- Why in news
- On 10 September 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the third meeting of the Governing Body of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi and set directions for NIDM and NDMA.
- What it is
- NIDM is the national institute for training, research, policy support and capacity building in disaster management. It grew out of the National Centre for Disaster Management and works under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It works alongside the NDMA, which sets policy and guidelines, while NIDM mainly trains.
- Division of roles
- NDMA and NIDM share work from policy-making to training and implementation. NIDM is to handle training, while NDRF and SDRFs carry out guidelines on the ground.
- Post-disaster study
- After each disaster, a joint team of NDMA, NIDM, NDRF and SDRF is to study the causes of damage and prepare a report.
- Statutory changes
- The Disaster Management Act was amended, Urban Disaster Management Authorities were introduced, and the NCMC was given statutory status.
- Legal basis
- NIDM is given statutory status under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which also created the NDMA, SDMAs and DDMAs.
- Meeting frequency
- The Home Minister said at least one top-level NIDM meeting should be held every year.
Don’t confuse with NIDM vs NDMA: NDMA is the apex body that lays down policies and guidelines. NIDM is the training and research institute.
Don’t confuse with NDRF vs SDRF (forces) vs the funds: NDRF is both a response force and a national fund name. SDRF is both the state response force and the state fund.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Moves disaster management from relief to risk reduction and early warning.
- Joint NDMA-NIDM guidelines and post-disaster studies can build evidence-based preparedness.
Problems
- Overlapping roles of NDMA, NIDM, NDRF and SDRF risk duplication and departmental silos.
- Capacity at village and district level remains uneven despite the focus on five lakh villages.
Way forward
- Set up dedicated cells in departments with quarterly reviews.
- Issue joint national guidelines with training, and promote the mobile app through education.
Put in your answer
Whole of Government: The Home Minister cited a 'Whole of Government' approach as part of disaster response.
- 2020Mains GS3 · Q18Discuss recent Indian disaster management measures shifting from reactive to proactive approach.
- 2013Mains GS3 · Q18Importance of vulnerability and risk assessment; key areas for administrators in disaster management.
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q18Analyse community participation in disaster management with Indian examples; discuss challenges and measures.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Statutory body under the Disaster Management Act, but this release is a governing body meeting with no new decision.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.