Jharkhand | Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has made the Chief Minister’s approval mandatory for the formation of expert committees in government departments. Such committees can be constituted only when the required expertise is unavailable within the State Secretariat or its attached offices and an independent assessment or specialised study is necessary.
The state government has notified the Jharkhand Expert Committee (Constitution and Working Procedure) Rules, 2026, laying down clear conditions for the formation, selection and functioning of these committees.
Under the new rules, the concerned department must first certify that the proposed work cannot be undertaken using available government resources. The committee will not be permitted to take over routine administrative responsibilities of any department. Matters related to personnel management, administrative reforms and official language (Rajbhasha) have also been excluded from its scope.
Committees to Focus on Research, Policy and Legislative Proposals
The rules specify that expert committees may be constituted for research, studies and evaluation of specific subjects. Their responsibilities may include independent assessment of government schemes, evaluation of institutional reforms, preparation of new policies and drafting of legislative proposals.
They may also provide specialised advice on administrative, technical and financial matters. Each committee will have a minimum of two and a maximum of five members. Eligible members may include academicians, researchers, subject specialists, legal professionals, financial and technical experts, and individuals with regional expertise.
Three-Member Panel to Select Experts
To ensure transparency, departments will invite an Expression of Interest (EoI) from eligible experts. The invitation must clearly mention the scope of work, methodology, proposed timeline and deadline for submission of the final report.
A three-member selection committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of the department’s Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary or Secretary. The panel will oversee the selection of suitable experts.
Qualifications and Experience Prescribed
The rules also specify eligibility criteria for appointment as an expert. Applicants must possess a postgraduate degree in the relevant subject and have five to ten years of experience in the concerned field. Previous experience of working with government institutions has also been prescribed.
The tenure of an expert committee will generally be limited to six months. In exceptional circumstances, it may be extended by another three months, provided valid reasons are recorded and the Chief Minister grants approval.
The new framework aims to ensure that expert committees are formed only when specialised knowledge is genuinely required, while maintaining accountability, transparency and defined timelines in their functioning.
