Administrative Reforms Since Independence - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• When India gained independence, it inherited an administrative system designed for colonial purposes, primarily focused on revenue collection and law and order maintenance. In the years following independence, the Indian government's main concerns were integrating princely states and addressing the challenges faced by refugees and displaced people.
• As India transitioned into a republic, the country's development objectives shifted towards social and economic progress. This required an administration that was both people-oriented and responsive to the development needs of the population. Consequently, there was a pressing need to reform the administrative system to better suit the requirements of an independent India.
• In order to implement these reforms, the Government of India took various measures, such as constituting committees and commissions, as well as organizing conferences to propose administrative improvements. The following sections will delve deeper into the meaning, necessity, and types of administrative reforms, as well as the specific reform measures undertaken in India since gaining independence.

Meaning of Administrative Reforms

Administrative reforms can be defined as the deliberate, systematic, and planned process of inducing transformation within an administrative system to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. These reforms are necessary to realign and adjust the administration to meet new challenges and changing circumstances. The term "administrative reforms" encompasses various concepts like transformation, restructuring, reengineering, renewal, and realignment.

The definition of administrative reforms emphasizes three distinct aspects:

• Artificial stimulation: Reforms do not occur naturally or spontaneously. They are carefully planned, studied, and executed programs designed to achieve specific objectives. These reforms are intentionally induced to bring about desired changes in the administrative system.
• Transformation process: Administrative reforms involve a series of changes and adjustments that lead to a new form or structure of the administration. These changes can be incremental or radical, but they ultimately result in a transformed and improved administrative system.
• Resistance to change: Administrative reforms usually face resistance from various stakeholders, as people are generally hesitant to accept change. Overcoming this resistance is a critical part of the reform process, as it involves persuasion, collaboration, and generating conviction for the proposed improvements.

In essence, administrative reforms are a series of deliberate and planned actions aimed at bringing about significant and lasting improvements in an administrative system. These reforms are induced and manipulated, requiring collaboration and persuasion to overcome resistance to change. While reforms may result from a series of small changes over time, they often require comprehensive and systematic efforts to create a new administrative order. This structured change process ultimately leads to a more efficient and effective administration that can better serve its intended purpose.

Need for Administrative Reforms

The need for administrative reforms arises from the nature of a modernized social system, which is characterized by its ability to adapt to continuous and systematic transformations. Society must evolve to break free from traditional constraints, adapt to environmental changes, embrace innovative cultures, acquire new knowledge and technology, and establish a new order by eliminating outdated structures and systems. Administrative reform is an essential aspect of this universal change, as administration serves as a social subsystem that reflects the values of the broader society. To remain aligned with the ongoing modernization process, administration must undergo corresponding changes; otherwise, it will face imbalances, dysfunction, maladjustment, and goal displacement. As Fred W. Riggs suggests, adinistrative reform is a "problem of dynamic balancing."

• Since public administration operates within a political context, its fundamental nature, content, and functioning style are significantly influenced by the political environment, its institutional dynamics, and processes. This influence extends beyond setting national goals, priorities, and resource allocation; it also involves devising the most effective tools for translating policies into successful program realities.
• Furthermore, advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the state's extensive role in managing national assets and resources, regulating the economy, ensuring a just and equitable economic order, addressing longstanding social imbalances through new forms of institution-building, and fostering an egalitarian social system have created new challenges for administration.
• Addressing these challenges necessitates a comprehensive improvement in administrative capabilities, including proper planning, educational restructuring, skill development, attitude formation, and various structural-functional reorganizations. Achieving administrative reform requires an interdisciplinary and multidimensional approach.
• The 1990s brought market reforms and an emphasis on structural adjustment, with good governance becoming the focus of contemporary governments. This focus encompasses accountability, efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and decentralization. Consequently, there has been a significant shift in the conventional roles of the state, government, and bureaucracy.
• In today's world, the emphasis has shifted from responsiveness to partnership and collaboration, with increased importance placed on people's participation in governance and the involvement of multiple actors. As governments act as partners with citizens, administration must adapt to these new roles by becoming more people-friendly and building public trust. The bureaucracy must change to accommodate these new roles, and this need for change necessitates administrative reforms.

Types of Administrative Reforms

Administrative reforms, according to Gerald E. Caiden,.can be of four types.

