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Quick recap: Planning and NITI Aayog on one page

മലയാളത്തിൽ വിശദീകരണം

Planning and NITI Aayog · Quick recap · Fact-checked on 26 October 2026 · how we check

Written with AI from the sources listed at the bottom of this page, then fact-checked by a separate AI.

Both parts of Planning and NITI Aayog condensed for quick revision: the meaning of planning and the pre-1947 plans, the Planning Commission and NDC, growth models, the twelve Plans with their breaks, and NITI Aayog's structure, role, federalism tools, programmes and the post-Plan flow of funds.

Each idea is explained first in Malayalam (മലയാളം), ending with the English and Hindi exam terms, followed by the same point in exam English. UPSC Prelims is in English or Hindi, so understand it in Malayalam and revise it in English.

ആസൂത്രണം എന്നാൽ കേന്ദ്ര സ്ഥാപനം കുറച്ചു വർഷത്തേക്കു നിക്ഷേപ മുൻഗണനകളും ലക്ഷ്യങ്ങളും വയ്ക്കുന്നത്. ഉത്തരവിടുന്ന രീതി ഒന്ന്; ദിശ കാണിക്കുന്ന സൂചകാത്മക ആസൂത്രണം മറ്റൊന്ന്. നമ്മുടേതു മിശ്ര സമ്പദ്‌വ്യവസ്ഥയിലെ ആസൂത്രണം; കൺകറന്റ് ലിസ്റ്റ് 20-ാം ഇനം. സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യത്തിനു മുമ്പേ വിശ്വേശ്വരയ്യ (1934), ദേശീയ ആസൂത്രണ സമിതി (1938), ബോംബെ പ്ലാൻ, ഗാന്ധിയൻ പ്ലാൻ (1944), ജനകീയ പ്ലാൻ (1945), സർവോദയ പ്ലാൻ (1950) വന്നു — വീടു പണിയും മുമ്പേ പലരും പ്ലാൻ വരച്ചതുപോലെ. (→ English: indicative planning · mixed economy · हिन्दी: सांकेतिक नियोजन · मिश्रित अर्थव्यवस्था)

In exam EnglishEconomic planning means a central authority setting investment priorities and targets for a fixed period. Imperative planning orders enterprises to meet targets; indicative planning sets goals and guides private firms with incentives. India chose planning within a mixed economy, and the Constitution lists "economic and social planning" as entry 20 of the Concurrent List. The idea came before independence: Visvesvaraya's Planned Economy for India (1934), the Congress's National Planning Committee under Nehru (1938), the Bombay Plan of industrialists and Shriman Narayan Agarwal's Gandhian Plan (both 1944), M.N. Roy's People's Plan (1945) and Jayaprakash Narayan's Sarvodaya Plan (1950).

ആസൂത്രണ കമ്മീഷൻ 1950 മാർച്ച് 15-ന് സർക്കാർ പ്രമേയത്തിലൂടെ — ഭരണഘടനയിലില്ല, നിയമവുമില്ല, ഉപദേശക സ്ഥാപനം; ചെയർമാൻ പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി, ആദ്യ ഡെപ്യൂട്ടി ചെയർമാൻ ഗുൽസാരിലാൽ നന്ദ. പദ്ധതികൾ എഴുതി സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾക്കു സഹായം നിശ്ചയിച്ചു. ദേശീയ വികസന കൗൺസിൽ (1952 ഓഗസ്റ്റ് 6) ഓരോ പദ്ധതിയും അംഗീകരിച്ചു. ഒന്നാം പദ്ധതി ഹാരഡ്–ഡോമർ, കൃഷി; രണ്ടാമത്തേതു മഹലനോബിസ്, ഘനവ്യവസായം — ഭിലായ്, ദുർഗാപൂർ, റൂർക്കേല. സംസ്ഥാന സഹായം 1969 മുതൽ ഗാഡ്ഗിൽ ഫോർമുല, 1991-ൽ ഗാഡ്ഗിൽ–മുഖർജി. ആദ്യം വയലിനു വെള്ളം, പിന്നെ കലപ്പയ്ക്ക് ഇരുമ്പ് എന്നപോലെ. (→ English: Planning Commission · National Development Council · हिन्दी: योजना आयोग · राष्ट्रीय विकास परिषद)

In exam EnglishThe Planning Commission was set up on 15 March 1950 by a Government of India resolution: extra-constitutional, non-statutory and advisory, with the Prime Minister as chairman and Gulzarilal Nanda as the first Deputy Chairman. It drew up the Plans and decided plan assistance to states. The National Development Council (6 August 1952), chaired by the Prime Minister with Union Cabinet ministers and all Chief Ministers, approved each Plan. The First Plan rested on the Harrod–Domar model and stressed agriculture, irrigation and power; the Second on the Mahalanobis model, putting heavy industry first, with steel plants at Bhilai, Durgapur and Rourkela. Central assistance to states was shared by the Gadgil formula from 1969, revised as Gadgil–Mukherjee in 1991.

