MHA & DARPG’s Special Campaign 6: Key Focus Areas for UPSC 2026

23 Sep MHA & DARPG’s Special Campaign 6: Key Focus Areas for UPSC 2026

✎ ‘Special Campaign 6’ is a government-wide cleanliness and pendency reduction initiative, implemented in two phases (15 Sep–30 Sep 2026 and 2 Oct–31 Oct 2026), with a focus on sustainable workspaces, record management, and…

Subject Relevance — Where This Topic Fits

• GS Paper II — Governance, Transparency and Accountability  |  GS Paper III — Issues relating to Public Administration
• Prelims: Special Campaign 3.0, DARPG, Ministry of Home Affairs, Pendency reduction, Swachhata Abhiyaan, Record Management, CAPFs, CPOs
• Essay: The Role of Administrative Reforms in Enhancing Governance Efficiency, Sustainability and Productivity in Public Institutions

Quick Revision: ‘Special Campaign 6’ is a government-wide cleanliness and pendency reduction initiative, implemented in two phases (15 Sep–30 Sep 2026 and 2 Oct–31 Oct 2026), with a focus on sustainable workspaces, record management, and disposal of pending administrative cases.

Why is this in the news?

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) are preparing to participate in ‘Special Campaign 6’, a government-wide initiative aimed at institutionalising cleanliness, streamlining administrative processes, and reducing pendency of cases. This campaign, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision for cleanliness and efficiency in governance, underscores the government’s commitment to sustainable and citizen-centric administrative practices.

Background

• Previous iterations (Special Campaign 1.0 to 5.0) have focused on reducing pendency of references, grievances, and appeals, improving record management, and creating clean and green workspaces.
• The campaign is implemented in two phases: a preparatory phase (15 September–30 September) and an implementation phase (2 October–31 October).
• The MHA’s participation in Special Campaign 6 aligns with its mandate to ensure internal efficiency, citizen interface, and sustainable administrative practices.
• The campaign is monitored at the highest level, with sensitisation of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organisations (CPOs) to ensure compliance and optimal outcomes.

What is ‘Special Campaign 6’?

• The campaign is structured in two phases: a preparatory phase (15 September–30 September 2026) and an implementation phase (2 October–31 October 2026).
• The primary objectives include promoting cleanliness, streamlining administrative workflows, and resolving pending grievances, references, and appeals.
• Special focus is placed on offices with direct public interface, including regional and field offices of the MHA and CAPFs/CPOs.
• The campaign emphasises the creation of sustainable and environmentally friendly workspaces, in line with the government’s broader sustainability goals.
• Key areas of intervention include disposal of pending references (from MPs, state governments, and PMO), inter-ministerial consultations, public grievances, appeals, and record management.
• The MHA’s participation includes disposal of pending cases across categories such as parliamentary references, state government references, and public grievances, with a target of achieving measurable outcomes within the campaign period.
• The campaign leverages an inter-ministerial portal for real-time data collection and monitoring, ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficient coordination across departments.

Key Features

Feature	Significance
Dual-phase implementation (15 Sep–30 Sep 2026: preparation; 2 Oct–31 Oct 2026: execution)	Ensures systematic planning and phased rollout, aligning with the vision of institutionalising cleanliness and reducing pendency.
Focus on citizen-facing offices	Directs administrative reforms where public interface is highest, enhancing service delivery and trust in governance.
Sustainable and eco-friendly workplaces	Promotes green governance by reducing carbon footprint and adopting environmentally responsible office practices.
Disposal of pending references (MPs, state governments, PMO)	Addresses inter-governmental coordination delays, ensuring timely resolution of legislative and executive references.
Public grievance redressal (52,050 complaints; 7,410 appeals)	Demonstrates commitment to citizen-centric governance by reducing backlog in grievance redressal mechanisms.

Why it Matters

Administrative Efficiency

• Reduces pendency in government offices, enhancing responsiveness and operational efficiency.
• Improves record management through digital coordination, ensuring data accuracy and accessibility.
• Creates a culture of accountability and continuous improvement in public administration.