• Reforms imposed through political changes
  Administration is shaped and influenced by political forces. The change in ' political scene also affects administration. Structure and working of administration is affected by political changes.
• Reforms introduced to remedy organisational rigidity
  Bureaucratic structures have to change to be flexible. The rigidity in the structure of administration has to be removed. The changes can take place in the form of restructuring, reinvention, realignment, rethinking and reengineering.
• Reforms through the legal system
  Laws pertaining to administrative reform can lead to significant changes in administration. Legislation is normally preceded by consultations and deliberation3 in several forums such as committees, commissions, press etc.
• Reforms through changes in attitude
  Human beings are an important part of any organisation. Change in their attitude will help in bringing reforms. No legal, structural and political change can lead to desired reform unless and until these are appreciated and accepted by the people working in the organisation.

Administrative Reforms in India Since Independence

Context for Reforms
Upon gaining independence in 1947, India faced numerous challenges, including partition, refugees, migration, the retirement of numerous administrative personnel, and the integration of princely states. The new government aimed to focus on the welfare of the people through socio-economic development, necessitating the revamping and reinforcement of the administrative machinery inherited from the colonial regime. Various measures were implemented by the Indian government to reform the administration, as detailed below.

• Secretariat Reorganization Committee, 1947: In 1947, the Government of India set up the Secretariat Reorganization Committee, led by Girija Shankar Bajpai. The committee focused on personnel shortages, better utilization of available manpower, and improving work methods in the Central Secretariat.
• Shri N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar Report, 1950: Shri N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar conducted a comprehensive review of the workings of the Central Government machinery, which was presented in his report on ‘Reorganisation of the Machinery of the Central Government’.
• A.D. Gorwala Committee, 1951: In July 1951, a committee headed by Shri A.D. Gorwala published a report on Public Administration, emphasizing the need for a clean, efficient, and impartial administration.
• Paul. H. Appleby Reports, 1953 & 1956: The Government of India invited American expert Paul H. Appleby to suggest reforms in Indian administration. Appleby submitted two reports. The first, titled ‘Public Administration in India: Report of a Survey’ (1953), dealt with administrative reorganization and practices. The second report, titled ‘Re-examination of India’s Administrative System with special reference to Administration of Government’s Industrial and Commercial Enterprises’ (1956), focused on streamlining organization, work procedures, recruitment, and training in these enterprises.

The Government of India accepted two of Appleby's recommendations: the establishment of the Indian Institute of Public Administration to promote research in public administration, and the creation of a central office to provide leadership in organization, management, and procedures. As a result, the Organisation and Methods (O&M) Division was established in the Cabinet Secretariat in March 1954.

• Committee on Plan Projects, 1956: In 1956, the Planning Commission established the 'Committee on Plan Projects' to develop organizational norms, work methods, and techniques to achieve economy and efficiency in implementing plan projects. In 1964, a Management and Development Administration Division was established within the committee to promote the use of modern management tools.
• Committee on Prevention of Corruption, 1962: Chaired by K Santhanam, the Committee on Prevention of Corruption aimed to study the causes of corruption, review existing setups for checking corruption, and suggest improvements. The committee emphasized the need to streamline procedures related to corruption prevention and recommended the establishment of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
• Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), 1966: The Administrative Reforms Commission was established in January 1966 under the chairmanship of K Hanumanthaiya. The commission's terms of reference covered the entirety of public administration at the central and state levels. The commission submitted 20 reports containing over 500 recommendations, leading to significant changes in administration and paving the way for further reforms.

The follow-up actions of the Conference included:

• Setting up of an inter-ministerial Working Group on Right to Information and Transparency headed by Shri H.D. shourie; 
• Constituting an Expert Group headed by Shri N. Vittal to look into the computerization in personnel system and public services; 
• Formulation of citizen's charters by all ministries with public interface; 
• Steps to provide timely disposal of departmental enquiries and vigilance proceedings; 
• Developing grievance redressal mach'inery; and 
• Initiating civil service reforms especially including the transfers and promotions in Centre and States.

