How this paper is set and answered
From the notes printed under FPSC's own Revised Scheme tables.
- Ratio of MCQs in compulsory papers for CE-2016 will be 20 MCQs in each paper except in the paper of Essay. Similarly there will be 20 MCQs from each optional paper except Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.
Complete Governance & Public Policies Syllabus
The full official FPSC syllabus, reproduced section by section from the source document.
1Basic Concepts of Governance:
5 points
- Origin of the term Governance
- Definition of Governance
- Definition of Good Governance
- Characteristics of Good Governance: Participation, Rule of law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Equity, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Accountability, Strategic Vision
- Collapse/Failure of Governance: its indicators diagnostic tools & Effects
2Governance Theories:
8 points
- Communitarianism
- Decentered Theory
- Libertarian Socialism
- Institutionalism
- Marxism
- Neoliberalism
- Rational Choice Theory
- Regulation Theory
3Governance Indicators laid by World Bank/IMF/UNESCO/UNDP/ADB, their
7 points
- Explanation & Application Level in Pakistan:
- Voice and Accountability
- Political Stability and Absence of Violence
- Government Effectiveness
- Regulatory Authorities & their Quality
- Rule of Law
- Control of Corruption
4Public Policy and Planning Institutions and their role in Planning
6 points
- Institutional Framework for Policy Coordination and Planning(ECNEC, Economic Coordination Committees of the Cabinet, The Federal Cabinet, The Secretaries Committee, The Prime Minister’s Secretariat, The Planning Commission, The Finance Division, The Cabinet Division, and all Federal Ministries for their respective subjects)
- Role of Planning Commission in Policy and Planning
- Strategic Planning in Federal
- Provincial Government and Local Government
- Role of International Donors in Policy Formulation (IMF Document “Memorandum on Economic and Financial Policies 2013/14–2015/16,” that underpins almost all public policies.)
- Public Policy and Implementation in Key Sectors (i.e., Health, Education).
5Accountability:
3 points
- General Introduction to Accountability and its concepts(Standards, Symbolism, regional and country-wide comparisons, a Review of Contemporary Studies)
- Types of Accountability- Political Accountability, Legal/ Judicial Accountability, Administrative Accountability, Professional Accountability, Private vs. Public Accountability
- National Strategies against Corruption and remedial measures.
6Bureaucracy:
4 points
- Introduction to the Concept of Bureaucracy(History, Neutrality, Steel Frame of the State, Negative Connotations Associated with the term)
- Theories of Bureaucracy (Max Weber, Marx, John Stewart Mill, Woodrow Wilson)
- Role of Bureaucracy in Pakistan (British legacy, civil-military relations, neutrality, dilution of neutrality, political allegiance, power, corrupting the incumbent, institutional degradation, constitutional guarantees, indexing of salaries with the CPI or lack thereof.)
- Public Administration and Code of Ethics (Effectiveness of the Estacode and the Code of Ethics, Comparison with other countries)
7Public Policy Formulation and Implementation
4 points
- The Policy Making Process: How Policies are Made (Six including diagnosis and six stages with cautions to be exercise at each stage)
- Policy Implementation & Role of Bureaucracy (Training, Pervasive Inertia and how to break it, Lack of Decision Making, Culture of postponement and delays, Lack of resources, Political interference, Ability to say “No.”)
- Policy Analysis, The Quest for Solutions (Lack of research in policy analysis, Lack of coordination among departments, secrecy, openness)
- Policy Evaluation: Assessing The Impact of Public Policy, Program Evaluation- Success and failure of Govt.
8Multi-level Governance in Pakistan:
8 points
- Legislature: National Assembly, Senate, Provisional Assemblies
- Judiciary: Supreme Court, High Courts, Lower Courts
- Functioning of the offices:
- President of Pakistan,
- Prime Minister of Pakistan
- Office of Governor,
- Office of Chief Minister, Federal Cabinet, Cabinet Committees, Federal Secretariat, Provincial Secretariat
- Local Government system: District Government, Zila Government, Tehsil Government, Union Administration, Its Efficacy, Performance & Causes of Success or Failure
9Federalism, Devolution and Decentralization
3 points
- Constituents participation in Federal Structure
- Principle of Subsidiarity in Public Service Delivery
- Decentralization Model of Kerala
10Role of Citizens in Governance
11Good Governance in Islam
2 points
- Quranic Guidance on Good Governance
- Concept of Governance and its application in light of Quran; Sunnah and Fiqh.
