Secretary to the Government of India
The role of secretaries in the Indian Central Secretariat has evolved significantly since the mid-1930s, when there were only twenty-nine secretaries, all drawn from the Indian Civil Service. During this period, the salary for a secretary was set at ₹48,000 per annum, a substantial amount that would translate to approximately ₹12 million or US$140,000 in today’s economy. This comparatively high remuneration reflected the critical responsibility these officials held in shaping government policies and executing administrative functions. According to the warrant of precedence established in 1905, these secretaries were positioned above chief secretaries of provincial governments, underscoring their importance within the administrative hierarchy....