Secretariat and Departments – Ancient India
Chapter – 9
- The king and his council of ministers formed the brain of the government organism, necessitating a central secretariat and various departmental heads for effective functioning.
- Historical data on the organization of the secretariat are limited and derived from different dynasties across various provinces and time periods.
- In the Vedic period, the art of writing was either unknown or minimally used, leading to oral government orders communicated by the king or Assembly (samits) through messengers.
- As kingdoms evolved into empires, the need for a Central Secretariat emerged, likely existing during the reigns of legendary kings like Yudhishthira and historical emperors such as Ajātaśatru and Mahāpadma Nanda.
- The Arthasastra indicates that by the Mauryan period, the secretariat had developed into a well-organized entity with senior officials called lekhakas or writers, who held a status just below that of ministers.