• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Complete Guide

Wiki for Dummies

  • Home
  • About Us

admin

Meaning of Public Administration

January 15, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

  • The meaning of public administration can be understood through the semantics of Public Administration.
  • ” Administration ” is derived from two Latin words ” ad “ and ” ministrare “ meaning ” to serve, to care for or to look after “
  • ” Public ” is derived from the Latin word ” Populus ” meaning ” people “.
  • So from an etymological or semantics perspective, ” Public administration means to serve or to care for or to look after people “
    • So E.N. Gladden remarked ” Administration is a long and slightly pompous word, but it has a humble meaning, for it means to care for or look after people, to manage affairs….is determined action taken in pursuit of conscious purpose “
  • The term Public in Public Administration was debated and defined by many theorists but According to Dwight Waldo Public in Public Administration means ” State or Government “
    • So from the epistemological perspective, Public Administration refers to efforts taken by the government to serve the people
  • But the state or Government is
    • composed of people(political reps)
    • and it exists for the people(public welfare)
    • and it is administered by the people(public servants)
  • So the public in public administration includes 3 P’s – political reps, public servants and people.
  • But the above oversimplified epistemological perspective doesn’t encompass the entire scope of Public Administration because Public Administration is not a static but ever-changing and evolving subject. Therefore there can’t be a unanimous definition. So many scholars defined Public Administration from their own perspective.
    • So Dwight Waldo remarked ” Public administration is a study of government in action. Government inaction is never static, is ever-changing and that is why it becomes difficult to capture fully. A single sentence definition or a single para definition is a mental paralysis rather than enlightenment which restricts the view rather than broadening it. ”

Schools of thought in defining Public Administration

  • Many scholars attempted to define Public Administration but all these definitions were the product of its time and situation. The ever-evolving character of the state, public, and administration needs an ever-evolving definition. So, Public Administration doesn’t have a single unanimous definition. But the meaning of Public Administration can be understood through attempts made by scholars to define public administration.
  • So Dwight Waldo Opined ” Precepts flow from theory and theory flows from the precepts. The state (or Government) administration is ever-evolving and today Public Administration is all-encompassing ”
  • The theories are conceptualized based on realities and the realities enrich these theories. But these theories are constrained by time and societal happenings. Therefore any attempt to define public administration in an ever-changing environment suffers from the limitation of the future, necessitating a new definition.
  • In simple words, a thinker comes up with a definition but ignores or misses certain aspects of public administration, so a new thinker comes up with another definition encompassing the missing aspects of public administration due to the limitation of time and societal happening even the enriched definition misses out the newly evolved aspects necessitating new definition by another thinker.
  • These attempts to define public administration gave rise to a number of schools of thought. They are
    1. Narrow View and Broad View
    2. Political School of thought
    3. Legalistic View
    4. Public Weal
    5. Process View
    6. Subject-matter View
    7. Market View of Public Administration

Narrow View and Broad View

  • Narrow View – Public Administration is a study of only Policy Implementation or executive branch of Government or action part of the government or visible part of the government
    • Proponents
      • Herbert Simon
      • Woodrow Wilson
      • Dwight Waldo
      • Smithsburg
      • Thompson
      • Cyert
      • EN Gladden
  • Broad View – Public Administration should include the study of activities of all three organs of state i.e executive, legislative, judiciary and their interdependence
    • Proponents
      • John Pfiffner
      • Marshal Dimock
      • Willoughby
      • Nigro

Political School of Thought

  • The narrow and broad view was challenged by the Political School of Thought and according to them the Public administration involved the study of state and non-state actors and extended it to anti-state actors as well
  • Proponents
    • Robert Dhal
    • Easton

Legalistic View

  1. Public administration is the study of the enforcement of Law and should confine to the formulation and implementation
    • Proponents
      • L.D.White – Public administration means the study of all the operations having for their purpose the enforcement of law and policies or fulfilment of the public policy
      • Woodrow Wilson – Public administration means the systematic and detailed implementation of public law
      • Marshall Dimock
  2. This legalistic view was challenged to include non-legal aspects of the state that are outside the boundaries of enforcement of public policies and included illegal aspects of the state like subversion and spying.

