Lecture at PU on “The Academic Status of Public Administration as a Discipline: A Critical Study”

Chandigarh September 4, 2019

            The Department of Public Administration, Panjab
University, Chandigarh organized fourth lecture on “The Academic
Status of Public Administration as a Discipline: A Critical Study” as
part of the ‘Public Policy: Theory and Praxis’ series by Dr Sujata
Singh, Senior Fellow, ICCSR and formerly Professor, Indian Institute
of Public Administration, New Delhi. Dr Bharati Garg, Assistant
Professor, Department of Public Administration, Panjab University,
Chandigarh introduced the speaker.

            Professor Sujata began her lecture by sharing her insights
on the status of Public Administration in the United States. She
opined that spoils system prevalent in the US acted as a key stimulus
for Woodrow Wilson, popularly known as the father of Public
Administration, who later also became the President of the US, to call
for systematic inquiry for a separate discipline of Public
Administration. The growth of the discipline in US has been
impressive. The discipline has carved its niche as a degree in Public
Administration and it continues to attract scholars from other social
sciences stream and stakeholders actively participate in the
formulation of curricula making it ever relevant. The Indian
experience, however, looks starkly different from the US. The
constitution of Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi
on the recommendation of Paul H Appleby was primarily for the purpose
of promoting research and career in the discipline of Public
Administration. However the discipline, could never achieve such
success as was the case in US. The inward looking approach in
formulating curricula while ignoring global trends in the discipline
has made the subject less relevant. The lack of interest of the public
universities in starting up courses on public administration has also
constrained the growth of the discipline in India. Innovative teaching
pedagogy, relevant curricula and research are the way forward for
making the discipline ever relevant.

            The lecture was followed by active participation from
faculty members, researchers and students. Dr Navreet, Chairperson,
Department of Public Administration, Panjab University, Chandigarh
proposed the vote of thanks.