Detailed Syllabus Outline
- 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
- Communitarianism
- Decentered Theory
- Libertarian Socialism
- Institutionalism
- Marxism
- Neoliberalism
- Rational Choice Theory
- Regulation Theory
- 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
- 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).
- 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- 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
- Constituents participation in Federal Structure
- Principle of Subsidiarity in Public Service Delivery
- Decentralization Model of Kerala
- Quranic Guidance on Good Governance
- Concept of Governance and its application in light of Quran; Sunnah and Fiqh.
FPSC Recommended Books
| Book Title | Author |
|---|---|
| Titles | Author |
| Governance | Anne Mette Kjær |
| Encyclopedia of Governance, Volume 2 | Mark Bevir |
| Implementing Public Policy: Governance in Theory and in Practice. | Hill M. and Hupe P. |
| Accountability: Managing for Maximum Results | Sam R LLyod |
| Guidance for Good Governance: Explorations in Qur'anic, Scientific & Cross-Cultural Approaches | Abdullah Ahsan& Stephen Bonsal Young |
| How Governments Work | Muzaffar A. Ghaffaar |
| Government and Administration in Pakistan | Dr Jamil-ur Rehman |
| Public Administration With Special Reference To Pakistan | Dr Sultan Khan |
| Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, | National Assembly of Pakistan |
| Pakistan: Beyond the Crisis State | Maleeha Lodhi |
| Power Dynamics, Institutional Instability and Economics Growth: The Case of Pakistan | Akmal Hussain |
| Federalism and Rights | Ellis Katz and G Allan Tarr |
| Local Government Reforms in Pakistan: Context, Content and Causes | Ali Chmeema, Asim Ijaz Khawaja and Adnan Qadir |
| Economics Democracy Through Pro Poor Growth | PonnaWignaraja, Akmal Hussain Susil Sirivardana |
| Governance: South Asian Perspective | Hasnat Abdul Hye |
| Governance, Economic Policy and Reform in Pakistan | AbdusSamad |
Scoring High in Governance & Public Policies
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.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many marks does Governance and Public Policies carry in the CSS Exam?
Governance and Public Policies is a 100-mark subject in the FPSC CSS examination.
2. What are the core topics covered in Governance and Public Policies?
The syllabus primarily revolves around I. Basic Concepts of Governance:, II. Governance Theories:, III. Governance Indicators laid by World Bank/IMF/UNESCO/UNDP/ADB, their and related topics. Check the detailed syllabus breakdown above for the exact structure.
3. Is Governance and Public Policies a scoring subject?
Yes, Governance and Public Policies is generally considered highly scoring if you stick strictly to the official FPSC syllabus, practice past papers, and use strong analytical arguments rather than generic statements.
4. How long does it typically take to prepare for Governance and Public Policies?
For a 100-mark subject, a strategic preparation plan typically requires 2 to 3 weeks of dedicated, consistent study and note-making.
5. What are the best recommended books for Governance and Public Policies?
FPSC recommends referring to authentic textbooks and journals. Some key referenced authors include Author and Anne Mette Kjær. Avoid purely relying on local guidebooks.
6. Do I need a university degree in Governance and Public Policies to opt for it?
While an academic background provides a massive advantage, it is not strictly mandatory. Many candidates successfully prepare for Governance and Public Policies from scratch by consulting thoroughly recommended readings.
7. Are past papers important for Governance and Public Policies preparation?
Absolutely. Analyzing the last 5 to 7 years of CSS past papers for Governance and Public Policies is critical. It helps identify recurring themes, examiner traps, and high-frequency syllabus blocks.
8. How should I structure my answers in the Governance and Public Policies subjective paper?
To score highly, structure your subjective answers with clear introductions, relevant headings, bullet points, flowcharts (if applicable), and a balanced, critical conclusion.
9. Does Governance and Public Policies overlap with Compulsory CSS subjects?
Many concepts in Governance and Public Policies can build a strong analytical foundation for the English Essay and Current Affairs papers. Always look for cross-disciplinary linkages while studying.
10. Is coaching necessary to pass Governance and Public Policies?
No, professional coaching is not mandatory. With immense discipline, standard syllabus tracking, and self-evaluation via mock exams, candidates can secure excellent marks on their own.