Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
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The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) decides appointments to several top posts under the Government of India. The committee is composed of the Prime Minister of India (who is the Chairman), the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister in-charge of the concerned Ministry.[1]
The Establishment Officer’s Division (EO Division) processes all proposals for senior appointments in the Government of India that require approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Government of India Transactions of Business Rules, 1961. These include Board level appointments in Public Sector Undertakings and appointments to the posts at the level of Joint Secretary. In addition, all appointments by promotion that require ACC approval are processed through the E.O. Division. For this purpose, the Establishment Officer functions as the Secretary to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
The Establishment Officer(EO) is the ex-officio Member Secretary of the Civil Services Board that is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. This Board makes recommendations for appointments in respect of the posts of Deputy Secretary, Director and Joint Secretary under the Central Staffing Scheme. In addition, the Board makes recommendations to the ACC for inclusion of officers in the Joint Secretaries suitability list.
Furthermore, the Establishment Officer is Member Secretary of the Screening Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and comprising Secretary (P) and Finance Secretary that has been constituted for screening of cases of assignments under Rule 6(2)(ii) of the AIS (Cadre) Rules 1954 and assignments in international organizations in respect of JS level and above officers of organized Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ services. The EO is also Member Secretary of the Central Establishment Board (CEB), which is chaired by Secretary (Personnel). This Board makes recommendations for deputing officers on foreign training, assessment of Central Secretariat Service officers for appointments to the posts of Deputy Secretary and Director in the Ministries/Departments as well as premature retirement under the relevant rules in respect of officers below the rank of Joint Secretary.
The full list of Cabinet Committees is:[1]
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
- Cabinet Committee on Accommodation
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
- Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
- Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs
- Cabinet Committee on Security
Functions of Cabinet Committees
The following four are the more important cabinet committees:
- The Political Affairs Committee deals with all policy matters pertaining to domestic and foreign affairs.
- The Economic Affairs Committee directs and coordinates the governmental activities in the economic sphere.
- Appointment Committee decides all higher level appointments in the Cabinet Secretariat,Public enterprises, Banks and Financial Institutions.
- Parliamentary Affairs Committee looks after the progress of government business in the Parliament.
Except the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, all other committees are chaired by the Prime Minister. Of all the Cabinet Committees, the most powerful is the Political Affairs Committee, often described as a "Super-Cabinet".