Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi. The three day conference began on December 26, 2025. It aims to deepen Centre–State partnership through regular and structured dialogue. The focus is on long term national development and cooperative federalism.
About the National Conference of Chief Secretaries
- The National Conference of Chief Secretaries is a high level administrative forum.
- It brings together Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories and senior central officials.
- The platform focuses on policy implementation, governance reforms, and best practices, not political debates.
- It supports the idea of cooperative and competitive federalism.
Theme: Human Capital for Viksit Bharat
- The theme of the 5th conference is “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat”
- It highlights that India’s development depends on healthy, skilled, educated and empowered citizens.
- The objective is to create a future-ready workforce and inclusive growth model.
Key Focus Areas
Under the human capital theme, discussions focused on five major areas,
- Early Childhood Education, which builds the foundation for lifelong learning
- School Education, focusing on quality and learning outcomes
- Skilling, to improve employability and productivity
- Higher Education, to promote innovation and research
- Sports and Extracurricular Activities, for holistic personality development
These areas are seen as critical for leveraging India’s demographic dividend.
Special Sessions and Governance Priorities
The conference included six special thematic sessions.
- One session focused on Deregulation in States, aimed at reducing unnecessary compliance and improving ease of doing business.
- Another session examined Technology in Governance, discussing digital opportunities along with risks like cybersecurity and data privacy.
- A dedicated discussion on AgriStack explored smart supply chains and better market linkages for farmers.
- The idea of One State, One World Class Tourist Destination was discussed to boost tourism and local economies.
- Sessions on Atmanirbhar Bharat and Swadeshi focused on self-reliance with global competitiveness.
- There was also emphasis on Strategies for a Post-Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Future, shifting focus from security to development.
Significance of the Conference
- The conference strengthens Centre – State coordination in policy execution.
- It ensures that national schemes are aligned with state-level realities.
- It helps States learn from each other’s best practices.
- The focus on human capital links governance directly with people-centric development.
Key Takeaways
- Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Held in New Delhi, starting December 26, 2025
- Theme: Human Capital for Viksit Bharat
- Focus on education, skilling, sports, and governance reforms
- Strengthens Centre–State partnership and cooperative federalism
Question
Q. What was the theme of the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries?
A. Atmanirbhar Bharat
B. Cooperative Federalism
C. Human Capital for Viksit Bharat
D. Digital India