UPSC Public Administration Optional Syllabus- Syllabus PAPER – I and II

The UPSC authority has already issued the public administration optional syllabus on their official website for the 2021 exams. For the UPSC Civil service mains exam, Public administration is one of the popular subjects among the students. One did not need a specific background to opt for this subject, as it is a general subject. To choose an optional subject, self-interest is the main factor, so you can take up public administration if you are interested in this subject. 

How to address UPSC Public administration optional paper? 

UPSC aspirants who possess sound general knowledge can easily approach this paper. It is suggested one should refer to the public administration optional syllabus while preparing this subject for UPSC Mains Exam. Paper-I deals with administrative theory, while Paper-II is all about Indian Administration.

Upsc Public Administration Optional Syllabus

Public administration optional syllabus for UPSC: PAPER – I 

Administrative Theory 

Topics	Subtopics
Introduction	Meaning, significance, and scope of Public AdministrationEvolution of the discipline and status at present, New Public Management, Wilson’s vision of Public Administration, New Public Administration, Challenges of liberalization, Globalization, Privatization, Public Choice approach, Good Governance: concept and application.
Administrative Thought	Scientific Management movement and Scientific Management  Classical Theory, Functions of the Executive (C.I. Barnard), Weber’s bureaucratic model – its critique and post-Weberian Developments, Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett), Simon’s decision-making theory, Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others), 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, the 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 – 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.

Public administration optional syllabus for UPSC: PAPER-II 

Indian Administration 

Topics	Subtopics
Evolution of Indian Administration	Kautilya’s ArthashastraMughal 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, the impact of liberalization and privatization.
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.
Plans and Priorities	The machinery of planning role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council’Indicative’ planning, Process of plan 4 formulations 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.
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.
Rural Development	Institutions and agencies since independence, Rural development programs: foci and strategies, Decentralization and Panchayati Raj, 73rd Constitutional amendment.
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.
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

Conclusion

The UPSC Optional Subject rundown comprises 48 subjects, out of which the contender can choose one for both papers. Each discretionary subject includes two papers (Paper I and Paper II), each of 250 marks, making it a sum of 500. The schedule of the discretionary papers is at the distinctions degree level, which is higher than a college degree level yet lower than an expert’s degree level. Up-and-comers can likewise take writing subjects as a discretionary paper. Your decision of optional subjects can generously impact your odds of coming out on top in UPSC 2021. Follow the public administration optional syllabus thoroughly for preparing for this exam.

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