Public Weal

  • Public administration is the study of activities dealing with the welfare of the people
  • But this view was criticized for excluding non-welfare activities of states like subversion, War, offensive strike ….etc

Process View

  • They are one of the oldest schools of thought belonging to the classical era.
  • For them, Public administration is all about the study of generic and Universal managerial tools, techniques, processes and principles of administration
    • Proponents
      • Luther Gullick and Lyndall Urwik – “Administration is Administration whether public, non-public, religious or cultural”
      • They also gave POSDCoRB, an acronym for steps in the administrative process
  • This view was challenged by every other later school of thought

Subject-Matter View

  • Subject-matter view is a.k.a substantive or content view.
  • According to them, Public administration should include the study of subject matter in addition to tools, techniques, and processes because of its multidisciplinary nature.
    • For e.g, Health policies should study medical science, diseases
    • RAW & IB should study literature on security, subversion …etc

Market View

  • It is one of the most accepted views in Public Administration
  • Here Public administration includes the study of both state and non-actors like NGOs, private for-profit and not-for-profit organization that plays a major role in performing any activity that affects the public, that delivers public goods, that achieves public goals and activities funded out of public exchequers.
    • E.g PPP projects
    • The public goal of Education and Health is delivered through both state and non-state actors

All these viewpoints created a pool of definitions with various focus and locus and in the process expanded the ambit and broadened the scope of public administration. Yet every definition has a limited perspective restricting the definition of Public Administration.

So Dwight Waldo remarked ” Every single sentence or paragraph on the definition of Public Administration is a mental paralysis rather than enlightenment and stimulation “ because these definitions instead of providing clarity raised many questions and created confusion. So Frederick C. Mosher says that it is best that it (Public Administration) is not defined.

Expert definition of Public Administration

Dwight Waldo

” Public Administration is the art and science of management as applied to the affairs of state “

” Public administration is a study of government in action “

Art means the skill of the admin and science means universal principles of management. He tried to incorporate a narrow view and a process view in his definition

F.M Marx

” Public administration has come to signify primarily the organization, the practices, personnel and the procedures which are essential for the effective performance of civilian functions and entrusted to the executive branch of the government “

This definition takes a narrow view or dichotomy view i.e watertight separation of power between organs of government

Rosenbloom

” Public administration is the use of managerial, political and legal theories and processes to fulfil the legislative, executive and judicial mandate of the government for the provision of regulatory and service function for the society or for some of its segments “

This definition took a broader view, legal view and process view

Nigro and Nigro

” Public administration is a cooperative group effort in a public setting which covers all branches of government namely legislative, executive, judiciary and their interrelationships. It has an important role in the formulation of policy and it is different from private administration in significant ways. But it is closely associated with private groups providing services to the community “

This definition is quite comprehensive as it takes a broad view and market view.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Public Administration Syllabus

January 15, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment


Paper – I Administrative Theory

1. Introduction: 

  • Meaning, scope, and significance of Public Administration ( Extra: nature 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

2. 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)

3. Administrative Behaviour: 

  • Process and techniques of decision-making
  • Communication
  • Morale
  • Motivation Theories – content, process and contemporary
  • Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern

4. 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

5. 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

6. Administrative Law: 

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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Public Policy: 

  • Models of policy-making and their critique
  • Processes of conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review and their limitations
  • State theories and public policy formulation.

11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement: 

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

12. Financial Administration: 

  • Monetary and fiscal policies;
  • Public borrowings and public debt Budgets – types and forms;
  • Budgetary process;
  • Financial accountability;
  • Accounts and audit.

Paper – 2 Indian Administration

1. 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, and local self-government.

2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government: 

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

3. Public Sector Undertakings: 

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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Administrative Reforms since Independence: 

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

11. Rural Development: 

  • Institutions and agencies since independence
  • Rural development programmes
  • foci and strategies
  • Decentralization and Panchayati Raj
  • 73rd Constitutional amendment

12. 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

13. 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

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Start Here for Public Administration

January 15, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

This is a complete guide to mastering Public Administration like Demi-God. This guide is both prescriptive and descriptive in nature i.e it has both what to do and how to do details.

How to study PubAd?

  1. Go chapter by chapter
  2. Refer to as many books as you like until you understand that particular chapter
  3. Write the summary of that chapter without referring to these books
  4. Edit the summary by referring to textbooks
  5. Attempt to solve the previous year’s question paper without referring
  6. Correct the answers with a reference book
  7. Rewrite the answers without referring to and repeat points 5 to 7 until conceptual clarity
  8. Teach that chapter without referring to using a separate rough sheet
  9. Find out what points you missed and where you are facing issues repeat 2 to 9 if necessary
  10. Do the same for all chapters
  11. Add current affairs to your mix
  12. Interlink paper 1 and paper 2 with added current affairs
  13. That’s it you have mastered Public Administration

Pro Tips

  1. For point 2 go in the following order
    1. Class Notes
    2. Aribam
    3. Chapter Specific Reference Book
  2. Source of current affairs is the daily reading of The Hindu, Explained section of Indian Express, Yojana and Kurushetra
    1. Extract case studies and quote them in two lines
  3. When you are doing paper 2 finish Polity, and Ethics simultaneously.

