TRANSFORMING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN INDIA: REFORMS, INNOVATIONS, AND CHALLENGES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

Abstract

The change in public administration in India has occurred at an exponential rate through a series of reforms aimed at increasing transparency, efficiency, inclusivity, and citizen-centric governance. This study provides an analytical examination of the latest national-level administrative initiatives and innovations, in the context of key theoretical frameworks such as New Public Management and the principles of good governance. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, the research utilizes official documents, policy reports, and secondary scholarly literature. The results show that digital interventions, such as Direct Benefit Transfers via Aadhaar-based ID cards and e-governance portals, have likely delivered significant improvements in service delivery, accountability, and anti-corruption measures. Capacity-building reforms, such as Mission Karmayogi and lateral entry recruitment, are being judged on their potential to increase agility and expertise within the administration. Nevertheless, the persistence of challenges, with weak institutional capacity, political interference, and deficiencies at the lower levels of administration, can all continue to prevent transformative outcomes. The analysis stresses that while India’s governance journey has seen promising evolutionary changes towards responsiveness and efficiency, achieving a fully inclusive and sustainable administrative ecosystem requires reforms, effective accountability systems, and further decentralization. This paper expands the literature by establishing policy recommendations: continued investment in capacity-building, ethical frameworks for governance institutions, and strengthening citizen participation in administrative procedures.