BharatNotes Introduction
Governance reform has been a persistent theme in India's post-independence political discourse. From restructuring Centre-State relations to reforming the police, judiciary, and civil services, numerous commissions and policy initiatives have produced recommendations aimed at making governance more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centric. For UPSC GS-II, this is a high-yield area -- questions regularly appear on the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions, the Second ARC, police reforms, and judicial reforms.
Part I -- Centre-State Relations Commissions
1.1 Sarkaria Commission (1983--1988)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Constituted | June 1983 |
| Chairman | Justice Ranjit Singh Sarkaria (retired Supreme Court judge) |
| Mandate | Examine the relationship and balance of power between State and Central governments |
| Report submitted | 1988 |
| Volume | 1,600-page report with 247 specific recommendations |
Key Recommendations:
1. Inter-State Council (Article 263): The Commission recommended constituting an Inter-State Council with the Prime Minister as chairman and Chief Ministers as members to collectively address governance friction between Centre and States. The Inter-State Council was subsequently established in 1990 by a Presidential Order.
2. Article 356 (President's Rule):
- Use Article 356 sparingly and only as a last resort
- All possibilities of forming an alternative government must be explored before imposing President's Rule
- The State Assembly should not be dissolved unless Parliament approves the proclamation
3. Governor Appointments:
- The Commission rejected demands for abolition of the Governor's office
- Rejected the idea of selection from a panel given by State governments
- Recommended that active politicians should not be appointed as Governors
- Where different parties rule the Centre and State, the Governor should not belong to the ruling party at the Centre
4. All-India Services: The Commission strongly affirmed that All-India Services remain as essential as when the Constitution was framed and opposed any move to disband the AIS or allow States to opt out.
5. Concurrent List Legislation: Active consultation with State governments should precede all Central legislation on Concurrent List subjects, except in emergencies.
Implementation: In January 1999, the Inter-State Council accepted 124 of the 247 recommendations. Many remain unimplemented.
1.2 Punchhi Commission (2007--2010)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Constituted | April 2007 |
| Chairman | Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi (former Chief Justice of India) |
| Report submitted | 30 March 2010 |
| Volume | Seven-volume report with 273 recommendations |
Key Recommendations:
1. Emergency Provisions (Articles 355 and 356):
- Limit interventions to localised areas rather than entire States
- Restrict duration of Central intervention to a maximum of three months
2. Communal Violence:
- Central forces should be allowed to temporarily deploy in a State without prior consent in cases of communal violence
- The National Integration Council should hold at least one annual meeting
- A delegation of five members should visit any communally affected area within two days
3. Governor:
- Governors should be appointed from outside the State to ensure impartial governance
- Fixed tenure of five years, removable only through a resolution of the State legislature
4. Concurrent List:
- Before introducing Bills on Concurrent List matters, the Centre should consult States through the Inter-State Council
5. Cooperative Federalism: The Commission concluded that "cooperative federalism" is essential for sustaining India's unity, integrity, and development.
