Public Administration Optional · Question papers

UPSC Public Administration Optional Question Papers 2016–2026

All 22 Public Administration Optional papers from CSE Mains 2016 to 2026, Paper I and Paper II as set, with the marks for every sub-part, checked against UPSC’s official papers. For every question since 1987 sorted by syllabus unit, open the topic-wise PYQ bank.

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2016–2026

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Exam pattern

  • Two papers of 250 marks each, three hours per paper: Paper I (Administrative Theory) and Paper II (Indian Administration).
  • Eight questions per paper in two sections of four. Questions 1 and 5 are compulsory; three more are answered with at least one from each section, five in all.
  • Questions 1 and 5 have five parts of 10 marks each, to be answered in about 150 words. Every other question carries 50 marks split into two or three parts.

CSE Mains 2026

2026 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026. The 2026 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“There is an urgent need to incorporate the contribution of other disciplines into debates and analyses about governance, not the prevalence of disciplinary silos.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)The ideas of Frederick Taylor remain highly relevant in today’s business world, in both the public and private sectors, including the ‘gig economy’. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)A transparent organisation keeps the staff in the loop. Describe. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Have governments under governance become more transparent and accountable? Elucidate. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Dicey’s three principles of the ‘Rule of Law’ have been further developed to meet the immense needs of a democratic society.” Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)Different paradigms of public administration deal with the questions of ‘How’ and ‘Why’, but do not negate the centrality of the discipline. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Douglas McGregor’s ‘Professional Manager’ is a rational, emotive individual whose primary role is to work through the differences and build a managerial team. Explain how his idea of the ‘Professional Manager’ is distinct from Theory ‘Y’. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Individuals’ perception of fairness and equity at the workplace motivates them to give their best. How can fairness and equity be reinforced to improve productivity in an entity? Discuss. (15 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)Bureaucratic features have remained constant in organisations despite the development of different forms under NPM and Public Governance approaches. Give reasons for the persistence of these bureaucratic features. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)There is no single best way to manage an organisation. Instead, it is about the optimal structure and strategic fit between the organisation’s internal sub-systems and its dynamic external environment. Elucidate. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)The fine demarcation between judicial control and judicial overreach disappears when judicial prudence is replaced by activism. Critically examine. (15 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)Abraham Maslow propounded the theory of needs, which identified the basic needs that human beings have in order of their importance. McClelland believes that we all have three motivators, and individuals with different motivators exhibit distinct characteristics. Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Examine the tension between the functional efficiency of delegated legislation and the risks it poses to accountability and the rule of law. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)Hierarchical structures do not align with the modern business world. Discuss the different forms of structuring modern organisations. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)The objective of policy sciences is to develop policy knowledge for better policy-making. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Administrative ethics is an abstract concept, and in practice, is an unresolved dilemma between ‘what is’ and ‘what ought to be’. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Is state-led development an artificial distortion of market forces? Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“No tax shall be levied or collected except by authority of law.” Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Work study and Work measurement are techniques for improving administrative efficiency. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)“Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) successfully resolved the structural crisis of the welfare state with emphasis on market efficiency, undermining the social equity goals essential to public service.” Explain. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Critically analyse the differences between Ferrel Heady’s focus on administrative structures and Fred Riggs’s ecological ‘Prismatic’ model. Which one of these frameworks provides a more effective tool for the study of developing nations? Examine. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)New communication technology has not only enabled more robust public engagement with the government, but also serves as a new means of internal organizational teamwork. Discuss. (15 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)The advent of Comparative Public Administration not only widened the knowledge of Public Administration, but also contributed to developing its understanding in a cross-cultural and cross-national framework. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Rationality in policy-making is a challenge, and its absence is a predicament for the policy process. Examine. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Deficit budgeting as a tool for stimulating economic development emerged with government investment and initiative. Is deficit budgeting still relevant in the era of liberal ideology? Justify your answer. (15 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)Financial integrity, compliance with laws and performance standards, and efficient, economical and effective service delivery performance are mandatory for every government. Discuss the existing practices in ensuring public financial accountability and also give suggestions to improve it. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Modernization of public services has become an unavoidable priority of governments worldwide.” Discuss the key global trends driving the modernization of public services in the light of the above statement. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)PERT provides a sophisticated framework for managing temporal uncertainties in large-scale projects. Evaluate the strategic utility and inherent limitations of this technique in complex environments. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)Learnings from Arthasastra could make governance effective even today. Explore the potential. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)The reforms in public sector enterprises is not only enduring but also evolving. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)The present model of strategic planning has roots in indicative planning. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Linkages between the district administration and local self governments have not evolved to the desired extent. Evaluate. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Constitutionalism in India paves the way for rule of law and social justice. Elaborate. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)An important characteristic of the British Civil Service was its open refusal to be influenced by commercial and industrial interests of India in the name of neutrality. Explain. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)The political culture in India shapes bureaucratic behaviour, professional integrity and civil service conduct. Explain with suitable examples. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)Under the Indian Constitution fundamental rights are usually enforced only vertically, whereas Vishaka case represents the horizontal application. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)Planning Commission planned for economic development and social justice, but NITI Aayog has been structured to realise growth potential across the sectors. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)Government of India has done Corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Boards. Discuss the rationale in the light of Disinvestment Policy of the government. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)Competitive federalism in India while intended to have healthy competition among states has shown tendencies towards parochialism. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)Doctrine of Pith and Substance, and the Doctrine of severability in the legislative relations between the Indian Union and states are supplementary in nature but distinct in application. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)District administration in India is characterised by the dichotomy between law and order maintenance and development management, even though both functions are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Explain. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)Trace the reasons for growing incidences of disagreements between the Governors and state governments. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)Lateral Entry in Government of India has not moved in the intended direction. Explain the reasons. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Though seldom enacted, Cut Motions remain vital instruments of parliamentary accountability. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Administrative reforms in India have been a double-edged sword. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Ease of living index lays the foundation for data driven approach to urban planning. Analyse critically. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Ethical and privacy issues limit the emerging use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by police to combat cyber crimes. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)Civil services is grappling with severe capacity issues and which is a major bottleneck in implementing ambitious programmes across sectors. Mission Karmayogi can only supplement but not solve the entire capacity constraint. Give your opinion. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Public debt of states in India has increased significantly in the last one decade. In this context discuss the constraints of the states in planning prudent fiscal management. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)Community based Disaster Risk Management is a response to the gaps within the existing Disaster Risk Management strategy. Evaluate. (10 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)Supreme Court of India in Prakash Singh case laid the foundation for effective police reforms in India, but the states have frittered the opportunity. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Disconnect between the rural development institutions and state level agencies have led to each operating in silos at both levels resulting in inefficiencies. Find the reasons. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)‘Zero tolerance against Corruption’, commitment of Government of India has multi-pronged approach. Critically analyse. (10 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)Discuss the major management challenges faced by Indian Mega Cities and explore sustainable, inclusive urban development strategies for balanced future growth. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Lack of political will to support several administrative reforms has led to their inadequate implementation. Critically validate. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Women in panchayats challenge the established patriarchal norms and contest structural inequalities in society. Explain. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2025

