The UPSC Civil Services Examination continues to challenge aspirants with its dynamic and evolving question trends. Public Administration (Pub Ad) remains one of the most popular optional subjects due to its conceptual clarity, real-world relevance, and strong overlap with General Studies papers. The previous year’s question papers for Public Administration optional provide valuable insights for aspiring civil servants. These papers serve as a comprehensive resource for candidates to understand the exam pattern, question types, and the depth of knowledge required for success.

In this blog, we present:

The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2022 for Public Administration Optional (Paper-1 and Paper-2) maintained its characteristic blend of theoretical grounding and contemporary relevance.

UPSC Public Administration Optional Question Paper 2022

Question Paper Specific Instructions

  • Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions :
  • There are EIGHT questions divided in two SECTIONS and printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH.
  • Candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.
  • Questions no. 1 and 5 are compulsory and out of the remaining, THREE are to be attempted choosing at least ONE from each section.
  • The number of marks carried by a question / part is indicated against it.
  • Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet in the space provided. No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than the authorized one.
  • Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to.
  • Illustrate your answers with suitable sketches, maps and diagrams. These shall be drawn in the space provided for answering the question itself.
  • Attempts of questions shall be counted in chronological order. Unless struck off, attempt of a question shall be counted even if attempted partly. Any page or portion of the page left blank in the answer book must be clearly struck off.

Public Administration Optional Question Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

1. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
a). Public Management takes ‘what’ and ‘why’ from Public Administration and ‘how’ from Business Management. Elaborate.
b). Every human organisation shall start from System-I and ultimately end up with System-IV. Comment on Likert’s statement.
c). All tribunals are courts, but all courts are not tribunals. Explain.
d). Classical Organisation Theory formed the bedrock for the modern organisation theories. Analyse.
e). Interaction between the State and Civil society has hitherto been largely neglected, especially in developing countries. Examine.

2. Answer the following:
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.
b). Transformational leadership requires high degree of coordination, communication and cooperation. Explain.
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?

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

4. Answer the following:
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.
b). Regulatory governance frameworks have become essential building blocks of world society. Discuss their potential and impact in fulfilling the hopes and demands.
c). Social auditing is not just saving the money, it creates positive impact on governance. Comment.

SECTION ‘B’

5. Answer the following in about 150 words each :
a). Development Administration ’embraces the array of new functions assumed by the developing countries’. Explain.
b). Policy evaluation contributes fundamentally to sound public governance. Discuss.
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.
d). Standards are the foundation which do not replace regulations but complement them. Comment.
e). ‘Outcome budgeting addresses the weaknesses of performance budgeting.’ Elaborate.

6. Answer the following:
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.
b). The environment and situational conditions under which the government operates have an important bearing on its human resource development practices. Examine.
c). ‘Lindblom regarded rational decision-making as an unattainable goal.’ In the light of the statement, suggest measures to avoid policy failures.

7. Answer the following:
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.
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.
c). Performance problems are rarely caused simply by lack of training and rarely can performance be improved by training alone. Critically analyse the statement.

8. Answer the following:
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.
b). Most civil service regimes still equate ‘Public Sector Ethics’ with anti-corruption efforts. Discuss the insufficiency of Ethics-code in this background.
c). Failure of Public policies has often been attributed to problems of implementation, while implementors question the policy design. Discuss the contestation.

Public Administration Optional Question Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

1. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
a). “Mughal administrative system was centralised despotism”. Comment.
b). “The office of the District Collector admirably survived the changing times from colonialism to the present times”. Comment.
c). “The smooth transaction of business in Ministries and Departments depends on the role played by Cabinet Secretariat”. Discuss.
d). “The Government of India Act, 1935 is the most important source of Indian constitution”. Identify its features.
e). “The Chief Secretary is the chief communication link between the state and central government”. Explain.

2. Answer the following:
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.
b). The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan is a progressive policy. Analyse.
c). “Indicative Planning, is a middle path of planning and market mechanism to ensure coordination between public and private activities.” Explain.

3. Answer the following:
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.
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.
c). Despite the constitutional status, the District planning committees remained a non-entity in preparation and implementation of plans. Discuss.

