NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc.: Political Science Notes: Differences between Chief Secretary and Cabinet Secretary

Get unlimited access to the best preparation resource for competitive exams : get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.

Differences between Chief Secretary and Cabinet Secretary

  • The Chief Secretary is the chief of the State Secretaries, while the Cabinet Secretary is not the chief of the Central Secretaries but only ‘Primus inter pares’ (first among equals) .
  • The powers and functions of the Chief Secretary are much more than that of the Cabinet Secretary.
  • The Chief Secretary is the administrative head of the State Secretariat, while the Cabinet Secretary is not the administrative head of the Central Secretariat.
  • The Chief Secretary is the ‘Residual Legatee’ at the State level, while the Cabinet Secretary is not the ‘Residual Legatee’ at the Central level.
  • Some departments of the State Secretariat are directly under the charge of the Chief Secretary while no department of the Central Secretariat is under the direct charge of the Cabinet Secretary, except the Cabinet Secretariat.