Art of Answer writing in Public Administration

  • A good answer contains the following
    • Case Studies
    • Linkages between static and current topics
    • Linkages between chapters
    • Flow Chart and Diagram
    • All the keywords should be mentioned and explained
    • Tables and Comparative analysis
  • All answers should have the above ingredients for a good score

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Complete Guide about insurance

January 15, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Insurance is a contract between an individual and an insurance company, where the individual pays regular premiums in exchange for financial protection in the event of an unexpected loss. There are many different types of insurance, each designed to protect against specific risks.

Here are some of the most common types of insurance:

  • Health insurance: Health insurance is designed to protect against the financial costs of medical treatment. It typically covers things like doctor’s visits, hospital stays, and prescription drugs.
  • Life insurance: Life insurance is designed to provide financial support to the policyholder’s beneficiaries in the event of the policyholder’s death.
  • Auto insurance: Auto insurance is designed to protect against financial losses resulting from car accidents. It typically covers things like damage to the policyholder’s car and liability for any injuries or property damage caused by the policyholder.
  • Homeowners insurance: Homeowners insurance is designed to protect against financial losses resulting from damage to the policyholder’s home or personal property. It typically covers things like fire, theft, and natural disasters.
  • Disability insurance: Disability insurance is designed to provide financial support to the policyholder in the event of an injury or illness that prevents them from working.

When choosing an insurance policy, it’s important to consider factors such as the type and amount of coverage, the premium cost, and the reputation and financial stability of the insurance company. Additionally, it’s important to review the policy’s terms, conditions, exclusions and other details before making a decision.

It’s also important to keep in mind that insurance policies can be complex and it’s always recommended to consult a professional insurance agent or a financial advisor to help you choose the right insurance coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

PF vs PPF vs EPF vs GPF vs VPF vs NPS vs Old Pension Scheme vs Gratuity

January 15, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

There are several different types of retirement savings and investment plans available in India, each with its own unique features and benefits. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common types:

  • Provident Fund (PF): This is a retirement savings plan that is typically offered by employers and is mandatory for certain types of workers. Contributions to a PF account are made by both the employee and the employer, and the funds are managed by a government-run organization called the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
  • Public Provident Fund (PPF): This is a government-backed retirement savings plan that is open to all individuals. Contributions to a PPF account are made by the individual, and the funds are managed by the government.
  • Employee Provident Fund (EPF): This is similar to a PF, but is only for certain types of workers, such as those in the organized sector. EPF is managed by EPFO.
  • General Provident Fund (GPF): This is a retirement savings plan for government employees. GPF is managed by the government.
  • Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF): This is a retirement savings plan that is similar to a PF, but is open to individuals who want to make additional contributions beyond the mandatory contributions required by their employer.
  • National Pension System (NPS): NPS is a pension scheme launched by the government of India which allows individuals to make contributions to their retirement savings. It is open to all citizens of India.
  • Old Pension Scheme: Old Pension Scheme, also known as defined benefit pension scheme, where the pension amount is fixed and is not linked to the contributions.
  • Gratuity: Gratuity is a retirement benefit that is typically offered by employers to their employees. It is a lump sum payment that is based on the employee’s length of service and salary. It is generally paid after an employee completes a certain number of years of service with an organization.

All these schemes have different features, benefits and suitability based on an individual’s needs and financial goals. It’s important to consult with a financial advisor or a professional to understand which scheme fits best for you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Yoga

January 13, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Yoga is a practice that originated in ancient India and has been around for more than 5,000 years. Yoga literally means “Union” i.e it is a path to unite mind, body, emotions and energy to a single state of harmony.

There are four types of yoga – They are karma yoga(body), bhakti yoga(emotions), kriya yoga(energy), and jnana yoga(mind). There are many paths to achieving harmony and the 1st step to preparing our body is Hatha yoga.

