Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India
भारत के प्रधान मंत्री के प्रधान सचिव
Incumbent
Pramod Kumar Misra
since 11 September 2019; 4 years ago (2019-09-11)
Prime Minister's Office
AbbreviationPS to PM
Reports toPrime Minister of India
SeatPrime Minister's Office, South Block, Secretariat Building New Delhi
AppointerAppointments Committee of the Cabinet
Inaugural holderP. N. Haksar
Formation6 December 1971; 51 years ago (1971-12-06)

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India (PS to the PM) is the administrative head of the Prime Minister's Office. The officeholder is generally a civil servant, commonly from the Indian Administrative Service and occasionally from the Indian Foreign Service.

Since 2019, the officeholder has been accorded with the status of a cabinet minister.

History

The Prime Minister's Secretariat (PMS)—headed by an officer of the rank of joint secretary to the Government of India—was established after independence under the prime ministership of Jawaharlal Nehru, as a successor to the office of the Governor-General of India's secretary. Lal Bahadur Shastri appointed Lakshmi Kant Jha, an Indian Civil Service officer, as his secretary, making Jha the first secretary to the Government of India-ranked officer in the PMS. During Indira Gandhi's tenure as prime minister, the post of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister was created; with retired Indian Foreign Service officer P. N. Haksar becoming the first PS to the PM.

Role

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India acts as the administrative chief of the Prime Minister's Office. The main functions of the officeholder often include, but are not limited to:

  • Advising the prime minister on domestic and foreign policy matters.
  • Overseeing the affairs of ministries and departments assigned by the prime minister.
  • Coordinating activities in the Prime Minister's Office.
  • Dealing with official, governmental, important paperwork in the Prime Minister's Office.
  • Preparing notes on issues to be discussed by the prime minister with senior politicians, bureaucrats, and other dignitaries.
  • Placing before the prime minister critical files of importance for approval and instructions.

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister is generally considered the latter's most crucial aide.

Office holders

List of office holders of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

No. Portrait Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India Took office Left office Time in office Service Prime Minister of India
1
P. N. Haksar
Haskar, P. N.P. N. Haksar
(1913–1998)
6 December 1971 (1971-12-06)28 February 1973 (1973-02-28)1 year, 84 daysIndian Foreign ServiceGandhi, IndiraIndira Gandhi (INC)
2
V. Shankar
Shankar, V.V. Shankar4 April 1977 (1977-04-04)31 July 1979 (1979-07-31)2 years, 118 daysIndian Civil ServiceDesai, MorarjiMorarji Desai (JP)
3
P. C. Alexander
Alexander, P. C.P. C. Alexander
(1921–2011)
2 May 1981 (1981-05-02)18 January 1985 (1985-01-18)3 years, 261 daysIndian Administrative ServiceGandhi, IndiraIndira Gandhi (INC)
(2 May 1981 (1981-05-02) – 31 October 1984 (1984-10-31))
Rajiv Gandhi (INC)
(31 October 1984 (1984-10-31) – 18 January 1985 (1985-01-18))
4
B. G. Deshmukh
Deshmukh, B. G.B. G. Deshmukh
(1929–2011)
27 March 1989 (1989-03-27)11 December 1990 (1990-12-11)1 year, 259 daysIndian Administrative ServiceGandhi, RajivRajiv Gandhi (INC)
(27 March 1989 (1989-03-27) – 2 December 1989 (1989-12-02))
Vishwanath Pratap Singh (JD)
(2 December 1989 (1989-12-02) – 10 November 1990 (1990-11-10))
Chandra Shekhar (SJP(R))
(10 November 1990 (1990-11-10) – 11 December 1990 (1990-12-11))
5
S. K. Misra
Mishra, S. K.S. K. Misra
(born 1932)
11 December 1990 (1990-12-11)24 June 1991 (1991-06-24)195 daysIndian Administrative ServiceShekhar, ChandraChandra Shekhar (SJP(R))
6
A. N. Verma
Verma, A. N.A. N. Verma25 June 1991 (1991-06-25)15 May 1996 (1996-05-15)4 years, 324 daysIndian Administrative ServiceRao, NarasimhaNarasimha Rao (INC)
7
T. R. Satishchandran
Satishchandran, T. R.T. R. Satishchandran
(1929–2009)
12 June 1996 (1996-06-12)30 June 1997 (1997-06-30)1 year, 18 daysIndian Administrative ServiceDeve Gowda, H. D.H. D. Deve Gowda (JD)
(12 June 1996 (1996-06-12) – 21 April 1997 (1997-04-21))
I. K. Gujral
8
N. N. Vohra
Vohra, N. N.N. N. Vohra
(born 1936)
1 July 1997 (1997-07-01)19 March 1998 (1998-03-19)261 daysIndian Administrative ServiceGujral, I. K.I. K. Gujral (JD)
9
Brajesh Mishra[a]
Mishra, BrajeshBrajesh Mishra
(1928–2012)
19 March 1998 (1998-03-19)22 May 2004 (2004-05-22)6 years, 64 daysIndian Foreign ServiceVajpayee, Atal BihariAtal Bihari Vajpayee (BJP)
10
T. K. A. Nair
Nair, T. K. A.T. K. A. Nair
(born 1939)
28 May 2004 (2004-05-28)3 October 2011 (2011-10-03)7 years, 128 daysIndian Administrative ServiceSingh, ManmohanManmohan Singh (INC)
11
Pulok Chatterji
Chatterjee, PullokPulok Chatterji
(born 1952)
3 October 2011 (2011-10-03)26 May 2014 (2014-05-26)2 years, 235 daysIndian Administrative ServiceSingh, ManmohanManmohan Singh (INC)
12
Nripendra Misra
Misra, NripendraNripendra Misra
(born 1945)
28 May 2014 (2014-05-28)10 September 2019 (2019-09-10)5 years, 105 daysIndian Administrative ServiceModi, NarendraNarendra Modi (BJP)
13
Pramod Kumar Mishra
Mishra, PramodPramod Kumar Mishra
(born 1948)
11 September 2019 (2019-09-11)Incumbent4 years, 28 daysIndian Administrative ServiceModi, NarendraNarendra Modi (BJP)

Additional principal secretary

A prime minister—through the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet—can also appoint an additional principal secretary. The only instance of an additional principal secretary being appointed was in May 2014, Pramod Kumar Misra, a retired 1972-batch Gujarat cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet to serve as newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's additional principal secretary.


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