Public Administration Optional · Paper I · Administrative Theory

Administrative Behaviour Notes · PYQs

Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Administrative Behaviour, Unit 03 of Paper I: the official syllabus, 4 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 62 questions from 1987 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.

4

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62

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34

Asked since 2013

1987–2026

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Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Public Administration units

Official UPSC syllabus

Administrative Behaviour: syllabus

The syllabus text as UPSC notifies it for Paper I of Public Administration Optional. Every note and question on this page maps to it.

Process and techniques of decision-making; Communication; Morale; Motivation Theories – content, process and contemporary; Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern.

Paper I · Unit 03

Administrative Behaviour notes

Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order, written for UPSC Mains with diagrams, key terms, Indian examples and the previous year questions on each topic.

Free notes

Free practice

Previous year questions: Administrative Behaviour

All 62 questions UPSC has set from this unit between 1987 and 2026, grouped by syllabus sub-topic and sorted newest first. Questions from 2013 onwards are shown; earlier ones open on a tap.

How often UPSC asks each sub-topic

Sub-topicQuestionsSince 2013Last asked
Decision-making1052025
Communication1362026
Morale422016
Motivation theories21112026
Leadership14102025

Decision-making

10 questions · 5 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Read the notes: Decision-Making

Asked since 2013 · 5

  • 2025The fine art of decision-making is not making decisions that others can make. Comment.
  • 2023“The process of decisions ……… is largely a technique of narrowing choices.” Explain.
  • 2022Performance problems are rarely caused simply by lack of training and rarely can performance be improved by training alone. Critically analyse the statement.
  • 2020“‘Performance information use’ is a form of organizational behaviour that is influenced by individual, job, organizational and environmental factors.” Critically analyze.
  • 2019“If there is ever to be a science of Public Administration it must derive from an understanding of man’s behaviour.” Explain.
Show 5 earlier questions (before 2013)

1988–2008 · 5 questions

  • 2008Examine the respective roles of facts and values in the decision-making process. Is it possible to make value-free decisions in government system? How can government decisions be made more rational?
  • 1998“’Consensus’ and ‘Unanimity’ are used as styles in decision-making.” Comment.
  • 1993“While the entrepreneur makes strategic decisions, the manager makes tactical ones.” Elucidate.
  • 1990‘A management which takes its environment as given…… is pursuing a dangerous course.’ Comment on the environment of decision-making.
  • 1988Elucidate the socio-psychological bases of individual and group behaviour in a complex organization.

Communication

13 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Communication and Morale in Administration

Asked since 2013 · 6

  • 2026A transparent organisation keeps the staff in the loop. Describe.
  • 2024“Formal organisations are made up of informal groups.” Discuss.
  • 2024“Grapevine is a necessary evil.” Examine.
  • 2022Strategic communication ought to be an agile management process. Discuss the conceptualization of strategic communication for the government actions.
  • 2018Communication represents the “Nerves of Government” (Karl Deutsch). How can the communication system in the government be made more effective, responsive and motivational?
  • 2015“Information constitutes the life-blood of the functioning of an organisation. “Explain the utility and significance of communication in decision-making.
Show 7 earlier questions (before 2013)

1987–2001 · 7 questions

  • 2001‘The nature and role of communication in administration indicates that “Communication is authority”; Comment.
  • 2000“Information constitutes the life-blood of the functioning of organization.” In the light of this statement, explain the utility and importance of communication in decision-making.
  • 1998“Communication holds the organisation together.” Comment.
  • 1995Authority has been defined in part as a “character of a communication in a formal organisation.” Comment.
  • 1994Bring out the importance of communication in administrative organisations. What are the drawbacks in upward communication?
  • 1990‘Without communication, there can be no organisation’. Discuss the importance of communication in Public Administration.
  • 1987Critically examine the functions of administrative leadership. What role does communication play in improving the quality of administrative decisions in goal setting and goal getting by public servants.

Morale

4 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2016
Read the notes: Communication and Morale in Administration

Asked since 2013 · 2

  • 2016“Morale can drive an organization forward or can lead to employees’ discontent, poor job performance and absenteeism.” Examine.
  • 2013What is the nature of psychological contract pursued by organizational management through authority and the employees through exertion of upward influence?
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)

2003–2007 · 2 questions

  • 2007What is meant by morale? There is a belief that “moral and productivity go hand in hand and higher the morale, higher the productivity.” Do you agree? Substantiate.
  • 2003What is morale? State its significance and suggest methods to foster and sustain morale in an organization.