2025 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2025. The 2025 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)Imperfect market and political factors limit the application of Public Choice approach. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)The fine art of decision-making is not making decisions that others can make. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Has the media nixed its role in holding the governments accountable and ensuring transparency? Argue. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Is Herbert Simon justified in criticizing some principles of administration as proverbs? Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Administrative Law has evolved from the need to create a system of Public Administration under law. Elucidate. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)New Public Management has actually been a transitory state in evolution from traditional Public Administration to what is here called New Public Governance. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Mary Parker Follett pioneered the evolution of socio-psychological approach to the study of organizations. Explain. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Under the New Public Management framework ‘Public Private Partnership’ challenges the entropy of closed and open models of organization. Analyse. (15 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)In conflict situations in organizations, leadership migrates to the aggresive and relegates the emotionally matured to the background. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)The foundations of Public Administration, New Public Management and Public Governance rest on ‘rule of law’. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)The principles of checks and balances count among the most fundamental constitutional values. Comment. (15 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)“Delegated legislation should be clear and should confine to the limits determined by the legislature.” In light of the statement explain how misuse of administrative discretion can be checked? (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Leadership is not only about taking credit for success but also owning up and being accountable for failures. Elucidate. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)Bureaucracy constitutes the imaginary state and is the spiritualism of the State. Explain. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)E-advocacy model of e-governance can facilitate democratization of public policy making. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Neo-liberal policies have enhanced the scope and opportunities of taxation for the government. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Policy analysis process is limited if possible outcomes and alternate potential policies are neglected. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Values and ethics in civil services are shaped by global practices and trends. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Economic development alone is not a sufficient component for women development and empowerment. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)F. W. Riggs’s ‘industria’-interdependent economy is a precursor for some features of post-modern Public Administration. Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)The role and responsibility of the State in the development process has been overemphasized and given undue importance. Critically examine. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)Affirmative action for equal opportunity is a corner-stone in recruitment to public services. Discuss it in global context. (15 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)The objective of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization and of New Public Management was to limit government functions and reduce public expenditure. However both functions and expenditure has increased. Account for the paradox. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)The basis of comparative study of Public Administration has evolved from institutional approach to the contemporary political economic process approach. Have all these approaches enabled the development of a theory of Comparative Public Administration? Justify your answer. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Can competency mapping linked to career development incentivise civil servants commitment to effective service delivery? Elaborate. (15 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)The effectiveness of civil society in development process is only when state institutions are receptive to inputs from the civil society organizations. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Evaluate the role and scope of tacit knowledge and personal experience as an important source of knowledge in policy making process. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)The efficacy of management aid tools depends on the purpose and appropriateness of tools and techniques. Explain with examples. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)Arthashastra of Kautilya means the science of economics of livelihood of the people. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Trace the reasons for limited effectiveness of the NITI Aayog. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Highlight the constitutional provisions and judicial interventions to promote gender equality in India. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)In contemporary times, the District Collector should prioritize teamwork over hierarchical structures. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Examine the significance of field organizations in enhancing policy implementation of projects like MGNREGA and Swachh Bharat Mission. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)“The colonial legacy is responsible for many administrative problems in independent India as the role of company agents and traders evolved into Magistrates, Governors and Civil Servants.” Analyze. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Despite the division of subjects, the Union Government contributes towards subjects in the State and Concurrent Lists. Discuss its pros and cons in the light of fiscal federalism. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)Divergent political interests and financial constraints hinder the spirit of ‘cooperative federalism’. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)While the Constitution offers a strong framework for decentralized and accountable governance, the real test lies in how institutions, civil society and citizens uphold constitutional values in practice. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)Liberalization of Indian economy has forced public enterprises to enhance their efficiency, but the effects of these reforms have been a topic of debate. Analyze. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)Centre-State administrative relations are a matter of debate as constitutional provisions created a strong Centre. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)Experience of various States suggests that reorganization of districts was prompted more by politico-populist convenience rather than ease of administration. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Lack of clear demarcation of roles between the State Secretariat and the Directorate has serious implications for policy making and policy implementation. Do you agree? (20 marks)
  • 4(c)Decentralized planning in India signifies a shift towards context-sensitive development, but inadequate resources and local politics complicate the realization of social justice goals. Comment. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)Low cyber awareness among officials is causing cyber security issues in the administration. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)The ‘guillotine’ hastens the budgetary process to meet the timeline. Evaluate the procedure. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)New localism plays a crucial role in empowering the local actors. Expand. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Gram Sabha aims to enlist community participation. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Identify the implementation challenges and issues of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) does not effectively address local level issues. Give your opinion. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Do you think ‘Aadhaar’ initiative has promoted inclusive governance and administrative credibility? Throw light. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)Smart Policing and Community Policing programmes have been initiated to address socio-technological challenges in law and order. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)Many elected women representatives in local governments in India, especially from marginalized backgrounds, often struggle to govern effectively. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Budget is the pivot around which the whole financial administration revolves. Discuss the socio-economic and political implications of budget. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Assess the role of Government Process Reengineering (GPR) in promoting good governance. (10 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)Metropolitan cities are providing major portions of national wealth, but their governance is fraught with intricate institutional relationships. Explain. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Training and capacity building represent different scope and objectives. Explain the key differences. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as an innovative tool in disaster management. Illustrate with examples. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2024

2024 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2024. The 2024 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“Politics-administration dichotomy debate is still alive.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“Formal organisations are made up of informal groups.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Grapevine is a necessary evil.” Examine. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Healthy Headquarters and Field Agencies relationship thrives on effective communication. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Media has become more of a societal lens than an institutional lens. Analyse. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y provide insights into human motivation at the workplace differently. Examine in detail. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Good governance adds normative and evaluative attributes to the process of governing. Comment. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Regulatory authorities are independent and effective for controlling service delivery activities but are subjected to extraneous factors. Do you agree? Give reasons. (15 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)Strengthening social audit through appropriate ways will promote inclusive government. Comment. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)The development of administrative law in Welfare State has made administrative tribunals a necessity. Examine. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)Ineffectiveness of legislative control over administration can stem from various factors, hence in ensuring effectiveness, a comprehensive approach is the need of the hour. Discuss. (15 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)ERG theory of motivation attempts to reconceptualize the theory of Hierarchy of Needs. Comment. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Scientific Management and Human Relations theory are two distinct approaches for improving efficiency and production. Explain. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)New Public Governance, an emerging paradigm, is contrasted with market-based approach of New Public Management. Comment. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)The Anti-Development Thesis is a critical perspective on the traditional development models. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Civil Servants should be allowed only to cast vote or to participate in the electoral process of the country. Examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Critical Path Method (CPM) is a project management technique used to plan and manage project effectively. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Auditing is not about finding faults, it is about ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial information. Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)The study of Public Administration must include its ecology. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)A trend to adopt innovative practices in administrative ethics is gaining ground for improving public trust in government. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)The future of e-governance is shaped by emerging trends for making government services efficient and accessible. Analyse. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)Undoubtedly, social and historical factors play a significant role in shaping administrative system, but side by side, understanding of these influences is essential for designing responsive governance structure. Examine. (15 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)Riggs’ Prismatic Model has been criticised as overly gloomy and technical complex, but it remains as a useful starting point for Comparative Public Administration research. Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Performance Management and Performance Appraisal are two distinct activities in Public Personnel Administration. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Balancing State intervention and Market freedom is the need of developing countries. Comment. (15 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)Bureaucracy in developing countries faces several challenges, and tackling of these will make them more responsive, adaptive, and align with development needs. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Modern economists think public debt is an essential means of increasing employment and an element of economic policy, but it also shifts the burden to future generations. Analyse. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)Unless there is a sound mechanism for policy evaluation, policy formulation process remains redundant. Examine. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“Ethics in Public services has been the main concern of Kautilya’s Arthashastra.” Examine the statement. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“The Mughal Administration was by nature centralised.” Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Autonomy to Public Undertakings is a myth.” Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“It should be people’s Prime Minister Office (PMO), it can’t be Prime Minister’s PMO.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a Paradigm shift in the centre-state relations, both financially and politically.” Analyse. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)The National Data and Analysis Platform (NDAP) of NITI Aayog facilitates a robust ecosystem to promote democratization and inclusivity in development. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Examine the impact on administration in view of changing relations between political and permanent executive. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)Decentralized planning enhances economic development and social justice. Analyse. (10 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)“The role of State Finance Commission in distribution of finances between state and local governments is vital.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Centre-state relations are undergoing a drastic change.” Elaborate. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)“There has been a strain in relations between Governor and State governments in the recent past.” Examine. (10 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)Public sector undertakings have been the bedrock of welfarism in India for many decades. Evaluate the pros and cons of current disinvestment scenario. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“The collegium system of appointments to higher judiciary has been the cornerstone of independence of judiciary. It has remained as the subject of debates in the recent past.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)The concept of bureaucratic authoritarianism is one of the models of non-democratic rules. Explain. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)The constitutional stature provided to the Public Service Commissions accord them the autonomy to work towards fair recruitments. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“The neutrality of civil service has become a myth.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Examine the role of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in protecting the interests of the consumers. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“Parliamentary control over public expenditure is declining.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)The Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization (LPG) has enhanced the participation of private sector in Indian Economy. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)“The success of administrative reforms in a country like India depends upon the political will.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)The journey of transformation of local governance has been long. Examine the challenges to realise the spirit of gram swaraj. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)What aims and objectives was the Capacity Building Commission established for? Evaluate how far it has come in realising the goals. (10 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)The separation of police, investigation, and prosecution has its own benefits and challenges. Analyse in context of recent developments. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Lack of financial resources and independence in managing local funding is hindering the economic and social development of urban areas. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)National Investigation Agency (NIA) is playing an important role in countering terrorism. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)“Police-public relations are poor in India. What measures are required to strengthen these relations?” (20 marks)
  • 8(b)The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and its functioning is away from the public eye. Still it is one of the most important office under the constitution. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Critically examine the problems of administration in coalition regimes. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2023