1.3 Comparative Analysis: Sarkaria vs. Punchhi
| Aspect | Sarkaria (1988) | Punchhi (2010) |
|---|---|---|
| Context | Single-party dominance era | Coalition politics era |
| Article 356 | Sparingly use; explore alternatives | Limit to localised areas; cap at 3 months |
| Governor | No active politicians | Appoint from outside the State |
| All-India Services | Strongly endorsed | Endorsed with modernisation |
| Central forces | Centre should consult States | Allow deployment without consent in emergencies |
| Number of recommendations | 247 | 273 |
Part II -- Administrative Reforms
2.1 Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005--2009)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Constituted | 31 August 2005 |
| Chairman | Veerappa Moily |
| Nature | Commission of Inquiry |
| Reports submitted | 15 reports (2006--2009) |
| Total recommendations | Approximately 1,500 |
The 15 Reports:
| Report No. | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Right to Information: Master Key to Good Governance |
| 2 | Unlocking Human Capital: Entitlement and Governance |
| 3 | Crisis Management: From Despair to Hope |
| 4 | Ethics in Governance |
| 5 | Public Order: Justice for Each -- Peace for All |
| 6 | Local Governance |
| 7 | Capacity Building for Conflict Resolution -- Friction to Fusion |
| 8 | Combating Terrorism |
| 9 | Social Capital -- A Shared Destiny |
| 10 | Refurbishing of Personnel Administration -- Scaling New Heights |
| 11 | Promoting e-Governance -- The Smart Way Forward |
| 12 | Citizen Centric Administration -- The Heart of Governance |
| 13 | Organisational Structure of Government of India |
| 14 | Strengthening Financial Management Systems |
| 15 | State and District Administration |
Key Recommendations:
- Ethics in Governance (Report 4): Recommended a code of ethics for ministers, legislators, and civil servants; strengthening of the Lokpal institution
- Local Governance (Report 6): Devolution of functions, functionaries, and finances to panchayats and municipalities
- e-Governance (Report 11): Mission Mode approach to e-governance; establishment of State and National e-Governance Plans
- Personnel Administration (Report 10): Lateral entry at middle and senior levels; domain specialisation for civil servants; performance-based career progression
2.2 Mission Karmayogi (2020)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) |
| Launched | 2020 |
| Implementing agency | Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) |
| Budget | Rs 510.86 crore over 5 years |
| Target | Approximately 2 crore central government employees |
Core Shift: From rule-based to role-based and competency-driven capacity building.
Key Components:
iGOT Karmayogi Platform: Digital learning platform launched in 2022, offering anytime-anywhere training. As of 2025, it has achieved 3 crore+ course enrollments, 2.2 crore+ course completions, and a library of 1,600+ courses in multiple languages.
Capacity Building Commission (CBC): Established in 2021 to help ministries formulate and implement Capacity Building Plans.
Karmayogi Bharat SPV: Set up in 2022 to own and operate the iGOT platform.
2.3 Lateral Entry into Civil Services
Lateral entry involves appointing specialists from the private sector or non-government organisations into middle and senior government positions (Joint Secretary, Director, Deputy Secretary).
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Requirements | Minimum 15 years experience, age 40+, recognised graduate degree |
| Tenure | 3--5 years (contractual, extension based on performance) |
| Appointments made | 63 lateral entry appointments over 5 years (as of August 2024); 57 actively serving |
Reservation controversy (2024): In August 2024, UPSC withdrew recruitment for 45 senior lateral entry posts after opposition over the absence of reservation. Each post was treated as a "single post cadre," exempting it from reservation policies. The scheme was placed on hold pending resolution of the reservation question.
2.4 Civil Services Reform Committees
| Committee | Year | Key Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Hota Committee | 2004 | Restructuring of UPSC examination; introduction of aptitude testing; emphasis on ethics |
| Surinder Nath Committee | 2003 | Performance appraisal reform; 360-degree evaluation; mid-career training |
| Alagh Committee | 2001 | Reform of civil services examination pattern |
| Baswan Committee | 2016 | Review of UPSC examination system; recommended retaining existing structure with modifications |
Part III -- Police Reforms
3.1 Prakash Singh vs. Union of India (2006)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Case | Prakash Singh & Ors v. Union of India & Ors |
| Date | 22 September 2006 |
| Nature | Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Prakash Singh (retired DGP) in 1996 |
| Outcome | Seven binding directives to all States and UTs |
The Seven Directives:
| Directive | Content |
|---|---|
| 1. State Security Commission | Constitute a body to ensure the State government does not exercise unwarranted influence on the police |
| 2. DGP selection and tenure | Fix minimum tenure of DGP at 2 years; selection based on merit through UPSC empanelment |
| 3. Minimum tenure for field officers | IG of Police and other operational officers to have a minimum 2-year tenure |
| 4. Separation of investigation | Separate the investigating police from law and order police in towns with population above 10 lakh |
| 5. Police Establishment Board | Decide transfers, postings, promotions, and service matters of officers below DGP rank |
| 6. Police Complaints Authority | Set up at State and District levels to inquire into public complaints against police |
| 7. National Security Commission | Central government to set up a body for selection of Chiefs of Central Police Organisations, review of policing measures, and performance evaluation |
Compliance Status: As of 2020, not a single State was fully compliant with all seven directives. While 18 States passed or amended their Police Acts, none fully matched the Supreme Court's legislative models.
