to locate areas of apparent "underrepresentation" and to substantiate the departments' projections.

In addition to its objections to the subdivision of goals and timetables, HEW on June 13 also outlined its dissatisfaction with the following:

* the University's present nepotism policy;

* the status and authority of the office of Walter J. Leonard, special assistant to President Bok and coordinator of the University's affirmative action program;

Salary Review

* the existing procedures for employee salary review;

* the composition and powers of the University Equal Employment Opportunity Committee;

* the lack of job descriptions for the various categories of administrative employees exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and for the faculty; and,

* the lack of a clear organizational chart for the University.

In one of its most lengthy objections to the plan, which was submitted on May 1, the HEW review stated that Leonard "does not have sufficient authority to effectively impelment, coordinate or monitor the affirmative action plan," as demanded by HEW regulations.

Leonard said yesterday his office does not have a large enough staff to implement and administer the affirmative action plan readily throughout the University.