Civil Secretariat: Meaning, Role, Functions
Chapter – 5
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
- The Secretariat has evolved over a period of 200 years.
- The Constitution does not mention the word ‘Secretariat’ directly.
- Article 77(3) of the Constitution mandates the President to make rules for the transaction of government business and allocation among ministers.
- The main function of the Secretariat is to run the business of the government.
- The word ‘Secretariat’ is derived from ‘secret’, meaning something confidential, unrevealed, or covert.
- The Secretariat is responsible for advising ministers on matters of policy and administration.
- The dealings between the secretary and the minister are often confidential in nature.
- The term ‘Secretariat’ reflects the confidentiality inherent in government functions.
BRITISH ORIGINS
- During British rule, the government was known as the secretary’s government.
- After Independence, actual power shifted to the Council of Ministers.
- Ministers require assistance for administration, which is provided by the central secretariat.
- The central secretariat includes the staff of all ministries and departments.
- There are attached offices, subordinate offices, and field agencies to implement policies made by ministers in consultation with the secretariat.
- The Constitution provides agencies independent of ministries, such as the Election Commission, Union Public Service Commission, and Comptroller and Auditor-General, which report directly to the Union Parliament.
- There are also staff agencies advising the government on planning, though they function as a parallel secretariat.
- Some ministries and departments share functions with boards and commissions that have some autonomy.
- Some ministries/departments have their own advisory bodies for specific matters.
EVOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL SECRETARIAT
- Initially, the secretariat in India was the office of the Governor-General.
- The role of the secretariat was to furnish information for policy formulation and to carry out the orders of the Company’s government.
- Before 1756, the president and council at Fort William transacted business with a secretary and assistants.
- The Regulatory Act of 1773 created the supreme government, controlling the presidency government.
- The system continued through British rule, with the number of council members increasing over time.
- As the company’s rule expanded, the role and size of the secretariat grew.
- Lord Cornwallis organized and strengthened the secretariat, creating the office of Secretary-General, later called Chief Secretary.
- Lord Wellesley also reorganized the secretariat, raising the status of the secretary, increasing salaries, and extending responsibilities to research and planning.
- By the end of the 18th century, the supreme government had a governor-general, three councillors, and a secretariatwith four departments.
- By 1919, the government consisted of a governor-general and seven members, with the secretariat expanded to nine departments.
- The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 introduced division of functions between central and provincial governments.
- As a result, the central government took over more responsibilities, and the role of the secretariat changed from policy-formulating to executive functions.
- The outbreak of World War II further expanded the secretariat to handle functions like civil defense, mobilization, and food and civil supplies.
- The strength of the governor-general’s council grew from 7 to 14, and the secretariat had 19 departments.
- The post-war reconstruction and independence did not allow for a reduction in the secretariat’s size, which continued to expand.
- By 1994, the secretariat had 74 departments and 100 attached/subordinate offices.
FUNCTIONS OF THE SECRETARIAT
- The functioning of the secretariat in India is based on two key principles.
- The first principle is the separation of policy from its implementation – allowing administration in action to be handled by a separate agency with certain freedom in execution.
- The second principle is the use of a transitory cadre of officers from state cadres, operating on a tenure system, to control a permanent staff, ensuring the vitality of the administrative system.
- L.S. Amary in his book, Thoughts on the Constitution, observed that in such a dual-functioning system, the policy-making functions are most likely to suffer.
- Routine business is more urgent and requires less intellectual effort than policy-making functions, leading to routine work getting prioritized.
- The human mind tends to follow the path of least resistance, focusing on routine tasks while policy functions receive less attention.
- This system is known as the split system, where the general staff is freed from administration to focus on thoughtful and effective planning.