ABSTRACT
Public administration as a practice has been in existence in India since its hoary past, when early human civilization took its birth in the Indus valley and gradually extended to spread all over northern and western India. The rudiments of public administration were visible when the excavations of the Indus valley civilization led to unearthing of a planned urban economy. The system of public administration was built and consolidated later by the Aryans and the succeeding rulers, resulting in the establishment of empires in ancient and medieval India. The massive planning activities coupled with developmental orientation of public administration led to shifting the focus toward the welfare of the citizens. Administration is divided into three tiers: the union government, state governments, and local governments. The administration became more secretive; red tape was rampant; and citizens, the key stakeholders, were no longer the central focus of administration.
