Evolution of Indian Administration
Indian administration traces its earliest known form to the tribal
system which later emerges as a monarchical system. We gain
a lot of knowledge about ancient Indian Administration from
ancient religious and political treatises. In the early Vedic period
there were many tribes who elected their own chiefs and he
handled all their responsibilities and the administration of the
tribes and the Sabha (Assembly of elders) and Samiti
(Assembly of people) were the tribal assemblies. The chief
protected the tribe but had no revenue system or holdover land
thus wars were resorted to and the booty was shared among
the tribes.
The first form of the 'State' in India can be traced back to the
times of Manu (original name Satyavrata) the first King and
progenitor of mankind according to Hinduism. People were fed
up with anarchy as there was no neutral judge/arbitrator in
between to solve issues of society, and so they appointed
Manu as King and paid service fees as taxes for looking after
them and ensuring mutual benefit and justice to everyone in
society owing to his wisdom and philosophical attitude and the
King was divine and regarded as descended from God.
As per the Ramayana and Mahabharata/Later Vedic times, it
goes to portray the role of the King as the whole and sole of
administration being helped by his principal officers who were
the Purohit and Senate where the Purohit (Priest) wielded
much more authority than the Kshatriya (Warrior clan) kings.
Other figures of administration were Treasurer, Steward, Spies
and Messengers, Charioteer, and Superintendent of Dices.
This is also mentioned in the Manu Smriti and Sukra Niti.
,Wisdom and philosophical attitude and the King was divine and
regarded as descended from God.
As per the Ramayana and Mahabharata/Later Vedic times, it
goes to portray the role of the King as the whole and sole of
administration being helped by his principal officers who were
the Purohit and Senani where the Purohit (Priest) wielded much
more authority than the Kshatriya (Warrior clan) kings. Other
figures of administration were Treasurer, Steward, Spies and
Messengers, Charioteer, and Superintendent of Dices. This is
also mentioned in the Manu Smriti and Sukra Niti. No legal
institutions were there and the custom of the country prevailed
as the law and capital punishment were not practised but trials
took place where justice was delivered by the King in
consultancy with the Priest and Elders at times. By the time
Kautilya wrote the Arthashastra, the Indian Administrative
system was well developed and the treatise of Kautilya gives a
very first detailed account of the same.
Since the earliest times, the monarchical system was used in
public administration in the execution of governmental
functions. In the long history of Indian administration, a number
of administrative organizations rose and fell. The powers of
administering the states were centralized in the hands of the
king during the ancient period in India. During the Vedic period,
the king was assisted in his work by many officers. He was
surrounded by a circle of his friends and principal officers.
There is a reference regarding this in the two epics of
Ramayana and Mahabharata.
A similar reference is also to be found in Manu Smriti and
Sukra Niti. In Kautilya's Arthashastra is obtained a detailed
account of the offices of the state for the first time in the history
of India. By this time the administrative system was fully
developed. Thus the development, of the ancient Indian
administration had reached its peak during the reigns of
, Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. Mauryan administrative
institutions were further developed during the period of the
Guptas. Their period witnessed multifarious activities in the field
of administration.
The decentralization process started in ancient India. As a
result of this, empires were divided into provinces, provinces
into districts and districts into urban and rural centres from an
administrative angle. During the ancient period, state
administration was divided into numerous departments. In
Vedic times the number of such departments was limited.
Gradually, the number of such departments increased and their
jurisdiction extended. For this, we get many references can be
obtained from Vedic literature and subsequent sources. In
ancient Indian administration, there is also found a description
of the principles of public administration. Thus, the principle of
the hierarchy had been given a practical shape and seeds of
coordination were present between different departments. Such
a full-fledged administrative system existed in the reigns of
Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. Great emphasis was
placed on observation and inspection along with the principle of
hierarchy.
Like the present-day personnel system mention is made in the
ancient administration system of the recruitment, qualifications,
salaries, leave, pension etc., of government employees. At that
time merit, efficiency and being a member of the elite group
were given special emphasis. During the time there existed the
organization of a central office where all the government
records were kept. This was like the secretariat of the
government, in which various government functionaries.
including officers worked. Mention of such an office is found in
Mauryan times and the Chola kingdom. The king appointed a
personal secretary as well. In brief, the main function of the
central office was the control and inspection of provincial,
regional and local government. In brief, it can be said that the
Indian administration traces its earliest known form to the tribal
system which later emerges as a monarchical system. We gain
a lot of knowledge about ancient Indian Administration from
ancient religious and political treatises. In the early Vedic period
there were many tribes who elected their own chiefs and he
handled all their responsibilities and the administration of the
tribes and the Sabha (Assembly of elders) and Samiti
(Assembly of people) were the tribal assemblies. The chief
protected the tribe but had no revenue system or holdover land
thus wars were resorted to and the booty was shared among
the tribes.
