How is Public Administration as Optional in the UPSC Mains? Is Opting for it Beneficial?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination contains three stages, the prelims, the mains and the interview stage. The IAS mains exam of the UPSC CSE contains 9 papers out of which 2 papers are optional subjects. UPSC Civil Services Examination offers Public Administration as an optional subject to students. It is one of the most popular choices among candidates preparing for the IAS exams. One of the reasons for it being so popular is the nature of the Public Administration Syllabus and how it is implemented in the Civil Services.

Students must perform well in the optional subjects since the marks in these papers help create the merit list. Each paper has a maximum mark of 250 with total marks of 500. Continue reading this article to know more about UPSC preparation and books for Public Administration.

Also Read: UPSC Medical Science Optional Syllabus 2021: Here’s the Syllabus for UPSC Optional Subjects

Pros of Choosing Public Administration Optional

#Studying Public Administration will help you do well in both the essay paper and the IAS interview.

#A lot of topics are similar to the general studies papers.

#The questions are simple and straightforward

#A lot of study material is available for preparation

#The subject is extremely simple and easy to understand

#This subject gives a basic idea of the government mechanism and as future administrators, you should know about these topics.

Cons of Public Administration Optional

#Most students choose this as an optional subject and the competition is vast.

#Students with a science background might not enjoy the subject since it is vastly theoretical.

#Some individuals believe that the syllabus is rather vast.

Public Administration Topics Similar to General Studies

General Studies Paper-II – Topics Overlap with Public Administration

#Governance

#Indian constitution – evolution, features, amendments, etc.

#Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States

#Separation of powers between various organs

#Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and institutions

#Parliament and State Legislatures

#Structure, organisation and functioning of the Executive and Judiciary

#Ministries and Departments of the Government

#Constitutional, statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies

#Government policies and interventions for development in different sectors

#Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections

#Issues relating to poverty and hunger

#Aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

#E-governance

#Role of civil services in a democracy

General Studies Paper III – Topics Overlap with Public Administration

#Disaster Management, Planning and Budgeting

#Planning issues

#Inclusive growth

#Government budgeting

#Environment

#Disaster management

#Challenges to internal security through communication networks

#Role of media and social networking sites in internal security

#Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

General Studies Paper IV (Ethics) – Topics Related to Public Administration

#Ethics and Human Interface (foundational concept of Administrative values & ethics of Public Administration)

#Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion

Also Read: How is Political Science as an Optional for UPSC? Pros & Cons of Selecting Political Science

Syllabus For Public Administration Paper – I

Introduction

#Government strives to have a workforce that reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply.

#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 the 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 of the self-help group movement.

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

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.

Also Read: UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus: Detailed Physics Syllabus for Both Paper I and II

Syllabus For Public Administration Paper-II

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

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

#Intra-governmental relations

#Cabinet Secretariat

#Prime Minister’s Office

#Central Secretariat

#Ministries and Department

#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; Global-local 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.

Also Read: Will the UPSC Remove the Optionals in CSE 2021? Will there be No Optional Subject Exam for UPSC?

Recommended Books for Public Administration

Paper I

#Administrative Thinkers– D. Ravindra Prasad & V.S. Prasad

#Administrative Theories And Management Thought – Sapru

#A Dictionary of Public Administration – Maheswari

#New Horizons of Public Administration– Mohit Bhattacharya

#Public Administration & Public Affairs– Nicholas Henry

#Public Administration– Fadia and Fadia

Paper II

#Indian Public Administration: Institutions and Issues – Ramesh K. Arora and Rajni Goyal

#IGNOU Study Material

#Public Administration – Laxmikanth

#Introduction to the constitution of India – D.D.Basu

#Administrative Reforms Commission Reports

#Various Reports of NITI AYYOG

#IIPA Journals – (Indian Journal Of Public Administration)

Conclusion

This article might have cleared all the doubts you had and even told you who should opt for Public Administration as an optional. To read about good tips for UPSC preparation and other UPSC optionals visit the UPSC Pathshala website.