What are the topics that we are going to learn in PA as theory - Syllabus?

After we have look into some basics like how to read, what to read, some stuffs about government and its relation with Public Administration. Now it is the time to have some highlights of those topics that we must learn before we give the Examination. 

As I told earlier, you need to dedicate at least 3-4 months for this subject, reading 3-4 hrs every day. Though the syllabus is easily available in UPSC website, you can access it if you want. But for your ready reference, I have put it up here in my blog which we will be referring as and when required for our study purpose.

Paper–I comprises of theory parts covering various topics:

Introduction: Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration; Wilson’s Vision; Evolution of PA; New Public Administration; Public Choice approach; Challenges of liberalization, Privatization , Globalization; Good Governance: concept and application; New Public Management.

Administrative Thought: Scientific Management and its 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).

You may feel that these thoughts or theories are worrisome and troubling you to by-heard them. No worry, you don't need to by-heard all of them. As I told you, in the Mains Examination, you would get may be 2-3 questions only from the Administrative theories or thoughts i.e., 40-50 marks out of  250 marks. So chill out guys.

Administrative Behavior: 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; 'Antidevelopment 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.

So, from the about list, you would clearly see, that we are going to study various concepts and techniques that you would encounter while running an office or organization. But during examination it is not sufficient enough to have only the theories, you must accompany every theory with a relevant example preferably current affairs related or something which would easily understandable to the examiner. Avoid giving imaginary examples unless you didn’t find anything. Later on, I will update you with the Paper-II syllabus in the coming posts.