Chief Minister's Conference, 1997

• In pursuance of the objectives of accountability, transparency, and debate was generated on the above-mentioned issues to elicit opinion of the wider public, which included officials, experts, voluntary agencies, media, academia and the citizens groups. 
• This debate culminated in an Action Plan for effective and responsive government. The Action Plan was discussed and adopted in the Conference of Chief Ministers on 24th May 1997, to be implemented by both the Centre and the State governments.
• The Action Plan has three components, namely:
  (i) Making Government Accountable and Citizen-friendly
  (ii) Transparency and Right to Information
  (iii) Irnproving the Performance and Integrity of the Public Services We will discuss the three components now.

Accountable and Citizen-friendly Government

To create a government and administration that is accountable and citizen-friendly, several measures have been taken, including:

• Implementation of a Citizen's Charter: The Indian Government has directed ministries and departments that interact with the public to develop a citizen's charter, which outlines their service standards, time limits, grievance redressal mechanisms, and monitoring provisions. The Department of AR&PG has coordinated these efforts to ensure the adoption of the charter across various central and state ministries, departments, and agencies.
• Redressal of Public Grievances: Directors of Grievances have been appointed in each ministry and department to address public grievances in the central government. Time limits for disposal of public grievances have been specified, and software has been developed for computerized, web-enabled, and networked monitoring of public grievance redressal mechanisms. Guidelines have also been published on this subject.
• Review of Laws, Regulations, and Procedures: Existing laws, regulations, and procedures are being reviewed, amended, and reformed to simplify them. This includes the repeal of obsolete laws, reduction of time and cost for case disposal in civil and criminal courts, and simplifying the process for obtaining approvals, sanctions, and permits. The P C Jain Commission has reviewed over 2,500 laws and recommended the repeal of about 1,400 laws and amendments to 241 laws, with follow-up action being taken under the supervision of a Standing Committee.
• People's Participation: Decentralization and Devolution of Powers: The Action Plan calls for the decentralization and devolution of powers, including people's participation in line with the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Indian Constitution. This involves involving people and voluntary agencies in service delivery, and devolving administrative powers. People's participation has been ensured by granting constitutional status to local governing bodies, such as Panchayats and urban local bodies, and extending the provisions of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to tribal areas in 10 States.

Transparency and Right to Information

• This provision in the Action Plan entails freedom of information to the public. I This will include amendments to the Official Secret Act, 1923 and Indian Evidence Act. The Freedom of Information Act, 2003 has been passed. The Act seeks to provide freedom to every citizen to secure information under the control of public authorities. It seeks to make government open, transparent, responsive and accountable to the people. 
• This Act provides easy access to the people to all information relating to government activities and decisions except matters relating to national security. Most of the States - Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu- too have legislated the Right to Information. 
• Information and Facilitation Counters (IFCs) have been set up by ministries, departments and organisations with large public interface in areas such as land records, passport, investigation of offences, administration of justice, tax collection and administration, issue of permits and licenses etc. information and Communications Technology based public service delivery has helped in promoting accountability and transparency in administration.

Improving the Performance and Integrity of the Public Services
The Action Plan aims to enhance the performance and integrity of public services by ensuring that civil servants adhere to ethical standards and uphold the basic principles of the Constitution, such as secularism, social justice, rule of law, and the Code of Conduct for Central and State civil services. It also seeks to regulate the relationship between politicians and civil servants.

• To address corruption, amendments are being made to existing provisions for the prosecution and removal of corrupt officials, as well as rewarding employees for good work. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has listed senior officials recommended for action due to corrupt practices on its website. States such as Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal have reported strengthening their vigilance procedures.
• Improvements in the integrity of public services have been enabled through the strengthening of investigation agencies and vigilance machinery, including Lok Ayukta, CBI, CVC, Income Tax authorities, and Enforcement Directorate. The CVC has also been established as an independent and autonomous body by executive order, although provisions for statutory status are still pending in Parliament.
• The Rajya Sabha has passed the Central Vigilance Commission bill, which confers statutory status on the CVC to investigate offenses committed by central public servants, corporations, societies, and local authorities. The bill also requires the CBI to obtain government approval before investigating offenses committed by officers of the rank of joint secretary or above in any government department or PSU.
• The Lokpal Bill, pending in Parliament, aims to effectively address corruption in high places and the nexus between politicians, civil servants, businessmen, and criminals. Many states have already set up Lok Ayukta institutions. A Code of Ethics has been drafted by the Government of India to improve civil servants' integrity, in addition to existing Conduct Rules. States such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal are also drafting their own Code of Ethics for civil servants.
• To prevent political interference in the postings and transfers of officials, institutional arrangements are being developed. The Central government has established a Civil Services Board to process proposals for postings and transfers of deputy secretary, director, and joint secretary-level officials. This will help curb the practice of frequent and arbitrary transfers of public servants. Several states have also implemented transfer policies for their civil servants.