യുദ്ധങ്ങളും വരൾച്ചയും കാരണം മൂന്നാം പദ്ധതി തകർന്നു 1966–69 പദ്ധതി അവധി; അപ്പോഴാണു ഹരിതവിപ്ലവം. നാലാം: സ്ഥിരതയോടെ വളർച്ച; അഞ്ചാം: ദാരിദ്ര്യ നിർമാർജനം, മിനിമം ആവശ്യങ്ങൾ, 1978-ൽ നിർത്തി, പിന്നെ തുടർ പദ്ധതി (1978–80). ആറാം: ദാരിദ്ര്യം; ഏഴാം: ഭക്ഷണം, ജോലി, ഉൽപ്പാദനക്ഷമത. 1991-നു ശേഷം എട്ടാം പദ്ധതി സൂചകാത്മകം, മാനവ വികസനം ലക്ഷ്യം. ഒൻപതാം: സാമൂഹിക നീതി; പത്താം: 8%; പതിനൊന്നാം: ഉൾക്കൊള്ളുന്ന വളർച്ച; പന്ത്രണ്ടാം: സുസ്ഥിരതയും. അവസാന പഞ്ചവത്സര പദ്ധതി 2017 മാർച്ച് 31-ന് തീർന്നു — തീവണ്ടിയാത്രയിൽ ഓരോ സ്റ്റേഷനും ഓരോ പദ്ധതി എന്നപോലെ. (→ English: rolling plan · Five-Year Plan · हिन्दी: अनवरत योजना · पंचवर्षीय योजना)

In exam EnglishWars in 1962 and 1965 and the droughts of the mid-1960s derailed the Third Plan, leading to a plan holiday of three Annual Plans (1966–69) in which the Green Revolution began. The Fourth Plan sought growth with stability; the Fifth put removal of poverty first, began the Minimum Needs Programme and was ended in 1978, followed by a rolling plan (1978–80). The Sixth aimed again at poverty, the Seventh at food, work and productivity. After the 1991 reforms the Eighth Plan became indicative, with human development as its ultimate goal. The Ninth sought growth with social justice and equality, the Tenth 8 per cent growth with monitorable targets, the Eleventh faster and more inclusive growth, and the Twelfth added sustainability. The last Five-Year Plan ended on 31 March 2017.

മുകളിൽനിന്ന് അടിച്ചേൽപ്പിക്കുന്ന പദ്ധതികൾ, സംസ്ഥാന പദ്ധതികൾക്കു ഡൽഹി അംഗീകാരം, ധനകാര്യ കമ്മീഷനുമായി കൂടിക്കലരുന്ന ഗ്രാന്റുകൾ — ഇവയാണു കമ്മീഷന്റെ അവസാനത്തിനു കാരണം (2014 ഓഗസ്റ്റ് 15 പ്രഖ്യാപനം). നീതി ആയോഗ് 2015 ജനുവരി 1-ന് മന്ത്രിസഭാ പ്രമേയത്തിലൂടെ; ഇതും ഭരണഘടനാ, നിയമാധിഷ്ഠിത സ്ഥാപനമല്ല. ചെയർപേഴ്സൺ പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി; ഭരണസമിതിയിൽ മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിമാർ, ലെഫ്റ്റനന്റ് ഗവർണർമാർ; വൈസ് ചെയർപേഴ്സൺ (ആദ്യം പനഗരിയ), അംഗങ്ങൾ, സിഇഒ (ആദ്യം സിന്ധുശ്രീ ഖുള്ളർ). പണം വീതിക്കാൻ അധികാരമില്ലാത്ത ചിന്താകേന്ദ്രം; രണ്ടു ഹബ്ബുകൾ, മൂല്യനിർണയത്തിനു ഡിഎംഇഒ. ഖജനാവിന്റെ താക്കോലില്ലാത്ത, പക്ഷേ വഴി കാണിക്കുന്ന ചേട്ടൻ. (→ English: NITI Aayog · हिन्दी: नीति आयोग)

In exam EnglishTop-down Plans, central approval of state plans and plan grants that overlapped the Finance Commission led to the Planning Commission's end, announced on 15 August 2014. NITI Aayog was set up by a Union Cabinet resolution on 1 January 2015; it too is neither constitutional nor statutory. The Prime Minister is Chairperson; the Governing Council has the Chief Ministers of all states and of union territories with a legislature, and Lieutenant Governors of the other union territories; there are Regional Councils, a Vice-Chairperson (first, Arvind Panagariya), full-time members, up to two part-time and four ex officio members, and a CEO (first, Sindhushree Khullar). It is a think tank with no power to allocate funds, with Team India and Knowledge and Innovation hubs and the DMEO (2015) for evaluation.

