Public Administration Optional · Paper II · Indian Administration

Law and Order Administration Notes · PYQs

Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Law and Order Administration, Unit 13 of Paper II: the official syllabus, 3 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 50 questions from 1987 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.

3

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30

Asked since 2013

1987–2026

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Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Public Administration units

Official UPSC syllabus

Law and Order Administration: 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.

British legacy; National Police Commission; Investigative agencies; Role of Central and State Agencies including para military forces in maintenance of law and order and countering insurgency and terrorism; Criminalisation of politics and administration; Police-public relations; Reforms in Police.

Paper II · Unit 13

Law and Order Administration 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: Law and Order Administration

All 50 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
British legacy222016
Police Commission, investigative agencies652024
Central and state agencies1562023
Criminalisation of politics532021
Police–public relations752024
Police reforms1592026

British legacy

2 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2016
Read the notes: Law and Order Administration

Asked since 2013 · 2

  • 2016Is training of police in India still a reflection of the colonial mindset? Give reasons for your answer.
  • 2014Critically examine the statement: ‘Thana’ (police station) as the last bastion of the waning British administrative legacy in India.

Police Commission, investigative agencies

6 questions · 5 since 2013 · last asked 2024
Read the notes: Law and Order Administration

Asked since 2013 · 5

  • 2024National Investigation Agency (NIA) is playing an important role in countering terrorism. Comment.
  • 2024The separation of police, investigation, and prosecution has its own benefits and challenges. Analyse in context of recent developments.
  • 2020There has been a long-standing demand for separation of police investigation from prosecution. Analyze its merits and demerits.
  • 2015Discuss critically the salient features of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding its purposes and jurisdiction.
  • 2013“Laws are enacted without involving the police in the conception stage, with the result implementation of these laws leaves much to be desired.” Examine the role of police in protection of children.
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)

1989 · 1 question

  • 1989‘No Statement made by any person to a Police Officer in the course of an investigation shall be signed by the person making it; nor shall any such Statement or any record thereof, be used for any purpose at any enquiry or trial.’ Comment.

Central and state agencies

15 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2023
Read the notes: Central and State Security Agencies

Asked since 2013 · 6

  • 2023“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.
  • 2019Even 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.
  • 2018“The AFSPA debate reveals that the Indian paramilitary forces are caught between the imperatives of national security and protection of human rights.” Discuss.
  • 2017In 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.
  • 2015Discuss the significance and role of the Central Paramilitary Forces in maintaining law and order and countering insurgency as well as terrorism.
  • 2014Do you think that the Central para-military police forces have proven more effective than the State police service? Give your answer objectively in a critical vein.
Show 9 earlier questions (before 2013)

1987–2012 · 9 questions

  • 2012“Even though law and order administration is a State subject in the Indian Constitution, it is paradoxical that the para-military and other kinds of security forces under the Union Government have grown in recent years.” Critically analyse the statement.
  • 2009“Law and order problems of the twenty-first century cannot be tackled through legislations and structures of the nineteenth century.” Give suggestions for transforming the law and order machinery at the State level.
  • 2005“The role played by Central and State Government in maintaining law and order is inadequate and unmatched to growing criminalization.” Comment.
  • 2000“Maintenance od law and order is a State subject but the Union Government can deploy armed forces in any State.” Comment.
  • 1999“In the midst of political and socio-economic challenges, the law and order administration has become both difficult and delicate.” Explain.
  • 1997“The word ‘Police’ in the title of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police is a misnomer.” Comment.
  • 1994“Maintenance of law and order is a de facto concurrent subject.” Discuss, in this connection, the roles of the centre and the states in the law-and-order field.
  • 1993“Internal Security is a para-political exercise and a para-military operation in detecting, combating and dissolving ‘Threat Profiles’ in the area of law and order, social order and national security.” Discuss.
  • 1987‘Even though law and order administration is State subject in the Indian Constitution it is paradoxical that the para-military and other kinds of security forces under the Union Government have surgeoned in recent years.’ Comment.