Fifth Pay Commission, 1997

• The Commission was established under the chairmanship of Mr. Ratnavel Pandian. The Commission, effect, became more than a conventional Pay Commission, and went into major issues of administrative reforms. 
• The Commission observed that the entire machinery of the government has to be staff, determining the size of the ministry/department, no file movement beyond three hierarchical levels for a decision to be taken, injection of the concept of multi-skilling at the Group D level and abandoning of the centralised planning model.

Evaluation of Recent Reforms
In evaluating recent reforms at the central level, it has been observed that implementation has been slow across various ministries and departments. Many citizen's charters are of poor quality, often being repurposed information brochures, and both citizens and employees are frequently unaware of these charters. Full implementation of computerization and networking is still pending in the I Centre and the states. Additionally, the pace of reviewing laws has been sluggish, with the Lokpal Bill still pending in Parliament.

• According to the Department of AR&PG, several Information and Facilitation Counters established by the ministries and departments are non-functional. There is no code of ethics in place, and the voluntary retirement scheme has not been adequately addressed. At the state level, a significant amount of work remains to be done.
• While the Right to Information Act has been implemented in several states, it has not been enforced properly. Progress has stalled beyond the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, as states have not genuinely adopted these amendments, causing decentralization to suffer. Furthermore, the functioning of panchayats has not been effectively streamlined by the states.
• In some states, more power has been granted to district and intermediate levels, while in others, more control has been given to gram panchayats and intermediate levels but not the district level. States have failed to provide these bodies with sufficient staff and funding in relation to their assigned subjects. Moreover, several states have not established district planning committees.
• The powers and procedures of gram sabhas have not been properly defined, limiting their effectiveness. Urban local bodies have lost significance due to the emergence of multiple institutions handling various functions related to housing, urban regulation, water and sewerage, and power distribution. Additionally, a lack of resources poses challenges in providing better services.

Conclusion

In conclusion, since India's independence, various committees, commissions, and conferences have been organized to bring about administrative reforms in the country. These reforms have aimed to make the government more accountable, citizen-friendly, transparent, and efficient. While some significant progress has been made, such as the implementation of the Citizen's Charter and the establishment of the Central Vigilance Commission, many areas still require further improvement. The pace of implementation in various ministries and departments has been slow, and there is a need for greater awareness and commitment to these reforms among both citizens and government employees.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Administrative Reforms Since Independence

What is the meaning of administrative reforms?

Administrative reforms refer to the formal, mechanistic, and meditated process of structured change in administration. This includes transformation, administration restructuring, administrative reengineering, renewal, realignment, and more. These reforms are artificially stimulated, involve a transformatory process, and face resistance to change.

Why are administrative reforms needed in India?

Administrative reforms are needed in India to deal with continuous systematic transformation, cope with changes in the environment, adopt fresh innovative culture, adopt new knowledge and technology, and create a new order through the elimination of old structures and systems. These reforms help the administration to be more responsive, efficient, effective, transparent, and focused on people-oriented administration.

What are the types of administrative reforms suggested by Gerald E. Caiden?

According to Gerald E. Caiden, administrative reforms can be of four types: reforms imposed through political changes, reforms introduced to remedy organizational rigidity, reforms through the legal system, and reforms through changes in attitude.

What were the major recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) in India in 1966?

The major recommendations of the ARC included the establishment of a professional training institute, the Indian Institute of Public Administration, for promoting research in public administration, and setting up an Organisation and Methods (O & M) Division in the Cabinet Secretariat to improve the speed and quality of government business and streamline its procedures.

What are the three components of the Action Plan for effective and responsive government adopted in the Conference of Chief Ministers in 1997?

The three components of the Action Plan are: (i) making government accountable and citizen-friendly, (ii) transparency and right to information, and (iii) improving the performance and integrity of public services. These components aim to bring about reforms in administration by implementing citizen's charters, redressal of public grievances, reviewing laws and regulations, promoting transparency and information access, and improving the integrity of civil servants.