16 questions from the UPSC 2017 examination.
16 questions
Q2 (Paper 1). (a) New Public Management has been branded by certain scholars as 'Neo-Taylorism'. Is it a justified comparison? What factors led to the decline of NPM soon after its birth? (b) "Abraham Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' and Frederick Herzberg's 'Two Factor Theory' have commonalities in the analysis of human motivation." Comment. (c) Civil Society supplements and complements the State. However, its capacity and role depend upon the will of the State. Comment.
Q1 (Paper 2). Write short answers in about 150 words each (10x5=50 marks): (a) "Constitutionalism is the foundation of the administrative edifice in India." Discuss. (b) "The status and functioning of the Cabinet Secretariat face a stiff challenge from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)." Argue both in favour and against the contention. (c) "Effectiveness of local self-government institutions is hampered due to the lack of capacity building of the elected representatives." Elaborate. (d) "Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in India face tough competition from the private enterprises and Multi-National Corporations (MNCs)." Explain. (e) Do you agree that "All India Judicial Service (AIJS) would contribute to timely delivery of justice to the citizens"? Argue your case.
Q5 (Paper 2). (a) "The institution of Gram Sabha has very little connection with the Gandhian spirit of direct democracy." Critically examine. (b) "There is a need for greater inclusion of technocrats in bureaucracy to ensure effective governance in India." Do you agree? Elucidate. (c) "Civil servants should avoid airing grievances in the media." In this context, discuss the grievance redressal mechanisms available to the Civil Servants in India. (d) Do you think that the Public Service Guarantee Act passed by various State Governments is an extension of the Citizen Charter? Give reasons. (e) "The office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) is expected to strengthen public financial management in India." Discuss its mandate.
Q4 (Paper 2). (a) "Bureaucracy has to balance the need for environmental sustainability and developmental imperatives." Discuss. (b) "The chief secretary is often termed as the alter ego of the Chief Minister." Discuss, with examples, the dynamics of their relationship in State administration. (c) "District Planning Committee (DPC) has been the weakest structure in the local self-government mechanism in India." Analyze with examples.
Q2 (Paper 2). (a) "The market reforms have not infringed the basic structure of the Constitution of India, but have largely compromised the realization of the ideals of social and economic justice." Comment. (b) "The idea of lateral entry into the Civil Services would energise Indian administration." What are its possible advantages and limitations? (c) "Pro-Active Governance and Timely implementation (PRAGATI) is an innovative project of the Union Government." Discuss its features and modalities.
Q3 (Paper 2). (a) "The position of council of ministers in a state is reduced to that of a body of secretaries in the presence of a domineering chief minister." Critically analyse with examples. (b) "Indianisation of Public Services is a slow but steady process." Explain. (c) "Digitalization of land records is a necessary but not sufficient precondition for ensuring transparent district administration." Explain.
Q4 (Paper 1). (a) "With every major transformation in the applied world of Public Administration, the study of Public Administration has grown in scope and intensity." Discuss the relationship between the evolution of the discipline and profession of Public Administration. (b) "Systems Theory in essence is not a theory, but an approach to the study of administrative phenomena." Comment. (c) "The principle of delegated legislation is, I think, right, but I would emphasise that it is well for Parliament to keep a watchful and even zealous eye on it at all stages." (Herbert Morrison) Analyze.
Q1 (Paper 1). Write short answers in about 150 words each (10x5=50 marks): (a) "Even after 130 years of its publication, Woodrow Wilson's essay 'The Study of Administration' continues to have great relevance even today." Comment. (b) "What is distinctive about the Classical and Human Relations Schools of thought on administration is their complementarity to each other." Analyse. (c) "Conflict is the appearance of differences - the difference of opinions and of interest." (Mary Parker Follett). Comment. (d) "Leaders do the right things; managers do them rightfully." (Warren Bennis). Is this distinction by him valid? Explain. (e) "Administrative Law is recognized by its substance rather than its form." Discuss.
Q6 (Paper 2). (a) "The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration encourage good governance initiatives." Discuss some such initiatives by the Civil Servants in this context. (b) "Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a paradigm shift in the Centre-State relations, both financially and politically." Analyze with examples. (c) "The Right to Information (RTI) has started its journey but is far from its destination." Comment.
Q8 (Paper 2). (a) Discuss, with suitable examples, the emerging challenges faced by the Regulatory Commissions as arbitrating agents between the State and the market forces. (b) "The 'policy of non-action' regarding the institutional mechanisms and legal provisions to eradicate corruption is a feature of Indian Administration." Critically examine. (c) "The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) makes a strong case for the principle of subsidiarity." Elaborate.
Q8 (Paper 1). (a) "Various components of Human Resource Management are inter-related." Discuss. (b) "Administrative ethics includes the code of conduct of civil servants, but goes beyond it as well." Discuss. (c) "Of all the processes involved in public policy, implementation is of greatest importance." Examine the impediments in policy implementation.
Q3 (Paper 1). (a) The Participative Management School of Argyris and Likert advocates democracy within the administrative system. Will this approach be equally useful to developing countries with evolving democracies? (b) "Executive position implies a complex morality and requires a high capacity of responsibility." (Chester Barnard). Comment. (c) When the media is controlled by vested interests, how can it control the vested interests in the government? How can the media become more responsible and impartial?
Q7 (Paper 2). (a) "Disaster preparedness and management has become an important component of district administration in India." Discuss with suitable illustrations. (b) In view of the contemporary internal security scenario, should "law and order" be made a part of the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India? Justify your opinion. (c) "The image of Indian Police can be improved if its structure and orientations are transformed radically." Do you agree? Elaborate.
Q7 (Paper 1). (a) "The Riggsian models of Fusion-Prismatic-Diffracted Societies and their administrative systems have been inspired by Max Weber's typology of Traditional Charismatic Legal-Rational Authorities." Analyze. (b) "Bureaucracy has inbuilt limitations to act as the prime catalyst to multi-faceted development in a democratic country." Analyze this statement with appropriate examples. (c) Can we say that statutory audit and social audit are two sides of the same coin? Or are they separate coins with varying values?
Q6 (Paper 1). (a) "Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization have transformed the nature of development administration." Discuss. (b) "Lateral entry of competent experts into the government will promote freshness and innovation, but it can create problems of accountability." (c) "There can be no performance auditing without performance budgeting."
Q5 (Paper 1). (a) "Budgeting is a political process." (Aaron Wildavsky) (b) "Development Administration and Administrative Development have a chicken and egg kind of relationship." (Riggs). Elaborate. (c) "Digitalization provides great impetus to E-governance." Discuss. (d) "360-degree performance appraisal system is a rational idea, but it involves complex and inauthentic procedures." How can it be made foolproof? (e) "A large public debt forces the adoption of tax and spending policies that result in higher taxes and reduced services." Analyze.