The federal structure, an integral part of india's economic and political system, has faced challenges over the decades. Overbearing control from the centre may lead to the post office paradox – where local level administrators become disempowered cogs in a hierarchical administrative culture, used simply for doing the bidding of higher authorities and ferrying messages between the top and bottom.

India is still struggling with the strong-centre-weak-state phenomenon. Issues like how central transfers are made to the states remain unresolved. Why are there still many inconsistencies in the internal dynamics of the indian state? Why are faultlines emerging in its architecture – particularly the political economy of centre-state-local government relations?

Our speaker – a scholar of accountability, decentralisation, and administrative reforms – will discuss the issues of legitimacy, transparency, accountability, and the role of regional parties. They will also look at the realities of policymaking in india, and debate the role of independent, objective research in shaping policy. Finally, they will assess the roles and functions of the centre for policy research and similar think tanks, and what a career in public policy and think tanks may involve.