UPSC IAS Public Administration Syllabus

A large number of candidates from all backgrounds choose Public Administration as an optional subject for the UPSC Main exam. Self-Interest is the primary motive of most of the aspirants for choosing public administration. As far as UPSC Public Administration syllabus is concerned, it consists of a lot of topics on Indian Administration and its techniques. Candidates preparing for the exam must know the exact syllabus and study accordingly. In this post, we are providing the complete IAS public Administration Syllabus 2023.

Public Administration Syllabus for Civil Services Exam

Public Administration is one of the 48 optional subjects in UPSC Main Exam. It has two papers i.e. optional paper I and optional paper II. Each of these papers will carry 250 marks. You check the complete syllabi for both the papers as given below.

Paper – I Syllabus

Administration Theory

1. 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, Privatization, Globalization, Good Governance: concept and application, New Public Management.

2. Administrative Behavior

Process and techniques of decision-making, Communication, Morale, Motivation Theories content, process and contemporary, Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modem.

3. Accountability and Control

Role of media, interest groups, voluntary organizations, Civil society, Citizen’s Charters, Right to Information, Social audit, Concepts of accountability and control, Legislative, Executive and judicial control over administration, Citizen and Administration.

4. 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.

5. Personnel Administration

Importance of human resource development, Recruitment, training, career advancement, position classification, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion, pray and service conditions, employer-employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism, Code of conduct, Administrative ethics.

6. Techniques of Adminstrative Improvement

Organisation and methods, Work study and work management, e-governance and information technology, Management aid tools like network analysis, MIS, PERT, CPM

7. 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. Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply. McGregor.)

8. Organisations

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.

9. Administrative Law

Meaning, scope and significance, Dicey on Administrative law, Delegated legislation, Administrative Tribunals.

10. Development Dynamics

Concept of development, Changing profile of development administration, ‘Anti-development thesis’, Bureaucracy and development, Strong state versus the market debate, Impact of liberalisation on administration in developing countries, Women and development the self-help group movement.

11. 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

12. Financial Administration

Monetary and fiscal policies: Public borrowings and public debt Budgets types and forms, Budgetary process, Financial accountability, Accounts and audit.

Paper – II Syllabus

Indian Administration

1. Evolution of Indian Administration

Kautilya Arthashastra, Mughal administration, Legacy of British rule in politics and administration Indianization of Public services, revenue administration, district Administration, local self Government.

2. Public Sector Undertakings

Public sector in modern India, Forms of Public Sector Undertakings, Problems of autonomy, accountability and control, Impact of liberalization and privatization

3. 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.

4. 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

5. Financial Management

Budget as a political instrument, Parliamentary control of public expenditure, Role of finance ministry in monetary and fiscal area, Accounting techniques, Audit, Role of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

6. Rural Development

Institutions and agencies since Independence, Rural development programmes: foci and strategies, Decentralization and Panchayati Raj, 73rd Constitutional amendment.

7. 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, Criminalization of politics and administration, Police-public relations, Reforms in Police.

8. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of Government

Salient features and value premises, Constitutionalism, Political culture, Bureaucracy and democracy, Bureaucracy and development.

9. Union Government and Administration

Executive, Parliament, Judiciary-structure, functions, work processes, Recent trends, Intra-governmental relations, Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, Central Secretariat, Ministries and Departments, Boards, Commissions, Attached offices, Field organizations.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. Administrative Reforms since Independence

Major concerns, Important Committees and Commissions, Reforms in financial management and human resource development, Problems of implementation

13. Urban Local Government

Municipal governance: main features, structures, finance and problem areas, 74th Constitutional Amendment, Global-local debate, new localism, Development dynamics, politics and administration with special reference to city management.

14. 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

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UPSC Syllabus