Public Administration Optional · Paper II · Indian Administration
Plans and Priorities Notes · PYQs
Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Plans and Priorities, Unit 05 of Paper II: the official syllabus, 2 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 47 questions from 1987 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.
2
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47
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24
Asked since 2013
1987–2026
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Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Public Administration units
Official UPSC syllabus
Plans and Priorities: syllabus
The syllabus text as UPSC notifies it for Paper II of Public Administration Optional. Every note and question on this page maps to it.
Machinery of planning; Role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council; ‘Indicative’ planning; Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels; Constitutional Amendments (1992) and decentralized planning for economic development and social justice.
Paper II · Unit 05
Plans and Priorities 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: Plans and Priorities
All 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machinery of planning | 13 | 10 | 2025 |
| Planning Commission | 4 | 1 | 2026 |
| National Development Council | 8 | 1 | 2014 |
| Indicative planning | 6 | 4 | 2026 |
| Plan formulation | 3 | 1 | 2015 |
| Government policies | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Decentralised planning | 12 | 6 | 2025 |
Machinery of planning
13 questions · 10 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 10
2025Trace the reasons for limited effectiveness of the NITI Aayog.2024The National Data and Analysis Platform (NDAP) of NITI Aayog facilitates a robust ecosystem to promote democratization and inclusivity in development. Discuss.2023“Attempts to prepare unified and holistic plans for the country are complex and full of challenges.” Discuss.2022“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.2021NITI Aayog has been constituted to implement the goal of co-operative federalism. Discuss.2019‘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.2018It is argued that the NITI Aayog has broken the edifice of planning into fragments. Comment.2016“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.2015The objectives, approaches and organisational arrangements for decision-making of the NITI Aayog aim at restoring the federal character of the Indian policy. Explain.2013“Planning enables comprehensive and scientific understanding of problems.” Examine the statement in the context of planning methodology.
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)
1992–2004 · 3 questions
2004“Effective implementation of plan projects has been the weakest link in the chain of the entire planning programme.” Elucidate.2003“Indian planning is highly centralized.” Comment.1992‘Planning in a federal system, needs to depoliticised.’ Comment.
Planning Commission
4 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 1
2026Planning Commission planned for economic development and social justice, but NITI Aayog has been structured to realise growth potential across the sectors. Discuss.
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)
1994–2010 · 3 questions
2010Explain the context and perspectives of the following statements: – The Planning Commission is “an armchair adviser”. The Planning Commission should reinvent itself as a systems reforms commission in the backdrop of changed global and domestic scenarios.1999“The Planning Commission continues to exist but some would say that it is withering away, along with real planning itself.” Comment.1994“The organization of the Planning Commission is in consonance with its expert character.” Comment.
National Development Council
8 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2014
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 1
2014How far do you agree with the view that national development Council could resonate the demands of the state governments as long as planning commission is kept subservient to it? Critically examine.
Show 7 earlier questions (before 2013)
1987–2005 · 7 questions
2005“National Development Council is criticized as an usurping authority-functioning as a virtual super – cabinet.” Explain.2004“National Development Council was established to co-ordinate between Union government, the Planning Commission and the State governments.” Comment.2002“National Development Council gas virtually become a super-cabinet and tries to arrogate itself the functions of Parliament.” Comment.2000“National Development Council, it seems, is like a super-Cabinet.” Comment.1992‘The National Development Council should be grafted as a Federal Economic Cabinet of the Prime Minister in the East Minister model of Indian democracy.’ Comment.1988“The National Development Council (not the planning Commission) is the appropriate instrument to ensure linkages between the district, the State and the regional levels of nation planning processes. Do you agree?1987Examine the inadequacies of machinery for planning to ensure democratic but depoliticised planning process in Indian federation. How does National Development Council accentuate or inhibit this process?
Indicative planning
6 questions · 4 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 4
2026The present model of strategic planning has roots in indicative planning. Comment.2022“Indicative Planning, is a middle path of planning and market mechanism to ensure coordination between public and private activities.” Explain.2020Considering 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?2018“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.
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)
2005–2012 · 2 questions
2012Justify ‘indicative’ planning in the context of LPG.2005“From highly centralized planning system, India has moved towards indicative planning under which long-term strategic vision of the future is built and nation’s priorities are decided.” Elucidate.
Plan formulation
3 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2015
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 1
2015Why has District Planning been marginalised in many States and remained prominent in a few States? Explain.
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)
1998–2008 · 2 questions
2008Discuss the problems in the planning process at the state and sub-state levels.1998“State and district planning bodies in India have not been effective in achieving their goals.” Comment.
Government policies
1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2022
Read the notes: Planning Machinery in India
Asked since 2013 · 1
2022The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan is a progressive policy. Analyse.
Decentralised planning
12 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Read the notes: Decentralised Planning in India
Asked since 2013 · 6
2025Decentralized planning in India signifies a shift towards context-sensitive development, but inadequate resources and local politics complicate the realization of social justice goals. Comment.2024Decentralized planning enhances economic development and social justice. Analyse.2022Despite the constitutional status, the District planning committees remained a non-entity in preparation and implementation of plans. Discuss.2021The institutional legacy of ‘well-entrenched state’ affected the post-reforms promises in India. Explain the statement in the light of economic reforms in India.2015“Decentralised governance must serve as an instrument of realising social change and social justice.” Comment on the statement.2014Despite the adoption of decentralised planning, participatory initiative remain marginalised and divisive live in many regions. Discuss.
Show 6 earlier questions (before 2013)
1989–2007 · 6 questions
2007“In spite of having Constitutional status the District Planning Committee is not able to implement decentralised planning bue to centralised nature of economic planning.” Comment.2004“Welfare of the people has been a constitutional and legal obligation of the state, wherein – both the Centre and State Governments are required to discharge the obligation within available resources.” Does this stand true in the context of globalization?1995“The emphasis in women’s development programmes has in recent years shifted from a purely welfare and consumption oriented one to a realistic one which recognizes women as contributors to the country’s economy.” Elaborate.1995“Development administration ultimately boils down to effective project implementation, and it is implementation that has been badly negated in Indian planning. Critically examine the statement.”1990How would you respond to the view that the welfare programmes for Women have touched the fringe of their problems. Account for the Existing state of apathy of the administration. Examine the working of a government agency involved in the implementation of a women’s welfare programme.1989‘The ultimate picture of the Planning Organisation in India has to be a network of planning units in the villages and enterprises, coordinated at successive higher levels by State Planning Commissions, which will ultimately feed the Planning Commission at New Delhi.’ Make out a case for decentralised and depoliticised federal planning in India.
Year-wise question papers
All question papers Topic-wise PYQ bank (both papers) Topic-wise PYQ post: Plans and Priorities 2026 paper 2025 paper 2024 paper 2023 paper
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