Scoring High in Governance & Public Policies
Governance & Public Policies examines the fundamental concepts, theories, and practical applications of governance, with a significant emphasis on Pakistan's institutional framework and policy landscape. This paper tests a candidate's ability to critically analyse governance structures, public policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, as well as the role of various actors including bureaucracy and citizens. A strong script demonstrates not only a clear understanding of theoretical underpinnings but also the ability to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios in Pakistan, offering insightful analysis and relevant examples. It requires a holistic understanding of how different governance elements interact and influence national development.
Governance & Public Policies (100 marks) overlaps superbly with Current Affairs, Pakistan Affairs, and the Essay paper. It bridges political science with administrative reality.
1. The Policy Cycle: Master the entire public policy cycle: Agenda setting, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. Frame all answers around where a specific Pakistani policy succeeded or failed within this cycle.
2. Governance Indicators: Memorize the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). Assess Pakistan's institutional performance using these exact indicators (e.g., Rule of Law, Control of Corruption).
3. Institutional Reforms: Examiners look for deep knowledge regarding civil service reforms, local government systems, and accountability mechanisms in Pakistan. Emphasize actionable recommendations over theoretical complaints.
Paper by paper
For Paper I, prioritise a conceptual understanding of governance theories and indicators, alongside a deep dive into Pakistan's specific institutional framework for public policy and accountability. Focus on the 'Application Level in Pakistan' for governance indicators and the 'Role of Bureaucracy in Pakistan', as these areas frequently require context-specific analysis. Ensure you can articulate the policy-making process, implementation challenges, and evaluation methods, using examples relevant to key sectors like health and education. Dedicate significant attention to multi-level governance, federalism, and the unique section on 'Good Governance in Islam' to cover all syllabus dimensions comprehensively.
A six-month plan
- 1Foundational ConceptsWeeks 1-8
Begin with 'Basic Concepts of Governance' to establish a strong theoretical base. Progress to 'Governance Theories', understanding each theory's core tenets. Conclude this phase by studying 'Governance Indicators laid by World Bank/IMF/UNESCO/UNDP/ADB', focusing on their explanation and application in Pakistan.
- 2Institutional & Process UnderstandingWeeks 9-16
Delve into 'Public Policy and Planning Institutions and their role in Planning', understanding the functions of bodies like ECNEC and the Planning Commission. Follow this with 'Accountability', covering its concepts, types, and national strategies against corruption. Concurrently, study 'Bureaucracy', focusing on its theories, role in Pakistan, and public administration ethics.
- 3Policy Application & Governance StructuresWeeks 17-24
Focus on 'Public Policy Formulation and Implementation', including the policy-making process, implementation challenges, and evaluation. Next, explore 'Multi-level Governance in Pakistan', studying the legislature, judiciary, and various offices, including the local government system. Cover 'Federalism, Devolution and Decentralization' and 'Role of Citizens in Governance'.
- 4Islamic Perspective & RevisionWeeks 25-26
Conclude with 'Good Governance in Islam', understanding Quranic guidance and its application. Use the remaining time for comprehensive revision of all sections, connecting different topics, and practising essay writing and objective questions to reinforce learning and identify areas for further improvement.
Using CSSPrep.AI for Governance & Public Policies
Only the tools that genuinely support this subject are listed.
High-yield topics
Each one is traced back to the section of the official syllabus it comes from.
This is a foundational topic, frequently tested for both definition and critical analysis of its absence in practical scenarios, particularly in the context of Pakistan.
Syllabus section: Basic Concepts of Governance:
This section is crucial as it requires understanding international benchmarks and applying them specifically to Pakistan's context, often appearing in analytical questions.
Syllabus section: Governance Indicators laid by World Bank/IMF/UNESCO/UNDP/ADB, their
Given Pakistan's administrative history, the role, challenges, and reforms related to bureaucracy are central to understanding governance issues and are frequently examined.
Syllabus section: Bureaucracy:
This is a core functional area of governance, encompassing the entire policy cycle from making to evaluation, and its practical challenges are often a focus of questions.
Syllabus section: Public Policy Formulation and Implementation
Corruption and accountability are persistent challenges in governance, making this topic highly relevant for both theoretical understanding and practical solutions.
Syllabus section: Accountability:
Multi-level governance, especially local government, is vital for public service delivery and democratic decentralisation, and its performance in Pakistan is a recurring theme.
Syllabus section: Multi-level Governance in Pakistan:
This section is unique to the syllabus and requires specific knowledge of Islamic principles applied to governance, making it a distinct and important area for study.
Syllabus section: Good Governance in Islam
Common mistakes in Governance & Public Policies answers
- Failing to apply theoretical concepts to the specific context of Pakistan, resulting in generic answers.
- Confusing the definitions and characteristics of different governance theories or indicators, leading to inaccuracies.
- Lack of concrete examples from Pakistan's policy or administrative history to substantiate arguments.
- Not adequately distinguishing between 'governance' (broader) and 'government' (institutional) in analytical responses.