2023 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2023. The 2023 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)Public administration horizons have been expanding to cater to the complex needs of the citizens in the globalised era. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Efficiency, in the specialized sense, is an organization’s capacity to offer effective inducements in sufficient quantity to maintain the equilibrium of the system. Analyze. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“The process of decisions ……… is largely a technique of narrowing choices.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“The judiciary is playing a more positive role in policy formulation, not just in limiting government actions, but also in mandating them.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Citizen Charter’s focus is on empowering citizens concerning public service delivery.” Analyze. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)Follett firmly advocated for cultivating interdependence and collaboration among individuals as the key to resolving conflicts and establishing more harmonious and all encompassing social structures. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Minnowbrook III emphasized the importance of empirical research in generating valuable insights for public administration and recognized the need to tailor education in the field to different regional contexts. Examine. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)“Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been justified in various ways over time that seek to privatise public services for the profit of private entities.” Do you agree? (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“Organization theory is not a single theory with a loosely knit of many approaches to organizational analysis, and it provides different answers to different situations.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Intrinsic motivation in comparison to extrinsic motivation leads to enhanced performance and creativity.” Examine. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)“The backlash against Right to information (RTI) by the State hampered the citizen’s right to know.” Examine and point out the need to amend the RTI Act to provide protection to RTI activists. (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“Reddin model of leadership added third dimension to the existing two basic dimensions of leadership identified by Ohio Studies and Blake and Mouton.” Elucidate. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“Two-factor theory entails certain factors in workplace resulting in job satisfaction, while others, if absent, lead to dissatisfaction.” Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)“Subordinate legislation has its drawbacks; this does not negate the fact that it is also quite beneficial.” Examine. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)” The Constitution of French Republic does not prohibit ministers from being the leader of political party; it is customary that minister should not occupy such a post to ensure impartiality.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)The ultimate goal of using Management Information System (MIS) is to increase values and Productivity in organizations. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)”Cost-benefit analysis is of great help to the policy makers in framing policies and providing advice on developing public policy.” Examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“Monetary Policy and fiscal policy are different; but both are used to regulate economy.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“Instead of conflicting, the employer-employee relationship should be one of mutual reliance.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)” The studies in Comparative Public Administration (CPA) got momentum in 1980’s and 1990’s with a new objective and orientation than its previous counterparts.” Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“In explaining the ‘development’, Weidner made a distinction between change in the output and change in the system itself; and warned that what is growth from one point of view may decline from another.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)“Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is based on programme efficiency rather than budget history.” In the light of this, examine the advantages of ZBB over traditional budget. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)“Public policy-making is an effort to apply the methods of political analysis to policy areas but has concerns with processes inside the bureaucracy and stakeholders.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“In career advancement, civil servants are necessitated to political superiors and hence the phenomenon poses the challenges to civil service neutrality.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)“Information Communication Technology (ICT) can harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to execute the policies more intelligently creating an efficient and effective Government.” Examine and identify the challenges. (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“The management of sound public finances used to be the backbone of administrative systems; but unfortunately, it has become the prisoner of populist policies.” Critically evaluate. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Women empowerment is essential for sustainable development; hence it should not be reflected only in programmes but promoting concrete actions to ensure the participation across institutions and communities.” Critically examine. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)“Training is not a short affair, rather it is a step-by-step process of developing skills, habits, knowledge and aptitude.” Elucidate. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“Kautilya’s Arthashastra is a theoretical work on the state and Statecraft.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Critics, sometimes, argue that bureaucracy is an impediment to a nation’s development. Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)The Ninety-First Constitutional Amendment Act successfully right-sized the Council of Ministers both at Union and State levels. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Is it true that the Finance Commission has been lending Financial strength to the local bodies in India? Argue in favour of your response. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Parliamentary democracy in India envisages elected head as the real executive of a State.” Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)“Indian Prime Minister is more empowered than his British counterpart in the Westminster model of democracy.” Elucidate. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Post-amendment period Panchayats have become a platform of competitive politics, but could not emerge as an agency of planning and service delivery. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)Former Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra observed: “An efficient judiciary is the hallmark of a great nation.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)India has significantly advanced in its development goals, increased efficiency in the public sector and unlocked innovation in private sector by adopting the approach of building Digital Public Infrastructure. Elucidate. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Attempts to prepare unified and holistic plans for the country are complex and full of challenges.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)“Excessive political interference in development process has become a cause of concern in achieving national goals. Examine. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“There shall be Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except…….” This constitutional provision is being intensively debated nowadays. Elucidate. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“There is a need to redefine and realign the functions of the Deputy Commissioner/ District Collector. Elaborate. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)Examine Project Bharatmala-Road to Prosperity— launched in 2017. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)The district training component of Induction Training of IAS officers requires to be revisited. Examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“Mission Antyodaya strives to realize the vision of poverty-free India.” Examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)The dynamics of coalitions vary with the nature of leadership, political parties and contemporary political conditions. Analyze. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Computerization of treasuries has revolutionized the accounting and budget planning process, Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Do you agree that code of ethics and code of conduct for ministers would help in upholding higher standards of their constitutional and ethical conduct? Explain. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“Civil Service Reforms along with a transparent transfer policy will go a long way in insulating civil servants from undesired political pulls and pressures.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“The withdrawal of AFSPA from Tripura has sent a positive signal across the state and North-Eastern Region.” Do you think that now it is an appropriate time to take a more rational policy decision in this matter. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is by far the most significant cleanliness campaign by the Government of India. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)Accountability of the Executive to the Parliament in the domain of financial administration is secured through CAG reports. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)The government response to the Supreme Court’s judgement on Police Reforms has been lackadaisical. The reasons are multiple and multidimensional. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Disasters can push the world’s poorest deeper into poverty. Do you think that a a comprehensive strategy to deal with such vulnerabilities is required? (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)In the context of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission recommendations, evaluate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as a preferred mode of implementing infrastructural projects. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)In 2011, India ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Evaluate the existing legal framework for fulfilling this commitment. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission is a cluster-based approach of converging rural development efforts of different departments of the government. Comment. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2022

2022 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2022. The 2022 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)Public Management takes ‘what’ and ‘why’ from Public Administration and ‘how’ from Business Management. Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Every human organisation shall start from System-I and ultimately end up with System-IV. Comment on Likert’s statement. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)All tribunals are courts, but all courts are not tribunals. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Classical Organisation Theory formed the bedrock for the modern organisation theories. Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Interaction between the State and Civil society has hitherto been largely neglected, especially in developing countries. Examine. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)‘The administrative state is the creation of a power to bind us, with rules … that are not made by legislature.’ Discuss the constitutionality of the administrative state and its future. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Transformational leadership requires high degree of coordination, communication and cooperation. Explain. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Human relationists postulate that ‘what is important to a worker and what influences his/her productivity level may not be the organisational chart but his or her associations with other workers’. Is it more relevant today? (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Barnard posits the zone of indifference as the human condition that animates authority relationships and cooperation in modern organisations. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)New public service celebrates what is distinctive, important and meaningful about public service. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)Strategic communication ought to be an agile management process. Discuss the conceptualization of strategic communication for the government actions. (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)‘Leadership is seen as dealing with change, whereas administration is viewed as coping with complexity.’ In this context, discuss the contextuality of leadership and administration for the success of organisations. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Regulatory governance frameworks have become essential building blocks of world society. Discuss their potential and impact in fulfilling the hopes and demands. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)Social auditing is not just saving the money, it creates positive impact on governance. Comment. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)Development Administration ’embraces the array of new functions assumed by the developing countries’. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Policy evaluation contributes fundamentally to sound public governance. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Weber’s construct of bureaucracy has served a great heuristic purpose in furthering research in the field of Comparative Public Administration. Do you agree with the statement ? Give reasons. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Standards are the foundation which do not replace regulations but complement them. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)‘Outcome budgeting addresses the weaknesses of performance budgeting.’ Elaborate. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)‘The more exogenetic the process of diffraction, the more formalistic and heterogenous its prismatic phase; the more endogenetic the less formalistic and heterogenous.’ Examine this hypothesis of Riggs. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)The environment and situational conditions under which the government operates have an important bearing on its human resource development practices. Examine. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)‘Lindblom regarded rational decision-making as an unattainable goal.’ In the light of the statement, suggest measures to avoid policy failures. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)The results of Washington Consensus were far from optimal for transitional economies. In this background, discuss the change of direction towards post-Washington Consensus. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)A sound budgeting system is one which engenders trust among citizens that the government is listening to their concerns. Elaborate this in the context of budgetary governance. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Performance problems are rarely caused simply by lack of training and rarely can performance be improved by training alone. Critically analyse the statement. (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)The audit function has always been viewed as an integral part of government financial management. Discuss the significance of internal audit in improving the performance of the government sector. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Most civil service regimes still equate ‘Public Sector Ethics’ with anti-corruption efforts. Discuss the insufficiency of Ethics-code in this background. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)Failure of Public policies has often been attributed to problems of implementation, while implementors question the policy design. Discuss the contestation. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“Mughal administrative system was centralised despotism”. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“The office of the District Collector admirably survived the changing times from colonialism to the present times”. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“The smooth transaction of business in Ministries and Departments depends on the role played by Cabinet Secretariat”. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“The Government of India Act, 1935 is the most important source of Indian constitution”. Identify its features. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“The Chief Secretary is the chief communication link between the state and central government”. Explain. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)“The Indian federal structure is largely symmetric albeit with some asymmetric features”. Examine the status of States and Union Territories through the principle of weighted and differentiated equality in India. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan is a progressive policy. Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)“Indicative Planning, is a middle path of planning and market mechanism to ensure coordination between public and private activities.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“The New Economic Reforms during the past three decades have not only reduced the scope of industrial licensing and areas reserved exclusively for Public Sector but also infringed the autonomy of existing public sector undertakings”. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Ayog has become super cabinet in formulating the development agenda of our country”. Examine the statement by giving suitable examples. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)Despite the constitutional status, the District planning committees remained a non-entity in preparation and implementation of plans. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“The Indian judicial system has failed to deliver justice expeditiously”. Examine the challenges faced by the judiciary and suggest measures to overcome them. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Analyse the specific areas of controversies with regard to Union-State financial relations, particularly in the context of one nation – one tax policy. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)Examine the role of central government in adjudication of disputes relating to water of interstate rivers. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)Examine the lateral entry recruitment in government in the context of Part XIV of the Indian Constitution. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Examine the role of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in protecting the interests of the investors in securities. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Citizens charters in India have not succeeded in their objectives in making administrative system citizen centric. Do you agree? Give reasons. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Following the onset of globalisation, the traditional bureaucratic model appears to have lost its significance. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“The financial suitability of the Urban local bodies can become a reality only when they receive their due share of public finances.” Explain (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)The recommendations of National Finance Commissions are more norms based than the need based. In the light of this statement analyse the terms of references of 15th National Finance Commission. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“The objective of Mission Karmyogi is to enhance capacity building of Indian Civil Servants and improve governance.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)Parliamentary control over administration is no substitute for judicial control. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)In India, for the upliftment of majority of people, governmental intervention remains a central fact of life. Nevertheless, the effective implementation of policies depends on the ethical values of Public Servants. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is today a primary cause of widespread and paralysing unwillingness on the part of government institutions to decide and act. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Do you think that the new localism relegate the spirit of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992?. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)The main objective of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 is to enable tribal society to assume control over their livelihoods and traditional rights. Critically examine the implementation of the Act. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)The effectiveness of law and order administration depends on cooperative attitudes of people towards police, than bringing reforms in the structure and procedures of law and order machinery. Do you agree? Give reasons. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Examine the role of Lokpal in ensuring transparency and accountability in Indian administration. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2021