3.2 Model Police Act, 2006
Drafted by the Soli Sorabjee Committee, the Model Police Act recommended:
- Democratic accountability of police through State Police Boards
- Functional autonomy of police leadership
- Merit-based appointments
- Community policing
- Professional standards
Only a few States (Kerala, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Punjab, among others) adopted new police Acts drawing on this model, with varying degrees of compliance.
3.3 Other Police Reform Committees
| Committee | Year | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| National Police Commission | 1977--1981 | Eight reports covering police organisation, accountability, investigation |
| Ribeiro Committee | 1998 | Implementation of NPC recommendations |
| Padmanabhaiah Committee | 2000 | Police structure, recruitment, training |
| Malimath Committee | 2003 | Criminal justice reform (not police-specific but related) |
Part IV -- Judicial Reforms
4.1 Pendency Crisis
India's judiciary faces a massive backlog of cases:
- Supreme Court: approximately 80,000+ pending cases
- High Courts: approximately 60 lakh+ pending cases
- District Courts: approximately 4.5 crore+ pending cases
The sanctioned strength of judges remains far below international standards -- India has approximately 21 judges per million population, compared to 50+ in most developed countries.
4.2 Key Judicial Reform Measures
| Reform | Details |
|---|---|
| Fast-Track Courts | Established for specific categories (sexual offences, land disputes); over 800 POCSO courts set up |
| e-Courts Mission Mode Project | Phase I (2007), Phase II (2015), Phase III (2023); digitisation of court records, e-filing, virtual hearings |
| National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) | Real-time data on case pendency across all courts |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) | Lok Adalats, mediation centres, arbitration to reduce court burden |
| Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 | Grassroots courts for rural areas; implementation remains poor -- only 333 operational (488 notified) as of 2025 |
| Commercial Courts Act, 2015 | Specialised courts for commercial disputes above Rs 1 crore |
4.3 All India Judicial Service (AIJS)
The proposal for an All India Judicial Service, analogous to the IAS/IPS, has been debated since the First Law Commission recommended it. The AIJS would enable centralised recruitment for district judges, ensuring uniformity in standards.
Arguments for: Address vacancies (approximately 5,000+ in district courts), ensure quality, improve diversity. Arguments against: Encroaches on State domain (judiciary is a State subject for subordinate courts), may not account for regional legal systems and languages.
The Supreme Court has endorsed the idea, but it requires agreement from State High Courts and State governments.
Part V -- Lokpal and Lokayukta
5.1 Legislative Journey
| Milestone | Year |
|---|---|
| First Lokpal Bill introduced in Parliament | 1968 |
| Lokpal Bill passed by Lok Sabha but lapsed in Rajya Sabha | 2011 |
| Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act enacted | 2013 |
| First Lokpal (Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose) appointed | 19 March 2019 |
| Justice Ghose retired | 27 May 2022 |
| Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty given additional charge | 28 May 2022 |
5.2 Key Features of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
- Jurisdiction: Prime Minister (with safeguards -- bench of full Lokpal required), Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, Group A/B/C/D officers, and board members of government-aided societies
- Composition: Chairperson (who is or has been a Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge) + up to 8 members (50% judicial)
- Prosecution wing: Independent prosecution director
- Declaration of assets: Public servants covered must declare assets within 30 days of appointment
5.3 Lokayukta at State Level
The Act mandates States to set up Lokayuktas within one year. However, implementation varies widely -- some States had pre-existing Lokayuktas (Karnataka since 1984, Maharashtra since 1971), while others were slow to establish them.
Part VI -- Citizens' Charter, Social Audit & Grievance Redressal
6.1 Citizens' Charter
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Origin | UK (John Major government, 1991) |
| India adoption | 1997 (Conference of Chief Ministers) |
| Coordinating agency | Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) |
A Citizens' Charter is a document that represents a commitment by the organisation towards standard, quality, and time frame of service delivery, grievance redressal mechanism, and transparency.
Limitations in India: Many charters are poorly drafted, not updated, lack penalties for non-compliance, and are unknown to citizens.