സഹകരണ ഫെഡറലിസം: ഭരണസമിതി, മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിമാരുടെ ഉപസമിതികൾ; 2015 ഉപസമിതി കേന്ദ്ര പദ്ധതികളെ 'കോർ ഓഫ് ദ കോർ', 'കോർ', ഐച്ഛികം എന്നു തിരിച്ചു (കോറിന് 60:40, വടക്കുകിഴക്കൻ-ഹിമാലയൻ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾക്കു 90:10). മത്സര ഫെഡറലിസം: എസ്ഡിജി ഇന്ത്യ സൂചിക (2018 മുതൽ) പോലുള്ള റാങ്കിങ്. പരിപാടികൾ: അടൽ ഇന്നൊവേഷൻ മിഷൻ (2016), ആസ്പിരേഷണൽ ജില്ലകൾ (2018), ബ്ലോക്കുകൾ (2023, 500). പദ്ധതിക്കു പകരം 15-7-3 രേഖകൾ; 2017-18 ബജറ്റോടെ പ്ലാൻ-നോൺപ്ലാൻ ഇല്ലാതായി. സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾക്കു പണം ധനകാര്യ കമ്മീഷനും കേന്ദ്ര മന്ത്രാലയങ്ങളും വഴി — നീതി ആയോഗ് വഴിയല്ല. സഹോദരങ്ങൾ ഒന്നിച്ചു പണിയെടുത്താലും മാർക്കിൽ മത്സരിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ. (→ English: cooperative federalism · competitive federalism · हिन्दी: सहकारी संघवाद · प्रतिस्पर्धी संघवाद)

In exam EnglishNITI Aayog pursues cooperative federalism through its Governing Council and sub-groups of Chief Ministers; the 2015 sub-group sorted centrally sponsored schemes into core of the core, core and optional, with 60:40 sharing for core schemes (90:10 for north-eastern and Himalayan states). It pursues competitive federalism through state rankings such as the SDG India Index (from 2018). It anchors the Atal Innovation Mission (2016), the Aspirational Districts Programme (January 2018) and the Aspirational Blocks Programme (January 2023, 500 blocks). The Plans gave way to a 15-year vision, 7-year strategy and 3-year action agenda, and the Budget 2017-18 ended the plan/non-plan split. Money now reaches states through the Finance Commission (Articles 270, 275 and 280) and Union ministries (Article 282), not through NITI Aayog.

Planning and NITI Aayog at a glance
Item	Key facts
Constitutional basis of planning	"Economic and social planning", entry 20, Concurrent List
Planning Commission	15 March 1950; executive resolution; PM chairman; first Deputy Chairman Gulzarilal Nanda
National Development Council	6 August 1952; PM, Union Cabinet ministers, all Chief Ministers; approved Plans
Growth models	First Plan: Harrod–Domar; Second Plan: Mahalanobis
Breaks in planning	Plan holiday 1966–69; Rolling Plan 1978–80; Annual Plans 1990–92
Indicative planning	From the Eighth Plan (1992–97); human development as ultimate goal
Last Plan	Twelfth (2012–17), ended 31 March 2017
NITI Aayog	1 January 2015; Union Cabinet resolution; PM Chairperson; no power over funds
Programmes	Atal Innovation Mission 2016; Aspirational Districts 2018; Aspirational Blocks 2023
After the Plans	15-year vision, 7-year strategy, 3-year action agenda; plan/non-plan ended in Budget 2017-18

Exam traps

The Planning Commission, the NDC and NITI Aayog were all created by executive resolutions; none is constitutional or statutory.
Harrod–Domar: First Plan. Mahalanobis: Second Plan (heavy industry), not agriculture.
Plan holiday (1966–69) followed the Third Plan; the Rolling Plan (1978–80) followed the Fifth Plan, which was ended in 1978.
Indicative planning and human development as the ultimate goal: Eighth Plan. Inclusive growth: Eleventh; inclusive and sustainable: Twelfth.
NITI Aayog has no power to allocate funds; devolution and grants come through the Finance Commission (Articles 270, 275, 280) and Union ministries (Article 282).
The Governing Council has Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors, not state Governors.
Core of the core, core and optional are categories of centrally sponsored schemes (2015).

