UPSC: Public Administration is a popular optional subject among UPSC IAS aspirants because of the nature of the Public Administration syllabus and its implementation in the civil services. The syllabus includes many topics covered in Indian Polity for Prelims/ Mains GS II, the preparation as an optional subject becomes easy and integrated. Approximately 3000-4000 candidates choose Pub Ad each year as their optional subject for mains. Being a popular subject, there are plenty of books and resources available for the subject. However, it is important that aspirants stick to limited study material and keep the focus on multiple revisions. Below we have provided a list of important books and other resources which have been recurrently recommended by toppers and subject experts to score well in UPSC IAS Mains optional paper.
UPSC IAS Mains 2020: Public Administration Previous Years Question Papers
UPSC IAS Mains 2020: Recommended Books for Public Administration Optional
➨ Public Administration – Laxmikant
This book is specifically written for Public administration and is different from the “Indian Polity” textbook by Laxmikant.
➨ New Horizons of Public Administration – Mohit Bhattacharya
This book is considered a difficult book to understand. But if the student is able to understand every line of this book, Public Administration will become easy. The book demands multiple readings and revision before the exam.
➨ Administrative Thinkers - Prasad and Prasad
This is one of the most important books to learn about thinkers, their ideas, and their quotes. This book is useful not just for Public administration but also for GS IV (Ethics) and Essay paper.
➨ Public Administration and Public Affairs 12th Edition – Nicholas Henry
This book requires selective reading as per the UPSC Pub Ad syllabus. Following topics can be covered from the book.
- Evolution of Public Administration,
- Forces of Organisation,
- Leadership theories,
- Budget Types,
- Public Policy etc. in a thorough manner.
➨ Essentials Of Organizational Behaviour 10th Edition – Stephen Robbins
The ideas given on organizational design, communication, motivation, hierarchy, leadership, performance appraisal, etc. can be applied and linked to other questions in Paper-I and II.
➨ Public Administration: Concepts and Theories- Basu Rumki
Tips to Choose the Right Optional Subject for UPSC Mains
UPSC IAS Mains 2020: Important Resources for Public Administration Optional
➨ ARC Reports
The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) Reports are important documents from the UPSC civil services exam perspective. They contain a lot of useful information important for the IAS exam covering aspects of public administration, governance, ethics in civil services, conflict resolution, etc.
➨ ASPA Articles and Journals
American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) is an organization dedicated to promoting integrity and good governance, ASPA—in collaboration with several universities and its members—produces a multitude of books and other publications on issues relevant to public service and administration.
➨ IJPA Articles
Indian Journal for Public Administration is a portal where articles and views of well known published authors can be read.
To compete in this highly competitive exam, along with the conventional textbooks, it is also important to be updated with the latest news and reports related to Public Administration. It should be noted that the answers written for optional papers are different from those written for GS papers. Aspirants can read a detailed strategy for optional papers as well as answer writing techniques from the links provided below.
UPSC IAS Mains 2020: Preparation Strategy for Optional Papers
Tips for Writing Better Answers in UPSC IAS Mains 2020