Citizen-Centric Governance

• Prioritises resolution of public grievances and inter-departmental references, directly impacting citizen experience.
• Strengthens trust in government institutions by demonstrating commitment to transparency and efficiency.
• Aligns with constitutional principles of participatory and responsive governance (Article 41, Directive Principles of State Policy).

Environmental Sustainability

• Encourages eco-friendly office practices, contributing to national commitments under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
• Promotes resource optimisation by reducing unnecessary office space and paper usage.

Institutionalisation of Reforms

• Ensures long-term sustainability of cleanliness and efficiency drives by embedding them in institutional processes.
• Facilitates data-driven decision-making through centralised portals, reducing manual errors and delays.

Challenges

1. Data Accuracy and Coordination

• Ensuring real-time, accurate data upload across all divisions and offices remains a challenge.
• Inter-ministerial coordination may face delays due to differing priorities and bureaucratic silos.

UPSC Link: e-governance

2. Sustainability of Reforms

• Maintaining momentum post-campaign requires institutional commitment and periodic reviews.
• Resistance to change within administrative hierarchies may hinder long-term adoption of reforms.

UPSC Link: public administration

3. Resource Allocation

• Allocating dedicated resources (manpower, funds) for sustained cleanliness and efficiency drives is critical.
• Balancing routine operations with reform initiatives may strain administrative capacity.

UPSC Link: financial management

4. Public Awareness and Participation

• Ensuring citizens are aware of grievance redressal mechanisms and their role in governance.
• Encouraging public participation in maintaining cleanliness and reporting inefficiencies.

UPSC Link: citizen charter

5. Environmental Compliance

• Adopting eco-friendly practices uniformly across all offices, including remote and field locations.
• Ensuring compliance with environmental norms without compromising operational efficiency.

UPSC Link: sustainable development

Challenges — UPSC Perspective

Issue	Concern
Data silos across divisions	Hampers real-time monitoring and coordinated action.
Lack of standardised record-keeping	Leads to inefficiencies in tracking and resolving pending matters.
Bureaucratic inertia	May delay adoption of new processes despite top-level directives.
Resource constraints	Limits the scope of reforms in smaller or understaffed offices.
Public apathy towards grievance redressal	Reduces the effectiveness of citizen-centric initiatives.
Environmental compliance costs	May require initial investments in green infrastructure.

Government Initiatives — Must-Memorise for Prelims

• Special Campaign 6 (2026)
• e-Samiksha (for monitoring progress)
• DARPG’s Sevottam Framework (for citizen-centric governance)

Way Forward

• Institutionalise a quarterly review mechanism to track progress post-campaign.
• Expand the use of AI-driven analytics for predictive pendency management.
• Conduct capacity-building workshops for officers on eco-friendly office practices.
• Strengthen the grievance redressal portal with multilingual support and real-time tracking.
• Establish a dedicated task force for inter-ministerial coordination on pending references.
• Promote citizen feedback loops to identify high-priority areas for reform.
• Integrate sustainability metrics into annual performance appraisals of administrative staff.
• Develop a standardised manual for record management across all government offices.

UPSC Value Addition

Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding ‘Special Campaign 6’ launched by the Government of India:
1. It is an initiative to promote cleanliness, streamline work processes, and dispose of pending references.
2. The campaign is being implemented in two phases: preparation phase (15 September to 30 September 2026) and implementation phase (2 October to 31 October 2026).
3. The campaign focuses exclusively on urban governance and does not address rural administrative offices.
4. The Ministry of Home Affairs has committed to creating sustainable and eco-friendly workplaces under this campaign.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Answer: Only three — Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct as they align with the official description of ‘Special Campaign 6’. Statement 3 is incorrect because the campaign targets both urban and rural offices with direct public interface, including CAPFs and CPOs.

Q2. Assertion (A): The ‘Special Campaign 6’ initiative by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aims to institutionalise cleanliness and reduce pending matters in governance.

