What is the Second ARC?

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC) was constituted on 31 August 2005 as a Commission of Inquiry under the chairmanship of Veerappa Moily. Its mandate was to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping India's public administration to achieve a proactive, responsive, accountable, sustainable, and efficient administration at all levels of government. The commission members included V. Ramachandran, Dr. A.P. Mukherjee, Dr. A.H. Kalro, and Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, with Smt. Vineeta Rai as Member Secretary.

The Commission submitted 15 comprehensive reports between June 2006 and May 2009, covering wide-ranging governance issues from the Right to Information and ethics in governance to crisis management, e-governance, local self-governance, and personnel administration. These reports have become a foundational reference for UPSC aspirants and policymakers alike, providing detailed recommendations on nearly every aspect of Indian governance.

The 2nd ARC's recommendations have directly influenced landmark reforms including strengthening of the RTI Act, improvements in disaster management frameworks, the push for citizens' charters and grievance redress, and the establishment of ethical standards for civil servants. Its 4th Report on "Ethics in Governance" is particularly significant for the UPSC Ethics syllabus, recommending greater transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct across politics, judiciary, and administration. The First ARC (1966) was chaired by Morarji Desai (later succeeded by K. Hanumanthaiah) and had submitted 20 reports focusing on machinery of government, personnel administration, and financial management.

Key Features

# Report Focus Area
1 1st Report Right to Information — "Master Key to Good Governance"
2 2nd Report Unlocking Human Capital — entitlements and governance
3 3rd Report Crisis Management — from despair to hope
4 4th Report Ethics in Governance — political, judicial, and administrative ethics
5 5th Report Public Order — justice for each, peace for all
6 10th Report Refurbishing of Personnel Administration — foundational values, Civil Services Code
7 11th Report Promoting e-Governance — the SMART way forward
8 12th Report Citizen-Centric Administration — heart of governance

Application in Governance / Case Studies

Right to Information (1st Report): The 2nd ARC recommended strengthening the RTI Act, 2005, describing it as the "master key to good governance" and a powerful tool for citizens to hold government accountable and curb corruption. It recommended expanding the Act's scope and improving implementation.

Ethics in Governance (4th Report): This report recommended reforms across the political executive, legislature, judiciary, and civil services — including electoral finance reform (state funding of elections), strengthening of the Lokpal, criminalising misuse of religion/caste in politics, and a comprehensive Civil Services Code with a three-tier structure of Values, Code of Ethics, and Code of Conduct.

Citizen-Centric Administration (12th Report): Recommended measures for making governance more responsive to citizens, including the Sevottam framework (service delivery excellence), social audits, participatory governance mechanisms, and grievance redress systems. This report has influenced the push for citizen charters and service delivery legislation.

Personnel Administration (10th Report): Proposed foundational values for civil services, recommended domain expertise for officers, suggested lateral entry at senior levels, and advocated for a performance management system to replace the outdated Annual Confidential Report (ACR) system.

UPSC Exam Corner

Prelims: Key Facts

  • Constituted on 31 August 2005 under Chairman Veerappa Moily
  • Submitted 15 reports between June 2006 and May 2009
  • Key reports: 1st (RTI), 4th (Ethics), 5th (Public Order), 10th (Personnel), 12th (Citizen-Centric)
  • Recommended three-tier Civil Services Code: Values, Ethics, Conduct
  • First ARC (1966) was chaired by Morarji Desai (later K. Hanumanthaiah)
  • First ARC submitted 20 reports; 2nd ARC submitted 15 reports
  • 4th Report recommended electoral reforms, Lokpal strengthening, and ethical standards

Mains: Probable Themes

  1. Discuss the major recommendations of the 2nd ARC on Ethics in Governance
  2. Evaluate the impact of the 2nd ARC's recommendations on administrative reforms in India
  3. How has the 2nd ARC's emphasis on citizen-centric governance shaped Indian administration?
  4. Analyse the 2nd ARC's recommendations for strengthening local governance
  5. Compare the contributions of the 1st ARC (1966) and 2nd ARC (2005) to Indian governance reform

Sources: ARC — DARPG, 2nd ARC — Wikipedia, 2nd ARC Reports — Vajiram & Ravi