(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2003: Public Administration
(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2003: Public Administration
Paper- I
Section A
1. Answer any THREE of the following in not more than 200 words each:
(a) “The advent of the concept of “roll back of the state” since the nineteen
eighties has been altering the role of Public Administration but certainly not
diminishing its central place in human society.” Discuss.
(b) “Weberian model of bureaucracy lacks empirical validity when applied to
modern democratic administration.” Examine.
(c) “The ‘New Public Management’ (NPM) is an incarnation of a new model of
public sector management in response of the challenges of liberalization,
international competitiveness and technological changes.” Explain.
(d) “ ‘Citizens’ charter’ is the most important innovation in the context of
promotion of customer-orientation of administration.” Discuss.
2. Give an account of major landmarks in the growth of the discipline of Public Administration in the 20th century. What are the possible trends in its growth in the first decade of 21st century ?
3. Account for the increasing corruption in Administration. Suggest remedies to curb administrative corruption.
4. What is morale ? State its significance and suggest methods to foster and sustain morale in an organization.
Section B
5. Answer any THREE of the following in not more than 200 words each:
(a) “Organisations today seem to invest in information and information
systems, but their investments often do not seem to make sense.” Comment.
(b) “Development Administration has two important aspects viz. ‘the
administration of development’ and ‘the development of administration’.”
Explain.
(c) “Training is practical education in any profession, not only to improve
skills but also to develop attitudes and scheme of values necessary for
effective performance.” Elaborate.
(d) “Legislative controls over finances are inadequate and incomplete.” Comment.
6. Examine the needs and facts of administrative reforms in the fast changing scenario of the 21st century. What are the obstacles to administrative reforms? Give suggestions to overcome them.
7. Comment on the role of public administration in policy making and its implementation. What are the other factors influencing the policy process ?
8. What are the various institutional devices available for the redressal of citizen’s grievances against the excesses and malfunctioning of administration ? How successful have they been?
Paper - II
Section A
1. Comment on any three of the following in not more than 200 words each:
(a) “The Arthashastra is India’s oldest complete text on public
administration.”
(b) “Though India emerged as a sovereign state after Independence, the
administrative system remained the same as was during the British period.”
(c) “Despite all the powers that he has, the Indian Prime Minister cannot become
a dictator.”
(d) “District Collector has increasingly become multi-dimensional.”
2. “Looking back to our past experience, the fear that the emergency provisions can be misused have at times proved right and wrong at other times.” Discuss with examples.
3.
(a) “Article 163 makes the Governor the sole judge in matters in which he is
required to act in his discretion.” Explain.
(b) “It is at the district level that the common man comes into direct contact
with the administration.” Elucidate.
4. “The steady expansion and the gradual decline of the public sector has been one of the most conspicuous development in post-Independence India.” Discuss this statement and suggest measures to arrest the decline of the public sector in India.
Section B
5. Comment on any three of the following in not more than 200 words each:
(a) “The size of the leviathan goes on expanding, despite the country’s
recent commitment to downsizing or rightsizing.”
(b) “Questions represent a powerful technique of parliamentary control over
expenditure.”
(c) “A distinctive feature of the Indian administration, since Independence, has
been the noticeable efforts undertaken to make the administrative system
effectively reach and respond to citizens’ grievances.”
(d) “Indian planning is highly centralized.”
6. “In-service training of officers belonging to higher civil services has been perhaps the most conspicuous development in Indian administration.” Discuss with reference to training designed for the Indian Administrative Service officers.
7.
(a) “Criminalization of politics in India has been extended to politicization
of criminals.” Comment.
(b) “NGOs are fast replacing the government in the implementation of a large
number of programmes.” Elucidate.
8. “Information technology, if properly used, can bring about sweeping changes in the nature of governance in India.” Discuss the current status and future possibilities about the use of information technology in the governance of India.
