Previous Year Question

The Government of India constituted the Committee on Civil Service Reforms on 3 February 2004. It was chaired by P. C. Hota, former Chairman of the UPSC and former Secretary (Personnel), and was entrusted with examining a broad range of issues concerning civil service reforms.

The Committee focused on making the civil services more responsive, citizen-friendly, transparent, accountable and ethical. Its Terms of Reference covered issues relating to recruitment, performance, accountability, ethics and administrative effectiveness.

The Committee submitted its Report in July 2004. The covering letter dated 30 July 2004 expressly records that the Committee had been appointed by the Government of India on 03 February 2004. Thus, there is no confusion between the year of constitution and the year of the Report—both were 2004.

Important recommendations of the Hota Committee included reconsideration of the age profile for entrants to the higher civil services, aptitude and leadership assessment, and encouragement of domain expertise and professional specialisation among civil servants. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission later also referred to the recommendations of the Hota Committee, 2004.

Thus, the key association is—P. C. Hota Committee → Civil Service Reforms → constituted 3 February 2004 → Report July 2004.