The first form of the 'State' in India can be traced back to the
times of Manu (original name Satyavrata) the first King and
progenitor of mankind according to Hinduism. People were fed
up with anarchy as there was no neutral judge/arbitrator in
between to solve issues of society, and so they appointed
Manu as King and paid service fees as taxes for looking after
them and ensuring mutual benefit and justice to everyone in
society owing to his wisdom and philosophical attitude and the
King was divine and regarded as descended from God.
As per the Ramayana and Mahabharata/Later Vedic times, it
goes to portray the role of the King as the whole and sole of
administration being helped by his principal officers who were
the Purohit and Senate where the Purohit (Priest) wielded
much more authority than the Kshatriya (Warrior clan) kings.
Other figures of administration were Treasurer, Steward, Spies
and Messengers, Charioteer, and Superintendent of Dices.
This is also mentioned in the Manu Smriti and Sukra Niti.
,Wisdom and philosophical attitude and the King was divine and
regarded as descended from God.
As per the Ramayana and Mahabharata/Later Vedic times, it
goes to portray the role of the King as the whole and sole of
administration being helped by his principal officers who were
the Purohit and Senani where the Purohit (Priest) wielded much
more authority than the Kshatriya (Warrior clan) kings. Other
figures of administration were Treasurer, Steward, Spies and
Messengers, Charioteer, and Superintendent of Dices. This is
also mentioned in the Manu Smriti and Sukra Niti. No legal
institutions were there and the custom of the country prevailed
as the law and capital punishment were not practised but trials
took place where justice was delivered by the King in
consultancy with the Priest and Elders at times. By the time
Kautilya wrote the Arthashastra, the Indian Administrative
system was well developed and the treatise of Kautilya gives a
very first detailed account of the same.
Since the earliest times, the monarchical system was used in
public administration in the execution of governmental
functions. In the long history of Indian administration, a number
of administrative organizations rose and fell. The powers of
administering the states were centralized in the hands of the
king during the ancient period in India. During the Vedic period,
the king was assisted in his work by many officers. He was
surrounded by a circle of his friends and principal officers.
There is a reference regarding this in the two epics of
Ramayana and Mahabharata.
A similar reference is also to be found in Manu Smriti and
Sukra Niti. In Kautilya's Arthashastra is obtained a detailed
account of the offices of the state for the first time in the history
of India. By this time the administrative system was fully
developed. Thus the development, of the ancient Indian
administration had reached its peak during the reigns of
, Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. Mauryan administrative
institutions were further developed during the period of the
Guptas. Their period witnessed multifarious activities in the field
of administration.
The decentralization process started in ancient India. As a
result of this, empires were divided into provinces, provinces
into districts and districts into urban and rural centres from an
administrative angle. During the ancient period, state
administration was divided into numerous departments. In
Vedic times the number of such departments was limited.
Gradually, the number of such departments increased and their
jurisdiction extended. For this, we get many references can be
obtained from Vedic literature and subsequent sources. In
ancient Indian administration, there is also found a description
of the principles of public administration. Thus, the principle of
the hierarchy had been given a practical shape and seeds of
coordination were present between different departments. Such
a full-fledged administrative system existed in the reigns of
Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. Great emphasis was
placed on observation and inspection along with the principle of
hierarchy.
Like the present-day personnel system mention is made in the
ancient administration system of the recruitment, qualifications,
salaries, leave, pension etc., of government employees. At that
time merit, efficiency and being a member of the elite group
were given special emphasis. During the time there existed the
organization of a central office where all the government
records were kept. This was like the secretariat of the
government, in which various government functionaries.
including officers worked. Mention of such an office is found in
Mauryan times and the Chola kingdom. The king appointed a
personal secretary as well. In brief, the main function of the
central office was the control and inspection of provincial,
regional and local government. In brief, it can be said that the