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

SECTION ‘B’

5. Answer the following in about 150 words each:
a). Examine the lateral entry recruitment in government in the context of Part XIV of the Indian Constitution.
b). Examine the role of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in protecting the interests of the investors in securities.
c). Citizens charters in India have not succeeded in their objectives in making administrative system citizen centric. Do you agree? Give reasons.
d). Following the onset of globalisation, the traditional bureaucratic model appears to have lost its significance. Comment.
e). “The financial suitability of the Urban local bodies can become a reality only when they receive their due share of public finances.” Explain

6. Answer the following:
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.
b). “The objective of Mission Karmyogi is to enhance capacity building of Indian Civil Servants and improve governance.” Discuss.
c). Parliamentary control over administration is no substitute for judicial control. Comment.

7. Answer the following:
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.
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.
c). Do you think that the new localism relegate the spirit of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992?.

8. Answer the following:
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.
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.
c). Examine the role of Lokpal in ensuring transparency and accountability in Indian administration.

Public Administration Optional Question Paper Analysis

Overall Observations (Paper-1):

  • Strong Theoretical Foundation: The paper heavily emphasized foundational administrative theories and thinkers, requiring a deep understanding of their concepts and critiques.
  • Emphasis on Interconnectedness: Several questions implicitly or explicitly asked candidates to draw connections between different theories or concepts (e.g., Classical and modern, leadership and administration).
  • Critical Evaluation: Many questions demanded critical analysis and evaluation, moving beyond mere description to require reasoned arguments and opinions (e.g., “Comment,” “Analyse,” “Discuss,” “Do you agree?”).
  • Contemporary Relevance of Classic Theories: The paper often framed questions about classical theories in a way that prompted discussion on their enduring relevance or evolution in modern contexts.

Overall Observations (Paper-2):

  • Deep Dive into Constitutional and Institutional Framework: The paper rigorously tested knowledge of India’s constitutional provisions, the roles and functions of key Union and State institutions, and their interrelationships.
  • Historical Evolution and Contemporary Challenges: Questions balanced inquiries into the historical evolution of administrative structures (Mughal, British legacy) with pressing contemporary issues like federalism, judicial reforms, local governance, and administrative reforms.
  • Emphasis on Current Debates and Developments: Many questions were directly linked to ongoing policy debates, reforms, and challenges in Indian governance (e.g., lateral entry, NITI Aayog, GST, PESA, police reforms, Lokpal).
  • Focus on Decentralization: The working of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), District Planning Committees, and Urban Local Bodies, along with their associated challenges (especially financial), featured prominently.
  • Accountability and Ethics: Themes of accountability (CAG, Lokpal, Citizen Charters) and ethics in public service were woven into various questions.

Public Administration Optional Paper (2022): Topic-wise Segregation

Paper-1: Topic-Wise Segregation

1. Introduction

  • Q1(a): Public Management takes ‘what’ and ‘why’ from Public Administration and ‘how’ from Business Management. Elaborate.

2. Administrative Thought

  • Q1(d): Classical Organisation Theory formed the bedrock for the modern organisation theories. Analyse.
  • Q2(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?
  • Q3(a): Barnard posits the zone of indifference as the human condition that animates authority relationships and cooperation in modern organisations. Examine.

3. Administrative Behaviour

  • Q1(b): Every human organisation shall start from System-I and ultimately end up with System-IV. Comment on Likert’s statement.
  • Q2(b): Transformational leadership requires high degree of coordination, communication and cooperation. Explain.
  • Q4(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.

4. Organisations

  • Q4(b): Regulatory governance frameworks have become essential building blocks of world society. Discuss their potential and impact in fulfilling the hopes and demands.

5. Accountability and Control

  • Q1(e): Interaction between the State and Civil society has hitherto been largely neglected, especially in developing countries. Examine.
  • Q4(c): Social auditing is not just saving the money, it creates positive impact on governance. Comment.

6. Administrative Law

  • Q1(c): All tribunals are courts, but all courts are not tribunals. Explain.

7. Comparative Public Administration

  • Q5(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.
  • Q6(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.

8. Development Dynamics

  • Q5(a): Development Administration ’embraces the array of new functions assumed by the developing countries’. Explain.
  • Q7(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.

