IAS Mains Previous Years Paper : Public Administration (1979)

PAPER - I
SECTION A
1. Critically discuss the concepts of any two leading authorities on management subject a Examine their relevance in Indian context citing suitable examples. Do you foreses the emergence of a new or improved concept? Substantiate your views. 

2. What does MBO mean to you? Prepare a detailed M130 programme for any one of the following organization:
(a) A State Electrically Board.
(b) A Public Sector/Joint Sector dry cell battery manufacturing firm.
(c) A Public Sector Road Transport undertaking.
(d) Any other large-sized undertaking known to you.

3. In recent times, quantitative techniques are gaining increasing acceptance in the practice of almost all functional areas of management in India. Do you agree or not? Cite at least one example from each major functional area of management to support your case. 

4. Draw a decision-tree to buy or decide as the case may be, any one of the following: 
(a) Ten typewriters for you your typing pool.
(b) Transferring a regional sales representative from one region to another.
(c) Switch regulators for a manufacturer of ceiling fans. Explain why you have drawn such a decision-free.

5. Describe the plus and minus points of the different methods of business forecasting and also explain the use of national income analysis in business forecasting. 

6. Analyze the impact of restriction of credit facilities (to selected industries through commercial banks) on production, prices and economy as a whole. 

Or

Variables involved in cost analysis are too many and in some cases/situations pose serious problems for empirical studies. Do you agree? Give reasons to support your view.

SECTION B
Answer only one question each from any two parts of Section B.

PART I (Marketing Management)
7. Discuss the problems and prospects of rural marketing in India. Identify the strategy followed by a few large firms in reacting the rural population in respect of any two of the following items: 
(a) Radio set.
(b) Branded footwear.
(c) Cosmetics.
(d) Kerosene.
What changes, if any, would take place in the approaches to rural marketing in India? Explain.

8. Critically evaluate the working of the public distribution system in our country. If you are appointed as a consultant to modernize or restructure the public istribution system in our country, how would  you go about it? Explain each step. 

PART II (Production and Materials Management)
9. A Plant produces three products and uses a two step-process for each product on two machines.
(a) Name the method you would employ to find out the number of units of each product to be manufactured in ordered to maximize the gains.
(b) By allocating processing time and amount of profit per unit of product (Use any figure as you please), find out the maximum gain. 

10. Carry out ABC analysis in any one of the following cases and explain each step by using necessary figures:
(a) A public sector watch-making company.
(b) A construction corporation.
(c) Any other manufacturing company. PART III (Financial Management)

11. The performance of the past three years of a manufacturer is follows: 1976 1977 1978
Production —units 9,000 7,000 11,000
Sales —units 9,000 7,000 11,000
Sales —Rs. lakhs 270 260 480
Net Profits —Rs. lakhs 85 55 170
On the basis of the past performance as given above, the management of this monopoly firm accepted the following additional financial commitments:
(a) 15% of increase in the pay scale of all categories of employees. -,
(b) Sanctioned Rs. 20 lakhs for worker’s housing scheme.
(c) Set apart Rs. 2 lakhs for providing-loans to workers for the purchase of bicycles, scooters and cars.
(d) Finalised a scheme of expansion for doubling of production capacity. If you were the decision-making authority, what you would have done? Give reasons.

12. Describe the strong and weak points of financial management in the public sector in India. Suggest means to strengthen the strong points and rectify the weak points. 

PART IV (Personnel Management)
13. In the present day Indian context, most of the selection processes are virtually a kind of “elimination” process only. Do you agree or not? Give reasons.

14. Do you think that the appointment of workers’ representatives in the governing council of industrial undertakings would create an atmosphere for industrial peace in India? Substantiate your points.

PAPER - II
SECTION A
1. Public administration consists of all those operations having for their purpose fulfillment of or enforcement of public policy. Critically analyze the statement, suggest change (s). If necessary, giving suitable examples. What approach will you suggest to the study of public administration? 

2. Any undertaking to be effectively managed must be efficiently organized. Explain and state how you will ensure an efficient and effective organization structure in the following two cases: 
(i) Ever expanding unit, and
(ii) The one concerned with a huge, highly complex, interrelated but uncertain development and production undertaking.

3. (a) Degrees of decentralization may and often vary from department to department and from one unit to another not withstanding similarity in their size and nature of operations. Do you agree? Substantiate your views citing appropriate examples.
(b) Why is it that span of control at chief executive level is usually narrower than that at operative level?

4. (a) Examine the validity of the statement “Scientific decision-making and bias in decisions cannot g together”. Support your answer with examples.
(b) How far can delegation of decision-making authority help in improving motivation?

5. (a) As in-charge of organization and methods office, how will you ensure its effective working? What will be your responsibilities?
(b) What is performance budgeting? Assess its role in improving administration.

6. Comment on the following:
(a) “Administration, in the final analysis, is a human problem — to deal with human beings, not with some statistical data.”
(b) “Administrators are born not made.”

SECTION B
7. (a) Describe the role of public administration in our country in relation to economic growth and social justice.
(b) How does Finance Ministry exercise control over public expenditure in India?

8. (a) Give the functions & role of Public Service Commission in Administration.
(b) Explain the role of Bureau of Public Enterprise for the management of public undertakings.

9. Comment on any two of the following:
(a) “If our independence is two reflect the people’s voice, the greater the power of the Panchayats, the better for the people….”
(b) “A committed bureaucracy can be a tool of smooth realization of national objectives in India.”
(c) “Administration is culture bound.”

10. What is District Administration? Explain the role of the district collector. How can he act as a change agent in the society?

11. Write short notes on any two of the following:
(i) Redressal of Citizens’ Grievances.
(ii) Corruption in Public Administration.
(iii) Generalist and Specialist in Public Administration.
(iv) Planning at National Level.