Public Administration essentially deals with the machinery and procedures of the government, embracing all its activities. Public Administration as a discipline used to be concerned earlier about its identity. Under the impact of powerful, domestic and international forces and new conceptualizations of administrative reality, the discipline today is more concerned about explaining diversity, complexity and interactivity. Globalization and opening up of the economy is a reality now. The earlier role of exclusivity is no longer being accorded to the state and government.
In a complex state-society relational situation, the focus has been shifting more towards society. Networking with other organizations, rather than exclusivity of government, is evident in governance. The “New Public Management”, “Reinventing Government”, “Entrepreneurial Government” were some of the new concepts introduced in the subject to connote the evolving scenario of Public Management.
In India, in the post-colonial, post-independence paradigm of the early 1950s, Public Administration meant serving the people by the State apparatus using the ground rules of justice, ethics and fair play. Today, the role of public administration is towards more of governance, than of direct involvement. Governance implies that public administration has to operate in a wider context and coordinate efforts and activities of the governmental agencies at various levels with that of the market/the private sector, civil society groups, NGOs and contextual participant or elected local government bodies etc.
The role and character of public administration has seen a major transformation. Public administration has to provide synergy and direction for many collaborative, cooperative and regulatory activities with other segments of the society. A good service delivery mechanism and an entrepreneur-friendly environment is possible, even with a small and less intrusive government. This reinforces the dictum, ‘Minimum Government and Maximum Governance’, with emphasis on transparency, citizen centricity and participation in administration, to adhere to the mantra of the Government, ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’.
The new institutions that are being established rapidly to make delivery of public services and goods more efficient through varying strategies have their own set of challenges. In a parliamentary democracy, these challenges come in the form of accountability issues. How is the delivery accountable and to whom? Many such related issues need discussion and elaboration in the light of the emerging perspectives.
Curriculum
Session 1: Basics of Public Administration
- Public Administration – Basic Concerns and Significance
- A theoretical Perspective: Politics-Administration Dichotomy, Principles Approach, The Challenge to mainstream Public Administration, New Public Administration -Minnowbrook Perspective I
Session 2: Paradigm Shifts in Public Administration
- From Public Administration to Governance
- Minnowbrook-II Perspective
- Management Orientation in Administration
Session 3: Globalisation and Public Administration
- Globalisation- A Mixed Blessing – Managing Globalisation
- Changing Role of the State – Perspective on Public Administration
- Impact on Administration – The Globalisation discourse
Session 4: Next Age Government
- Public Administration in a Comparative Perspective
- W. Riggs Analysis
- Post – Bureaucratic Age
Session 5: New Public Management (NPM)
- NPM Perspective: Rationale and Different interpretations and Characteristics
- Core Principles of NPM – ‘Steering not Rowing’
- Reinventing Government
- Critique of NPM
Session 6: New Public Governance
- Post NPM
- New Public Service – ‘Serving not Steering’
- Collaborative networks and culture of Co-Governance
- Whole-of-Government Approach
- Good Governance
Session 7: Administrative Reform: Problems and Prospects
- Meaning and Conditions of Reform
- Reform Process and Implementation
- Administrative Reforms in Practice
Session 8: Civil Service Reforms in India
- Components of Civil Service Reform
- Rightsizing Civil Services
- Civil Services Performance Systems
- Civil Service Accountability
- Challenges to Civil Service Reform
Session 9: Police Reforms in India
- Why Police Reforms?
- Police Commissions/ Committees – Major Recommendations
- Relevant Supreme Court Directions
- Transform Rulers’ Police to Peoples’ Police
Session 10: Local Self Governance: A Perspective
- Local-Self Governance for Strengthening Democratic Values
- 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Act – Salient Features
- Major Issues, Concerns and Implementation Challenges
Session 11: Electoral Reforms in India
- What Makes Electoral Process Expensive?
- Rationale for State Funding
- Votaries of Public Funding
- Reducing Elections Costs: Reality Check
- Enhancing Electoral Competition
- Promotion of Institutionalization and Compliance of Transparency Norms
Session 12: Service Delivery Reforms
- Institutional Arrangements
- Service Delivery Framework
- Technology for Effective Service Delivery
- Role of Media, Civil Society and Courts
- Legal and Policy measures
Session 13: Performance Management
- Performance Monitoring System and Evaluation
- Results Framework Documents (RFDs)
- Performance Appraisal and Assessment in India
Session 14: Public Service Motivation
- Policy Environment
- Models of Public Service Provision
- Effectiveness of Service Delivery
Session 15: Ethics in Administration
- Ethical Choices and Dilemmas
- Elements of Public Service Ethics
- Ethics and Organizational Excellence
Session 16: Transparency and Accountability in Administration
- Different Dimensions of Transparency
- Mechanisms for Accountability
- Effective and Speedy Public Grievances Redressal System.
