Public Administration Mains 2023 : Solved Paper-1 (Question: 7)
Public Administration Mains 2023 : Solved Paper Question Paper-1 (Question-7)
SECTION-B
(a) "Public policy-making is an effort to apply the methods of political analysis to policy areas but has concerns with processes inside the bureaucracy and stakeholders.” Discuss. 20
Public policy-making is the process of designing, adopting, and implementing policies that address public problems or issues. Political analysis is the method of examining the interests, preferences, and power of various actors and institutions involved in or affected by the policy process. Applying political analysis to policy areas can help identify the causes and consequences of public problems, the goals and objectives of policy interventions, the feasibility and desirability of policy alternatives, and the potential outcomes and impacts of policy decisions.
However, public policy-making also has concerns with the processes inside the bureaucracy and the stakeholders. The bureaucracy is the administrative apparatus of the government that executes and enforces the policies. The stakeholders are the individuals, groups, or organizations that have a stake or interest in the policy issue or outcome. Both the bureaucracy and the stakeholders can influence the policy process in various ways, such as:
The bureaucracy can shape the policy agenda by providing information, advice, and expertise to the policymakers. It can also affect the policy formulation by proposing or drafting policy options, and the policy implementation by interpreting and applying the policy rules and regulations.
The stakeholders can participate in the policy process by expressing their views, preferences, and demands to the policymakers. They can also mobilize public opinion, form coalitions, lobby, protest, or litigate to advocate for or against certain policies.
Therefore, public policy-making is not only an effort to apply the methods of political analysis to policy areas, but also a complex and dynamic process that involves multiple actors and interactions within and outside the bureaucracy. To understand and manage the policy process effectively, it is important to analyze the roles, interests, and power of the bureaucracy and the stakeholders, as well as the institutional and contextual factors that shape their behavior and influence.