Public

Adminis
tration
Paper-1 of UPSC
Mains

Neeraj
Jha
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INDEX
Chapters Pages
Concepts of Public Administration 2-
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CONCEPT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

I.1) Discuss the word ADMINISTRATION in brief.

T he meaning of Administration is superior governance. The administration is a practical

verbal word, which is already referred in our history. Kautilya had also mentioned the
importance of Administration. In Vedic Period, Yagya was the most important event and it
had one main priest and other for in his assistance. Those priests had followed the instructions of
his main priest to complete that yagya without any difficulties. That main priest called Prashasta
and his that work of direction is called Administration. And in preceding periods, we also read
about the Administration of Mauryas, & Guptas. In other words, Administration is that kind of
process by which we made up an organized and settled society.

Tead says,” Administration is a variety of component element which together

in action produces the result of getting done a defined task with which a group of people is
charged. Administration primarily is the direction of people in association to the same goal
temporarily shared. It is the inclusive process of human efforts so that a desired result is. “ If we
generalized his view which mean the efforts made by a group of people for to provide the benefits
to other, that effort is Administration.

In general, Administration uses as four meaning,

(1) Cabinet Administration, like Nehru Administration.

(2) As branch of Social Science.
(3) In area of Public Service, like Railways Administration.
(4) As branch of Management.

Administration is as a practical process having deferent approaches. But it has two main
view points, those mention bellow :>

(a) Unified or overall point of view:

(b) Managerial view point:

(a) Unified or Overall point of view:

According to this point of view, the combined effort of all the people of any organization is
administration. By means of that the combined work of lower ranked worker to higher ranked
officer of any organization will be Administration.

(b) Managerial point of view:

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According to this point of view, only work of higher ranked officer, that those created rules and
regulations of the organization is Administration. In other words, the work of high ranked officials
is administration.

Although, there are many erudite who believe in above mentioned point of views.

So, every segment of Administration is manifesting only one fact that Administration is
a way by which the pre-determined goal can be achieve.

CONCEPT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

I.2) Discuss the word PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION in brief.

T he meaning of Public Administration is the governance for People. Or we can say it the
administration for general public. The word Public in Public Administration restricted it
only with all work done by the government because only government is the only body
which directed his work only in favors of the people. And in other hand, the institutions like the
companies of Private sector work only for their profit. Or in other way, the Administration who
directed their job only in favors of public that kind of administration is known as Public
Administration. Mr. L. D. White has also supporting this opinion by his views and thought. He
says,” All though works are contained in Public Administration those have only one goal to
achieve the public needs. ”
Because, it is assumed that all the work done by government is the Public
Administration. And the government has its three major parts. Those parts are; Legislature, The
executive, and Judiciary. Then a question arises, “Should in Public Administration, those three
part studied or not?” Different erudite have their different opinions on this question. But scholars
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give two main points of view on this subject. One is Broad viewpoint and other is Narrow
viewpoint.
(a) Broad Viewpoint:
According to the nesters supporting Broad Viewpoint, Public Administration is the joint approach
of all three parts (i.e. the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary) of the government.
As we know that the legislature makes law, the executive execute that law and
the judiciary justice after amalgamation according to the parameters of that law. And common
people are getting affected directly with that law.
So based on this fact, nesters support this viewpoint. White, Wilson, Pfiffner is
among of those scholars who support this opinion. Pfiffner said that the meaning of Public
Administration, the government runs with the support of People. And government is made with its
all three bodies. Pfiffner also said that the Public Administration amalgamate the subjects of all
three body of Government. He mentioned it in his book PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
(b) Narrow Viewpoint:
According to the supporter of this view, they mean only the function of executive is Public
Administration. I.e. any work that has been done by District Magistrate at the level of the district
effecting directly to the people lives in the district. And District Magistrate makes his rules and
regulations for the public interest only. As we know that a District Magistrate as a part of the
Executive.
Luther Gulick, Herbert Simon, W. F. Willoughby and Fiyol is some
among scholars though supports narrow viewpoint.
Simon says, “In general, the functions of national, state, and regional executive is Public
Administration.” This viewpoint is supported by this statement. Above statement referred from
Simon’s book ADMINISTRATIVE BEHAVIOR.
It is clear that by above mentioned Viewpoints, Public Administration is a kind of
administrative arrangement which have only one goal to achieve the overall development of
Common Man.
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CONCEPT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

1.3) Discuss Public Administration and Private Administration. And what are the
similarities and differences?
Administration has two types as the sector. They are Public Administration and private
administration. The nature, the environment, and properties of both types have similar. But the
basic similarities and differences are distinctly mentioned bellow.
SIMILARITIES

 Several aspects of public Administration are generic to both. There are many grey areas
where the line of separation between the two is not well-marked.
 Organizational structures, managerial processes and office techniques are quite similar
in the two.
 Hierarchy, planning, communication, budgeting and reporting are well-practiced in the
two administrations.
 Fayol, Urwick and Follett believes that same principles can be applied to both irrespective
of the size, description and purpose of the organization.
 Lateral entry system in USA, movement of retired bureaucrats to private sector in Japan
and the recently initiated lateral entry of public servants in private sector in India at
higher levels well endorse the similarities in the two sectors.

DIFFERENCES

The difference in their values, objectives and contribution to society fundamentally differentiates
the business of public and private administrations. Simon, Stamp and Drucker endorses this
viewpoint.

 Service motive and general welfare of the public are the ends of public administration,
while private administration by contrast, is basically oriented towards earning profit.
 Public administration operates under constitutional laws, rules and regulations. While the
private administration works under market environment recognized by greater autonomy,
competitiveness and freedom.
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 Public Administration enables accessibility to all; any deviance is exposed to public gaze
and censure. While discrimination on the other hand, is almost a part of business culture.
 Public administration is exceedingly complex, with lots of pulls and pressures and
political directions. Private administration by contrast, is much better-knit and single
minded in operation.
 Urgency and comprehensiveness of functions ranging social, cultural and economic
activities identifies the Public administration. Natural calamities and man-made disasters
force the government to provide immediate relieves without waiting for the private sector to
help.
 Efficiency criterion of private sector is guided by socially narrow tests of resource use,
while effectiveness in terms of achieving specific policy goals assumes critical significance
in public administration. "Managing for Performance" puts public administration at
higher pedestal than the private administration.

So the views are of nesters are different those realized that Public and
private administration is different or it’s same. In other words, the difference is of quantity but
not in quality between Public and Private Administration. They are from same breed by means
of that they are two types of Administration. Or it is two faces of one coin.