Decoding A Decade: Insights From NITI Aayog's 10-Year Evolution - IMPRI Impact And Policy Research Institute

Urvashi Prasad

As NITI Aayog celebrated its 10th anniversary on January 1, 2025, on popular demand, I share my top insights from my 8 years at the organization. During my tenure, I had the opportunity of working directly with all 3 Vice Chairpersons, Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health), Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO and Dr. Sekhar Bonu, Director General, Development Monitoring & Evaluation Office (DMEO). LONG thread on its role, achievements, what could be different/better #NITIAayog #10yearsofNITI

While the think tank model holds great potential, it often struggles to navigate the complexities of a bureaucratic environment alongside the integration of lateral entrants. The success of this model is heavily reliant on individual leadership styles. Many, including myself, advocate for a think tank to be predominantly composed of lateral entrants — sector experts, research professionals, and policy analysts — rather than traditional bureaucrats. This is essential for embedding high-quality research & practices into the policymaking process.

A think tank should fundamentally differ from a line ministry, where bureaucratic experience & administrative skills are paramount. Initially, some former Planning Commission staff were resistant to the entry of lateral entrants in the organization, and I perceive that this underlying tension still persists, sometimes overtly & often in more subtle ways. As a lateral entrant, your experience at the institution can be rewarding, but it largely depends on the individuals you collaborate with & the prevailing leadership. The variability of these experiences can be significant.

As always, leadership is crucial. Mr. Amitabh Kant, the first CEO of NITI Aayog, was a strong advocate for lateral entry into the organization. He played a pivotal role in recruiting & mentoring many lateral entrants, including myself. The trust he placed in us was remarkable & served as a significant confidence booster, motivating us to rise to any challenge, regardless of its scale or urgency.

I vividly remember one instance when he entrusted me with the task of presenting to the Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the senior team at the PMO. I had expected the senior consultant overseeing that initiative to take the lead, but Mr. Kant chose me instead. When I suggested a rehearsal for the presentation, he declined, assuring me that he would handle any questions that might arise during the meeting. It’s quite rare for someone in such a high-ranking position to exhibit such trust in a junior colleague, especially in a critical setting.

During the formative years of NITI, there were many others too who supported lateral entry, providing promising career paths for high-performers within the institution. These included Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Dr. Rajiv Kumar & Dr. Sekhar Bonu. Dr. Kumar actively encouraged young professionals, consultants & specialists to engage in research & publish their findings. He never required us to submit our articles to him for approval before publication, demonstrating his belief in our judgment regarding what was appropriate to write while working in a government setting.

Since many have asked, there was no ‘censorship’ of articles by Dr. Kumar or Mr. Kant, because of which I (and others like me) managed to publish an average of 2 articles each month. However, a significant challenge arises when an institution becomes heavily reliant on individual leaders alone; their departure can lead to substantial changes, often for the worse.

Ten years is a long time, but I have attempted to highlight some of NITI’s major initiatives. The indices used to rank states, while not without their methodological limitations, effectively highlighted important issues in sectors such as health, water management, education, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the highest political levels in states. The Aspirational Districts Programme has now been extended to the block level. Although data collection is not flawless, the element of competition encourages improvements by motivating District Collectors, Magistrates, and their teams.

NITI has been instrumental in shaping many of the government’s flagship initiatives, schemes, and policies, including Ayushman Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Electric Vehicles, Battery Storage, Production-Linked Incentives (PLIs), telemedicine, and organ transport. Additionally, the institution has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the SDGs in India. I had the opportunity to be a part of the task force that monitored the initial years of SDG implementation in the country.

NITI also played a significant role in reforming medical education. Under the leadership of the then Vice Chairperson, Dr. Arvind Panagariya, committees were formed, leading to extensive discussions & consultations with various stakeholders. This process culminated in the drafting of bills to replace the Medical Council of India, the Central Council of Homoeopathy, and the Central Council of Indian Medicine.

These bills were successfully passed in Parliament, resulting in the establishment of the National Medical Commission, the National Commission for Homeopathy, and the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine.

