Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru established the Indian Institute of Public Administration on March 29, 1954 based on the recommendations of a survey carried out in 1953 by Prof. Paul H. Appleby, Dean, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University and a Consultant with the Ford Foundation invited to advice on the subject, by the Government of India. The institute enhances leadership and managerial qualities on the one hand and developing a service-orientation on the other are the thrust areas of the Institute’s education and training activities. Its faculty is involved with research work mainly to simplify procedures and suggest policy changes to ensure improved delivery of public services. IIPA takes the reality of Governance in transition into consideration in all its skill-development, research and knowledge management activities.

The Institute’s objectives are:

• To promote and provide for the study of Public Administration and economic and political science with special reference to public administration and the machinery of government and educational purposes incidental thereto.
• To undertake, organize and facilitate study courses, conferences and lectures and research in matters relating to public administration and the machinery of government.
• To undertake and provide for the publication of journals and of research papers and books to impart training in and promote the study of public administration.
• To establish and maintain libraries and information services to facilitate the study of public administration and spreading information in regard thereto.
• To constitute or cause to be constituted Regional Branches at convenient centers in India to promote the objects of the society.
• To cooperate with approved institutions and bodies for the purposes of helping the cause of public administration

Activities

The activities of the Institute are organized in four inter-related areas of Research, Training, Advisory Services and Dissemination of Information.

While the Institute undertakes research studies on current issues of public concern on its own initiative, it also conducts research in response to specific organizational need to find solutions in difficult decision-making areas. These are normally sponsored projects of Government and national/international organizations.

IIPA offers advisory services in operational areas and provides the necessary hand-holding in implementation of schemes, programmes and project in both Government and private sectors.

It conducts a large number of long and short-duration training programmes. Besides the Indian Journal of  Public Administration, Nagarlok and Lok Prashashan journals, the Institute also periodically publishes a bibliographic journal Documentation in Public Administration and a monthly Newsletter. 

Network and Collaboration

With a membership over 11,000 including about 100 overseas, the IIPA has a nation-wide network of 23 regional branches and 44 local branches, which provide exchange of ideas on current trends and practice in public administration to public servants, academics and students.

The Institute is one of the founder members of the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA). It works in association with the universities, industry associations advanced research institutes, training centers and government departments in India.

The Institute also collaborates with the Ecole National d’ Administration, France, Korea Institute of Public Administration, Government of Mauritius, Government of Argentina, the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, People’s Republic of China. Of late there are new windows of cooperation opening with Vietnam, the GIZ and the Potsdam University of Germany.

Institutional Requirement

• The nominations for the courses sponsored by Department of Personnel and Training (DoP&T) and conducted by the Institute are invited by the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India.
• Nominations for the fee-based courses of the Institute and courses organized by its twelve centres are invited by the Institute in respect of each programme. The participant/s should report for training only after getting confirmation by the Institute that their nomination has been accepted.
• Institute rules require that course fees are sent through Cheques/Demand Drafts, drawn in favour of the Director, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, which should invariably be sent in advance along with the nomination/s for the concerned programme/s.
• Most training programmes are meant for in-service personnel only, viz., Officers from Central Ministries/Departments including Armed Forces; State Governments; Public Sector/State Enterprises and Departments of Local Self Governments and faculty of universities, colleges and institutes.
• IIPA also conducts workshops, skill-development interaction and seminars for Civil Society and the public on topical Governance related issues. Certificates of participation are invariably given at the end of all programmes.

Campus

The IIPA is located at Indraprastha Estate, Ring Road, New Delhi, opposite Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium at a distance of about 30 km from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, 5 km. from New Delhi Railway Station, 6 km. from Old Delhi Railway Station, 6 km. from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and 4 km, from the Inter State Bus Terminal. The Institute is located in the heart of Delhi in a sprawling seven acres of greenery. It has a conference hall and several lecture halls, all equipped with updated teaching aids and communication facilities, a computer centre with the latest hardware and relevant softwares, a library rich in collection and subscription and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 500.

Accommodation

The Institute has residential facilities on the campus with 90 rooms with supporting food arrangements.