Question 62 from UPSC CSE 2021 - Polity & Governance

Question

With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements:
1. N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it.
2. In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister's charge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Neither 1 nor 2

Strategy: Spot keywords like N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee and Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966. Statement 1 is incorrect because it was the 1st Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), not Iyengar Committee, that gave such a suggestion. In Statement 2, the Department of Personnel, though set up in 1970 on the ARC's recommendation, was initially under the Cabinet Secretariat and only moved under the Prime Minister in 1985. Thus, both statements are factually incorrect.

Key Info: - **N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee (1950)**: Dealt with the reorganization of ministerial work and suggested the creation of a Central Secretariat manual and rationalizing departmental structures, but did not recommend a dedicated minister and secretary for administrative reform.
- **First Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) (1966)**: Recommended systematic and continuous administrative reforms, including the creation of special positions for this task.
- **Department of Personnel**: Constituted in 1970 based on the ARC's recommendations, it initially functioned under the Cabinet Secretariat. In 1985, it was brought directly under the Prime Minister, assisted by a Minister of State.
- **Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT)**: Today, it is a key institution for personnel management and administrative reforms within the Union Government.

Answer

Option A: 1 only

Answer

Option B: 2 only

Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2