6.2 Social Audit
Social audit is the process of reviewing official records and determining whether expenditures reported by the State or local authorities reflect actual work done on the ground. It is mandated under:
- MGNREGA (Section 17): Gram Sabhas must conduct social audits of all MGNREGA works
- National Food Security Act, 2013: Social audit of PDS operations
- Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act, 2017 -- India's first law dedicated to social audit
6.3 Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)
An online platform (pgportal.gov.in) developed by DARPG and NIC for lodging and monitoring public grievances against government departments. It enables citizens to file complaints, track status, and receive time-bound resolutions.
Part VII -- Governance Reforms -- Contemporary Initiatives
7.1 National e-Governance Plan (NeGP)
Launched in 2006 with 31 Mission Mode Projects across Central, State, and integrated categories. Aimed at making all government services accessible at common service points.
7.2 Digital India Programme (2015)
Three vision areas: digital infrastructure, digital governance, and digital empowerment. Key achievements include Aadhaar-linked service delivery, DigiLocker, UMANG app, and e-Office.
7.3 Good Governance Index (GGI)
Published by DARPG, the GGI ranks States across 10 sectors including agriculture, commerce, human resource development, public infrastructure, and judicial and public security. It incentivises competitive federalism in governance quality.
Key Terms and Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cooperative federalism | Centre and States working together as partners in governance |
| Lateral entry | Appointment of private sector specialists into government positions |
| AIJS | All India Judicial Service -- proposed centralised recruitment for district judges |
| CPGRAMS | Online platform for lodging public grievances against government |
| iGOT | Integrated Government Online Training platform under Mission Karmayogi |
| Police Establishment Board | Body to decide transfers and postings, insulating police from political interference |
| Lokpal | National anti-corruption ombudsman |
| Lokayukta | State-level anti-corruption ombudsman |
| Social audit | Community-based review of government expenditure and programme implementation |
Recent Developments (2024–2026)
3rd Administrative Reforms Commission — Status
There has been no 3rd ARC constituted as of April 2026. The 2nd ARC (2005–2009) submitted 15 reports with over 1,500 recommendations; only a fraction have been implemented. Calls for a new ARC have been made in Parliament and by governance scholars but no formal notification has been issued.
Why this matters for UPSC: Questions asking about "what reforms are pending" or "why is implementation of ARC recommendations slow" require understanding that the 2nd ARC remains the most recent comprehensive reform review.
Lateral Entry — 2024 Policy Reversal
The August 2024 lateral entry advertisement withdrawal (45 posts via UPSC) was a significant moment in the civil service reform narrative — acknowledging that specialisation-driven recruitment cannot bypass constitutional reservation guarantees. The episode is directly relevant to questions on the 2nd ARC's lateral entry recommendations and their implementation challenges.
Punchhi Commission — Recommendations Partly Implemented
The Punchhi Commission (2007–2010) on Centre-State Relations recommended strengthening of the Inter-State Council. The Inter-State Council was reconstituted in 2022 after a 9-year gap, with a full plenary meeting — signalling renewed federal consultation. However, most Punchhi recommendations on state autonomy, concurrent list, and governor powers remain unimplemented.
Police Reforms — Prakash Singh Directives Still Pending
Despite a 2006 Supreme Court order (Prakash Singh v. Union of India) mandating seven specific police reforms (Security Tenure Boards, Police Complaints Authorities, separation of investigation and law & order), the 2nd ARC has noted near-zero compliance by most states as of 2026. The Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed displeasure but has not imposed penalties on non-compliant states.
Mission Karmayogi — Implementation Update
- Over 30 lakh civil servants enrolled on iGOT by 2024.
- The Capacity Building Commission published its first major annual assessment in 2023.
- A key gap: Mission Karmayogi focuses on Union government employees; there is no equivalent national capacity-building programme for state and district civil servants — where citizen interface is highest.
Exam Strategy Tips
For Prelims: Memorise the chairpersons, years, and number of recommendations for Sarkaria, Punchhi, and 2nd ARC. Know the seven Prakash Singh directives and key judicial reform initiatives.
For Mains GS-II: Frame answers around the gap between recommendations and implementation. Use specific examples -- e.g., not a single State fully complied with the Prakash Singh directives by 2020.
For Essay: Governance reforms as the bridge between constitutional promise and ground reality; the challenge of reforming institutions that resist reform.
