(Info) Civil Services Main Exam_Public Administration
Civil
Services Main Exam_Public Administration:
Paper I starts with the meaning, scope
and significance of Public Administration along with topics on evolution and
various approaches. It is of great importance that the candidate should grasp
the 'Meaning' of Public Administration in terms of its various dimensions. The
various approaches and stages of evolution should be studied in detail and for
overall comprehension as this unit provides the framework to Public
Administration in terms of syllabus and as a discipline.
The candidate should write summary of each sub-unit
along with (P.T.R.) Points to remember. As the questions asked are generally
opinion-based and are not very objective in nature it is important for the
candidate to understand the concepts to such an extent that he can articulate
well on the issues.
The unit on Principles and Theories of Organization
should be clubbed with the Unit on Administrative Behaviour. Both of the units
are drawn from management and books especially related to that are very
useful. This units are very important as the organization used for any
administration and the various practices come from this knowledge only.
The sub-units provide a conceptual framwork of the
organization and its functioning. Candidates should give sufficient emphasis
to the various theories mentioned and also on various management techniques.
The study of Administrative Behavious should be done for understanding the
various aspects, approaches and applications to various issues of Indian
Administration. For instance a question on motivation or leadership theory can
always be linked with Civil Services in India or development administration in
India etc.
This section also includes typologies of executive
and types of organizations available with the executive. This is an area where
a footing polity helps, as the candidate should have an understanding of
various typologies, e.g. Presidential/Parliamentary form of the Government.
The merits and limitations of both should be studied on comparative basis.
Similarity, in the case of types of organizations a candidate should be ready
with purpose, advantages and limitations of different forms of organizations,
viz., department, corporation, coulcil etc. Here the candidate should
definitely give illustrations from the Indian Administration. Further while
studying this unit a candidate should also go through central administration
in India covered in Paper II, Section A.
Unit on Accountability & Control has to be seen
in the context of conceptual and philosophical premises of accountability. The
candidate should appreciate the significance of accountability especially when
you are operating in the public settings. Various controls should be studied
with reference to Indian Administration though some references from
administration in the USA, UK and France may also be useful. Further, an
understanding of citizens' role and relationship with administration will be
very useful. As the nature of questions asked is more and more pragmatic, very
high probability is there that the citizen's role under this unit or in some
other unit is discussed.
Adminstrative Law is a very useful unit for the
purpose of Main Exam as here more or less the questions can have standard
answers. So it is very helpful to prepare standard notes on rationale of
Administrative Law vis-a-vis Rules of Law. The candidate should be very clear
in terms of bringing its relevance to the surface. Delegated Legislation and
Administrative Adjudication similarly should be prepared with notes in terms
of rationale, limitations and safeguards. Referrence to the Indian
Administration is a must here.
In the next section of this paper the candidate
should be well aware of concepts underlying Administrative Reforms and
Organisation and Methods. The candidate should reforms and also of the various
committees that have been set up in India in this regard. Though majorly the
focus should be on post-Independence measures, an awareness of
pre-Independence in some cases may be helpful. The concept of O & M and
its status in the country should be understood. On the O & M section a
technical question may also be asked.
Units on Comparative Administration should be
clubbed with Development Administration. Riggs should be studied
comprehensively for both of the units. Development Administration apart from
the philosophical basis should be seen in Indian context only.
Candidate should develop an appreciation of
significance of CPA (Comparative Public Administration) as well as of
Development Administration. In development administration students should
specifically understand the concept of 'Change' and the problems in case of
India related to change management.
Public Policy in terms of Mains is a rewarding unit.
It should be seen in terms of various public models and in terms of its
various constituents. Indian context is must while answering this unit.
Personnel Administration has lot of conceptual
background in respect of Personnel Management. A book on the same will be
helpful. It is important that this unit is clubbed with Paper II Unit
'Civil Services in India'.