IAS Mains Previous Year Paper Public Administration (2009)

Paper I

SECTION – A

1. Comments on any THREE of the following statements in not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60
a) ― The Field of Public Administration is a field of business. ( Woodrow Wilson )
b) ― New Public Administration is …… a revolution or radicalism in words , and ( at best ) status –quo in skills or technologies.
c) ― Taylor‘s contribution was not a set of general principles for organizing work efficiency , nut a set of operating procedures that could be employed in each concrete situation to secure their application.
d) ― The Barnard – Simon Theory of organization is essentially a theory of motivation.

2. Answer the following in about 300 words each: 30×2=60
a) Consider the statement below :
i). ―Technically, the bureaucracy represents the purest type of legal rational authority
ii). ―Bureaucracy does not represent the only type of legal authority Identify the theoretical context and analyze the above Statements.

b) Which of the model (s) in development administration is / are characterised by ‗ Selectivism‘ , ‗ Attainment‘ and ‗ Poly-functionalism‘ ? Describe the corresponding theoretical roots and attributes.

3. It is said that ― the perspective of public administration ,developed over a century , with a tradition of management of Public institution and services has received a jolt from the novelty of New Public Management. Bring out the core values , approaches and assumptions of traditional public administration and show how the new new Public Management has attempted to change or retain them , and to what extent. 60

4. From Woodrow Wilson to Herbert Simon most writers on public administration have taken the achievement of efficiency as the central objective. Justify the statement with reference to the work of major writers. 60

SECTION – B

5. Answer any THREE of the following questions in not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60
a) ― There is no doubts that departmentalization is fraught with complexities. These are in part technical , in part political . Discuss.
b) ― Technical like PERT and CPM help in effective office management. Elaborate.
c) ― ….. non –western states often , If not always , have unbalance politics , but these may not necessarily be bureaucratic politics. Discuss.
d) ― Yehezkel Dror‘s normative models of policy making tend to be academic in perspective with poor operational utility. Comment.

6. Consider the statement below:
a). Self-Help Groups ( SHGs ) enables women to realize their full potential in some spheres of life.
b). Self-Help Groups ( SHGs ) are providing avenues of political mobilization. Examine the implication of these two statements and assess the potential of SHGs for development. 60

7. It is said that ‗ position classification‘, as originally conceived is sound in terms of its operational characterics , but complicated and unresponsive in practice. Why is it still considered better than other models of civil service classification ? 60

8.― …….. even if policies are well organized , efficiently operated , widely utilized , adequately financed and supported , we may still ask , so what ? Do they work? …. What about their costs , outputs and impact ? Discuss. 60

Paper II

SECTION – A

1. Attempt any THREE of the following in not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60
a) ―Bureaucracy developed by the British stifled the village self rule. Comment.
b) ―Comment on the view that despite different contexts, administrative maxims of Kautilya‘s Arthashatra bear considerable similarity with features of Weber‘s ideal bureaucratic model.
c) ―The weakest aspect of Indian Administration is grievance redressal machinery. Discuss.
d) ― There is no basic contradiction between Civil Service neutrality and Civil Service activism. Comment.

2. a) . ―Law and order problems of the twenty first century can not be tackled through legislations and structures of the nineteenth century. Give suggestions for transforming the law and order machinery at the State level. 30
b). ― The Recommendations of the second Administrative Reform Commission on reforming the Civil Service are radical yet implementable. Do you agree? 30

3. a). Briefly discuss the main recommendations of any two of the followings : 30
i). Paul Appleby ( 1953 and 1956 )
ii). Santhanam Committee
iii). Hota Committee
iv). Sixth Pay Commission

b). Examine the role of Finance Ministry of the Union Government in designing and implementing monetary and Fiscal policies. 30

4. a). Discuss the relationship between governance and development in any one Indian state , giving illustrations. 30
b). Do state Services suffer in comparison with All India and Central Services ? Suggest measures for enhancing the role , competence and impact of state services. 30

5. Comment on any THREE of the following statements in not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60
a) ― India has failed to devise a long term strategy for drought management.
b) ― A fix tenure in Civil Service postings can increase productivity , accountability and probity in Government.
c) ― Sound municipal governance requires a cadre of specilised municipal services executives equal in status to state services.
d) ―Administrative talent of a minister determines his success.

6. a). ― The respective roles of the cabinet Secretary of the Government of India and of the chief Secretary of a state are similar in certain respects, and dissimilar in others. Explain. 30
b). Do you agree with the view that citizen‘s Charters in India have not succeeded in their objective of making of administrative system citizen –centric ? Analyze and give your suggestions in this regard. 30

7. a). ― The National Human Rights Commissions has done a commendable job in developing job in developing a sense responsibility among organization towards the protection of human rights.‖ Comment on this assessment. 30
b). In your view , which have been the five most important administrative reforms implemented after Independence? What has been their impact? 30

8.―a). ― Value of Indian administration must be rooted in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.‖ Discuss. 30
b). ―Many of the programmes of development being implemented at the state and the local level have been initiated or financed by the Union Government. This has transformed the nature of Indian federalism. Critically examine this assessment. 30