As per the traditional Hatha Yoga texts, 84 asanas are mentioned, but the actual list may vary from text to text. Here are the asanas that are commonly referred to as the 84 asanas:

  1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
  2. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
  3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
  4. Virabhadrasana I and II (Warrior Pose I and II)
  5. Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
  6. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
  7. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
  8. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
  9. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
  10. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
  11. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
  12. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
  13. Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)
  14. Marichyasana (Sage Marichi’s Pose)
  15. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
  16. Halasana (Plow Pose)
  17. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
  18. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
  19. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
  20. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)
  21. Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
  22. Siddhasana (Accomplished Pose)
  23. Bhadrasana (Glorious Pose)
  24. Muktasana (Freedom Pose)
  25. Guptasana (Hidden Pose)
  26. Viparitakarani (Reverse Action Pose)
  27. Sarvangasana (All Limbs Pose)
  28. Matsyendra (King of the Fishes Pose)
  29. Uddiyana Bandha (Flying Up Lock)
  30. Mula Bandha (Root Lock)
  31. Maha Bandha (Great Lock)
  32. Maha Mudra (Great Seal)
  33. Khechari Mudra (Tongue Lock)
  34. Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breathing)
  35. Sitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath)
  36. Sitkari Pranayama (Hissing Breath)
  37. Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)
  38. Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath)
  39. Murcha Pranayama (Fainting Breath)
  40. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
  41. Ashwini Mudra (Horse Gesture)
  42. Yoni Mudra (Yoni Gesture)
  43. Shakti Chalana (Activating Power)
  44. Kaki Mudra (Crow Gesture)
  45. Shambhavi Mudra (Auspicious Gesture)
  46. Khechari Mudra (Tongue Lock)
  47. Shambhavi Mudra (Auspicious Gesture)
  48. Viparitakarani (Reverse Action Pose)
  49. Vipareeta Karani Mudra (Inverted Attitude Seal)
  50. Vipareeta Jalandhara Bandha (Inverted Net-Bearer Lock)
  51. Vipareeta Matsyendrasana (Inverted Lord of the Fishes Pose)
  52. Vipareeta Shirshasana (Inverted Headstand)
  53. Vipareeta Sarvangasana (Inverted All Limbs Pose)
  54. Vipareeta Eka Pada Shirshasana (Inverted One-legged Headstand)
  55. Vipareeta Eka Pada Sarvangasana (Inverted One-legged All Limbs Pose)
  56. Vipareeta Ardha Matsyendrasana (Inverted Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)
  57. Vipareeta Bhujangasana (Inverted Cobra Pose)
  58. Vipareeta Dhanurasana (Inverted Bow Pose)
  59. Vipareeta Ustrasana (Inverted Camel Pose)
  60. Vipareeta Matsyasana (Inverted Fish Pose)
  61. Vipareeta Halasana (Inverted Plow Pose)
  62. Vipareeta Karnapidasana (Inverted Ear Pressure Pose)
  63. Vipareeta Muktasana (Inverted Freedom Pose)
  64. Vipareeta Guptasana (Inverted Hidden Pose)
  65. Vipareeta Muktasana (Inverted Freedom Pose)
  66. Vipareeta Padmasana (Inverted Lotus Pose)
  67. Vipareeta Siddhasana (Inverted Accomplished Pose)
  68. Vipareeta Bhadrasana (Inverted Glorious Pose)
  69. Vipareeta Muktasana (Inverted Freedom Pose)
  70. Vipareeta Guptasana (Inverted Hidden Pose)
  71. Vipareeta Karnapidasana (Inverted Ear Pressure Pose)
  72. Vipareeta Matsyasana (Inverted Fish Pose)
  73. Vipareeta Ustrasana (Inverted Camel Pose)
  74. Vipareeta Dhanurasana (Inverted Bow Pose)
  75. Vipareeta Bhujangasana (Inverted Cobra Pose)
  76. Vipareeta Ardha Matsyendrasana (Inverted Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)
  77. Vipareeta Eka Pada Sarvangasana (Inverted One-legged All Limbs Pose)
  78. Vipareeta Eka Pada Shirshasana (Inverted One-legged Headstand)
  79. Vipareeta Sarvangasana (Inverted All Limbs Pose)
  80. Vipareeta Shirshasana (Inverted Headstand)
  81. Vipareeta Jalandhara Bandha (Inverted Net-Bearer Lock)
  82. Vipareeta Karani Mudra (Inverted Attitude Seal)
  83. Viparitakarani (Reverse Action Pose)
  84. Shambhavi Mudra (Auspicious Gesture)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 6
  • Page 7
  • Page 8

Copyright © 2025 ·