Includes bibliographical references and index.

Evolutionary history of Indian administration -- Constitutional ideals as directives for state actions -- Union executive : President and Vice President -- Union Council of Ministers and governance -- Parliament : supremacy and myth -- Central administration : structure and governance -- State executive and governance -- Administering federalism and IGR -- Administration of the civil service -- District administration : governance practice -- Decentralization and rural local governance -- Urban decentralization and local governance -- Managing control over national expenditure -- Administering law and order -- Social welfare administration -- Reflections on administrative reforms -- Relationship between political masters and senior civil servants -- Ethics in governance -- Ombudsman : a citizen's defender.

"Indian Administration: A Foundation of Governance offers a modern introduction to the structure and functioning of Indian public administration. The text has been developed keeping in mind the various conceptual shifts in the idea and practice of governance and its effects at both domestic and global levels. It analyses the fundamentals of Indian administration and its multiple aspects through the lens of public administration theories and practices. Beginning with the evolutionary stages of administrative functions in independent India, the book elaborately traces the role of the Constitution in creating the framework for good governance. It provides critical insights into the development of local governance in India, the crucial relationship between the elected representatives and civil servants, the role of ethics in governance and the much debated aspects of social welfare administration. This comprehensive textbook will be an indispensable companion to the students of public administration, political science, and UGC NET and civil services aspirants"-- Provided by publisher.