How to become a Public Administrator?

Strive to create a positive change for the common good of society? A Public Administrator profile awaits you. As the name suggests, the role involves administering or overseeing the functions of public service departments, agencies, and also non-profit organizations at 3 levels of the Indian government. These include the federal or central government level, the state level, and the local level. Public Administrators are managers of public services that assist the common public. Considering the significance of this role in everyday society affairs, there are plenty of lucrative job opportunities in the public sector. This blog details the exact steps for the Public Administrator career path. 

What is a Public Administrator?

Before proceeding with the steps to become a Public Administrator, here’s a brief about the role itself. A Public Administrator oversees the execution of various public policies, programs, and services of the government at the central, state, and local levels. They are responsible for designing and managing the effective implementation of public policies by elected government officials and local community leaders.

How to become a Public Administrator?

If you too are interested in serving the community at large for the common good of society and the role of a Public Administrator excites you, here’s your chance to become one. Detailed below are the exact Public Administration qualifications required for the role.

In India, the minimum educational qualification required for the role of a Public Administrator is a Bachelor’s degree at the undergraduate level. However, you don’t need to hold a degree in the domain of public administration or political science. You can get a Bachelor’s in any area of study and still pursue Public Administration as a career path.

Upon completion of your Bachelor’s, you may apply for an internship program, either at your university, Ministry of Home Affairs, or an NGO, to gain some professional experience in Public Administration. Furthermore, you may choose to pursue a Master of Arts (MA) in Public Administration at the postgraduate level, to earn an advanced degree in the domain. 

Skills needed for Public Administrator

Apart from the formal qualifications required to become a Public Administrator, gaining a few relevant skills in the area can also be rather helpful. Some of the top skills needed to pursue a career in Public Administration include:

• Problem-solving abilities to identify the development areas in society and work toward finding effective solutions for them, for the larger benefit of the community
• Effective time management to ensure that all policies and programs are designed, developed, and executed within the allotted time
• Leadership skills to be able to guide, inspire, and motivate individuals and organizations alike to work towards the achievement of common goals 

Roles & responsibilities of Public Administrator

As a Public Administrator, you would be required to perform some of the following important duties:

• Managing the budget allocated by the government (federal, state, or local) towards the development of the city
• Overseeing the implementation of government programs and services 
• Analyzing and reviewing government policies to determine their effectiveness for the public at large
• Recruiting and training employees in government bodies
• Creating and designing government programs and policies that would be for the overall good of the community

Public Administrator salary in India

A Public Administrator is expected to earn an average salary of approximately INR 5 lakh – 7 lakh per annum. Note that the figures are indicative only and likely to vary from one person to another in different locations.

Some of the popular Public Administrator job roles that you can consider applying for are shared in the table below along with their average corresponding salaries per annum.

Expected job role	Annual salary (approx)
Administrative Officer	INR 10,15,668 per annum
Policy Analyst	INR 9,11,345 per annum
Social Worker	INR 8 lakh per annum
Public Relations Specialist	INR 5,91,795 per annum
Urban Planner	INR 5.4 lakh per annum

Conclusion

The position of a Public Administrator is one of the few prestigious roles in the Indian government. Considering the increasing needs of Indian society, there is always a steady demand for this job profile in the country. Heading in the right direction early on can help you achieve your goal and assume Public Administrator responsibilities with ease.

After completing your Bachelor’s in any field, you may pursue an MA in Political Science, which can help you gain the desired advanced skills and knowledge required for the role. Sikkim Manipal University offers MA in Political Science courses in 100% online mode to students across India. This program is offered on the Online Manipal platform and offers students the right knowledge and tools that they need to proceed with their careers in the Public Administration domain.