This study examines the survival and dysfunctions of public bureaucracy in Sri Lanka. Major objective of this study is to analysis functions and practical challenges of public bureaucracy in Sri Lanka. As well as it tries to find out the solutions which can be used to improve the effectiveness service of bureaucracy in Sri Lanka. Bureaucracy is most important role in the world: implementation and formulation of policy, delegated legislation, administrative adjudication, importance to government and governing process, service to the people, etc. In contrast, it has earned a nick name for red tapism, nepotism, and corruption. This study is a qualitative research and data were collected mainly from secondary sources such as books, journals, newspapers, internet articles and relevant research articles. In Sri Lanka, public bureaucracy has earned bad name and ill will of the people, due to challenges of Public Administration Reforms (PAR), inefficiency and ineffectiveness public service delivery, dysfunction of constitutional arrangements, ineffectiveness of Public Service Commission (PSC) and ombudsman, failure and changing the public policies, politicization and family rule of administration, ethnic, regional vise bureaucracy, insufficient resources and capacity, lack of citizen participation and lack of awareness of the citizens, corruption etc. Ensuring provincial autonomy decentralization, ensuring greater communication and accountability between policymakers, citizens, bureaucrats and politicians, ensuring higher salary scale/higher salaries in public sector, strengthening stakeholders and citizen participation, strengthening the Public Private Partnership (PPP), introducing e-government techniques and New Public Management (NPM) reform in governance process, administrators should learn and get the training in other languages (Tamil and Sinhala), strengthening the ombudsman and public service commission and ensuring better financial management and accountability are can be improving public bureaucracy in Sri Lanka.