Cabinet Secretary (India)
Encyclopedia
The head of executive officers of civil services of India
is the Cabinet Secretary
. The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister
. The administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat
is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board, and thus the head of the Indian Administrative Service
.
As a matter of convention the senior most civil servant is appointed as a Cabinet Secretary. Though there is no fixed tenure, the average tenure of the Cabinet Secretary in India has been less than 3 years. His or her tenure however, can be extended. His status in the Order of Precedence
is above chiefs of staff or equivalent in other services holding the rank of full general and equivalent to that of Attorney General and Lieutenant Governors within their territories.
He belongs to the Indian Administrative Service. The incumbent generally has a tenure of 2 to 3 years. The Cabinet Secretary is the Ex-Officio and Chairman of the Civil Services Board of the Republic of India; the chief of the Indian Administrative Service
and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the Government of India
.
After Independence, the functions of the Secretariat underwent major changes. A series of committees on economic, defence and intelligence matters were constituted under the Cabinet Secretariat. Most of the departments created after Independence functioned under the Cabinet Secretariat, and were later on shifted to the respective ministries.
The position holder is accountable for ensuring that the Civil Service is equipped with the skills and capability to meet the everyday challenges it faces and that civil servants work in a fair and decent environment.
The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government
of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961 and the Government of India Allocation of Business Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments of the Government by ensuring adherence to these rules. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/adhoc Committees of Secretaries. Through this mechanism new policy initiatives are also promoted.
The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that the President of India, the Vice-President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Departments by means of a monthly summary of their activities. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of the various Ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The Cabinet Secretariat has 3 wings: Civil, Military and Intelligence. The Civil wing is the main wing and provides aid, advice and assistance to the Union Cabinet. The purpose of having the Military wing is to provide better coordination in Intelligence and to provide secretarial assistance to the Defence Committee of the Cabinet and the National Defence Council. The Military wing is represented by Major General
(or equivalent) who is designated as Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. The Intelligence wing deals with matters pertaining to the Joint Intelligence Committee of the Union Cabinet. The chief of Research and Analysis Wing R&AW also officially first reports to the Cabinet Secretary, and is officially designated Secretary R in the Cabinet Secretariat.
The Cabinet Secretary is arguably India's most powerful bureaucrat
and right hand of Prime Minister of India
.
Civil Services of India
The Civil Services of India refer to the civil service and the permanent bureaucracy of the Government of India...
is the Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
. The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. The administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat
Cabinet Secretariat
The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India. It functions from the Secretariat Building, New Delhi, where most of Cabinet of India sits...
is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board, and thus the head of the Indian Administrative Service
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
.
As a matter of convention the senior most civil servant is appointed as a Cabinet Secretary. Though there is no fixed tenure, the average tenure of the Cabinet Secretary in India has been less than 3 years. His or her tenure however, can be extended. His status in the Order of Precedence
Indian order of precedence
The Order of precedence of the Republic of India is the protocol list in which the functionaries and officials are listed according to their rank and office in the Government of India. The order is established by the President of the India, through the Office of the President of India and is...
is above chiefs of staff or equivalent in other services holding the rank of full general and equivalent to that of Attorney General and Lieutenant Governors within their territories.
He belongs to the Indian Administrative Service. The incumbent generally has a tenure of 2 to 3 years. The Cabinet Secretary is the Ex-Officio and Chairman of the Civil Services Board of the Republic of India; the chief of the Indian Administrative Service
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Origin
During British colonial rule in India, the agency that carried out governmental business was called the Governor-General-in Council. In 1946, the Council was renamed the Cabinet Secretariat.After Independence, the functions of the Secretariat underwent major changes. A series of committees on economic, defence and intelligence matters were constituted under the Cabinet Secretariat. Most of the departments created after Independence functioned under the Cabinet Secretariat, and were later on shifted to the respective ministries.
The position holder is accountable for ensuring that the Civil Service is equipped with the skills and capability to meet the everyday challenges it faces and that civil servants work in a fair and decent environment.
