The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) mains examination is a crucial step in the civil services recruitment process in India, and one of the optional subjects available to candidates is Public Administration. 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. By studying previous year papers, candidates can gain a better understanding of the specific topics and areas that UPSC frequently tests. This information helps candidates in tailoring their preparation strategy, focusing on high-yield areas, and improving their time management skills during the mains examination.
Furthermore, analyzing previous year papers for Public Administration optional allows candidates to gauge the evolving nature of questions and anticipate potential trends in the examination. It is essential for aspirants to practice answering questions from these papers to enhance their problem-solving and writing skills. Additionally, the past year’s papers also help candidates in self-assessment and identifying their weak areas, enabling them to work on those areas to improve their overall performance in the UPSC mains examination. In conclusion, the UPSC mains Public Administration optional previous year papers are an indispensable resource for candidates seeking to crack the civil services examination, as they offer valuable guidance and a clear roadmap for success in this highly competitive arena.
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 (2013)
SECTION – A
1. Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each : 10×5=50 marks
(a) How did traditional public administration “resolve a fundamentally irresolvable problem – creating an administration strong enough to be effective but not so strong enough to endanger accountability”?
(b) The theory of ‘organizational incompetence’ has two separate and distinct faces. Examine Chris Argyris’ views on this.
(c) “In the globalized public administration, hierarchy creates more ethical problems than it solves ….” Comment.
(d) Public administration in the neo-liberal era is governed less by instruments of internal accountability and more by those of external accountability. Elaborate.
(e) Discuss the views that ‘tribunals should have the executive as that enjoyed by the Supreme Court and the High Courts, especially for those tribunals that look over the functions of High Courts.”
2. (a) “New Public Management may have neither been the saviour its enthusiasts promised nor the devil its critics worried it would be.” Discuss.
(b) “The design of the physical structure, the anatomy of the organization came first, and was indeed the principal consideration.”
(c) “An organisation is a system of inter-related social behaviours of participants,” Analyse these statements and evaluate the contributions of the respective approaches to administration theory.
3. (a) “Decisions are not made by ‘organizations’, but by ‘human beings’ behaving as members of organizations.” How do Bernard and Simon conceptualize the relation between the decisions of the individual employee and the organizational authority?
(b) “A variety of different organizational arrangements can be used to provide different public goods and services.” Explain the theory underlying this proposition and its potential contribution.
(c) What is the nature of psychological contract pursued by organizational management through authority and the employees through exertion of upward influence?
4. (a) Structural theory is, by and large, grounded in classical principles of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. Explain.
(b) “Public interest is still inadequate as a ground concept to evaluate public policy.” Discuss.
SECTION – B
5. Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each:
(a) “Comparative Public Administration both resembles and differs from modern organization theory.” Elaborate.
(b) “In organizational analysis, there is always gender around.” (Gouldner). Argue.
(c) What is administrative elitism? How does it evolve in public administration? Elaborate your response with reference to historical examples.
(d) The success rate of e-government projects in most developing countries is stated to be rather low. Assess the reason.
(e) What new models of budgetary capacity and incapacity have emerged after the decline of Planning Programming Budgeting and Zero-based Budgeting?
6. (a) “For those who use the euphemism of ‘shared power’ for participation, the appropriate literature for guidance is practices, not organization and management.” “Strong state and strong civil society are the need to develop both participatory democracy and responsive government as mutually reinforcing and supportive. Bring out the myths and realities associated with public participation.
(b) “…. In most cases …. Newly independent states, of the nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America, despite their differences …. Are in transition.” (Ferrel Heady). What common features are indicative of characteristics of their administrative patterns (cultures)?
(c) “To talk about the regulatory framework is to talk about governance.” Analyse the statement in the context of public-private partnerships and identify the elements of regulation.
7. (a) “Economic reforms are a work in progress with the state reluctant to fully relinquish its reins.” Discuss the statement with regard to implementation of economic reforms in India.
(b) “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.
(c) Budget allocation involves series of tensions between actors with different backgrounds, orientations and interests and between short-term goals and long-term goals and long-term institutional requirements. Discuss.
8. (a) Read 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.
(b) Suppose 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.
Public Administration Optional Question Paper-2 (2013)
SECTION – A
1. Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each : 10×5=50 marks
(a) “The Charter Act of 1853 marked the beginning of parliamentary system in India.” Explain.
(b) “Civil service neutrality is founded on the application of the principles of Rule of Law.” Comment.
(c) “The second generation reforms in the Panchayati Raj institutions have changed Panchayats from an agency of development at local level into a political institution.” Discuss.
