--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The days when the Planning Commission was…" description: "\"“The days when the Planning Commission was composed entirely of subject experts were long gone. Various political and social quotas had now to be fille..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sanjaya-baru-3832_congress_the-days-when-the-planning-commission-wa_2322323.jpg" --- # The days when the Planning Commission was composed… ![“The days when the Planning Commission was composed entirely of subject experts were long gone. Various political and social quotas had now to be filled. North, south, scheduled caste, woman, minority. In the era of coalitions, every constituent political party wanted to name a member. For the PM…” quote by Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sanjaya-baru-3832_congress_the-days-when-the-planning-commission-wa_2322323.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sanjaya-baru-3832_congress_the-days-when-the-planning-commission-wa_2322323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sanjaya-baru-3832_congress_the-days-when-the-planning-commission-wa_2322323.jpg) > ““The days when the Planning Commission was composed entirely of subject experts were long gone. Various political and social quotas had now to be filled. North, south, scheduled caste, woman, minority. In the era of coalitions, every constituent political party wanted to name a member. For the PM, himself a former deputy chairman, the Planning Commission had become the place where he could park a trusted aide.”” [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political appointments replaced expert‑driven planning, leading to quota‑based selections. **In simple terms:** Experts replaced by political quotas. Key Takeaway Prioritize expertise. Themes politics bureaucracy quota systems Mood analytical critical Type political sociological When to use this quote - policy drafting - ministerial appointments - public sector hiring Key Concepts governance representation Questions to Reflect On - How can expertise be preserved in political bodies? - What are the trade‑offs of quota‑based appointments? A Different Perspective Balancing representation and expertise is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coalitions Constituent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalitions-constituent-5556287/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Planning Commission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-commission-1456583/) [Pm Deputy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pm-deputy-5556288/) [Political party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-party/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Quotas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotas-617829/) [Quotas Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotas-filled-5556286/) ## Related quotes > [A new institution with new design, structure, body, soul, new thinking, and direction will replace the Planning Commission. It will be one that caters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/a-new-institution-with-new-design-structure-body-soul-new-thinking/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [The first time I went to the Planning Commission was when it was under KC Pant, a long time ago. Since then I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/the-first-time-i-went-to-the-planning-commission-was-when-it-was/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [I don't believe in quotas. America was founded on a philosophy of individual rights, not group rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-don-t-believe-in-quotas-america-was-founded-on-a-philosophy-of/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I am not in favour of quotas. Just put the best person into the job. It is not about gender; it is about experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/i-am-not-in-favour-of-quotas-just-put-the-best-person-into-the-job-it/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [I'm not out for quotas. I'm out to attract the best young men and women of our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/i-m-not-out-for-quotas-i-m-out-to-attract-the-best-young-men-and/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [“Statistics can’t measure equal opportunity, just equal results. The government starts with the assumption that if, say, employment rates diverge from population makeup by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sailer/statistics-can-t-measure-equal-opportunity-just-equal-results-the/) [Steve Sailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sailer/) > [If firms were made to hire according to quotas, it might optimize the percentage of women in the industry, but that doesn't necessarily translate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tans/if-firms-were-made-to-hire-according-to-quotas-it-might-optimize-the/) [Gillian Tans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tans/) > [A quota for women always amounts to a failure of politics. For me, economics is first and foremost the ability to act freely without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/a-quota-for-women-always-amounts-to-a-failure-of-politics-for-me/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [My personal opinion is that, if you're a professional writer, that you do have quotas. So every day I do try to write 800-1,200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/my-personal-opinion-is-that-if-you-re-a-professional-writer-that-you/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [Affirmative action based on quotas is wrong - wrong because it is antithetical to the genius of the American idea: individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/affirmative-action-based-on-quotas-is-wrong-wrong-because-it-is/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [We believe that visa quotas should be lifted and people should visit anywhere they wish freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/we-believe-that-visa-quotas-should-be-lifted-and-people-should-visit/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [Race and gender quotas, whether in publishing, the media, or scientific research labs, are becoming more extreme and more ineluctable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/race-and-gender-quotas-whether-in-publishing-the-media-or-scientific/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [I don't believe in quotas for quotas sake, but I think companies without any women on their boards should write to their shareholders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/i-don-t-believe-in-quotas-for-quotas-sake-but-i-think-companies/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [“Help the world grow, put her on the road of achievement by contributing your quotas”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndianabasi-anderson/help-the-world-grow-put-her-on-the-road-of-achievement-by/) [Ndianabasi Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ndianabasi-anderson/) ## More by Sanjaya Baru > [I think the government lost control over fiscal policy in UPA-2. But it is possible to suggest that the momentum of the populism of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/i-think-the-government-lost-control-over-fiscal-policy-in-upa-2-but/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Unlike China's growth story, which has been built on the strategy of creating excess supply, the Indian growth story has been built on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/unlike-china-s-growth-story-which-has-been-built-on-the-strategy-of/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [It is inconceivable that the rise of Asia could happen without the rise of the Indian subcontinent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/it-is-inconceivable-that-the-rise-of-asia-could-happen-without-the/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Wen Jiabao and Hu Jintao put together are no Deng Xiaoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/wen-jiabao-and-hu-jintao-put-together-are-no-deng-xiaoping/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [In the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, regionalism was seen as a building block of globalisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/in-the-1990s-and-the-first-decade-of-the-21st-century-regionalism-was/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [The 1990s was not just Japan's 'wasted decade,' it was also a wasted decade for the India-Japan relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/the-1990s-was-not-just-japan-s-wasted-decade-it-was-also-a-wasted/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [If Iran seeks to meddle in domestic Indian politics by creating disaffection among the Shias of Uttar Pradesh, what better way to counter that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/if-iran-seeks-to-meddle-in-domestic-indian-politics-by-creating/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [“Victor Hugo: ‘No power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/victor-hugo-no-power-on-earth-can-stop-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [A politician normally flatters you in your face and criticises you behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/a-politician-normally-flatters-you-in-your-face-and-criticises-you/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Every university has its problems. The issues range from lack of amenities, plagiarism, poor quality research, sexual harassment, faculty moonlighting, and faulty and biased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/every-university-has-its-problems-the-issues-range-from-lack-of/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [India's difficulties in negotiating an FTA with both the ASEAN and E.U. are a reminder of the importance of multilateralism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/india-s-difficulties-in-negotiating-an-fta-with-both-the-asean-and-e/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [I think many people grow on the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/i-think-many-people-grow-on-the-job/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [The reason a Congress-led coalition didn't happen in 1990 was because it is entirely possible that Rajiv Gandhi himself wasn't sure how the Congress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/the-reason-a-congress-led-coalition-didn-t-happen-in-1990-was-because/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Karan Thapar is an endangered species. They don't make them like him anymore. True, thousands have gone to the Doon Valley School after him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/karan-thapar-is-an-endangered-species-they-don-t-make-them-like-him/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Public universities are the lifeblood of modern democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/public-universities-are-the-lifeblood-of-modern-democracies/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) [Explore all 121 Sanjaya Baru quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) ## More Congress quotes > [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/) [United States Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/united-states-congress/) > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) > [We need less travelling by jet plaes from congress to congress... but more kneeling and praying and pleading to God to have mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/we-need-less-travelling-by-jet-plaes-from-congress-to-congress-but/) [Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) [Browse all 3,400 Congress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The days when the Planning Commission was composed entirely of subject experts were long gone. 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