NITI has been instrumental in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. V.K. Paul led several key initiatives, including the National Task Force on COVID-19, the Empowered Group on Emergency Management Plan and Strategy, the Empowered Group on Vaccination, and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC).

Empowered Group 3, under the leadership of the CEO of NITI Aayog, was tasked with coordinating efforts among the private sector, NGOs, and international organizations to respond effectively to the pandemic.

Engaging with states is a vital mandate of NITI. The State Support Mission was created to enhance NITI’s collaboration with states, assisting them in formulating & implementing their Viksit Bharat roadmaps. However, this engagement must be systematic rather than sporadic. States need to perceive tangible benefits, which often come not just from innovative ideas but also from support in their execution.

Unlike the Planning Commission, NITI lacks the authority to allocate funds, a topic that has been extensively discussed internally over the years. The question remains whether providing sound ideas is sufficient without accompanying financial support.

Through the Governing Council, which includes all Chief Ministers & Lieutenant Governors, with the Hon’ble Prime Minister as chair, NITI offers a platform for states to voice their concerns & learn from one another. It is crucial that the various verticals within NITI assigned to different states actively follow up on action items & work collaboratively with central ministries to resolve issues.

NITI has two key attached offices. The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) which has hitherto concentrated on initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs & Atal Incubation Centers. Now, AIM 2.0 aims to pilot new initiatives that address existing gaps in the ecosystem while scaling successful projects through collaboration with central & state governments, industry, and academia. This mission is crucial for fostering the emergence of new start-ups & supporting the growth of those with potential.

The second office is the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), previously led by Dr. Sekhar Bonu. This office has launched several innovative initiatives, including the Output-Outcome Monitoring Framework (OOMF). Traditionally, government budget allocations have not been tied to performance metrics. OOMF changes this by linking financial resources to the actual delivery of programs.

Many may not realize that alongside the Annual Union Budget, an Outcome Budget is also placed in Parliament. While it may not be a flawless methodology, it represents a vital step towards enhancing transparency in government spending and should be institutionalized at the state level, with customization/improvement.

W.r.t evaluation, DMEO conducts third-party assessments of several key government initiatives. However, for these evaluation reports to be genuinely beneficial, there needs to be a shift in perspective, both within the government and, crucially, among the public, regarding evaluations being seen solely as a means to identify faults.

The media should strive to present a balanced view, avoiding the tendency to focus exclusively on negative aspects of government programs. Otherwise, it becomes challenging for any administration to openly share the findings of evaluation studies.

NITI Aayog has been pivotal in fostering collaboration with the private sector. I recall in 2017 when Mr. Kant called upon a group of us, who had recently joined the organization, to organize two significant conferences, ‘Champions of Change’ where the Hon’ble Prime Minister engaged with both start-up entrepreneurs & CEOs of established firms.

I steered the Champions of Change group focused on Health for start-ups, and the WhatsApp group created in 2017 remains active to this day. Over time, these platforms have served as vital channels for private sector entrepreneurs & start-ups to communicate their ideas & challenges to the government. During the COVID pandemic, NITI collaborated with the private sector to create digital solutions across various fields, including the Swasth telemedicine application.

It would be useful if the think tank could conduct a review of the 3-Year Action Agenda released in 2017 & the Strategy for New India @ 75 released in 2018. This review should evaluate how many of the recommendations have been implemented, how many are still in progress, and what additional actions are necessary from various stakeholders.

Both documents, developed under the leadership of Dr. Arvind Panagariya & Dr. Rajiv Kumar, contain numerous policy recommendations spanning various sectors. As the centre & states work on Viksit Bharat @ 2047 & Viksit Rajya @ 2047 and their associated roadmaps, it would be beneficial to revisit the previous policy suggestions & assess their current status.

More so, because the recommendations in these documents were the result of extensive consultations with central ministries, state governments, civil society, the private sector, & farmers’ representatives, among others.

Urvashi Prasad is a former director at NITI Aayog.

This was first written as X (Twitter) thread in on 2nd January, 2025.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.