The eleventh position in the Indian hierarchy order is the Cabinet Secretary, the senior-most cadre position in the Indian Administrative Service. The Cabinet Secretary reports directly to the Prime Minister. Since 2010, the term of the Cabinet Secretary has been reduced to four years.
For the management of the Indian government, the Cabinet Secretariat is in charge.
This job has considerable importance. The highest senior public officer typically receives it. They serve as the chief of every governmental service recognized in the Indian constitution.
The article highlights the list of Cabinet Secretary of India since 1950, as well as the roles of cabinet secretaries which are important for UPSC exam preparation.
Indian Cabinet Secretary
- The Cabinet Secretariat operates under the Prime Minister and is headed by a Cabinet Secretary.
- This person is also the Civil Services Board’s ex-officio chairman.
- This person is the highest-ranking IAS officer.
- The ACC or Appointments Committee of the Cabinet selects the Cabinet Secretary based on the ability of the appointee and the Prime Minister’s confidence in the appointee. The appointment of the Cabinet Secretary is a crucial role in ensuring that the government gets the most qualified and competent person for the job.
Rajiv Gauba is a civil servant from the 1982 batch of the Jharkhand cadre and currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary of India. Before becoming Cabinet Secretary of India, Gauba worked as the Home Secretary. However, it is his career in the Civil Service that enlisted him for this post. As the current Cabinet Secretary of India, he is expected to keep a close eye on the department, as well as the economy.
List Of Cabinet Secretary Of India
Below is the list of cabinet secretaries of India, since 1950.
| No. | Name Of The Cabinet Secretary of India | From | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N. R. Pillai | 02-06-1950 | 05-13-1953 | He worked for the ICS. When India earned its independence, he served as the first minister (or head) of the civil service. |
| 2 | Y. N. Sukthankar | 05-14-1953 | 07-31-1957 | He was an Indian Civil Service officer. |
| 3 | M. K. Vellodi | 08-01-1957 | 06-04-1958 | He worked for the ICS. He previously served as the Hyderabad CM. |
| 4 | Vishnu Sahay | 07-01-1958 | 11-10-1960 | He was an ICS officer. |
| 5 | B. N. Jha | 11-10-1960 | 03-08-1961 | He worked for the ICS. He is the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in Independent India’s history. |
| 6 | Vishnu Sahay | 03-09-1961 | 04-15-1962 | He was an ICS officer. |
| 7 | S. S. Khera | 04-15-1962 | 11-18-1964 | He worked for the ICS. He was the first person from the Sikh community to hold the position of Cabinet Secretary. He is best known for using tanks against rioters during the 1947 Meerut riots. |
| 8 | Dharma Vira | 11-18-1964 | 06-27-1966 | He was an Indian Civil Service officer. |
| 9 | D. S. Joshi | 06-27-1966 | 12-31-1968 | He was an Indian Civil Service officer. |
| 10 | B. Sivaraman | 01-01-1969 | 11-30-1970 | He was an Indian Civil Service officer. |
| 11 | T. Swaminathan | 12-01-1970 | 11-02-1972 | He was an Indian Civil Service officer. |
| 12 | B. D. Pandey | 11-02-1972 | 03-31-1977 | He worked for the ICS. In Indian history, he has held the position of Cabinet Secretary for the longest. |
| 13 | N. K. Mukarji | 03-31-1977 | 03-31-1980 | He was a member of the ICS and the final ICS officer to serve as the head of a sovereign India civil service. |
| 14 | S. S. Grewal | 04-02-1980 | 04-30-1981 | He was a member of the IAS (PB:1947 batch). The first Indian Administrative Service officer to serve as Cabinet Secretary of India. |
| 15 | C. R. Krishnaswamy Rao Sahib | 04-30-1981 | 02-08-1985 | He was an IAS officer (AP:1949 batch). |
| 16 | P. K. Kaul | 02-08-1985 | 08-22-1986 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1951 batch). |
| 17 | B. G. Deshmukh | 08-23-1986 | 03-27-1989 | He is a member of the IAS. (MH:1951 batch). |
| 18 | T. N. Seshan | 03-27-1989 | 12-23-1989 | He is a member of the IAS. (TN:1955 batch). |
| 19 | V. C. Pande | 12-23-1989 | 12-11-1990 | He is a member of the IAS. (RJ:1955 batch). |
| 20 | Naresh Chandra | 12-11-1990 | 07-31-1992 | He is a member of the IAS. (RJ:1956 batch). |