9. Personnel Administration

  • Q6(b): The environment and situational conditions under which the government operates have an important bearing on its human resource development practices. Examine.
  • Q7(c): Performance problems are rarely caused simply by lack of training and rarely can performance be improved by training alone. Critically analyse the statement.
  • Q8(b): Most civil service regimes still equate ‘Public Sector Ethics’ with anti-corruption efforts. Discuss the insufficiency of Ethics-code in this background.

10. Public Policy

  • Q3(c): Strategic communication ought to be an agile management process. Discuss the conceptualization of strategic communication for the government actions.
  • Q5(b): Policy evaluation contributes fundamentally to sound public governance. Discuss.
  • Q6(c): ‘Lindblom regarded rational decision-making as an unattainable goal.’ In the light of the statement, suggest measures to avoid policy failures.
  • Q8(c): Failure of Public policies has often been attributed to problems of implementation, while implementors question the policy design. Discuss the contestation.

11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement

  • Q5(d): Standards are the foundation which do not replace regulations but complement them. Comment.

12. Financial Administration

  • Q5(e): ‘Outcome budgeting addresses the weaknesses of performance budgeting.’ Elaborate.
  • Q7(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.
  • Q8(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.

Paper-2: Topic-Wise Segregation

1. Evolution of Indian Administration

  • Q1(a): “Mughal administrative system was centralised despotism”. Comment.

2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government

  • Q1(d): “The Government of India Act, 1935 is the most important source of Indian constitution”. Identify its features.

3. Public Sector Undertakings

  • Q3(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.

4. Union Government and Administration

  • Q1(c): “The smooth transaction of business in Ministries and Departments depends on the role played by Cabinet Secretariat”. Discuss.
  • Q2(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.
  • Q4(a): “The Indian judicial system has failed to deliver justice expeditiously”. Examine the challenges faced by the judiciary and suggest measures to overcome them.
  • Q4(c): Examine the role of central government in adjudication of disputes relating to water of interstate rivers.

5. Plans and Priorities

  • Q2(b): The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan is a progressive policy. Analyse.
  • Q2(c): “Indicative Planning, is a middle path of planning and market mechanism to ensure coordination between public and private activities.” Explain.
  • Q3(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.
  • Q3(c): Despite the constitutional status, the District planning committees remained a non-entity in preparation and implementation of plans. Discuss.

6. State Government and Administration

  • Q1(e): “The Chief Secretary is the chief communication link between the state and central government”. Explain.
  • Q4(b): Analyse the specific areas of controversies with regard to Union-State financial relations, particularly in the context of one nation – one tax policy.

7. District Administration since Independence

  • Q1(b): “The office of the District Collector admirably survived the changing times from colonialism to the present times”. Comment.

8. Civil Services

  • Q5(a): Examine the lateral entry recruitment in government in the context of Part XIV of the Indian Constitution.
  • Q6(b): “The objective of Mission Karmyogi is to enhance capacity building of Indian Civil Servants and improve governance.” Discuss.

9. Financial Management

  • Q6(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.
  • Q7(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.
  • Q6(c): Parliamentary control over administration is no substitute for judicial control. Comment.

10. Administrative Reforms since Independence

  • No direct question from this topic in 2022 Paper-2 as per this categorization, although elements of reforms are part of other topics like Civil Services (Lateral Entry, Mission Karmyogi).

11. Rural Development

  • Q8(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.

12. Urban Local Government

  • Q5(e): “The financial suitability of the Urban local bodies can become a reality only when they receive their due share of public finances.” Explain.
  • Q7(c): Do you think that the new localism relegate the spirit of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992?.

13. Law and Order Administration

  • Q8(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.

14. Significant issues in Indian Administration

  • Q5(b): Examine the role of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in protecting the interests of the investors in securities.
  • Q5(c): Citizens charters in India have not succeeded in their objectives in making administrative system citizen centric. Do you agree? Give reasons.
  • Q5(d): Following the onset of globalisation, the traditional bureaucratic model appears to have lost its significance. Comment.
  • Q7(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.
  • Q8(c): Examine the role of Lokpal in ensuring transparency and accountability in Indian administration.
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