Optional Subject : Public Administration (2024)

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

1. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
   a). Public administration horizons have been expanding to cater to the complex needs ofthe citizens in the globalised era. Explain.
   b). Efficiency, in the specialised sense, is an organisation's capacity to offer effectiveinducements in sufficient quantity to maintain the equilibrium of the system. Analyse.
   c). "The process of decisions ......... is largely a technique of narrowing choices." Explain.
   d). "The judiciary is playing a more positive role in policy formulation, not just in limitinggovernment actions, but also in mandating them." Comment.
   e). "Citizen Charter's focus is on empowering citizens concerning public service delivery."Analyse.
2. Answer the following:
   a). Follett firmly advocated for cultivating interdependence and collaboration amongindividuals as the key to resolving conflicts and establishing more harmonious and allencompassing social structures. Discuss.
   b). Minnowbrook III emphasised the importance of empirical research in generatingvaluable insights for public administration and recognized the need to tailor educationin the field to different regional contexts. Examine.
   c). "Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been justified in various ways over time thatseek to privatise public services for the profit of private entities." Do you agree?
3. Answer the following:
   a). "Organization theory is not a single theory with a loosely knit of many approaches toorganisational analysis, and it provides different answers to different situations."Comment.
   b). "Intrinsic motivation in comparison to extrinsic motivation leads to enhancedperformance and creativity." Examine.
   c). "The backlash against Right to information (RTI) by the State hampered the citizen'sright to know." Examine and point out the need to amend the RTI Act to provideprotection to RTI activists.
4. Answer the following:
   a). "Reddin model of leadership added third dimension to the existing two basic dimensionsleadership identified by Ohio Studies and Blake and Mouton." Elucidate.
   b). "Two-factor theory entails certain factors in workplace resulting in job satisfaction,while others, if absent, lead to dissatisfaction." Discuss.
   c). "Subordinate legislation has its drawbacks; this does not negate the fact that it is alsoquite beneficial." Examine.

SECTION ‘B’

5. Answer the following in about 150 words each :
   a). " The Constitution of French Republic does not prohibit ministers from being theleader of political party; it is customary that minister should not occupy such a post toensure impartiality." Explain.
   b). The ultimate goal of using Management Information System (MIS) is to increase valuesand Productivity in organisations. Explain.
   c)."Cost-benefit analysis is of great help to the policy makers in framing policies andproviding advice on developing public policy." Examine.
   d). "Monetary Policy and fiscal policy are different; but both are used to regulateeconomy." Discuss.
   e). "Instead of conflicting, the employer-employee relationship should be one of mutualreliance." Explain.
6. Answer the following:
   a). " The studies in Comparative Public Administration (CPA) got momentum in 1980'sand 1990's with a new objective and orientation than its previous counterparts."Critically examine.
   b). "In explaining the 'development', Weidner made a distinction between change in theoutput and change in the system itself; and warned that what is growth from onepoint of view may decline from another." Comment.
   c). "Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is based on programme efficiency rather than budgethistory." In the light of this, examine the advantages of ZBB over traditional budgets.
7. Answer the following:
   a). "Public policy-making is an effort to apply the methods of political analysis to policyareas but has concerns with processes inside the bureaucracy and stakeholders."Discuss.
   b). "In career advancement, civil servants are necessitated to political superiors andhence the phenomenon poses the challenges to civil service neutrality." Comment.
   c). "Information Communication Technology (ICT) can harness the power of ArtificialIntelligence (AI) to execute the policies more intelligently creating an efficient andeffective Government." Examine and identify the challenges.
8. Answer the following:
   a). "The management of sound public finances used to be the backbone of administrativesystem; but unfortunately, it has become the prisoner of populist policies." Criticallyevaluate.
   b). "Women empowerment is essential for sustainable development; hence it should notbe reflected only in programmes but promoting concrete actions to ensure theparticipation across institutions and communities." Critically examine.
   c). "Training is not a short affair, rather it is a step-by-step process of developing skills,habits, knowledge and aptitude." Elucidate.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

1. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
   a). “Mughal administrative system was centralised despotism”. Comment.
   b). “The office of the District Collector admirably survived the changing times from colonialism to the present times”. Comment.
   c). “The smooth transaction of business in Ministries and Departments depends on the role played by Cabinet Secretariat”. Discuss.
   d). “The Government of India Act, 1935 is the most important source of Indian constitution”. Identify its features.
   e). “The Chief Secretary is the chief communication link between the state and central government”. Explain.
2. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
   a). "Kautliya's Arthashastra is a theoretical work on the state and Statecraft." Comment.
   b). Critics, sometimes, argue that bureaucracy is an impediment to a nation's development.Analyse.
   c). “Indicative Planning, is a middle path of planning and market mechanism to ensure coordination between public and private activities.” Explain.
   d). Is it true that the Finance Commission has been lending Financial strength to the localbodies in India? Argue in favour of your response.
   e). "Parliamentary democracy in India envisages elected head as the real executive of aState." Discuss.
3. Answer the following:
   a). "Indian Prime Minister is more empowered than his British counterpart in theWestminster model of democracy." Elucidate.
   b). Post-amendment period Panchayats have become a platform of competitive politics,but could not emerge as an agency of planning and service delivery. Examine.
   c). Former Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra observed: "An efficient judiciary is thehallmark of a great nation." Comment.
4. Answer the following:
   a). India has significantly advanced in its development goals, increased efficiency in thepublic sector and unlocked innovation in private sector by adopting the approach ofbuilding Digital Public Infrastructure. Elucidate.
   b). "Attempts to prepare unified and holistic plans for the country are complex and full ofchallenges." Discuss.
   c). "Excessive political interference in development process has become a cause ofconcern in achieving national goals. Examine.
5. Answer the following:
   a). "There shall be Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid andadvise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except......." This constitutionalprovision is being intensively debated nowadays. Elucidate.
   b). "There is a need to redefine and realign the functions of the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector. Elaborate.
   c). Examine Project Bharatmala-Road to prosperity-launched in 2017.

SECTION ‘B’

5. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
   a). The district training component of Induction Training of IAS officers requires to berevisited. Examine.
   b). "Mission Antyodaya strives to realise the vision of poverty-free India." Examine.
   c). The dynamics of coalitions vary with the nature of leadership, political parties andcontemporary political conditions. Analyse.
   d). Computerization of treasuries has revolutionised the accounting and budget planningprocess, Comment.
   e). Do you agree that code of ethics and code of conduct for ministers would help inupholding higher standards of their constitutional and ethical conduct? Explain.
6. Answer the following:
   a). "Civil Service Reforms along with a transparent transfer policy will go a long way ininsulating civil servants from undesired political pulls and pressures." Discuss.
   b). "The withdrawal of AFSPA from Tripura has sent a positive signal across the state andNorth-Eastern Region." Do you think that now it is an appropriate time to take a morerational policy decision in this matter.
   c). The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is by far the most significant cleanliness campaign by theGovernment of India. Comment.
7. Answer the following:
   a). Accountability of the Executive to the Parliament in the domain of financialadministration is secured through CAG reports. Discuss.
   b). The government response to the Supreme Court's judgement on Police Reforms hasbeen lackadaisical. The reasons are multiple and multidimensional. Discuss.
   c).Disasters can push the world's poorest deeper into poverty. Do you think that aa comprehensive strategy to deal with such vulnerabilities is required?
8. Answer the following:
   a). In the context of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission recommendations,evaluate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as a preferred mode of implementinginfrastructural projects.
   b). In 2011, India ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).Evaluate the existing legal framework for fulfilling this commitment.
   c). Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission is a cluster-based approach of convergingrural development efforts of different departments of the government. Comment.