The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (Second ARC) is a Commission of Inquiry constituted by the Government of India to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping the public administration system. Its origin lies in the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the administrative system, following the first ARC established in 1966. The Second ARC was formally constituted on August 31, 2005, by a Government of India resolution (No. K-11022/9/2004-RC). Chaired initially by Veerappa Moily, the commission's mandate was to suggest measures for achieving a "proactive, responsive, accountable, sustainable and efficient administration for the country at all levels of the government".
The mechanism of the Second ARC involved an intensive study that resulted in the submission of 15 comprehensive reports between 2006 and 2009. These reports addressed diverse governance issues, including Ethics in Governance (Fourth Report), Public Order (Fifth Report), and Local Governance (Sixth Report). The very first report, titled Right to Information: Master Key to Good Governance, emphasized strengthening the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The commission's work connects directly to the ongoing process of administrative reform, particularly in areas like e-governance and disaster management, which were key focus areas in its recommendations. The Central Government has considered 14 out of the 15 reports, and the accepted recommendations are at various stages of implementation, signifying a continuous process of change rather than a single recent amendment. The recommendations aim to shift accountability from mere procedural compliance to a greater focus on results and outcomes.