Reason (R): The campaign is driven by the vision of the Prime Minister to promote cleanliness and efficiency in government functioning.

In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
3. A is true, but R is false
4. A is false, but R is true

Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A) as the campaign is explicitly inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision of cleanliness and efficiency in governance.

Q3. Match the following columns related to ‘Special Campaign 6’:

Column I (Focus Areas)
A. Pending references from MPs
B. Pending references from State Governments
C. Public grievances redressal
D. Sustainable and eco-friendly workplaces

Column II (Governance Mechanisms)
1. Parliament of India
2. State Legislatures
3. Public Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
4. Green Office Initiatives

Select the correct match:

1. A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4; A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4; A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4; A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
2. answer_letter_indexed_answer_key_only_for_internal_use_but_not_to_be_included_in_output_0123
3. explain_but_not_included_in_output_this_is_internal_only_Column I A (Pending references from MPs) matches with Column II 1 (Parliament of India), B matches with 2 (State Legislatures), C matches with 3 (Public Grievance Redressal Mechanisms), and D matches with 4 (Green Office Initiatives).
4. format

Answer: A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4; A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4; A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4; A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4 —

Mains Practice Question

✍ The Government of India’s ‘Special Campaign 6’, launched under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), seeks to institutionalise cleanliness, streamline administrative processes, and dispose of pending matters. Critically analyse the significance of such campaigns in enhancing governance efficiency and citizen-centric public service delivery. Also, examine the institutional mechanisms employed to ensure accountability and transparency in the implementation of such initiatives. (15 Marks)

Approach: MODEL-ANSWER SKELETON:

1. **Introduction (2 Marks)**
– Define ‘Special Campaign 6’ and its objectives as outlined by the MHA and DARPG.
– Contextualise within the broader framework of the Swachh Bharat Mission and the government’s vision for clean and efficient governance.

2. **Significance of Special Campaigns in Governance (5 Marks)**
– **Administrative Efficiency**: Discuss how such campaigns reduce pendency in government offices, citing the data from the MHA (e.g., disposal of 299 MP references, 336 state government references, and 52,050 public grievances).
– **Citizen-Centric Governance**: Highlight the role of campaigns in addressing public grievances and improving service delivery, particularly in offices with direct public interface (e.g., CAPFs, CPOs).
– **Institutional Cleanliness and Sustainability**: Explain the focus on creating eco-friendly workplaces and record management, aligning with global best practices in public administration.
– **Inter-Ministerial Coordination**: Emphasise the use of inter-ministerial portals for data collection and coordination, reducing delays and ensuring accuracy.

3. **Institutional Mechanisms for Accountability and Transparency (5 Marks)**
– **Structured Phases**: Outline the two-phase implementation (preparation and execution) and the role of monitoring by the MHA and DARPG.
– **Data-Driven Governance**: Discuss the use of digital portals for real-time monitoring and accountability, ensuring that progress is trackable and transparent.
– **Role of Leadership**: Highlight the guidance provided by the Union Home Minister and the institutional commitment to institutionalising the benefits of such campaigns.
– **Comparative Analysis**: Briefly compare with previous editions of ‘Special Campaign’ (e.g., Special Campaign 5.0) to highlight improvements in methodology and outcomes.

4. **Challenges and Way Forward (3 Marks)**
– **Sustainability**: Discuss the challenges in sustaining the gains post-campaign, including the need for continuous monitoring and institutionalisation of best practices.
– **Scalability**: Examine whether such campaigns can be scaled to other ministries and state governments, ensuring uniform standards across the administrative ecosystem.
– **Citizen Participation**: Suggest mechanisms to enhance citizen participation in governance, such as feedback loops and public dashboards for tracking progress.

5. **Conclusion (2 Marks)**
– Summarise the transformative potential of ‘Special Campaign 6’ in redefining governance standards in India.
– Reiterate the importance of institutionalising such initiatives to achieve long-term administrative reforms.

Source: PIB (Press Information Bureau)

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