How to prepare Public Administration Optional for UPSC | Syllabus, Booklist & Strategy for Public Administration Optional UPSC

Public Administration is one of the optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Main Examination. It is one of the popular choices because of its relevance in the job role of an IAS officer. This subject introduces the candidates to the mechanism of public administration which is surely of great use for future administrators. Further, it is one of the concept-intensive subjects. So, if you’re not that good in cramming, this subject is for you as it largely entails conceptual understanding.

Moreover, availability of resources and ease of understanding of the subject is also the factors that persuades aspirants to choose this optional subject. However, candidates opting for this subject must be cautious of writing generic answers as this subject is highly competitive. A lot of aspirants opt for this subject, hence make sure your answers stand-out to secure high marks in the examination.

Public Administration Syllabus for UPSC

Paper 1: Administrative Theory

Introduction	Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration; Wilson’s vision of Public Administration; Evolution of the discipline and its present status; New Public Administration; Public Choice approach; Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation, Globalisation; Good Governance: concept and application; New Public Management
Administrative Thought	Scientific Management and Scientific Management movement; Classical Theory; Weber’s bureaucratic model - its critique and post-Weberian Developments; Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett); Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others); Functions of the Executive (C.I. Barnard); Simon’s decision-making theory; Participative Management (R. Likert, C. Argyris, D. McGregor).
Administrative Behaviour	Process and techniques of decision-making; Communication; Morale; Motivation Theories - content, process and contemporary; Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern.
Organizations	Theories - systems, contingency; Structure and forms: Ministries and Departments, Corporations, Companies, Boards and Commissions; Ad hoc and advisory bodies; Headquarters and Field relationships; Regulatory Authorities; Public-Private Partnerships
Accountability and control	Concepts of accountability and control; Legislative, Executive and Judicial control over administration; Citizen and Administration; Role of media, interest groups, voluntary organizations; Civil society; Citizen’s Charters; Right to Information; Social audit
Administrative Law	Meaning, scope, and significance; Dicey on Administrative law; Delegated legislation; Administrative Tribunals
Comparative Public Administration	Historical and sociological factors affecting administrative systems; Administration and politics in different countries; Current status of Comparative Public Administration; Ecology and administration; Riggsian models and their critique
Development Dynamics	Concept of development; Changing profile of development administration; ‘Anti development thesis’; Bureaucracy and development; Strong state versus the market debate; Impact of liberalization on administration in developing countries; Women and development - the self-help group movement.
Personnel Administration	Importance of human resource development; Recruitment, training, career advancement, position classification, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion, pay and service conditions; employer-employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism; Code of conduct; Administrative ethics.
Public Policy	Models of policy-making and their critique; Processes of conceptualization, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review, and their limitations; State theories and public policy formulation
Techniques of Administrative Improvement	Organization and methods, Work study and work management; e-governance and information technology; Management aid tools like network analysis, MIS, PERT, CPM.
Financial Administration	Monetary and fiscal policies; Public borrowings and public debt Budgets - types and forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts and audit.

Paper-II: Indian Administration

Evolution of Indian Administration	Kautilya’s Arthashastra; Mughal administration; Legacy of British rule in politics and administration - Indianization of public services, revenue administration, district administration, local self-government
Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government	Salient features and value premises; Constitutionalism; Political culture; Bureaucracy and democracy; Bureaucracy and development
Public Sector Undertakings	The public sector in modern India; Forms of Public Sector Undertakings; Problems of autonomy, accountability, and control; Impact of liberalization and privatization
Union Government and Administration	Executive, Parliament, Judiciary - structure, functions, work processes; Recent trends; Intragovernmental relations; Cabinet Secretariat; Prime Minister’s Office; Central Secretariat; Ministries and Departments; Boards; Commissions; Attached offices; Field organizations.
Plans and Priorities	Machinery of planning; Role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council; ‘Indicative’ planning; Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels; Constitutional Amendments (1992) and decentralized planning for economic development and social justice
State Government and Administration	Union-State administrative, legislative and financial relations; Role of the Finance Commission; Governor; Chief Minister; Council of Ministers; Chief Secretary; State Secretariat; Directorates.
District Administration since Independence	Changing role of the Collector; Union state-local relations; Imperatives of development management and law and order administration; District administration and democratic decentralization
Civil Services	Constitutional position; Structure, recruitment, training and capacity-building; Good governance initiatives; Code of conduct and discipline; Staff associations; Political rights; Grievance redressal mechanism; Civil service neutrality; Civil service activism
Financial Management	Budget as a political instrument; Parliamentary control of public expenditure; Role of finance ministry in the monetary and fiscal area; Accounting techniques; Audit; Role of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Administrative Reforms since Independence	Major concerns; Important Committees and Commissions; Reforms in financial management and human resource development; Problems of implementation.
Rural Development	Institutions and agencies since independence; Rural development programs: foci and strategies; Decentralization and Panchayati Raj; 73rd Constitutional amendment.
Urban Local Government	Municipal governance: main features, structures, finance, and problem areas; 74th Constitutional Amendment; Globallocal debate; New localism; Development dynamics, politics, and administration with special reference to city management.
Law and Order Administration	British legacy; National Police Commission; Investigative agencies; Role of central and state agencies including paramilitary forces in maintenance of law and order and countering insurgency and terrorism; Criminalisation of politics and administration; Police- public relations; Reforms in Police.
Significant issues in Indian Administration	Values in public service; Regulatory Commissions; National Human Rights Commission; Problems of administration in coalition regimes; Citizen-administration interface; Corruption and administration; Disaster management

How to study Public Administration for UPSC

Since the competition for Pub Ad optional is high, you will have to put in extra efforts to ensure your answers stand out. Here’s a full-proof strategy of preparing public administration for UPSC:

Make small notes: Make your own handwritten notes for the topics mentioned in both paper 1 and paper 2. You can use online resources and standard books for preparing these notes.
Practice answer Writing: Incorporate these notes into your answer writing practice and come up with a basic structure of answers that works well. Your answer must have a proper beginning and end with substantial content in the body.
Editorials in The Hindu and The Indian Express: For relevant facts and figures, read editorials in newspapers such as hindu and indian express. Delve deeper into the relevant editorials and make proper notes on them
Second Administrative Reforms Commission : Reports: These reports will future allow you to make your answers exclusive and enriching. Read these reports and jot down relevant information for answer-writing practice.
Blogs: Blogs on NITI aayog website, PSUs’ website and other ministries’ websites are also some of the usually ignored yet very relevant material that can be used for enriching your answers.

Booklist for Public Administration for UPSC

IGNOU BA and MA Notes
Administrative Thinkers by Prasad and Prasad
New Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya
Public Administration And Public Affairs by Nicholas Henry
Public Policy: Concept, Theory and Practice by Bidyut Chakrabarty and Prakash Chand
Essentials of organisational behaviour by Stephen Robbins
Public Administration - Laxmikant
ARC reports
Important reports from ministries

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