Public Administration Optional · Paper I · Administrative Theory
Public Policy Notes · PYQs
Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Public Policy, Unit 10 of Paper I: the official syllabus, 2 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 66 questions from 1987 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.
2
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66
Questions listed
31
Asked since 2013
1987–2026
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Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Public Administration units
Official UPSC syllabus
Public Policy: 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.
Models of policy-making and their critique; Processes of conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review and their limitations; State theories and public policy formulation.
Paper I · Unit 10
Public Policy 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: Public Policy
All 66 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-topic | Questions | Since 2013 | Last asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy models | 29 | 15 | 2026 |
| State theories and policy | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Conceptualisation | 6 | 1 | 2021 |
| Planning and implementation | 18 | 6 | 2022 |
| Monitoring | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| Evaluation and review | 8 | 6 | 2025 |
Policy models
29 questions · 15 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Models of Policy-Making
Asked since 2013 · 15
2026The objective of policy sciences is to develop policy knowledge for better policy-making. Comment.2026Rationality in policy-making is a challenge, and its absence is a predicament for the policy process. Examine.2023“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.2022‘Lindblom regarded rational decision-making as an unattainable goal.’ In the light of the statement, suggest measures to avoid policy failures.2021Policy problems are increasingly tending towards being wicked. Discuss the capacity and preparedness of the State to tackle such problems.2020Have political realities thwarted the move towards evidence based policy making? Critically examine.2020“Globalization is impacting the context of national policy making. The national policy agenda is becoming international.” Explain.2019“Maximum social gain” in public policy making is an attractive goal which is rarely found in practices. Discuss.2018“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?2016“In Public Policy Making, ‘Rationalism’ is the opposite of ‘Incrementalism’.” Examine.2015“In the appreciative systems of policy makers, goals are subsidiary to norms and values.” (Vickers). Explain.2015“The concept of political feasibility in policy alternative is a probabilistic concept and is related to each policy alternative.” In the context of the above statement analyse Dror’s contribution.2014“Policies determine politics as governments constrain.” Attempt a critique of this statement.2014According to Y.Dror, “The Science of Muddling through is essentially a reinforcement of pro inertia and anti-innovation ideas in policy-making.” Comment.2013“The policy process was not structured in the way required by bureaucratic planning. “Arguably, incrementalism now stands most in contrast to neo-liberal nationality that impose markets against both gradual change and democratic liberalism.” Analyse these two statements.
Show 14 earlier questions (before 2013)
1988–2012 · 14 questions
2012‘Policy judgements comprise reality judgements, value judgements and instrumental judgements’ (Geoffrey Vickers). Elucidate.2012Would you agree with Bachrach and Baratz that along with decisions, non-decisions are also part of policy? Give reasons for your answer.2011Critically examine the following statements in the field of Policy Sciences: (i)The incrementalist paradigm posits a conservative tendency in public policy making. (ii)Dror’s Optimal Model is a fusion of the economically rational model with the extra-rational model.2011‘Policy is being made as it is being administered and administered as it is being made.’ Comment.2009“Yehezkel Dror’s normative models of policy making tend to be academic in perspective with poor operational utility.” Comment.2004Policy is a decision driven model of research use. Explain.2004Public Policy is not an independent variable and human history shows little evidence of systematic learning from policy experience. Discuss.2002“Public policy is what politics is about.” – Substantiate.1999Elucidate the political process of policy formulation. Bring out its distinguishing features in developing countries.1997“Policy- making does not and once a decision is made. The implementation of the decision can have just as great an impact on public policy as the decision itself.” Discuss.1996Sketch and overview of the State of Public Policy Analysis as it is most likely to interest those who have a public administration perspective.1992‘Policy- making is a series of continuing dynamic processes which are plural and composite.’ Explain.1990‘The emerging discipline of policy science aims to work out solutions of problems in policy making. Comment.1988“Incrementalism in administration is not, in principle, a slow- moving tactic of conservatism, instead, it is a fast moving sequence of small changes that after the status que” Examine, in the light of this statement, the desire of development administration, for incrementalist policy-making.
State theories and policy
3 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2024
Read the notes: Models of Policy-Making
Asked since 2013 · 2
2024Unless there is a sound mechanism for policy evaluation, policy formulation process remains redundant. Examine.2014“The output studies approach to public policy analyses ovestresses the rational techniques and allocative dimension of public policy.” Analyse the statement.