Recap

Planning in a mixed economy; entry 20 of the Concurrent List; imperative versus indicative planning.
Pre-1947 plans: Visvesvaraya 1934, NPC 1938, Bombay and Gandhian 1944, People's 1945, Sarvodaya 1950.
Planning Commission 15 March 1950; NDC 6 August 1952; both executive bodies.
First Plan agriculture (Harrod–Domar); Second heavy industry (Mahalanobis); Third derailed; plan holiday 1966–69.
Fourth growth with stability; Fifth poverty, ended 1978; Rolling Plan 1978–80; Sixth poverty; Seventh food, work, productivity.
Eighth indicative; Ninth social justice; Tenth 8 per cent; Eleventh inclusive; Twelfth sustainable; Plans ended 31 March 2017.
NITI Aayog 1 January 2015: PM Chairperson, Governing Council of Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors, think tank without funds.
Cooperative federalism (CSS sub-group 2015), competitive federalism (SDG India Index 2018), Aspirational Districts 2018 and Blocks 2023; funds via Finance Commission and ministries.

Practice questions

Q1. In the Constitution of India, "economic and social planning" is mentioned in

the Union List
the State List
the Concurrent List
the Directive Principles only

Show answer

Answer: C. the Concurrent List

"Economic and social planning" is entry 20 of List III, the Concurrent List, so both the Union and the states can plan. It is not in the Union or State List, and it is a legislative entry, not a Directive Principle.

Q2. The Gandhian Plan of 1944 was drawn up by

M.N. Roy
Shriman Narayan Agarwal
Jayaprakash Narayan
M. Visvesvaraya

Show answer

Answer: B. Shriman Narayan Agarwal

Shriman Narayan Agarwal drew up the Gandhian Plan (1944). M.N. Roy wrote the People's Plan (1945), Jayaprakash Narayan the Sarvodaya Plan (1950), and Visvesvaraya Planned Economy for India (1934).

Q3. Consider the following statements:
1. The Second Five-Year Plan was based on the Mahalanobis model.
2. The plan holiday came immediately after the Fifth Five-Year Plan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the plan holiday (1966–69) followed the Third Plan; the Fifth Plan was followed by the Rolling Plan (1978–80). So "2 only", "both" and "neither" are wrong.

Q4. Which Five-Year Plan had the theme "faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth"?

Ninth
Tenth
Eleventh
Twelfth

Show answer

Answer: D. Twelfth

The Twelfth Plan (2012–17) added sustainability to the Eleventh Plan's faster and more inclusive growth. The Ninth sought growth with social justice and equality, and the Tenth set an 8 per cent growth target with monitorable targets.

Q5. With reference to the National Development Council, which one of the following statements is correct?

It was established under Article 263.
It was chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.
It approved the Five-Year Plans and included all Chief Ministers.
It was set up by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956.

Show answer

Answer: C. It approved the Five-Year Plans and included all Chief Ministers.

The NDC, formed by an executive decision on 6 August 1952, approved the Plans and included all Chief Ministers. Article 263 concerns the Inter-State Council; the NDC was chaired by the Prime Minister, not the Deputy Chairman; and no constitutional amendment created it.

Q6. Consider the following statements about NITI Aayog:
1. It was constituted on 1 January 2015 by a resolution of the Union Cabinet.
2. It recommends the share of states in the divisible pool of central taxes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the states' share of the divisible pool is recommended by the Finance Commission under Article 280; NITI Aayog has no role in transfers. So "2 only", "both" and "neither" are wrong.

Q7. The Aspirational Districts Programme, launched in January 2018, tracks districts on indicators under which of the following themes?
1. Health and nutrition
2. Education
3. Defence preparedness
4. Financial inclusion and skill development
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4

Show answer

Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only

The five themes are health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development, and basic infrastructure. Defence preparedness is not one of them, so every option with 3 is wrong, and "1 and 2 only" leaves out financial inclusion.

Q8. The removal of the classification of Union expenditure into plan and non-plan took effect from

the Union Budget 2015-16
the Union Budget 2017-18
the Union Budget 2019-20
the Union Budget 2012-13

Show answer

Answer: B. the Union Budget 2017-18

The Union Budget 2017-18, presented as the Twelfth Plan ended, dropped the plan/non-plan classification. In 2012-13 and 2015-16 the classification was still in use, and by 2019-20 it had already gone.

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Sources

Planning Commission: First to Twelfth Five Year Plan documents and the resolution of 15 March 1950 (archived by NITI Aayog); Cabinet Secretariat resolution constituting NITI Aayog (1 January 2015) and NITI Aayog publications — https://www.niti.gov.in
Constitution of India, Seventh Schedule, List III, entry 20; Articles 270, 275, 280 and 282 — https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india/
Union Budget 2017-18 (removal of the plan/non-plan classification) — https://www.indiabudget.gov.in