2021 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2021. The 2021 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)Governance is about managing self-organizing networks.” Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Two-dimensional taxonomy was used by Herbert Simon to describe the degree to which decisions are programmed or non-programmed.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Examine the approach of public service motivation as an inducement to bring the desired level of efficiency in public service delivery. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)In theory, the ‘civil society organizations’ promote cooperation between people and public service organizations, but in practice, their activities restrict the promotion of government programmes. Analyze. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Fayol and Taylor had different management perspectives, while having similar goal of organizational efficiency. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)Behavioural approach has been questioned on the basis of its utility in the analysis of administrative problems. Discuss the weaknesses of the approach and the shifts made therein. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Public administration has been viewed as a socially embedded process of collective relationship, dialogue and action. Examine the statement in light of the consensus achieved in the Third Minnowbrook Conference. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Public-private partnership phenomenon has been transformed into a type of governance scheme or mechanism. Discuss its capacity to overcome future challenges. (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Integration of different streams of administrative thought to propound a universal administrative theory is hindered by the impact of culture. Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)Judicial review, prevention of misuse or abuse of administrative power and provision of suitable remedies are the basic principles of administrative law. Justify as how various organs of the State are able to uphold these principles. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)Regulation is an old but increasingly necessary mode of social coordination and political intervention into societal processes. Examine it in the context of globalization. (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)The new public service model approaches governance on the premises of an active and involved citizenship, wherein the role of public officials is to facilitate opportunities for citizens’ engagement in governance. Explain. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Neo-Weberian State involves changing the model of operation of administrative structures into a model focussed on meeting citizens’ needs. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)Nothing in public administration is more important, interesting or mysterious than leadership. Analyze the statement in the context of strategic leadership. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)The approach to the study of administration in its environmental context is especially more useful for developing countries. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Gender equality and women’s rights have laid down a strong foundation of development. Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Performance appraisal needs to be seen beyond the mere suitability of the official for vertical promotion. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)It is widely agreed that the government ought to provide ‘the goods that market fails to provide or does not provide efficiently. Argue. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)MIS has evolved and gone far beyond its traditional advantages due to technological advancements. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)Emphasis on cost control and reducing public expenditure has diverted the focus of government budgets from the basic objectives of reallocation of resources, bringing economic stability and promoting social equity. Examine. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)In modern context, Riggsian terms have not altogether disappeared, but have emerged in different forms with newer meanings. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)A striking feature of economic development is an apparent symbiotic evolution of strong States and strong market economies. Analyze. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)Policy problems are increasingly tending towards being wicked. Discuss the capacity and preparedness of the State to tackle such problems. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Zero-based budgeting was intended to get away from incrementalism, but ended up being the most incremental of any budgetary approach. Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)ICT has immense potential to transform governance and empower citizens. Examine. (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)The successful attainment of SDGs objectives largely depends upon the wisdom, experience and farsightedness of the actors involved and their willingness to cooperate in the implementation process. Analyze. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Groups work to elevate issues on the policy agenda or seek to deny other groups the opportunity to place issues. In this background, discuss the role of interest groups in agenda setting in the developing countries. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)Civil servants generally tend to exhibit the values and ethical framework of the political executives under whom they function. Explain. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)The Preamble to the Constitution of India provides a foundational framework of ideals and values for the Indian administration. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Examine the extent to which the ideal of Constitutionalism as ‘government by limited powers has been a functional reality in India. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Red-tapism is a major obstacle to the implementation of ‘good governance. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)The role and status of the Speaker in parliamentary system have their foundation in the Speaker’s stance on neutrality. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)The Union government develops and practices strategies to administer increasing number of existing local government services by sidelining local initiatives and discretion. Examine. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)Kautilya envisages protection, welfare and prosperity of the State and its people as the utmost concern of a ruler. In this context, discuss the significance of Kautilya’s emphasis on governing, accountability and justice in contemporary India. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)District Collector is the most important functionary in district administration in India. In light of the above statement, discuss the multidimensional responsibilities of District Collector in effecting coordinated developmental administration in India. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)The role of the Governor is of a sagacious counsellor, mediator and arbitrator rather than that of an active politician. In this context, examine the role of the Governor in state politics in India. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Recruitment is the cornerstone of the whole public personnel structure and it revolves around the problem of attracting the best. Discuss the essential elements of a good recruitment system. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)Traditionally structured administrative systems have outlived their utility. Discuss as how administrative reforms can revamp, restructure and redesign the existing governmental structure to meet the new challenges faced by the Indian administrative set-up. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)The government policy of large-scale privatization of the key sectors of economy may affect India’s economic health. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)As a constitutionally mandated body the Finance Commission stands at the centre of fiscal federalism. Evaluate the role of Finance Commission in ensuring just and equitable resource sharing among the states and the union. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Recent market approaches to public services present serious challenges to traditional and state-sponsored public service values. Evaluate the statement in the context of Indian administration. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)The increasing criminalization of politics is a major threat to the basic fabric of Indian democracy. Comment. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)No rural development strategy can succeed unless it is complemented by appropriate Panchayati Raj Institutions. Examine the statement. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)NITI Aayog has been constituted to implement the goal of co-operative federalism. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Responsibility and accountability are two major goals of Good Governance. Discuss the statement in the context of Indian administration. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)The Prime Minister’s Office has become a powerful institution in itself by virtue of its role in decision-making on strategic issues of utmost importance. Examine the statement. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Well planned and goal oriented training programmes are the backbone of the civil service system in India. Examine the statement. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)Budget proposals in the Parliament/ State Legislatures fail to ensure their effective scrutiny. Identify the factors which constrain effective scrutiny of the budget proposals. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts aimed at making the third tier of government more powerful and effective for democratic decentralization. Critically examine the extent to which this goal has been transformed into reality. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)National Human Rights Commission is handicapped by its jurisdictional limitations of not being able to investigate the cases of violation of human rights by the armed forces. Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)Contemporary urbanism advocates the integration of diverse modes of urban planning and management concerns. Discuss the above statement in light of urban development in India. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Rural development programmes are designed to facilitate multifaceted growth of rural poor. Evaluate the role of some key rural development programmes in India in this context. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Police-public relations in India need to be improved. Suggest measures to strengthen relations between police and public. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)In past two decades India’s public policy on Disaster Management has shifted its focus from rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts to holistic management of disaster. Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)The institutional legacy of ‘well-entrenched state’ affected the post-reforms promises in India. Explain the statement in the light of economic reforms in India. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Do you agree with the view that the civil service in India is losing its neutral and anonymous character? Argue your case. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2020

