ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the manner in which public policy was shaped in post independence India. It discusses the basic institutional framework for policy-making that exists in India. The chapter explores the dynamics of the state–society interface, its mechanisms, and effects, as these are manifested over time. It analyzes the bearing of political dynamics on broad policy shifts over the years. The chapter discusses the new opportunities created for citizen participation. The bureaucracy plays a significant role in India, especially affecting the effectiveness of policy in its implementation, as well as by initiating and shaping policy discourse through policy analysis. The complexity of policy processes in India cannot be understood without taking into account the dynamics of engagement with the policy process in wider society. Policy processes in India provide opportunities for formal associations of citizens and interest groups. Participation in the public domain or formal channels of interaction is not the only mechanism for influencing the policy process.
