UPSC Optional Public Administration Paper-2,2014 Question paper

Q.1.

(a) “Ethics in public services has been the central concern of Kautilya’s Arthashastra.” Critically examine the statement. 10
(b) Discuss the value of premises of Constitutionalism in India which he bureaucracy cannot violate. 10
(c) The functional role of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) depends on the Prime Minister’s policy orientation, personality and style of administration. Comment on the statement with suitable examples. 10
(d) Despite the adoption of decentralized planning, participatory initiatives remain marginalized and divisive in many regions. Discuss. 10
(e) “The Centre – State relations have acquired new dimensions in recent times due to several political parties being in power at the Centre and the States.” (Second Administrative Reforms Commission)] Do you agree? Give reasons to support your arguments. 10

Q.2.

(a) “Public Sector Undertakings must learn to survive and he entrepreneurial without assured government budgetary support.” In the light of this statement give your suggestions for strengthening their autonomy and reviving the health of sick Public Sector Undertakings. 20
(b) “Indian administration is said to be characterized by its three features viz. Weberian structures, Kautilyan practice and Gandhian rhetoric.” Examine the statement. 20
(c) “District Collector is a legacy of the British Raj and has largely remained insulated from the demands of contemporary professionalism.” Discuss. 10

Q. 3

(a) “Gender Response Budgeting has infused greater accountability of planning departments towards women empowerment programmes.” Examine the statement. 20
(b) “The gubernatorial position of the Governor is comfortably placed in the fuzzy area between ‘Withdrawal of pleasure of the President’ and ‘Compelling reasons for removal’. “Discuss with some recent examples. 20
(c) “Beneath the soft outer shell of democratic administrative framework lines unscathed the steel frame of Indian administration which has survived through the ages.” In the light of this statement, examine the relationship between bureaucracy and development in the last one decade. 10

Q. 4.

(a) “Management of intra-governmental relations is as important as that of inter-governmental relations.” Examine the impact upon the performance of the government. 20
(b) How far do you agree with the view that the National Development Council (NDC) could resonate the demands of State governments as long as the Planning Commission is kept subservient to it? Critically examine. 20
(c) Critically examine the statement: ‘Thana’ (Police Station) as the last bastion of the waning British administrative legacy of India. 10

Q.5.

(a) Discuss the changes in powers of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG) following a recent Supreme Court judgement in a case concerning a private service provider. 10
(b) Parliamentary Committees bring about accountability in public expenditure. Discuss. 10
(c) Do you think that the role of Panchayati Raj should go beyond development administration? Give reasons for your answer. 10
(d) “Police-Public relations are a story of insincere efforts make on both sides.” Elaborate. 10
(e) “From coalition government to one-party dominance is a big change that is bound to affect the government system.” Explain why and how. 10

Q.6.

(a) Assess the role of honest and upright civil servants in regulatory and development administration in India. Give examples to substantiate your arguments. 20
(b) “Social auditing of flagship programmes of Central government facilitates the performance of the Comptroller and Auditor-General.” Elaborate the statement with appropriate examples. 20
(c) Explain the notion of one hundred ‘smart cities’ and its likely impact on India’s urbanization. 10

Q.7.

(a) Elaborate the features of the grievances redressal mechanism of the civil services in India. Does this mechanism satisfy the objective of its creation? 10
(b) The 13th Finance Commission highlighted an indispensable need to improve the finance of rural and urban level bodies. Does this make local bodies more accountable in the discharge of their functions? 20
(c) “Unimplemented reforms in administrations weaken the administrative reforms process most.” Do you agree? Give your answer citing specific cases as illustrations. 20

Q.8.

(a) Discuss the need for civil services neutrality in development administration. Suggest some measure for achieving and strengthening it in practice. 20
(b) Supreme Court ruling on 31st October, 2013 in respect of bureaucracy’s functioning would help achieve good governance. Analyse this ruling and add your comments on it. 20
(c) Do 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. 10