2020 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2020. The 2020 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)“The strength of Public Administration is in its exploration of the complexities and nuances of public policy making and implementation.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Principles of analysis and principles of action were not differentiated in Taylor’s scientific management. Comment (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Arbitrariness in the application of rule of law is a primary cause of poor governance.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Departments, Boards and Commissions as forms of organization are dissimilar in the context of accountability and responsibility.” Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Administrative man bridges the psychological man and the rational man. Explain. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)The movement towards governance as an organizing concept for public administration and management is because the focus of administration has been shifting from the bureaucratic state to the ‘hollow state’ and ‘third-party government’. Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“Organizations of the future will be organic-adaptive structures but temporary systems.” Discuss how Warren Bennis characterises the new form of organization. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)“Productivity is not the result of working conditions but the result of emotional response of workers to work performed.” Are Elton Mayo’s findings relevant in contemporary organizations? (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“‘Performance information use’ is a form of organizational behaviour that is influenced by individual, job, organizational and environmental factors.” Critically analyze. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)New Public Service emphasizes democracy and citizenship as the basis for public administration theory and practice. Elucidate. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)“Accountability under New Public Management has undergone a radical change, although the focus has continued to remain on management.” Comment (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“Developments in the field of Administrative Law reflect an increasingly blurred boundary between the state and society, and between justice and administration.” Has administrative law become more constitutional than the Constitution itself? Argue. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“The content and process theories of motivation have the same focus but are different in approaches.” Do you agree? Give reasons. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)Thrust on the citizen centricity and right based approaches, aim to empower the citizens. In the light of the above, has the administrative accountability improved? Justify your argument (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)“Comparative Public Administration started with no paradigm of its own and developed none.” Comment (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“Markets, hierarchies and networks represent Modern governing structures in government.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Has policy analysis become a major source of legitimation of status quo in political and social order? Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“Fiscal policy should address the issues of inequity, intricacy and obscurantism.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“Prevention of misconduct requires institutionalization of ethical values at the political and administrative levels.” Justify. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“Administrative ideas must be seen in the context of environment in which they develop.” In the light of the above statement, examine the influence of New Public Management and Information and Communication Technologies on comparative study of Public Administration. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Affirmative action in socio-economic development has not altogether eliminated discrimination. Discuss it in the context of women empowerment. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)Have political realities thwarted the move towards evidence based policy making? Critically examine. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)“Globalization is impacting the context of national policy making. The national policy agenda is becoming international.” Explain. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“Collaboration and its cognates for public service delivery need to be viewed from the governance lenses.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Administrative reform is “an artificial inducement of administrative transformation against resistance.” (Gerald Caiden). Identify the nature of resistance and inducements required to overcome it. (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“Disruptive nature of developments in Information Technology has changed the contours of e-governance in the last one decade.” Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Performance Management Framework enables a clear line of sight between planning, measuring and monitoring performance.” Critically analyse. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)“Objectives of performance budgeting include improving expenditure prioritization, effectiveness and efficiency.” Has performance budgeting worked effectively in governmental system? Argue. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)Mughal administration incorporated a combination of Indian and extra-Indian elements. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)There is a constant and continuous collision between bureaucratic values and democratic values which adversely affects development. Do you agree? Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Parliamentary committees are at the deliberative core of parliamentary work which is crucial for refining legislations. Elucidate. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Considering India’s diversity, the planning pattern of ‘one-size-fits-all’ was discarded in favour of indicative planning. To what extent has it been useful to India? (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Even if all the States combine together, they cannot have their way in the decision-making in the GST Council, unless the Union agrees to it. Analyze this in the perspective of federalism in India. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)District administration is the most important unit in governance. Most of the Central and State Government schemes and programmes are directed towards the district administration. In this context, discuss the challenges and problems posed to the district administration. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)The structural part of the Constitution of India is to a large extent derived from the Government of India Act, 1935, whereas its philosophical part has many other sources. Discuss the sources of the philosophical part. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)The public services in India are an evolution of the British Raj. Trace the Indianization of the services. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Does the privatization of key public sector bodies augur well for welfarism in India? Discuss with suitable illustrations. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)The spirit of democratic values requires that the independence of judiciary remains absolute. It is high time that the All India Judicial Service (AIJS) was created. Elaborate. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)To strengthen the Election Commission of India and its commissioners is the need of the hour. Suggest measures to make it more independent and impartial. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)Examine the National Health Policy in the context of the current pandemic situation, Identify the problems and suggest improvements. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)The Speaker of the State Assembly has assumed a significant role in formations and dissolutions of governments. Examine under the circumstances of coalition governments with examples. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)At the district level, police functions under the overall supervision and control of the District Magistrate. Comment. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)Political neutrality of civil servants has been regarded as one of the cardinal principles in democratic governments. Is its sanctity being maintained in practice in India? Elucidate. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Budget is an indicator of financial health of a polity which is reflected in the statement of income and expenditure. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)Panchayati Raj Institutions are still plagued by State control and domination of bureaucracy. Argue your case. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Urban local governance is perpetually afflicted with lack of financial autonomy and starvation of funds. Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)There has been a long-standing demand for separation of police investigation from prosecution. Analyze its merits and demerits. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India stands on the pillar of autonomy. Discuss the major lacunae in the functioning of this constitutional body and also suggest measures for its strengthening. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Implementation of administrative reforms is humongous and arduous. What lacks the push to realize the changes? (20 marks)
  • 6(c)Immediate post-retirement appointments of high officers of government have become a new trend. Discuss its pros and cons. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)Ward committees in urban local governance have remained mere paper tigers. The ideal of realizing effective people’s participation in collaboration with local functionaries is still in the pipeline. Evaluate the gap in theory and practice. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Police needs to be made accountable and freed from the grip of politics. It is a big challenge not only for law and order but also for the development of the country. Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Civil servants are trained to follow rules and procedures so much that they become bureaucrazy. Do you agree? Justify. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“There are adequate legal mechanisms to address corruption and malpractices in administration, but they have failed to curb the menace to any noticeable degree.” In the light of this statement, discuss the efficacy of the institution of Lokayukta in Indian States. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Despite the constitutional provisions for representation, the voice of weaker sections is not having the desired impact in the realms of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Ideally citizen-administration interface is supposed to be based on trustworthiness and purposefulness, in reality it is observed to be plagued by suspicion, conflicts, stresses and strains. Do you agree? Elaborate. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2019

