New Delhi: T. V. Somanathan, a 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre and the Cabinet Secretary of India, has asked all Union Secretaries and Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories to document innovative governance practices and administrative success stories for the creation of a national repository of best practices.
The initiative, to be spearheaded by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), aims to institutionalize administrative excellence and promote cross-learning among officers across the country.
National Repository to Capture Governance Innovations
In a letter addressed to Secretaries to the Government of India and Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories, T. V. Somanathan emphasized that the collective experience of officers from the All India Services, Central Services, and State Services represents a valuable national resource.
He noted that practices with wider applicability should be systematically documented and shared so that officers working in different regions and sectors can adapt successful models to their own administrative contexts.
The initiative is designed to convert individual “success stories” into practical governance templates that can be replicated nationwide.
Officers Asked to Submit Entries by May 31, 2026
The Cabinet Secretariat has invited officers to send their entries to the NCGG by May 31, 2026.
Submission Guidelines
- Languages Allowed: English, Hindi, or any regional language
- Format: Typed notes only (handwritten submissions will not be accepted)
- Length: Maximum seven pages
- Subject Matter: Any aspect of public administration, from small process improvements to large-scale reforms
- Submission Email: [email protected]
What Kind of Success Stories Can Be Submitted?
The scope of the initiative is deliberately broad. Officers may submit examples of:
- Administrative innovations
- Digital governance reforms
- Citizen service improvements
- Policy implementation strategies
- Workflow simplification
- Cost-saving initiatives
- Technology-enabled transformations
- Community engagement models
Both modest operational improvements and major systemic reforms are eligible.
Multi-Layer Review Process to Identify High-Impact Practices
The government has established a rigorous selection mechanism to ensure that only credible and replicable practices are included in the repository.
1. Preliminary Review by NCGG
The NCGG will assess submissions for relevance, originality, and governance value.
2. Independent Validation
Claims and outcomes described in the entries will undergo external verification.
3. Final Scrutiny by Cabinet Secretariat
A high-level committee of senior officers in the Cabinet Secretariat will conduct the final evaluation.
4. Digital Publication
Selected practices will be uploaded to the official portals of the Cabinet Secretariat and the NCGG.
Building a Knowledge Base for Better Governance
The initiative reflects the Government of India’s effort to create a structured knowledge-sharing ecosystem within the civil services. By documenting successful governance models, the Centre aims to preserve institutional memory and help officers learn from one another’s experiences.
The repository is expected to become a valuable reference for administrators seeking proven solutions to complex governance challenges.
About T. V. Somanathan
T. V. Somanathan is a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre and currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary of India. He has previously served as Finance Secretary and held several key positions in the Union Government and the Government of Tamil Nadu.
