New Public Administration

New public administration (NPA) is a key method of introducing new trends in the administrative system to meet the requirements of society. The Father of Public Administration, Woodrow Wilson, introduced the concept of public administration in the United States of America. NPA is the last theoretical term of the sixties that evolved in the twentieth century. Its ideas and principles worked well in favour of the general public and worker relations. 

From the emergence of new public services concepts, flexible working conditions to social equity for citizens, NPA proves to be an anti-positivist reaction contrary to the traditional public administration system. Let’s discuss this in brief. 

Discover Unacademy UPSC Coaching Centres in the following locations 

• IAS Coaching in Mukherjee Nagar Delhi
• IAS Coaching in Karol Bagh
• UPSC Coaching in Prayagraj

New Public Administration

New public administration is a theoretical term used to enhance the bureaucratic methods of government institutions. It aims at providing various administrative services to the general public, employing public policies. The action plans include issues like democratic citizenship, public interest, public policy and services to citizens of the country. 

The new public administrative systems tend to build a structure that can be the voice of the common public in administrative decisions. Not only this, but it also sets transparency and social-equity, which is often named as the fourth pillar of NPA. It explains how government institutions can improve their services with utmost efficiency in the work culture. 

Check out the complete UPSC Syllabus

Features of New Public Administration 

The features of New Public Administration apply the following elements to the audience and administrative workers.

• Restructure of government institutions – The new public administrative system divides the government into small units. It then distributes the roles and responsibilities of each sector to private sectors. The divided para-diagrams and structures are less hierarchical and more flexible than the old public administration. Additionally, it tends to manage the formulated public policies. 

• Target clients – The target client of the new public administration system is the country’s citizens. For instance, if an administrator has decided on behalf of the government sectors, it has to bring in positive results in the well-being of citizens. The administrative system cannot escape from the public response to that decision

• Recognition and information – The new public administration system tends to spread awareness about the work of public administrators and organisations. Any decision taken by government institutions affects the lives of its natives. Thus, they should be well aware of the importance and action plans of the administrators

• Multi-disciplines – The multidisciplinary nature of the new public administrative system focuses on enhancing the economic, political, social relations in adherence to improving the growth structure of institutional systems

• Decentralisation – Decentralisation is one of the most important features of the new public administration system. The process converts the bureaucratic ways to more dynamic and adaptable support systems, thus bringing in more devolution in the work ethics and culture of the organisation

• Knowledgeable – A public administrator acquires an efficient knowledge of politics, law, community diagrams and so on. It helps officials to formulate and implement public policies effectively

Visit to know more about UPSC Exam Pattern

Principles of New Public Administration 

Following are the principles of the new public administration system- 

• Transparency – The new public administrative system brings more transparency to their workspace by checking on public servants. It ensures that all information that concerns the citizens is accessible in free-flow ways

• Social Equity – Social equity is one of the major principles that every government sector aims to improve on. It promises equality, justice and fairness while forming a public policy, dividing public services, implementing the public policies and managing the institutions involved

• Economy – The concept of the economy under NPA derives from the regulation effectiveness and efficiency in its new policies. It works by delivering public services with low costs and maximum benefits

• Relevance – Earlier, the old public administration system ignored the problems associated with public services. Social realities were far away from the reach of public administrators. It has changed with the emergence of new public systems. Now, NPA tends to include rationality of people even in policy formulations and verifications

• Values – Greeks declared neutral values an impossibility in the traditional public administration system. Thus, to act against the same, NPA advised being transparent with the values being served

• Change – Public administrators are responsible for social change in the community. Therefore, the 1968 Minnowbrook Conference explained several ways of countering bureaucratic tendencies, formulating a change in society. One of the ways is to bring the political science concept closer to the administrative system

Also read about Tips for UPSC Preparation

Features of the New Public Administration   

• NPA works to reduce expenditure and improve income growth in public sector institutions
• Ensures the involvement of public managers through decentralisation and devolution
• Conversion of bureaucratic sectors in multiple agencies
• The new public administrative system favours contracting more with the private sector than the public sector
• Evolution of quasi and contract market systems for greater competition

Conclusion 

A new public administration system is a way of enhancing policy formulation and implementation through public policies. It was introduced to mark a change in the institutional system that serves the public interest. Its features, themes, and principles have partially succeeded in bringing social equity in working conditions. 

Also, it gives an equal opportunity to the citizens to respond to the decisions applied for the general public’s well-being. Its ideas restructure the working culture of the public and private sectors involved in policy formulation. Implementation of new public administration has proven worthy for cutting down on the bureaucratic tendencies of traditional public administration.