UPSC Prelims 2014 · Question 98 of 100
UPSC Prelims 2014 question on Cabinet Secretariat Functions
Which of the following is/are the function/functions of the Cabinet Secretariat?
1. Preparation of agenda for Cabinet Meetings
2. Secretariat assistance to Cabinet Committees
3. Allocation of financial resources to the Ministries
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Show answer
Answer: C. 1 and 2 only
Verdict
The answer is 1 and 2 only. The Cabinet Secretariat prepares Cabinet agenda and services Cabinet Committees, but it does not allocate financial resources.
Analysis
Statement 1 is CORRECT. Preparing the agenda for Cabinet meetings and circulating papers is a core secretariat function. Statement 2 is CORRECT. It provides secretarial assistance to the Cabinet Committees and drives interministerial coordination. Statement 3 is INCORRECT. Allocation of financial resources among ministries is done by the Ministry of Finance in line with the priorities set out in the budget. The Cabinet Secretariat is a coordinating body under the Prime Minister, not a resource allocating one.
Source
M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity.
How to crack it
Sort every institutional function into coordination, allocation or implementation, and check which category the body belongs to. A secretariat coordinates, a finance ministry allocates, a line ministry implements. Any statement giving a coordinating body a spending or allocating power should be treated as suspect by default. The same test resolves questions on the Prime Minister's Office, the NITI Aayog and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, all of which are examined in the same way.