⏱ 4 min read
Public policy is what governments decide to do (or not do) to solve public problems. Section Officer Paper I (Governance Systems) and Paper III often ask about the meaning, process, models and types of public policy and how policy is made in Nepal.
1. Meaning and definitions
| Scholar | Definition / idea |
|---|---|
| Thomas R. Dye | Public policy is “whatever governments choose to do or not to do”. |
| David Easton | Policy is the “authoritative allocation of values” for the whole society. |
| Harold Lasswell | Founder of the “policy sciences” approach. |
| Charles Lindblom | Incremental model: policy changes in small steps (“muddling through”). |
2. The policy cycle
- Agenda setting: a problem gets government attention.
- Policy formulation: options are studied and proposals prepared.
- Adoption (legitimation): the proposal is approved by the authority (e.g. Cabinet or Parliament).
- Implementation: ministries and offices carry it out.
- Evaluation: results are measured; the policy is continued, changed or ended.
3. Models of policy making
| Model | Main idea |
|---|---|
| Rational model | Choose the best option after studying all alternatives, costs and benefits. |
| Incremental model | Make small changes to existing policy (Lindblom). |
| Elite model | Policy reflects the preferences of a small ruling elite. |
| Group model | Policy is the balance among competing interest groups. |
| Systems model | Inputs (demands, support) → political system → outputs (policies) with feedback (Easton). |
| Public choice model | Politicians and officials act in their own self-interest like market actors. |
4. Types of policy (Theodore Lowi)
- Distributive: gives benefits to groups, e.g. subsidies, roads.
- Redistributive: moves resources from one group to another, e.g. progressive tax, social security.
- Regulatory: controls behaviour, e.g. traffic rules, pollution limits.
- Constituent: sets up or changes government structures.
5. Policy making in Nepal
- Policies are approved by the Council of Ministers; laws are passed by Parliament.
- The National Planning Commission guides development policy and periodic plans.
- Each year the President presents the government’s Policies and Programmes in Parliament before the budget.
- The federal budget is presented on Jestha 15.
- Good practice: evidence, public consultation, stakeholder participation and Regulatory Impact Assessment.
6. Policy instruments
- Regulation (laws, standards)
- Economic tools (taxes, subsidies, fees)
- Information and awareness campaigns
- Direct provision of services by government
- Partnerships with private sector and NGOs
7. Worked example: the policy cycle in a Nepali case
Take the push for electric vehicles (EVs) as an example of how a policy moves through the cycle.
| Stage | What happened (simplified) |
|---|---|
| Agenda setting | Rising petroleum imports, air pollution in Kathmandu and surplus monsoon electricity made the issue a public priority. |
| Formulation | Options were studied: lower customs duty on EVs, charging stations, electric public transport. |
| Adoption | Lower tax rates on EVs were adopted through budgets and finance acts. |
| Implementation | Customs, NEA and transport offices applied the rules; charging stations were set up. |
| Evaluation | EV imports grew quickly; debate continued about revenue loss and charging capacity, which led to adjustments in later budgets. |
8. Problems in policy implementation in Nepal
- Implementation gap: good policies on paper, weak action in the field.
- Frequent changes in government lead to sudden policy changes.
- Weak coordination among federal, provincial and local governments.
- Low budget and staff capacity in implementing offices.
- Weak monitoring and evaluation, so lessons are not learned.
Ways to improve: evidence-based policy, consultation with stakeholders, pilot testing, clear roles for each level of government, and regular evaluation with public reports.
9. How this topic is asked in the exam
- Objective: who gave which definition or model (Dye, Easton, Lasswell, Lindblom, Lowi), and the order of the policy cycle.
- Short answer: “Explain the stages of the policy cycle” or “Differentiate the rational and incremental models.”
- Long answer: “Discuss the policy-making process in Nepal and its problems.” Use sections 2, 5, a case like section 7 and the problems in section 8.
📌 Key points to remember
- Dye: policy is whatever governments choose to do or not to do.
- Easton: authoritative allocation of values; systems model.
- Policy cycle: agenda → formulation → adoption → implementation → evaluation.
- Lindblom: incrementalism (“muddling through”).
- Lowi’s types: distributive, redistributive, regulatory, constituent.
- In Nepal, policies are approved by the Council of Ministers; budget on Jestha 15.
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Public Policy
50 questions on Meaning and definitions, Types of policy (Theodore Lowi) and Policy instruments. Each attempt picks 25 at random.
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