2019 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2019. The 2019 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)“Public Administration is constantly being reinvented because it is contextual.” Elaborate. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“Bureau pathology denigrates competence in organizations.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“If there is ever to be a science of Public Administration it must derive from an understanding of man’s behaviour.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“Chester Barnard in ‘The Functions of the Executive’ injected ‘the social’ in the study of organization. Explain in this context how the executive is expected to play a much greater role than a manager.” (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Delegated legislation has become a strategic tool in the hands of the executive despite its utility.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)“Governance is neither a paradigm nor a panacea for all the ills of government. It may be a more useful approach when other methods fail in providing public service.” Critically evaluate. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)With the entry of the concept of ‘good governance’ the discipline of Public Administration has shed its statist character. Explain. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Has New Public Management failed in promoting a democratic polity? Analyse in the contexts of individual as a citizen and individual as a customer. (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“Globalization has constructed the administrative state to save and serve corporate power structure.” Discuss how transnational corporations impact government and public administration in the contemporary era. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Red light and Green light theories provide contrasting approaches to the role of administrative law.” Which of the two theories will be effective in achieving the objectives of administrative law? Justify your choice. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)“The advent of the regulatory regimes indicates the demise of the arbitrator state.” Comment. (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)Contingency theory of organization is founded on the interplay of ‘external fit’ and ‘internal fit’. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)Mary Parker Follett traced the foundational value of business and enterprise on her way to understand the organism of governmental machinery. Comment. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)“Media the Fourth estate is in chains.” Examine the statement in the context of governmental accountability. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)Contractualism has become a favourite policy of the neoliberal forces, but not without its share of controversy. Argue. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)The failure to discard its elitist character and west-centric orientation has led to the decline of Comparative Public Administration. Explain. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“Maximum social gain” in public policy making is an attractive goal which is rarely found in practices. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)A narrow view of information comes in the way of successful implementation of MIS in organizations. Analyse. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)Has e-governance led to debureaucratization and decentralization? Assess its impact on bureaucratic inertia. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“Development dynamics is marked by a dilemma: the concept of development has a built-in participatory orientation but the practice of development has been inherently exclusionary.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)A more effective system of performance appraisal should acknowledge the subjective elements in it and be less obsessed with the objective criteria. Elucidate. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)Is William Niskanen’s “Budget Maximising Model” relevant today? Argue. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)Performance measurement remains an emerging issue but it is relegated to exclusively monitor and assess the use of funds. In light of the statement discuss various non-financial parameters of performance measurement to evaluate public sector organizations. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)The imperatives of administrative ethics are necessarily an antidote to “I was only obeying the orders” argument by public officials. Explain. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Discuss the major areas of change in the Tax-Reforms of the post liberalisation era. How do you justify the importance of the direct Tax reform in this context? (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)In a society marked by social inequity and gender inequality women self-help groups are bound to play a marginal role. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)In the era of increasing stress on productivity, work study provides the road ahead for the administrators. Identify the positive attributes of work study in the light of the statement. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)In the absence of a merit-based, fair and objective civil service a more partisan and corrupt government will emerge. Is the statement justified? Give reasons. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)In the text of Arthashastra, ‘the state is neither a police State nor merely a tax gathering State’. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)The economic reforms have significantly infringed the basic values and spirit of the Indian Constitution. Examine. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Macaulay’s ideas on Indian Civil Service Corresponded to the elite theory of bureaucracy, which continue to persist. Do you agree? Justify. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)There has been an opinion that the ethos of Indian Judicial System continue to be colonial. Suggest measures for raising the level of judicial excellence for achieving speedy justice. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Various commissions have reiterated the crucial role of the Governor in Indian system of governance, but the successive governments have not heeded to make the Governor’s office apolitical. Examine with examples. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)Article 356 acts, “very much like the proverbial bolt from the blue…. without giving an opportunity or notice to the State Government to correct its alleged shortcomings”. This phenomenon not only undermines the autonomy of the State Government, but also demeans the status of the President of India. Critically analyze. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)Public Sector Undertakings were expected to take the Indian economy to the “commanding heights” instead the successive governments have been pushing for disinvestment. Critically examine how the scenario has changed over the years. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)Emerging developmental aspirations of the society necessitate the constitutional amendment to change the present safeguards available to the civil servants. Evaluate the pros and cons of such amendment. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“Strong PMO is anti-thesis to the feature of collective responsibility of Council of Ministers”. Examine the issues in relation to the position of PMO vis-a-vis Council of Ministers in the light of this statement. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)Capacity issues relating to employees have hampered the implementation of several government programmes. Trace the reasons in the context of the provisions of the National Training Policy, 2012. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)The strategy to deal with the non-performing assets of banks may lead to overburdened taxpayers. Examine the role of government to protect the interests of both. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)Considerable attention has been paid to the restructuring of the administrative systems at the Central and local levels, but very few reforms have been undertaken at the State level. What steps would you suggest to rectify it? (20 marks)
  • 4(b)It is observed that non-functioning of District planning Committees is preventing the Convergence of rural and urban planning needs. Do you agree? Justify. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)The police-public interface is punctuated with distrust and fear. Suggest how the police can reform its image in the eyes of the public. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)The evidences suggest that the dream of deliberative democracy could not be realized in practice at the grassroot level. Evaluate the impediments in the functioning of Gram Sabha. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“The RTI has started its journey, but is far from its destination.” In the view of the statement, examine the present status of the RTI movement. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)The concept of new localism arrangement may defeat the very purpose of local self-governance. Do you agree? Justify. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Effective ‘Performance Management System’ needs to precede ‘taking deadwood out’ from bureaucracy. Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)All weather rural connectivity scheme to even unconnected rural habitations has the potential to transform the rural economy. Do you agree? Justify. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)The office of the District Collector has merely become a bureau for funneling government schemes, collecting statistics and an officer on attendance for unending VIP duties. Critically examine its role in the light of the recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Minimal accountability being the dominant norm in the political system, the Lokpal can only be an ideal institution with limited effectiveness. Explain. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)‘Sevottam Scheme’ had great potential to reform service delivery, but opportunity is frittered away. Comment. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)The National Policy on Disaster Management envisages a paradigm shift from hitherto reactive post-disaster relief centric regime to more pro-active and enabling environment. Examine the responses of State Governments in this regard. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)Efforts to strengthen State Finance Commissions have faced apathy of State Governments over the years, which has also affected the successive Central Finance Commissions in recommending appropriate fiscal transfers to local bodies. Substantiate the answer with examples. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)Accountability of regulatory bodies would address the problem of over-regulation and help make them truly facilitators. Analyze the present status of regulators and suggest measures to induce accountability in the mechanism. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)‘NITI Aayog’ has changed the way India strategized for economic development, but its effectiveness is yet to be seen, especially when its financial powers are far less than its predecessor. Analyze. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Even though the law and order administration is a State subject, it is paradoxical that the Central agencies- NIA or paramilitary forces under the Union Government— have restricted the powers of State Governments. Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)Performance grants devolved by Finance Commission of India have increased the financial accountability of the local bodies. Elaborate. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2018

2018 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2018. The 2018 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)“The scope of the discipline of Public Administration is determined by what an administrative system does.” Does it mean that the scope of this discipline is boundaryless? Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“The concepts of rationality and efficiency are intertwined in the bureaucratic analysis of Max Weber.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“New Public Service approach is an improvement over its predecessor, New Public Management.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“A leader is a people’s developer” (Napoleon). Which aspects of subordinates’ development can be positively influenced by a leader? Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Herbert Simon’s book Administrative Behavior presents a synthesis of the classical and behavioural approaches to the study of Public Administration.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)Dwight Waldo in his book, The Administrative State emphatically mentions that the roots of administrative theory lie in political theory. Critically examine Waldo’s contention. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“The Phenomenological Approach advocated by the New Public Administration has obstructed the path of theory building in Public Administration.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Discuss the essential characteristics of public sector-centred and market-centred perspectives in Public Private Partnerships and also compare the two. (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Communication represents the “Nerves of Government” (Karl Deutsch). How can the communication system in the government be made more effective, responsive and motivational? (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Political and administrative systems have reciprocal relationship.” Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)“An effective Management Information System (MIS) is the key to successful headquarter-field relationships.” Comment. (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“Form of an organisation influences the success of a public enterprise, but the choice of a form has always remained problematic.” Discuss the statement in the context of the comparative merits and limitations of departments, corporations, companies and boards. Give illustrations. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“Chester Barnard’s model of ‘Contribution-Satisfaction Equilibrium’ is still considered a logical model of organisational motivation.” Do you agree? Give arguments. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)“The political approach to Public Administration stresses on the values of representativeness, political responsiveness and accountability through elected officials to the citizenry” (David H. Rosenbloom). Comment. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)“The Journey of Administrative Law has moved much beyond A. V. Dicey.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Edward Gibbon, the author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire remarked: “Corruption, the most infallible symptom of Constitutional liberty.” Critically examine this statement. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)To what extent has e-governance made the administrative system more citizen-oriented? Can it (e-governance) be made more participative? (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“The issue of development of women is closely related to the issue of women in development.” How can women become equal partners in the process of socio-economic development? (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“The process of administrative development is generally slower than the process of socio-economic development.” How can the speed of administrative development be made faster? (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)In order to be development-oriented, bureaucracies need to be innovative, flexible, citizen-centric and result-oriented, but they are slow in imbibing these virtues in a democratic system. Do we need to go beyond the traditional models of bureaucracy and create alternative structures? Elaborate. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“Administrative values have no value unless they are valued by all stakeholders of the governance system.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)“Lateral entry is an antidote to the complacency in civil service.” Discuss. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)How does ethnocentrism impact development administration in achieving sustainable goals? Argue with examples. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“Monetary policy of a country can help or hinder its development process.” Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)“Sound Performance Auditing is impossible without systematic Performance or Outcome Budgeting.” Explain the relationship between the two. (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“Administrative systems across the world can be understood only in their respective historical and social contexts.” Explain the statement giving examples. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)Currently, administrative training focuses more on improving efficiency than on transforming the attitudes and behaviour of civil servants. What type of training will you suggest to fill this gap? Elaborate. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)“A public policy without the active involvement of people in its formulation, implementation and evaluation is only a facade.” How can this anomaly be corrected? (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)“A government next-door is the government that matters most for the people.” Discuss the statement with special reference to the values of local government. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)The philosophy of the Westminster model is at odds with the political culture of India.” Critically analyse. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“The attached offices and subordinate offices are integral to the functioning of the Cabinet Secretariat.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)It is apprehended that lateral entry will lead to politicisation of bureaucracy. Do you agree? Justify (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Contracting out tasks without effective accountability mechanisms can be counter-productive for effective service delivery.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)“The market-driven profitability concerns have shaken the foundation of the public sector undertakings.” Do you agree? Give reasons. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)It is argued that the NITI Aayog has broken the edifice of planning into fragments. Comment. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)“Autonomy of civil society is crucial for responsive and effective administration.” Examine the statement (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)Critically examine the criteria adopted by the 15th Finance Commission for allocation of resources to States. What have been the major issues of contention since the 10th Finance Commission? (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“In the coalition era with elusive majority of a single party in the State Legislature, the role of the Governor becomes even more challenging.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)“Development management advocates self-sustaining customer-friendly institutions at the district level.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)Climate change issues pose new challenges for district administration to be proactive.” Elaborate (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“Judicial overreach to a large extent is a consequence of ineffective executive.” Examine. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)“In the transition from the State-led economy to the market economy, India should rely more on ‘indicative planning’.” Do you agree? Explain your position. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)“The ‘enablers’ and ‘facilitators’ are yet to replace the inspectors’ and “controllers’ in the civil service in India. Do you agree? Justify. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“Financial inclusion needs legal backing but it also requires increasing awareness for it to become a reality.” Discuss (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“Gender budgeting requires rethinking beyond allocations to become a powerful tool of gender mainstreaming.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“Social audit has lent a critical edge to the implementation of programmes such as MGNREGA.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“The AFSPA debate reveals that the Indian paramilitary forces are caught between the imperatives of national security and protection of human rights.” Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“Competency mapping is important for effective allocation of responsibilities to administrators.” Do you think that a generalist administrator can handle all issues as effectively as a specialist Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“The recommendations of various commissions on administrative reforms have not made a radical departure from the Paul Appleby Report.” Do you agree? Give reasons. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)“Performance management requires identification of indicators and measures to ensure that goals are achieved efficiently.” Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)“Rural development programmes have failed to effectively address the problems of small and marginal farmers.” Analyse and give suggestions. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“In the Network Era the TRAI has the challenging task of protecting the Net Neutrality from digital aggression.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)“Neighbourhood management provides an appropriate glocal strategy of dealing with social exclusion in the urban development scenario.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“Effective public grievance redressal requires administrative commitment. But process reengineering can help prevent some grievances.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Institutional change is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for reducing criminalisation of politics.” Examine. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)“The disempowerment and depoliticisation of urban local government has happened in multiple ways.” Comment. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2017

