IAS Mains Previous Years Paper : Public Administration (1998)

IAS Mains Previous Years Paper : Public Administration (1998)

(Paper - I)
Candidates should attempt Questions 1 and 5 which are compulsory, and any three of the remaining questions selecting at least one question from each Section. All questions carry equal marks.

SECTION -A
1. Comment on any three of the following in not more than 200 words each :
(a) "The scope of administration is determined by the scope of government functions which is decided politically."
(b) "Communication holds the organisation together."
(c) "Headquarter and Field relationships determine the tenor of implementation of programmes."
(d) " 'Consensus' and 'Unanimity' are used as styles in decision- making."

2. Why is it that the behavioural approach to the study of organisations is a continuous phenomenon ? Discuss Chester Barnard's contributions to this approach.

3. (a) Differentiate between managerial and functional aspects of co-ordination. How is co-ordination achieved ?
(b) "The themes developed at 1988 MINNOWBROOK conference (20 years after the first conference) largely focus on the current and future visions in the field of public administration". Elucidate.

4. "Public Personnel Administration is concerned with a number of functions". Elaborate. Why are PROCUREMENT and DEVELOPMENT functions important ?

SECTION-B
5. Comment on any three of the following in not more then 200 words each :
(a) "Budget is a tool which serves many purposes".
(b) "Executive control over administration is much more real".
(c) " Administrative Law in the modem governmental system is inevitable'.
(d) "Policy implementation in Less Developed Countries needs to be effective".

6. "Work study succeeds because it is systematic in investigating a problem and also in developing a solution for it". Explain. Also discuss the components of Work Study and their usefulness.

7. (a) What are the objectives of Development Administration ? Also examine the demands DA. places on the structure and practice of administration.
(b) " As long as the study of public administration is not comparative, claim for a 'science of public administration' sounds rather hollow". Explain.

8. " All policy-making is decision-making, but all decision-making is not policy-making". Elaborate. How does a policy emanate and what course does policy-making in government follow?

(Paper - II)
Candidates should attempt Questions 1 and 5 which are compulsory, and any three of the remaining questions selecting at least one question from each Section. All questions carry equal marks.

SECTION - A
1. Comment on any three of the following in not more than 200 word each :
(a) "Kautilya's Arhashastra has significant relevance to the contemporary Indian administration."
(b) Art. 78 of the Constitution confers Executive Power on the President."
(c) "Central Services are more 'All-India' in character than are the All-India Services."
(d) "State and district planning bodies in India have bot been effective in achieving their goals."
2. It is argued that the recruitment and training of All India and Central Services have not kept pace with the changing needs and time. Give suggestions for improving these proocesses in order to make administrators more effective, committed and honest.

3. (a) "Indian public enterprises are neither adequately 'public' nor truly 'enterprising'." Comment.
(b) "The Indian Constitution considerably influences the nature, role and structure of Indian administration." Elucidate.

4. Explain the role and structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. What are the challenges being faced by this Ministry ? Give suggestions for enhancing the capacity of this organization to meet these challenges.

SECTION - B
5. Comment on any THREE of the following in not more than 200 words each :-
(a) "The success of administrative reforms in a country like India depends upon political as well as administrative will."
(b) "Rural development programmes in India suffer from lack of coordination and a sound appraisal system."
(c) "Corruption is more of an environmental than an administrative problem."
(d) "CAG should be watch-dog and not a blood-hound."

6. In tune with the winds of administrative change blowing throughout the world, the Indian administration has also taken certain noticeable initiatives in administrative restructuring in the nineteen nineties. What are these initiatives and how effective have they been ?

7. Do you think that the Indian police legislation. structure, technology, altitudes and behaviour are appropriate: to meet the law and order problems in the country ? What fundamental changes would you suggest in these realms to make the Central and the State police forces more effective in their role-performance?

8. "The State Finance Commission under Panchayat Raj Law is designed to ensure regional balance in the distribution of State and Central Funds." Comment.