Cabinet Secretary - India

India

The Cabinet Secretariat is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister. The administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board, and thus the head of the Indian Administrative Service. As a matter of convention the senior most civil servant is appointed as a Cabinet Secretary. He or she belongs to the Indian Administrative Service. The incumbent generally has a tenure of 2 to 3 years. Though there is no fixed tenure, the average tenure of the Cabinet Secretary in India has been less than 3 years. His or her tenure however, can be extended. The Cabinet Secretary is the head of all the civil services under the constitution which is the All India Civil Services and the Central Civil Services (Grade A and Grade B). His status in the Indian order of precedence is equivalent to that of the Attorney General of India and Lt. Governors within their territories and just above chiefs of staff or equivalent in the armed services holding the rank of full general.

The functions of the Cabinet Secretary in India are:

1. Provide assistance to the Council of Ministers
2. Act as advisor and conscience keeper of the civil services
3. Handle senior appointments
4. Prepare of the agenda of the Cabinet
5. Attend the meetings of the Cabinet
6. Ensure that the Cabinet decisions are implemented
7. Advise the Prime Minister
8. Act as the Chairman of the Committee of Secretaries on Administration
9. Act as the Chairman of the Chief Secretaries Committee
10. Provide an element of continuity and stability to administration during crises

The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments of the Government by ensuring adherence to these rules. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/adhoc Committees of Secretaries. Through this mechanism new policy initiatives are also promoted.

The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that the President of India, the Vice-President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Departments by means of a monthly summary of their activities. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of the various Ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.

The Cabinet Secretary is arguably India's most powerful bureaucrat.