Previous Year Question
With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements:
N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a Minister and a Secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it.
In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966 and this was placed under the Prime Minister’s charge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Only 1
Only 2
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is incorrect
N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar submitted a report titled “Reorganisation of the Machinery of Central Government” in 1949.
The report principally focused on:
Rational grouping of Ministries and Departments;
Better coordination among Ministries;
Improving the efficiency of the Secretariat;
Better utilisation of the personnel capabilities of officers; and
Strengthening arrangements relating to Organisation and Methods.
His recommendations provided an institutional basis for Organisation and Methods reforms in the Union Government, and an O&M Division was established in the Cabinet Secretariat in 1954.
However, the specific suggestion mentioned in the statement—designating a Minister and a Secretary exclusively to pursue and promote administrative reforms—was not a recommendation of the N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee.
Statement 2 is correct
The Government of India constituted the First Administrative Reforms Commission in January 1966. The Commission recommended establishing a separate Department of Personnel at the Union level to make personnel administration more integrated and effective.
Based on this recommendation:
The Department of Personnel was established in the Cabinet Secretariat in August 1970.
It was placed under the charge of the Prime Minister.
It was intended to coordinate matters concerning the All India Services, Central Services, recruitment, training, personnel policy and administrative reforms.
Subsequent institutional development
In 1973, the Department of Personnel was transferred from the Cabinet Secretariat to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In 1977, it was redesignated as the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
Following a reorganisation in 1985, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions was created.
Within this Ministry, the Department of Personnel and Training—DoPT—became the principal coordinating department for Union personnel policies, recruitment, training, vigilance and service matters.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances—DARPG—deals with administrative reforms, good governance and public grievance redressal.