Public Administration Mains 2012: Paper 1
1. Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each :- 12×5=60
- ‘On a more sophisticated plane public choice is concerned with “Pareto optimality”, or at least with “Pareto improvements”.’ Comment.
- ‘In the canonization of this abstract idea of ‘Staatsraison’ are inseparably woven the sure instincts of the bureaucracy for the conditions which preserve its own power in the State’ [Weber]. Explain.
- ‘Man’s motives … in different subparts of the same. organization may be different’ [Edgar Schein]. Discuss.
- Leadership is the ‘influential increment over and above mechanical compliance with the routine directives of the organization’ [Katz and Kahn]. Analyze.
- ‘Policy judgements comprise reality judgements, value judgements and instrumental judgements’ [Geoffrey Vickers]. Elucidate.
- How would you trace the development of Public Administration in terms of different paradigms from the politics/administration dichotomy of 1900-1926 to the rise of Public Administration as Public Administration after the formation of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) in the USA in 1970 ? 30
- Two sub questions
- In what respects is Taylor’s ‘Scientific Management’ or classical motivational theory different from the classical organizational theory expounded by Gulick, Urwick etc ? 15
- What light does Antonio Gramsci ‘s critique ofTaylorism throw on its socio-psychological underpinnings ? 15
- ‘Three features characterize Simon’s original view of bounded rationality : search for alternatives, satisficing, and asp.iration adaptation.’ Elucidate. (20)
- Two questions
- ‘The essence, of the contingency theory paradigm is that organizational effectiveness results from fitting characteristics of the organization, such as its structure, to contingencies that reflect the situation of the organization.’ Give your reactions to this statement. 20
- In the light of your discussion on above, also show where and how this ‘fitting’ differs essentially from the ‘coping’ with ‘stress’ from the environment emphasized by the systems theory of organization. 20
- ‘Open access to government records is … the hallmark of a democratic government’, but ‘governments are not hesitant about destroying records – very deliberately – in order to prevent investigations, as well as to generally weaken accountability’. Do you think that in this situation right to information can go to the extent of demanding complete declassification and ‘de-archivization’ of government records? Argue. (30)
- Should media exposure be included in rules for administrative accountability in India ? State your views. 15
- Comment on the role of Civil Society in facilitating administrative accountability with special reference to the ‘J anlokpal’ issue in India. 15
Paper I SECTION-B
Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each :- 12×5=60
- ‘Riggs’s classification of societies into fused, prismatic, and diffracted is built around the concept of differentiation.’ Analyze.
- ‘The anti-development thesis . .. reduces development to an idea without history, impervious to change’, but ‘fails to take account of the fact that for all its faults, development can be empowering.’ Discuss. .
- The ‘selection model of recruitment rests on the assumption that the primary needs to be met are those of the organization.’ Examine.
- ‘Our normal expectation should be that new programs will fail to get off the ground and that, at best, they will take considerable time to get started. The cards in this world are stacked against things happening’ [Pressman and Wildavsky]. Comment.
- ‘Those who budget, deal with their overwhelming burdens by adopting heuristic aids to calculation’ (Wildavsky]. Explain.
- Do you think that there is an unresolved and often overlooked tension in Dicey’s concept of rule of law, considering that the other principle of parliamentary sovereignty in English constitutional system runs counter to it ? 20
- Would you agree that the strong Rechsstaat version of the rule of law found on the Continent never existed in England because of its particular history? 20
- Why is le droit administratif regarded alongside the Napoleonic Code as the most notable achievement of French legal science ? 20
- Comment on the reasons why universal theory remams elusive in comparative public administration. 20
- Given the importance of the issue of sex equality in development_ do you think the self-help group movement adequately addresses absence of women in the former mainstream development agenda ? 20
- Would you agree with Bachrach and Baratz that along with decisions, non-decisions are also part of policy ? Give reasons for your answer. 20
- ‘Relations are the building blocks of network analysis’ – In the light of this statement summarize the form and content of relations in ‘network analysis’. 15
- Trace the background and development of PERT and enumerate the steps involved in the application of PERT. 15
- Draw a simple PERT chart for a seminar planning project. 15
- ‘The apparent demise of e-Government and e-Business as the main organizing principles of society has created the conditions for the rise of e-Governance from the ashes’ – In the context of the above statement show the distinctions between e-Government and e-Governance. 15
Public Administration (Mains) 2012: Paper 2
Paper II : SECTION- A
Q.1: Attempt each of the following in about 150 words each :- (12×5=60)
- “The Mughal Administrative System was military rule by nature and a form of centralised despotism.” Analyse.
- ‘Judges should not govern the country. They can lay down a law, not interfere with governance.’ Discuss.
- Critically examine the variables in the composition and functioning of Cabinet Committees.
- “‘Memorandum of Understanding’ scheme between the Government and Public enterprises has forced public undertakings to improve their overall performance.” Do you agree with this statement?
- To what extent has the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act created a ‘federation within a federation’ in India ?
- “The success and prestige enjoyed by a Chief Secretary depend, to a large extent, upon his equations with the varied sets of people and institutions that form the work environment.” Critically evaluate the statement and its relevance to the role of the Chief Secretary in the discharge of his functions. 30
- In the exercise of his/her functions, the President of India is a mere ‘Convenient working hypothesis’. Do you agree with this view ? Justify your reasoning with illustrations. 30
- ‘Parliamentary Departmental Committees have played their role effectively in analysing the demands for grants.’ Evaluate. 20
- (i) Explain the emerging ambiguity in respect of the developmental role of the District Collector in the wake of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act. 10 (ii) Justify ‘indicative’ planning in the context of LPG 10
- ‘Parliament is an independent institution, not to be seen as an extension of government or of a party.’ Elaborate. 20
- ‘The authority of the Governor in the discretionary field is not unrestrained. If it is misused … the President can check him/her and if necessary, he may even remove the Governor.’ Examine this statement critically in the context of the Office of the Governor. 25
- Discuss the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission in respect of the National Development Council for improving Centre-State planning relations. 20
- ‘The Arthashastra is a book of political realism.’ Elaborate. 15
Public Administration Mains 2012 Paper II: SECTION-B
Q.5. Attempt each of the following in about 150 words each :- (12×5=60)
- ‘Bureaucrats should not play politics, but understand how politics works.’ Comment.
- ‘Good governance is closely aligned with effective democratic governance.’ Elaborate.
- ‘Corruption is more of an environmental than an administrative problem.’ Discuss.
- ‘Questions represent a powerful technique of parliamentary control over expenditure.’ Explain.
- ‘Panchayati Raj Institutions are still affected by State control and domination by bureaucracy.’ Do you agree ?
- Local self-government in India is the interplay of several factors – historical, ideological, and adminis- trative. Critically examine these factors. 30
- ‘Efforts made towards administrative reforms so far have been lacking in congruence between strategy, structure and substance.’ Discuss with illustrations. 30
- Indian administration is yet to fully appreciate and adopt the benefits of Information Technology. Elucidate. 15
- What is an output-based performance budgeting system ? Analyse this system in the context of India. 15
- NGOs demand greater autonomy from the State and are now ‘new actors’ in development. How effective are they as instruments of decentralisation and debureaucratisation ? Critically evaluate. 30
- Compare and contrast the Padmanabhaiah, Ribeiro and Mallinath Committee Reports. 25
- “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. 20
- How does New Localism impact Centre-State- Local relations in the era of LPG ? 15