General Administration Department (Kerala)

Department of General Administration

Department overview
Jurisdiction	Kerala, India
Headquarters	Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Minister responsible	Pinarayi Vijayan, Minister for General Administration
Department executives	Dr. A. Jayathilak IAS, Chief Secretary to Government K. Biju IAS, Secretary (General Administration)
Parent department	Government of Kerala
Website	gad.kerala.gov.in

The Department of General Administration (GAD) is one of the most important administrative departments under the Government of Kerala. It functions as the central coordinating department of the state government and handles the overall administration of the Secretariat, personnel matters of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, ceremonial functions of the state, and other key governance responsibilities.^[1]

The department plays a pivotal role in administrative reforms, rules of business, protocol matters, cabinet affairs, and services of senior government officers. The headquarters of the department is located at the Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram.^[2][3][4][5]

Ministerial Team

The Department of General Administration is headed by a Cabinet Minister of the Government of Kerala. The incumbent minister is the Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan.^[6]

Administratively, the department is headed by the Chief Secretary to Government, an IAS officer. The Chief Secretary is supported by Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretaries, and other Secretariat staff.^[7]

Functions

The major functions of the Department of General Administration include:

• Coordination and control of Secretariat administration and inter-departmental matters.^[8]
• Administration of IAS, IPS and IFoS cadre management, postings, transfers, and related personnel matters.
• Processing of matters related to Cabinet meetings, Cabinet decisions, and official procedures.
• State protocol, including visits of the President of India, Prime Minister of India, and foreign dignitaries.
• Appointment of heads of departments, key administrative officers, and senior management in government institutions.
• Budgeting and administration of Secretariat establishment and services.

Subordinate Institutions / Sections

The department operates through various specialized sections, including:

• **Cabinet Cell**
• **Protocol Division**
• **Confidential and Special Services Section**
• **Establishment Section**
• **Administrative Reforms Wing**

Key Responsibilities

• Secretariat management and governance coordination.
• Supervising conduct, appointment, and service-related matters of All India Service officers.
• Managing government ceremonies, state functions, and official events.
• Implementation of administrative reforms and e-governance initiatives.

References

1. "General Administration Department – Government of Kerala". gad.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
2. Bureau, The Hindu (2023-11-03). "General Administration department cracks whip". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-11-11. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
3. Daily, Keralakaumudi. "Change of name in Public Administration Department: Political section renamed to 'Protocol'". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
4. Bureau, The Hindu (2023-06-28). "General Administration department notifies postings of IAS officers". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-11-11. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
5. "Chief Secretary orders govt depts to strictly use Malayalam for decrees". www.onmanorama.com. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
6. "Kerala Council of Ministers – Kerala Legislative Assembly". niyamasabha.nic.in. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
7. "Rules of Business of Government of Kerala – First Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-11-10.
8. Cite error: The named reference rob was invoked but never defined (see the help page).