| 21 | S. Rajagopal | 08-01-1992 | 07-31-1993 | He is a member of the IAS. (MH:1957 batch). |
| 22 | Zafar Saifullah | 07-31-1993 | 07-31-1994 | He is a member of the IAS. (KA:1958 batch). |
| 23 | Surendra Singh | 08-01-1994 | 07-31-1996 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1959 batch). |
| 24 | T. S. R. Subramanian | 08-01-1996 | 03-31-1998 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1961 batch). |
| 25 | Prabhat Kumar | 04-01-1998 | 10-31-2000 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1963 batch). |
| 26 | T. R. Prasad | 11-01-2000 | 10-31-2002 | He is a member of the IAS. (AP:1963 batch). |
| 27 | Kamal Pandey | 11-01-2002 | 06-14-2004 | He is a member of the IAS. (UK:1965 batch). |
| 28 | B. K. Chaturvedi | 06-14-2004 | 06-13-2007 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1966 batch). |
| 29 | K. M. Chandrasekhar | 06-14-2007 | 06-13-2011 | He is a member of the IAS. (KL:1970 batch). |
| 30 | Ajit Seth | 06-14-2011 | 06-13-2015 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1974 batch). |
| 31 | P. K. Sinha | 06-14-2015 | 08-30-2019 | He is a member of the IAS. (UP:1977 batch). |
| 32 | Rajiv Gauba | 08-30-2019 | Incumbent | He is a member of the IAS. (JH:1982 batch). |
Cabinet Secretary – Duties
It operates out of the Secretariat Building in New Delhi, where the majority of the Indian Cabinet is seated. Below are the functions of the Indian Cabinet Secretary are enlisted:
- The Cabinet Secretariat is led by the Cabinet Secretary.
- The Prime Minister’s chief advisor is the Cabinet Secretary.
- Serves as the central government’s chief coordinator.
- The Cabinet Secretary also assists the Council of Ministers.
- Serves as the board’s chairman and recommends candidates for the positions of secretary, joint secretary, and additional secretary.
- During times of crisis, cabinet secretaries bring consistency and longevity to the administration.
- Serve as chairperson of the Committee of Secretaries on Administration.
- Function as the chairperson of the Conference of Chief Secretaries of States.
- Prepares the cabinet’s agenda and keeps minutes of its meetings.
- Recommends assignments of officials with the level of secretary and additional secretary to the Cabinet’s Appointments Committee, excluding those who work for the ministry of external affairs.
- The Cabinet Secretary serves as the chair of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which recommends job placements for Union Government employees with the level of joint secretary.
Indian Civil Service’s Head
The person in this position is responsible for ensuring that the civil services are equipped with the knowledge and abilities needed to deal with the challenges they confront on a daily basis, as well as that public officials work in an ethical and fair environment. Being the Prime Minister’s right hand, the Cabinet Secretary of India is perhaps the most powerful individual in the country.
Conclusion
The Cabinet Secretary of India is a high government official who serves as the prime minister’s right-hand man. The position combines administration and politics. This post is extremely important and has many benefits for the government. There are many advantages to the Cabinet Secretary’s position. And there is a high degree of responsibility that comes with the position.
FAQs related to Cabinet Secretary of India
Who appoints the Cabinet Secretary of India?
The Cabinet Secretary is the IAS officer with the highest rank. The appointment for the role is approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, depending on the appointee’s skills and the Prime Minister’s confidence.
What is the tenure of the Cabinet Secretary?
The Cabinet Secretary has a 4-year term.
Who can be appointed as the Cabinet Secretary of India?
The Cabinet Secretary of India is usually selected from among the senior-most officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). However, officers from other services such as the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) can also be considered for the position.
Who is the Cabinet Secretary of India?
The Cabinet Secretary of India is the head of the Civil Services and the senior-most bureaucrat in the country. As of September 2021, Rajiv Gauba is the current Cabinet Secretary of India.