2017 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2017. The 2017 paper post has the same paper on one page.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)Even after 130 years of its publication, Woodrow Wilson’s essay “The Study of Administration” continues to have great relevance even today.” Comment (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“What is distinctive about the Classical and Human Relations Schools of administration is their complementarity to each other “. Analyse (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Conflict is the appearance of differences— differences of opinions and of interests”. (Mary Parker Follett). Comment (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“Leaders do the right things; managers do them rightly”– (Warren Bennis). Is this distinction by him valid? Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“Administrative Law is recognised by its substance rather than its form.” Discuss. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)New Public Management has been branded by certain scholars as ‘Neo-Taylorism’. Is it a justified comparison? What factors have led to the decline of NPM so soon after its birth? (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ and Frederick Herzberg’s “Two Factor Theory” have commonalities in the analysis of human motivation.” Comment (15 marks)
  • 2(c)Civil Society supplements and complements the State. However, its capacity and role depend upon the will of the State. Comment (15 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)The Participative Management School of Argyris and Likert advocates democracy within the administrative system. Will this approach be equally useful to developing countries with evolving democracies? (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Executive positions imply a complex morality and require a high capacity of responsibility”– (Chester Barnard). Comment. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)When the media is controlled by vested interests, how can it control the vested interests in the government? How can the media become more responsible and impartial? (15 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“With every major transformation in the applied world of Public Administration, the study of Public Administration has grown in scope and intensity.” Discuss the relationship between the evolution of the discipline and profession of Public Administration. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“Systems Theory” in essence is not a theory, but an approach to the study of administrative phenomena.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)The principle of delegated legislation is, I think right, but I must emphasise that it is well for Parliament to keep a watchful and even zealous eye on it at all stages “- (Herbert Morrison) Analyze. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)“Budgeting is a political process” – (Aaron Wildavsky) (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“Development Administration and Administrative Development have a chicken and egg kind of relationship”. -(Riggs). Elaborate (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“Digitalisation provides great impetus to E-governance”. Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“360° performance appraisal system is a rational idea, but it involves complex and inauthentic procedures.” How can it be made foolproof? (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“A large public debt forces the adoption of tax and spending policies that result into higher taxes and reduced services.” Analyse. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation have transformed the nature of development administration.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Lateral entry of competent experts into the government will promote freshness and innovation, but it can create problems of accountability.” (15 marks)
  • 6(c)“There can be no performance auditing without performance budgeting “. (15 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)“The Riggsian Models of Fused-Prismatic-Diffracted Societies and their administrative systems have been inspired by Max Weber’s typology of Traditional Charismatic Legal-Rational Authorities.” Analyse. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“Bureaucracy has inbuilt limitations to act as the prime catalyst to multi-faceted development in a democratic country”. Analyse this statement with appropriate examples. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)Can we say that statutory audit and social audit are two sides of the same coin? Or are they two separate coins with varying values? (15 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)“Various components of Human Resources Management are inter-related.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Administrative ethics includes the code of conduct of civil servants, but goes beyond it as well.” Discuss. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)“Of all the processes involved in public policy, implementation is of greatest importance.” Examine the impediments in policy implementation. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following

  • 1(a)“Constitutionalism is the foundation of the administrative edifice in India.” Discuss (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“The status and functioning of the Cabinet Secretariat face a stiff challenge from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).” Argue both in favour and against the contention. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Effectiveness of local self-government institutions is hampered due to the lack of capacity building of the elected representatives.” Elaborate (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in India face tough competition from the private enterprises and Multi-National Corporations (MNCs).” Explain (10 marks)
  • 1(e)Do you think that “All India Judicial Service (AIJS) would contribute to timely delivery of justice to the citizens? Argue your case. (10 marks)

Question 2 · Answer the following

  • 2(a)“The market reforms have not infringed the basic structure of the Constitution of India, but have largely compromised the realisation of the ideals of social and economic justice.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“The idea of lateral entry into the Civil Services would energise Indian administration.” What are its possible advantages and limitations? (20 marks)
  • 2(c)“Pro-Active Governance and Timely implementation (PRAGATI) is an innovative project of the Union Government.” Discuss its features and modalities. (10 marks)

Question 3 · Answer the following

  • 3(a)“The position of the council of ministers in a state is reduced to that of a body of secretaries in the presence of a domineering chief minister.” Critically analyse with examples. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Indianisation of Public Services is a slow but steady process.” Explain. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)”Digitalization of land records is a necessary but not sufficient precondition for ensuring transparent district administration.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 4 · Answer the following

  • 4(a)“Bureaucracy has to make a balance between the need for environmental sustainability and developmental imperatives.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“The chief secretary is often termed as the alter ego of the Chief Minister.” Discuss, with examples, the dynamics of their relationships in State administration. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)’ District Planning Committee (DPC) has been the weakest structure in the local self-government mechanism in India.” Analyse with examples. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following

  • 5(a)“The institution of Gram Sabha has very little connection with the Gandhian spirit of direct democracy.” Critically examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“There is a need for greater inclusion of technocrats in bureaucracy to ensure effective governance in India.” Do you agree” Elucidate. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“Civil servants should avoid airing grievances in the media.” In this context, discuss the grievance redressal mechanism available to the Civil Servants in India. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Do you think that the Public Service Guarantee Acts passed by various State Governments are an extension of the Citizen Charters? Give reasons. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“The office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) is expected to strengthen public financial management in India.“ Discuss its mandate. (10 marks)

Question 6 · Answer the following

  • 6(a)“The Prime Minister’s awards for Excellence in Public Administration encourage good governance initiatives.” Discuss some such initiatives by the Civil Servants in this context. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a paradigm shift in the Centre-State relations, both financially and politically.” Analyse with examples. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)“The Right to Information (RTI) has started its journey but is far from its destination.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 7 · Answer the following

  • 7(a)“Disaster preparedness and management has become an important component of district administration in India.” Discuss with suitable illustrations. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)In view of the contemporary internal scenario should “law and order” be made a part of the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India? Justify your opinion. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)“The image of Indian Police can be improved if its structure and orientations are transformed radically.” Do you agree? Elaborate. (10 marks)

Question 8 · Answer the following

  • 8(a)Discuss, with suitable examples, the emerging challenges faced by the Regulatory Commissions as the arbitrating agents between the State and the market forces. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“The ‘policy of non-action’ regarding the institutional mechanisms and legal provisions to eradicate corruption is a feature of Indian Administration.” Critically examine. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)“The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) makes a strong case for the principle of subsidiarity.” Elaborate. (10 marks)

CSE Mains 2016

2016 Public Administration Optional question papers

Paper I and Paper II as set in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2016.