Motivation theories

21 questions · 11 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Motivation Theories

Asked since 2013 · 11

  • 2026Individuals’ 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.
  • 2026Abraham 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.
  • 2024McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y provide insights into human motivation at the workplace differently. Examine in detail.
  • 2024ERG theory of motivation attempts to reconceptualize the theory of Hierarchy of Needs. Comment.
  • 2023“Intrinsic motivation in comparison to extrinsic motivation leads to enhanced performance and creativity.” Examine.
  • 2023“Two-factor theory entails certain factors in workplace resulting in job satisfaction, while others, if absent, lead to dissatisfaction.” Discuss.
  • 2021Examine the approach of public service motivation as an inducement to bring the desired level of efficiency in public service delivery.
  • 2020“The content and process theories of motivation have the same focus but are different in approaches.” Do you agree? Give reasons.
  • 2018“Chester Barnard’s model of ‘Contribution-Satisfaction Equilibrium’ is still considered a logical model of organisational motivation.” Do you agree? Give arguments.
  • 2017“Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ and Frederick Herzberg’s “Two Factor Theory” have commonalities in the analysis of human motivation.” Comment
  • 2013Read the following instances carefully and suggest what specific perspectives on organizational psychology of motivation would help the concerned organization to reconcile the needs of the following four persons with the needs of the organization: (i) Mr. A comes to his office with clocklike punctuality, does his work with impeccable honesty and integrity; takes order from above gladly; responds well to overtures by peers; but neither mixes with anyone himself nor seeks anyone’s company. What is more, he seems quite happy in his isolation. (ii) Mr. B is an efficient charge-hand at the welding shop. He is very outgoing and makes friends fast, but falls out with them very fast too. He is, however, easily pacified where anyone asks him to calm down in the name of the organization. (iii) Dr. C is completely happy and absorbed when he is teaching in the classes, and does not at all mind when his workload gets heavier and covers new areas. But he gets angry when the finance section raises objections about his medical bills; and is furious that the higher administration is yet to give him full tenure. (iv) Mr. D is a metallurgist in the forge shop of the steel plant, and has received honours for his innovativeness in modifying conventional alloys. He also paints well and values his painting skills far more than his metallurgy and is extremely unhappy that the company house journal did not finally carry his water sketch on its front cover.
Show 10 earlier questions (before 2013)

1987–2012 · 10 questions

  • 2012‘Man’s motives … in different subparts of the same organization may be different’ (Edger Schein). Discuss.
  • 2004“Motivation theory is not synonymous with behaviour theory. The motivations are only one class of determinants of behaviour while behaviour is almost always biologically, culturally and situationally determined as well.” Comment.
  • 2002Compare Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation and Herzberg’s motivation – hygiene theory. Do you think that they are universally applicable? If not, why not?
  • 1997“Frederick Herzberg’s Two-factor theory is more or less an extension of Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation.” Explain.
  • 1995“The interest or power group base provides a member of an organisation with negotiable goods that can be cashed in for recognition, status and rewards.” Examine.
  • 1993“A managerial leader should effectively communicate to motivate his team.” How do Maslow and Herzberg see this inter linkage between motivation and communication?
  • 1991Compare the relative merits of Maslow’s Theory of Human Needs and Herzberg’s conception of Motivation and Hygiene Theory.
  • 1989Outline the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards that motivate the public employees to achieve personal and organizational goals.
  • 1988“Adam nature of man seeks the avoidance of dissatisfaction and is basically concerned with the job environment: Abraham nature of man seeks satisfaction in job content.” (Frederick Herzberg). Comment.
  • 1987‘Contributions of Maslow and Herzberg have deepened our understanding about the State of morale and motivation of the public servants.’ Comment.

Leadership

14 questions · 10 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Read the notes: Theories of Leadership

Asked since 2013 · 10

  • 2025In conflict situations in organizations, leadership migrates to the aggresive and relegates the emotionally matured to the background. Discuss.
  • 2025Leadership is not only about taking credit for success but also owning up and being accountable for failures. Elucidate.
  • 2023“Reddin model of leadership added third dimension to the existing two basic dimensions of leadership identified by Ohio Studies and Blake and Mouton.” Elucidate.
  • 2022‘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.
  • 2022Transformational leadership requires high degree of coordination, communication and cooperation. Explain.
  • 2021Nothing in public administration is more important, interesting or mysterious than leadership. Analyze the statement in the context of strategic leadership.
  • 2018“A leader is a people’s developer” (Napoleon). Which aspects of subordinates’ development can be positively influenced by a leader? Discuss.
  • 2017“Leaders do the right things; managers do them rightly”– (Warren Bennis). Is this distinction by him valid? Explain.
  • 2016“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.”
  • 2015Do you agree with the view that the charismatic approach of the mid-1970s is a “new version” of the Classical Trait Theory of Leadership? Give reasons.
Show 4 earlier questions (before 2013)

1990–2012 · 4 questions

  • 2012Leadership id the ‘influential increment over and above mechanical compliance with the routine directives of the organization’ (Katz and Kahn). Analyze.
  • 2008“Leaders do the right things; managers do them rightly.” (Bennis) Comment.
  • 1994“Thus, the endurance of organisation depends upon the quality of leadership.” Comment.
  • 1990‘A leader must always adapt his behaviour to take account of the persons whom he leads.’ Comment.

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