(d) “Finance Commission in India performs the job of statistics aggregation.” Comment.
(e) “Planning enables comprehensive and scientific understanding of problems.” Examine the statement in the context of planning methodology.
2. (a) “Bureaucratic agencies, characterized by established procedures, specialization, leadership, clear objectives, are not ideal to handle disaster management.” Examine with reference to the need for administrative flexibility in managing disasters.
(b) “The liberal-democratic ideology of the West influenced the shaping of value premises of the Indian Constitution.” Discuss.
(c) “Autonomy to public sector undertakings is a myth.” Analyse in the context of the use of government expenditures by politicians who control governments at different levels.
3. (a) “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.
(b) “Central Secretariat is the nodal agency for administering the Union subjects and establishing coordination among the various activities of the government.” Discuss.
(c) Is there a need to dispense with the Office of the Governor? Examine in the context of coalition governments.
4. (a) “There is a tendency of centralism in Indian federalism, but it is not because of its institutional framework but because of its socialist goals and centrally devised plan development.” Explain the statement in the context of Union-State relationship.
(b) “Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Panchayat’s functions enhances efficiency, transparency and accountability and also induces mass ICT culture.” Examine.
(c) “Judicial review of administrative tribunal’s decisions defeats the very objective of establishing tribunals.” Comment with reference to Central Administrative Tribunal.
SECTION – B
5. Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each : 10×5=50 marks
(a) “Public Administration today tends to be less public in quantitative terms, but more responsive to public needs than before in qualitative terms.” Examine with reference to citizen-centric administration.
(b) “performance budgeting failed because it was applied to sectors/ programmes where quantitative evaluation was not feasible.” Examine the principles underlying performance budgeting techniques.
(c) “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.
(d) “Reducing the size (geographical area) of the district will provide relief to the overburdened and overworked collector.” Comment.
(e) “The concept of social audit is more comprehensive than that of traditional audit.” Comment.
6. (a) “Gandhian model of decentralization is similar to the process of reinventing governance.” Analyse in the context of good governance.
(b) “Accounting is the essence of producing promptly and clearly the facts relating to financial conditions and operations that are required as a basis of management.” Substantiate the statement in the context of accounting methods and techniques in government.
(c) Explain the important recommendations of V. T. Krishnamachary Committee (1962) on Indian and State Administrative Services and problems of District Administration.
7. (a) “The 73rd Amendment, it is felt, may accentuate fiscal indiscipline by establishing between States and Local Governments a system of transfers similar to the one in place between the Central and State Governments.” (World Bank). Comment.
(b) “Municipal Administration in India faces both structural and operational challenges.” Examine in the context of post-74th Amendment Act.
(c) “Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have contributed to a change in the role of rural women in development – from symbolic participation to empowerment.” Discuss.
8. (a) “There is both criminalisation of politics and politicisation of criminals in India.” Examine and identify the challenges they cause for law & order administration.
(b) “The basic ethical problem for an administrator is to determine how he/she can use discretionary power in a way that is consistent with democratic values.” Comment with reference to corruption in administration.
(c) Justify the constitutional provision to treat certain expenditure as charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the significance of studying UPSC mains Public Administration optional previous year papers?
Answer: Studying previous year papers helps candidates understand the exam pattern, question types, and important topics. It provides insight into what UPSC typically asks in the Public Administration optional paper and aids in effective preparation.
Q: Where can I access UPSC mains Public Administration optional previous year papers?
Answer: UPSC’s official website often provides access to previous year question papers. Additionally, there are various online platforms, coaching institutes, and books that compile and provide these papers for aspirants.
Q: How can I effectively use previous year papers for Public Administration optional preparation?
Answer: Candidates can use previous year papers for practice and self-assessment. Start by solving questions to test your knowledge and writing skills. Analyze your performance, identify weak areas, and work on improving them. Additionally, use them for time management practice and to get a feel for the actual exam.
Q: Are there any noticeable trends or changes in the UPSC mains Public Administration optional papers over the years?
Answer: Yes, there have been changes and trends in the types of questions and topics covered in the Public Administration optional papers. Analyzing previous year papers can help candidates identify these trends and adapt their preparation accordingly.
Q: Can studying previous year papers alone guarantee success in the UPSC mains Public Administration optional paper?
Answer: While studying previous year papers is crucial for preparation, it should be part of a comprehensive strategy. Candidates should also focus on building a strong understanding of the subject, practice answer writing, and keep up with current affairs related to Public Administration to increase their chances of success in the exam.
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