Agenda: Deliberation upon reforming civil services with special reference to All-India Services Act, 1951

About the committee: The Rajya Sabha is India’s upper house of the bicameral legislature. It is formed of legislators elected by the State Legislative Assemblies. An additional twelve members are nominated by the president. It acts as a passage for introduction of constitutional amendment bills.

About the Agenda: The civil services are crucial to a democracy's administration, the creation and execution of public policy, and the advancement of the nation's growth and development. Government operations depend on the civil services. Since the days of colonial rule, the civil service has been regarded as the "steel frame" of the Indian administration. In this rapidly evolving globalization period, public service is still carrying on the colonial history. In this perspective, civil services reform is a fundamental component of an effective governance.

The government has made a conscious effort to modify the way it operates in order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of how policies are carried out. Since the Chinese developed bureaucracy, the civil services has undergone reforms.

The All-India Services Act of 1951 can be defined as an Act to regulate the recruitment, and the conditions of service of persons appointed, to the All-India Services, common to the Union and the States. The All India Services Act, 1951 gives the Indian government the authority to establish regulations governing the recruitment of and working conditions for those assigned to an All India Service after consulting with state governments.