- Overlooking the interconnectedness of syllabus sections, such as how bureaucracy impacts policy implementation or how accountability mechanisms relate to governance indicators.
- Providing descriptive answers for policy-related questions instead of analytical evaluations of success, failure, or challenges.
FPSC recommended books
The 23 books FPSC lists for Governance & Public Policies in the official syllabus.
| Title | Author |
|---|---|
| 1. Governance | Anne Mette Kjær |
| 2. Encyclopedia of Governance, Volume 2 | Mark Bevir |
| 3. Implementing Public Policy: Governance in Theory and in Practice. | Hill M. and Hupe P. |
| 4. Accountability: Managing for Maximum Results | Sam R LLyod |
| 5. Guidance for Good Governance: Explorations in Qur'anic, Scientific & Cross-Cultural Approaches | Abdullah Ahsan& Stephen Bonsal Young |
| 6. How Governments Work | Muzaffar A. Ghaffaar |
| 7. Government and Administration in Pakistan | Dr Jamil-ur Rehman |
| 8. Public Administration With Special Reference To Pakistan | Dr Sultan Khan |
| 9. Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, | National Assembly of Pakistan |
| 10. Pakistan: Beyond the Crisis State | Maleeha Lodhi |
| 11. Power Dynamics, Institutional Instability and Economics Growth: The Case of Pakistan | Akmal Hussain |
| 12. Federalism and Rights | Ellis Katz and G Allan Tarr |
| 13. Local Government Reforms in Pakistan: Context, Content and Causes | Ali Chmeema, Asim Ijaz Khawaja and Adnan Qadir |
| 14. Economics Democracy Through Pro Poor Growth | PonnaWignaraja, Akmal Hussain Susil Sirivardana |
| 15. Governance: South Asian Perspective | Hasnat Abdul Hye |
| 16. Governance, Economic Policy and Reform in Pakistan | Abdus Samad |
| 17. “Pakistan—Problems of Governance,” 1993. | Hussain, M., Hussain. A. |
| 18. “Pakistan’s Predicament: The Diagnostic and the Debates within,” Journal of Pakistan Vision, 13/1 (2012). | Racine, Jean-Luc. |
| 19. The Culture of Power and Governance of Pakistan—1947-2008, Oxford, 2010. | Niaz, I. |
| 20. “Legitimacy and the Administrative State: Ontology, History, and Democracy,” Public Administration Quarterly, UC Berkeley, 2013. | Bevir, M., |
| 21. Handbook of Public Policy Analysis | Frank Fischer, Gerald J. Miller, and Mara S. Sidney, |
| 22. Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives, 4th Ed., CQ Press, 2012 | Kraft, Michael E., Scott R. Furlong |
| 23. Public Policy in An Uncertain World,: Analysis and Decisions, Harvard, 2013 | Manski, Charles F. |
Frequently asked questions
Is Governance & Public Policies a scoring subject?
This subject can be scoring for candidates who develop a strong analytical approach, understand the interplay of concepts, and can effectively apply theories to Pakistan's context. Success hinges on clear articulation and well-supported arguments rather than rote memorisation.
How much focus should I give to the governance theories?
You should understand the core tenets, proponents (if mentioned in the syllabus), and implications of each theory. The key is not just to define them but to be able to discuss their relevance or application in understanding governance phenomena, especially in Pakistan.
Do I need to memorise all the details of every institution mentioned in the 'Public Policy and Planning Institutions' section?
While detailed memorisation is not the primary goal, you must understand the role and function of each institution (e.g., ECNEC, Planning Commission, Federal Cabinet) in policy coordination and planning. Focus on their interrelationships and overall contribution to the policy framework.
How can I effectively link current affairs with this subject?
Current affairs provide practical examples for almost every section. For instance, recent policy initiatives can illustrate 'Public Policy Formulation and Implementation', while news on corruption can be used for 'Accountability'. Regularly connect contemporary events to the theoretical and practical aspects of the syllabus.
Are the FPSC recommended books essential for preparation?
The recommended books offer in-depth perspectives and broader understanding beyond the syllabus outline. While the syllabus is your primary guide, these books can provide valuable context, different viewpoints, and richer examples to enhance your answers, particularly for conceptual clarity and application.
How important is the 'Good Governance in Islam' section?
This section is explicitly listed in the syllabus and holds significant importance. It requires a dedicated study of Quranic guidance, Sunnah, and Fiqh concerning governance principles. Expect questions that test your understanding of these specific concepts and their application.
Syllabus text reproduced from Revised Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination, CE-2016 (updated 7 July 2015), pages 86-89. Marks and grouping are from the same document's Revised Scheme tables. Verify against the official PDF before relying on it.