Paper I · Administrative Theory · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“Taylorism is considered very controversial despite its popularity.” (Stephen P. Waring) Comment. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)“Public Administration is the translation of politics into reality that citizens see everyday.” (Donald F. Kettl and James W. Fesler) Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)“Morale can drive an organization forward or can lead to employees’ discontent, poor job performance and absenteeism.” Examine. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)“The autonomy of Public Corporations raised a great debate about their internal working and external relation with the Ministers and the Parliament.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“In spite of certain advantages, Social Audit arrangements have mostly been ineffective because there is no legal provision for punitive action.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)“Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y describe two contrasting models of workforce motivation applied by managers in an organization.” Examine. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“The New Public Administration has seriously jolted the traditional concepts and outlook of the discipline and enriched the subject by imparting wider perspective by linking it closely to the society.” (Felix A. Nigro and Lloyd G. Nigro) Elucidate. (15 marks)
  • 2(c)The central concern of Administrative Law has been the legal limitation of administrative discretion.” Give reasons. (15 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)“If the Regulatory Commissions … are wholly independent, they are completely irresponsible for the doing of very important policy determining and administrative work …. on the other hand, to rob the commissions of their independence is seriously to menace the impartial performance of their judicial work.” (Cushman) Examine. (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Good governance is ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law, strengthening democracy, promoting transparency and capacity in Public Administration.” (Kofi Annan) In the light of the statement, critically examine the criteria of good governance as provided by United Nations and Nayef Al-Rodhan. (15 marks)
  • 3(c)“The legislative control over administration is not as effective as it ought to be.” Comment. (15 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)“Blake and Mouton defined leadership styles based on two dimensions-concern for people and concern for production. In the light of the statement, discuss the Managerial Grid Model. Explain with reason which one of the styles is the best.” (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“Bureau-Shaping Model has been developed as a response to the Budget-Maximizing Model.” Comment. (15 marks)
  • 4(c)“Civil society performs a key role in defending people against the State and market and in asserting the democratic will to influence the State.” Analyze the statement with suitable examples. (15 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)“Training is considered as paid holidays.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)“Public borrowing produces different effects on the economy”. Examine. (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“Self-Help Groups are considered as one of the most significant tools to adopt participatory approach for economic empowerment of women.” Comment. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)“Riggs observed that three ‘trends’ could be discerned in the comparative study of Public Administration.” Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“In Public Policy Making, ‘Rationalism’ is the opposite of ‘Incrementalism’.” Examine. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)“Fred Riggs continuously changed his theory in order to create the perfect model.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)“The idea of development stands like a ruin in the intellectual landscape” and “it is time to dismantle this mental structure”. (Wolfgang Sachs) In the light of the statement, critically examine the anti-development thesis. (15 marks)
  • 6(c)“Information Technology brings efficiency and transparency to Public Administration. “Examine the statement with suitable examples. (15 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)“Fiscal policy and monetary policy are the two tools used by the State to achieve its macroeconomic objectives.” Examine the statement and point out the differences between the tools. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“A central reason for utilization of Performance Appraisal is performance improvement of the employees.” In the light of the statement, analyze the needs of Performance Appraisal in an Organization. (15 marks)
  • 7(c)“The problem is to achieve the right balance between a competitive market economy and an effective State: markets where possible; the State where necessary.” Justify your answer. (15 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)“The key to understanding performance-based budgeting lies beneath the word ‘result’.” In the light of the statement, examine the elements of performance-based budgeting. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“Disciplinary action may be informal and formal.” Explain and point out the provisions made in the Constitution or Statute to check the misuse of power to take disciplinary action. (15 marks)
  • 8(c)“The term ‘work study’ may be used in narrower and wider senses.” Elucidate. (15 marks)
Paper II · Indian Administration · 250 marks

Section A

Question 1 · Attempt all of the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 1(a)“The Regulating Act of 1773 not only introduced values in administration but also laid the foundation of centralized administration in India.” Explain. (10 marks)
  • 1(b)Do you think that some of the ideals enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution remain only on paper even today? Critically evaluate. (10 marks)
  • 1(c)Examine the efficacy of the measures taken to redefine and execute cooperative federalism in India. (10 marks)
  • 1(d)Evaluate the performance and efficacy of the Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratna type of Public Sector Undertakings in the context of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG). (10 marks)
  • 1(e)“The growing prominence of NGOs in development areas is strongly related to the declining legitimacy of the State.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 2

  • 2(a)“In contemporary times, Kautilya’s Arthashastra is relevant more in the field of international relations than in economic affairs.” Analyse the statement. (20 marks)
  • 2(b)“Dominant centralized administration is correlated with decisive and authoritative leadership provided by the Prime Minister’s Office.” Explain with suitable examples since independence. (20 marks)
  • 2(c)“A significant legacy of the Mughal rule in India is a well-organized revenue administration at the State and District Levels.” Comment. (10 marks)

Question 3

  • 3(a)What factors have led to the expansion of the role of the Ministry of Home Affairs? How can it coordinate its affairs more effectively with the Ministry of Defence? (20 marks)
  • 3(b)“Introduction of G.S.T. (Goods and Services Tax) no doubt has economic benefits, but tends to compromise the States’ inherent right to impose taxes.” In this context, comment on the changing nature of Union-State financial relations. (20 marks)
  • 3(c)“Planning in India has failed to meet the challenges of economic development and social change.” Discuss the statement in the context of the emergence of NITI Aayog. (10 marks)

Question 4

  • 4(a)“The absence of congruence of views on appointments to judiciary between the Supreme Court and the Union Government has had an adverse impact on the judicial system.” In the light of the above statement, examine the proposal to constitute an All India Judicial Service (AIJS). (20 marks)
  • 4(b)“The separation between regulatory and development functions in many States has not only weakened the District Collector but also development administration.” Critically examine the need to relook at this policy. (20 marks)
  • 4(c)“Legislatures have become a place for infighting rather than for proper policy making.” Comment in the context of the Working of State Governments. (10 marks)

Section B

Question 5 · Attempt all of the following questions in about 150 words each

  • 5(a)“Autonomy granted to higher civil servants tends to increase their creativity and productivity.” Argue the case to make the civil service more accountable as well as innovative. (10 marks)
  • 5(b)Justify the budgetary support to nationalized banks to overcome the crisis resulting out of Non-Performing Assets (NPA). (10 marks)
  • 5(c)“National Green Tribunal is viewed by many critics as a hindrance to economic development” Evaluate the statement and give arguments in support of your answer. (10 marks)
  • 5(d)Is training of police in India still a reflection of the colonial mindset? Give reasons for your answer. (10 marks)
  • 5(e)“The concept of ‘new localism’ is related to the emerging nature of the relationship between the State Governments and local government bodies.” Explain. (10 marks)

Question 6

  • 6(a)“The goals of good governance will remain utopian if local governments, responsible for providing all basic services directly to the citizens, are not empowered as mandated by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts.” Critically evaluate the status of empowerment of the local bodies. (20 marks)
  • 6(b)Explain how the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides a framework and direction to the government agencies for all phases of disaster management cycle. (20 marks)
  • 6(c)What merits do you foresee in the proposed merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget? (10 marks)

Question 7

  • 7(a)“The Right to Information Act is a path-breaking legislation which signals the march from darkness of secrecy to dawn of transparency.” What hurdles do the citizens face in obtaining information from the government? Explain how the reluctance of the government to part with information under R.T.I. can be addressed. (20 marks)
  • 7(b)“The objectives of fiscal devolution to local bodies as mandated by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts has been derailed by the actual working of the State Finance Commissions.” Comment. (20 marks)
  • 7(c)“The initiative of the Income Tax Department on disclosure of black money has had a mixed response.” Give suggestions for tackling this complex problem. (10 marks)

Question 8

  • 8(a)Do you agree that the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations do not reflect and correlate the need for civil service reforms and accountability with pay increase? Justify your answer. (20 marks)
  • 8(b)“In a democratic polity, any conception of ethics and integrity in public life must encompass not only politicians and civil servants but also citizens.” Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 8(c)“Police reforms in India have remained a contentious issue”. Critically analyse. (10 marks)