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
1998 · 1 question
1998“All policy-making is decision-making, but all decision-making is not policy-making.” Elaborate. How does a policy emanate and what course does policy-making in government follow?
Conceptualisation
6 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2021
Read the notes: Policy Process
Asked since 2013 · 1
2021Groups 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.
Show 5 earlier questions (before 2013)
1989–2009 · 5 questions
2009“… even if policies are well-organized, efficiently operated, widely utilized, adequately financed and supported, we may still ask, so what? Do they work? … What about their costs, outputs and impact?” Discuss.1993“The activities of public administrators at various stages of the policy process illustrate the difficulty of divorcing politics from administration.” Comment.1991‘There has been an increasing emphasis on the need for policy formulation and policy analysis in order to ensure improved performance and to avoid ad hoc or fragmented approach to administration, particularly in the context of active role of the state in economic, social, defence and scientific areas.’ Discuss.1991‘Every public policy is a government decision aimed at solving a problem of its planning and implementation. Comment.1989“Policy process must take account of the political complexion of an authority, demography and the historical pattern of service.” Comment.
Planning and implementation
18 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2022
Read the notes: Policy Process
Asked since 2013 · 6
2022Failure of Public policies has often been attributed to problems of implementation, while implementors question the policy design. Discuss the contestation.2021The 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.2017“Of all the processes involved in public policy, implementation is of greatest importance.” Examine the impediments in policy implementation.2015“Policy analysis is incomplete without taking into account policy delivery.” Argie.2015“The term policy implementation is, in some respects preferable to the label public administration.” Argue.2013Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley girded by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational techniques of policy analysis should it resort to for coping with likely uncertainties and unforeseen contingencies.
Show 12 earlier questions (before 2013)
1987–2012 · 12 questions
2012‘Our normal expectation should be that new programs will fail to get off the ground and that, at best, they will take considerable time to get started. The cards in this world are stacked against things happening’ (Pressman and Wildavsky). Comment.2010“Public administration can be portrayed as a wheel of relationships focused on the formulation and implementation of public policy.” Explain.2007“Implementation a public policy is a process of discovering what works and what does not.” Examine.2006“Nothing comes across more strongly than the great naivete about policy implementation.” Discuss.2005Give an assessment of the processes of policy formulation and discuss the problems of policy implementation.2003Comment on the role of public administration in policy making and its implementation. What are the other factors influencing the policy process?1998“Policy implementation in Less Developed Countries needs to be effective.” Comment.1995Explain how factors such as communications, resources, self interests and bureaucratic structures affect implementation of public policies.1994Elucidate the concept of policy implementation. How does implementation assessment focus on the operation of a public policy?1994“The basic issue of administrative accountability relates to that part of Public Administration which has something concrete to contribute towards not only policy execution but also policy formulation and policy adjudication.” Comment.1993“One way of analysing implementation problems is to begin by thinking about what “perfect administration” would be like, comparable to the way in which economists employ the model of perfect competition.” Discuss.1987Define Public Policy. How does its formulation and implementation involve participation by administrators, voluntary agencies and pressure groups in a democracy?
Monitoring
2 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2020
Read the notes: Policy Process
Asked since 2013 · 1
2020“Collaboration and its cognates for public service delivery need to be viewed from the governance lenses.” Comment.
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
2008 · 1 question
2008“Laxity in monitoring and evaluation can render even the best policies infructuous.” Discuss.
Evaluation and review
8 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Read the notes: Policy Process
Asked since 2013 · 6
2025Policy analysis process is limited if possible outcomes and alternate potential policies are neglected. Discuss.2025Evaluate the role and scope of tacit knowledge and personal experience as an important source of knowledge in policy making process.2023”Cost-benefit analysis is of great help to the policy makers in framing policies and providing advice on developing public policy.” Examine.2022Policy evaluation contributes fundamentally to sound public governance. Discuss.2020Has policy analysis become a major source of legitimation of status quo in political and social order? Discuss.2013“Public interest is still inadequate as a ground concept to evaluate public policy.” Discuss.
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)
1988–2010 · 2 questions
2010“Cost-benefit analysis a very unsatisfactory view of evaluating public policy.” Comment.1988Outline the traditional and Cost-Benefit approaches to policy-evaluation.
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