Newly independent India faced a multitude of administrative challenges:

• Integration of Princely States: Over 500 princely states existed alongside British India. Integrating them into a unified nation required complex negotiations, diplomacy, and in some cases, military action.
• Partition and Refugee Crisis: The violent partition of India and Pakistan led to mass displacement of people and communal riots. Resettlement and rehabilitation of millions of refugees strained administrative resources.
• Maintaining Law and Order: Partition triggered widespread violence and instability. Establishing law and order across a vast nation with limited resources was a major hurdle.
• Building a New Administrative Framework: Replacing British colonial structures with an efficient and independent administrative system required a complete overhaul.
• Lack of Trained Personnel: The British left behind a limited number of trained administrators. India had to develop its own pool of skilled civil servants to manage the newly formed nation.