Criminalisation of politics

5 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2021
Read the notes: Central and State Security Agencies

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2021The increasing criminalization of politics is a major threat to the basic fabric of Indian democracy. Comment.
  • 2018“Institutional change is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for reducing criminalisation of politics.” Examine.
  • 2013“There is both criminalisation of politics and politicisation of criminals in India.” Examine and identify the challenges they cause for law & order administration.
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)

2003–2004 · 2 questions

  • 2004“Criminalisation of politics has been responsible for the problems related to law and order in our nation.” Comment.
  • 2003“Criminalization of politics in India has been extended to politicization of criminals.” Comment.

Police–public relations

7 questions · 5 since 2013 · last asked 2024
Read the notes: Police–Public Relations and Police Reforms

Asked since 2013 · 5

  • 2024“Police-public relations are poor in India. What measures are required to strengthen these relations?”
  • 2022The 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.
  • 2021Police-public relations in India need to be improved. Suggest measures to strengthen relations between police and public.
  • 2015Critically examine the concept of community policing as a tool for improving public-police relations.
  • 2014“Police – public relations are a story of insincere efforts made on both sides.” Elaborate.
Show 2 earlier questions (before 2013)

1990–2011 · 2 questions

  • 2011“Community policing has become a victim of elite capture.” Discuss the concept of community policing and bring out the implications of the above statement.
  • 1990‘The Present culture of the Indian police system appears as continuation of what obtained under the British regime. In public estimate the police appears as an agency more to implement and enforce the objectives of the Government in power as district from enforcing law as such as an independent and impartial agency.’ Comment.

Police reforms

15 questions · 9 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Read the notes: Police–Public Relations and Police Reforms

Asked since 2013 · 9

  • 2026Ethical and privacy issues limit the emerging use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by police to combat cyber crimes. Comment.
  • 2026Supreme Court of India in Prakash Singh case laid the foundation for effective police reforms in India, but the states have frittered the opportunity. Discuss.
  • 2025Smart Policing and Community Policing programmes have been initiated to address socio-technological challenges in law and order. Discuss.
  • 2023The government response to the Supreme Court’s judgement on Police Reforms has been lackadaisical. The reasons are multiple and multidimensional. Discuss.
  • 2020Police 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.
  • 2019The police-public interface is punctuated with distrust and fear. Suggest how the police can reform its image in the eyes of the public.
  • 2017“The image of Indian Police can be improved if its structure and orientations are transformed radically.” Do you agree? Elaborate.
  • 2016“Police reforms in India have remained a contentious issue”. Critically analyse.
  • 2013“The design of the Indian Police was to subjugate the Indian People in the aftermath of 1857.” Analyse in the context of the Indian Police Act of 1861.
Show 6 earlier questions (before 2013)

1988–2012 · 6 questions

  • 2012Compare and contrast the Padmanabhaiah, Ribeiro and Mallinath Committee Reports.
  • 2011“The theme of Police Reforms continues to haunt the Parliament.” In the light of this statement, discuss the state of Criminal Justice System administration in India.
  • 1998Do you think that the Indian police legislation, structure, technology, attitudes and behaviour are appropriate to meet the law and order problems in the country? What fundamental changes would you suggest in these realms to make the Central and the State police forces more effective in their role-performance?
  • 1996“The work of crime prevention has gone down in the priority list of police activities in recent years.”
  • 1992Write a critical essay on ‘The Dilemmas of Police Administration in a Plural Society.’
  • 1988“Law and order are neither synonymous nor supplementary hence one perspective on police reforms in India can be a bifurcation of the existing Police administration into two independent entities-Judicial (or law) Police and Executive (or Order) Police.” Comment.

Year-wise question papers

All question papers Topic-wise PYQ bank (both papers) Topic-wise PYQ post: Law and Order Administration 2026 paper 2025 paper 2024 paper 2023 paper

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Significant Issues in Indian Administration

Values in public service; regulatory commissions; NHRC; coalition regimes; citizen–administration interface; corruption; disaster management.

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