Functions
The following are the functions of a Cabinet Secretary:- Provide assistance to the Council of Ministers
- Act as advisor and conscience keeper of the civil services
- Handle senior appointments
- Prepare of the agenda of the Cabinet
- Attend the meetings of the Cabinet
- Ensure that the Cabinet decisions are implemented
- Advise the Prime Minister of India
- Act as the Chairman of the Committee of Secretaries on Administration
- Act as the Chairman of the Chief Secretaries Committee
- Provide an element of continuity and stability to administration during crises
Power and Role in Government
In the Government of India Allocation of Business Rules, 1961 "Cabinet Secretariat" finds a place in the First Schedule to the Rules. The subjects allotted to this Secretariat are, firstly, secretarial assistance to Cabinet and Cabinet Committees, and secondly, the administration of the Rules of Business.The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961 and the Government of India Allocation of Business Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments of the Government by ensuring adherence to these rules. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/adhoc Committees of Secretaries. Through this mechanism new policy initiatives are also promoted.
The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that the President of India, the Vice-President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Departments by means of a monthly summary of their activities. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of the various Ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The Cabinet Secretariat has 3 wings: Civil, Military and Intelligence. The Civil wing is the main wing and provides aid, advice and assistance to the Union Cabinet. The purpose of having the Military wing is to provide better coordination in Intelligence and to provide secretarial assistance to the Defence Committee of the Cabinet and the National Defence Council. The Military wing is represented by Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(or equivalent) who is designated as Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. The Intelligence wing deals with matters pertaining to the Joint Intelligence Committee of the Union Cabinet. The chief of Research and Analysis Wing R&AW also officially first reports to the Cabinet Secretary, and is officially designated Secretary R in the Cabinet Secretariat.
Head of the Indian Civil Service
As head of the Indian Civil Service, the incumbent position holder is accountable for ensuring that the Civil Service is equipped with the skills and capability to meet the everyday challenges it faces and that civil servants work in a fair and decent environment.The Cabinet Secretary is arguably India's most powerful bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
and right hand of Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
.
List of Cabinet Secretary of India after 1950
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| N. R. Pillai N. R. Pillai Narayanan Raghavan Pillai or Sir N R Pillai was the first Secretary of External Affairs, post and office he held from February 6, 1950 until May 13, 1953. He was later the first Secretary General or Cabinet Secretary of the Republic of India... |
1950 to 1953 |
| Y.N.Sukthankar | 1953 to 1957 |
| M.K.Vellodi | 1957 to 1958 |
| Vishnu Sahay | 1958 to 1960 |
| B.N.Jha | 1960 to 1961 |
| Vishnu Sahay | 1961 to 1962 |
| S.S.Khera | 1962 to 1964 |
| Dharam Vira | 1964 to 1966 |
| D.S.Joshi | 1966 to 1968 |
| B.Sivaraman | 1969 to 1970 |
| T.Swaminathan | 1970 to 1972 |
| B.D.Pande | 1972 to 1977 |
| N.K. Mukarji Nirmal Kumar Mukarji Nirmal Kumar Mukarji IAS ICS was an Indian administrator and the last member of the Indian Civil Service to serve. In the course of a long career he was Home Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, and eventually Governor of Punjab. He died in 2002.Born in Delhi to Satyanand Mukarji, Principal of St.... |
1977 to 1980 |
| S.S.Grewal | 1980 to 1981 |
| C.R.Krishnaswamy Rao | 1981 to 1985 |
| P.K.Kaul | 1985 to 1986 |
| B.G.Deshmukh | 1986 to 1989 |
| T.N.Seshan | 1989 to 1989 |
| V.C.Pande | 1989 to 1990 |
| Naresh Chandra | 1990 to 1992 |
| S.Rajgopal | 1992 to 1993 |
| Zafar Saifullah | 1993 to 1994 |
| Surendra Singh | 1994 to 1996 |
| T.S.R.Subramaniam | 1996 to 1998 |
| Prabhat Kumar | 1998 to 2000 |
| T.R. Prasad | 2000 to 2002 |
| Kamal Pande | 2002 to 2004 |
| B. K. Chaturvedi B. K. Chaturvedi B. K. Chaturvedi is an Indian civil servant. He is former cabinet secretary, Government of India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contribution to the field of civil services. He belongs to 1966 batch of IAS.-Early life:... |
2004 to 2007 |
| K. M. Chandrasekhar | 2007 to 2011 |
| A.K. Seth | 2011 to Present |