Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Government Urges Secretaries to Upskill Staff Instead of Consultants
The government wants ministries to teach their own officers important work skills.
These skills include writing laws, preparing tender documents and handling disputes.
This could reduce the need to hire private consulting companies.
Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan shared this instruction after a meeting between Secretaries and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said training government staff is important for future needs.
Officers may use courses on the Integrated Government Online Training platform.
The government also wants ministries to discuss proposals earlier so decisions are not delayed.
Some ministries say consultants help with coordination and deadlines.
The Department of Rural Development said it had hired 362 consultants.
Central Secretaries were asked to train officers in specialised skills rather than routinely hiring private consultants.
The requested training includes preparing tender documents, drafting legislation and managing dispute mechanisms.
Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan conveyed the action points after Secretaries met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 22.
Ministries were encouraged to use courses on the Integrated Government Online Training platform for capacity enhancement.
The Department of Rural Development reported hiring 362 consultants, while other ministries have engaged firms including McKinsey, Ernst & Young, PwC and Deloitte.
- Who
- Central Secretaries, government officers and Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan were involved; the direction followed a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- What
- The government asked ministries to upskill in-house officers in specialised administrative skills instead of hiring consultants from private firms.
- When
- The instruction followed the Secretaries’ meeting with Narendra Modi on July 22; Somanathan’s follow-up message was sent about a week later. A consultant count was reported as of July 25, 2025.
- Where
- The direction applies to ministries and departments of the Central Government in India.
- Why
- The stated aim is to build government capacity for future demands and the objectives of Viksit Bharat, while avoiding delays in policy implementation.
Build In-House Capability
Retain Consultant Support
Preferred source of specialised expertise
Build In-House Capability
The government has asked ministries and departments to train their own officers in specialised skills instead of hiring consultants from private consulting agencies.
Retain Consultant Support
Consultants have been used by government departments for specialised assignments and operational support.
Effect on administration
Build In-House Capability
Continuous capacity building is presented as necessary to meet future demands, support Viksit Bharat and improve implementation without relying excessively on external firms.
Retain Consultant Support
The Department of Rural Development said consultants facilitate day-to-day coordination with States and Union Territories, allowing officers to focus on core policy issues and meet milestones on time.
Use of external firms
Build In-House Capability
The instruction highlights concern about reliance on consultants and encourages ministries to use internal training, including courses on the Integrated Government Online Training platform.
Retain Consultant Support
Government bodies have engaged firms and consortiums including McKinsey, Ernst & Young, PwC, Deloitte, Boston Consulting Group and others for infrastructure, health, education, island development and buffer-stock assignments.
- Training areas
- Preparing tender documents, drafting legislation, managing dispute mechanisms and other specialised skills.
- Instruction source
- Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan’s action points following the Secretaries’ meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Training platform
- The Integrated Government Online Training platform was identified as a resource for capacity enhancement.
- Department of Rural Development consultants
- The department reported 325 consultants, while the Department of Land Resources reported 37, for a total of 362.
- Consulting firms mentioned
- McKinsey, Ernst & Young, PwC, Deloitte, Boston Consulting Group and other organisations have been engaged by government bodies.
- Earlier consultant use
- The Planning Ministry said NITI Aayog engaged Ernst & Young for public-private partnership work in infrastructure in the States in 2017.