In this guide
A Deputy Collector in Madhya Pradesh may spend the morning hearing revenue cases as SDM, the afternoon reviewing a flood-relief plan on the Narmada, and the evening at a jan sunwai listening to villagers' complaints. To do this well — and to answer MPPSC questions on administration — you need a clear picture of how the state is governed: who holds power, how orders travel from Bhopal to a village, and where the checks lie.
The constitutional frame
Madhya Pradesh is governed under Part VI of the Constitution, like other states. It has a Governor, a Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, a unicameral legislature of 230 members, and a High Court at Jabalpur with benches at Indore and Gwalior. It sends 29 members to the Lok Sabha and 11 to the Rajya Sabha.
The executive
The Governor is the constitutional head, appointed by the President. The Governor summons and prorogues the Vidhan Sabha, assents to bills (or reserves them for the President), promulgates ordinances under Article 213, appoints the Chief Minister, and is the Chancellor of state universities. In the large Scheduled Areas of MP, the Governor has special responsibilities under the Fifth Schedule, advised by a Tribes Advisory Council. MP's first Governor was Dr Pattabhi Sitaramayya (1956).
The Chief Minister and Council of Ministers hold real executive power and are collectively responsible to the Vidhan Sabha. Under the 91st Amendment (2003), the Council cannot exceed 15% of the Assembly — for MP's 230-member house, a maximum of 34 ministers including the Chief Minister. MP's first Chief Minister was Pandit Ravishankar Shukla (1956).
The Secretariat
Policy is made in the state Secretariat — Vallabh Bhawan in Bhopal.
| Level | Who | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Secretary | Senior-most IAS officer | Head of the civil service; secretary to the Cabinet |
| Additional Chief Secretaries / Principal Secretaries / Secretaries | IAS officers | Heads of departments |
| Commissioners / Directors | Heads of departments in the field | Implementation |
Field administration
| Unit | Head | Main functions |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Divisional Commissioner | Supervises districts; revenue appeals; coordination |
| District | Collector and District Magistrate | Revenue, law and order (with the SP), elections, disasters, development coordination |
| Sub-division | Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) | Revenue courts and administration; magisterial duties |
| Tehsil | Tehsildar (and Naib Tehsildar) | Land records, revenue cases, certificates |
| Development block | Chief Executive Officer, Janpad Panchayat | Rural development; supports the elected Janpad Panchayat |
| Village | Patwari and panchayat secretary | Land records; panchayat administration |
In the district, the Superintendent of Police heads policing; Bhopal and Indore have a police commissionerate system (introduced in 2021), in which the Police Commissioner exercises certain magisterial powers.
Divisions and districts
MP has 10 divisions — Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar, Rewa, Shahdol, Jabalpur and Narmadapuram — and 55 districts. New districts such as Mauganj, Pandhurna and Maihar were created in 2023.
The judiciary
The High Court of Madhya Pradesh sits at Jabalpur, with benches at Indore and Gwalior. The Board of Revenue — the highest revenue court — is at Gwalior. See our post on the High Court.
Key institutions
| Body | Basis |
|---|---|
| MPPSC (Indore) | Article 315 |
| State Election Commission | Article 243K |
| State Finance Commission | Article 243I |
| Lokayukta | MP Lokayukta Act, 1981 |
| State Human Rights Commission, State Information Commission | Central laws |
| MP Employees Selection Board | Recruitment for many state posts |
Training
Officers are trained at the R. C. V. P. Noronha Academy of Administration and Management, Bhopal.
A Mains framework: governing a large, diverse state
- Size and diversity — large districts, tribal and forest areas, long distances.
- Capacity — vacancies at the patwari, teacher and health-worker level.
- Decentralisation — Panchayati Raj and PESA in tribal areas.
- Citizen services — MP's Public Services Guarantee Act (2010), CM Helpline, e-governance.
- Reforms — smaller districts, technology, performance monitoring.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- What is the maximum size of MP's Council of Ministers?
- What is the name of MP's Secretariat building?
- How many divisions and districts does MP have?
- Where is the Board of Revenue of MP located?
- Which cities in MP have a police commissionerate system?
Mains-style (short): What are the functions of a Collector in MP?
Mains-style (long): Discuss the challenges of administering a large and diverse state like Madhya Pradesh.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
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