[Topicwise-Analysis] Public Administration Mains Paper 1 & 2 (2010)

by Mrunal Patel
In single article, I’ve done analysis of both paper 1 and 2 of Public Administration mains
(2010)
Thanks Nethra K. Putty for providing the question papers on her blog
Paper 1
Overall Topicwise Breakup

Thinkers, theories etc 120

Development administration 80
Organizations 60
Accountability and control 60
Comparative Pub.Ad 20
Policy making 60
Personnel administration 100
Finance 20
Thinkers & Theories(पपपपपपपपप पपपपप)
Mc gregor’s view, the managerial cosmology meaningfully addresses the 2
understanding of manager & his role perceptions. Explain 0
The successful management leaders are found in likert’s system-4 approach to 2
organizational leadership examine 0
The study of administration should start from the base of management rather than 2
the foundation of law explain 0
simon’s identifying decision-making as the core field of public administration appears 4
logically acceptable but his positivist underpinning is problematic. Critically examine 0
the statement .
new public management is dead; long live digital era of governance 2
0
Development Administration
not merely governance but good governance is the key factor in achieving the UN 2
millennium goals 2000 0
concept of development is multi-dimensional & ever-expanding explain 2
0
management has become the new icon of developmetalism 2
0
do you think that there is a sort of paradox between e-governance & good 2
governance 0
Organizations
explain the impact of privatization on public administration with special 6
reference to : 0
• the issue of user fees
• public-private partnership
• outstanding technique
Accountability and control
basic principles underlying citizen’s charter with special reference to: 6
20×3 = 60 0
• its administrative philosophy
• promoting public accountability
• ensuring standards of public service.

Comparative Public Administration (पपपपपपपपप पपपपपपप)

prismatic model of riggs is equally applicable to developing as well as developed 2
society. Comment 0
Policy Making (पपपप पपपपपपप)
prismatic model of riggs is equally applicable to developing as well as developed 2
society. Comment 0
p.a. can be portrayed as wheel of relationship focused on the formulation & 2
implementation of public policy. Explain 0
cost benefit analysis is a very unsatisfactory view of evaluating public policy 2
0

Personnel Administration (पपपपपपप पपपपपपप)

explain the peter principle in respect of promotion policy in a hierarchical 2
organization 0
discuss in this connection (Peter Principle) the case dor & against promotion based 4
on seniority 0
distinguish fully between the syndicate method, role playing method & T-group 4
training method in personnel management 0
discuss the principles of ensuring ethics in public service as recommended in the 2
Nolan committee report 1994 0
Financial Administration (पपपपपपप पपपपपपप)
distinguish between PPBS & performance 20
budget

Observations: Paper 1
• You’ve to answer totally 5 questions out of 7 questions (5x 60 marks =300 Marks)
• you know Q#1 and #5 are compulsory so no escape from that.
• Paper is divided into two sections (A and B) and you’ve to at least attempt one
question from each.
Section-wise breakup (Paper-1)
Sectio Questio
n n
A 1 Thinkers, Theory Compulsor
y
2 NPA + Herbert A. Simon
 3 Organizations (PPP)
4 Accountability
B 5 D.A,CPA, Policy Compulsor
y
6 Personnel only!
7 Mixed bag of Personnel, Finance,
E-gov

1. Thinkers and theories- the usual static stuff (after all what new can you ask from
‘history’!). But as NPA, NPM not given so much importance like they were given in
2009.
2. Citizen’s carter, its getting so clichéd like Sas-Bahu serials. - there were questions
last years too.
3. The trend of asking a ‘big thinker’ for 40 marks is continued, last year it was Taylor
so this year its Herbert A. Simon. May be it’ll be M.P.Follet or C.I. Barnard’s turn in
2011.
4. Mcgregor and Likert are ‘small-time thinkers’ so they get only 20 marks worth
question each as per their ‘aukaat’ (औकात) but it was in Compulsory Question #1.
5. Thankfully no ‘quotes’ were asked (to show that UPSC now puts more emphasis on
‘understanding’ rather ‘cramming’ but then why was UPSC sleeping all these
years!).
6. In the early 90’s there was a trend: In GS paper they’d always ask about Tagore
and his nationalist thoughts, like there was no one else to ask about. May be
because all the GS History questions were set by same examiner for 3-4 years
constantly. I’m seeing something similar here.
7. Public Administration papers become more relevant to the contemporary issues:
that’s why much weightage is given to Development administration, and personnel
administration.
8. No question from Tech. for Administrative improvement (That PERT, CPM stuff).
There was question on E-governance but you’ve to prepare it even for
Development administration, Essay and GS portion.
9. CPA was for namesake only! But was in compulsory #5
10. Question from Financial administration asked only for namesake formality! I
was expecting a lot from this, given the fiscal deficit, 3G auction and GST issues in
current affairs and the general emphasis given to economy related topics both in
GS mains and prelims. But may be coaching classes had put heavy emphasis on
this, that’s why UPSC ignored it like Chandrayaan last year.
11. As usual the questions are designed in such a way that whole (boring) Public-
Policy topic can be safely skipped: just the way coaching classes like it. But CSAT-
2011 ‘syllabus has public-policy as a topic, so it might not be the same trend next
year.
12. Thankfully no SHG (Self-Help group) questions. Material is hard to compile!
Coaching classes & Paper
1. Most coaching class ‘sirs’, teach on the basic principle that certain topics in
optional subjects, can be safely ignored (Public Policy and Development
administration): may be because those sirs themselves don’t understand these
topics well and material is hard to compile and they put heavy emphasis on
Thinkers and Accountability part. Just like they do to History part in GS papers. I
 think someday UPSC going to run a bulldozer on that trend, like they did with
History (GS) this year.

Paper 2
Overall

PSU 20
Rural 20
Urban 20
Planning 30
Evolution 50
Civil services 50
Reforms 60
Issues in Administration 60
Finance 70
Polity 100
Evolution of Indian Administration
rule of kings depend primarily on written orders….. “ why did kautilya favor 2
codification of laws? 0
it is said that the british made a significant contribution towards modernizing the 3
Indian administrative system on rational-legal basis. Justify the assessment with 0
reference to the period from 1830-1865

Polity
does the emergence of an empowered group of ministers at the central level impair 2
the doctrine of cabinet responsibility? 0
in an era of hung parliaments the power of the president expands, more so when the 3
incumbent decides to be assertive. Comment on the statement with reference to the 0
situation in India during the last two decades.
judges & courts have creatively reinterpreted this statutory authority & expanded 3
their own power & enhanced their standing vis-à-vis the legislature & executive 0
critically examine this assessment
public interest litigation (PIL) has undergone several changes since its inception in 2
1980s. 0
PSU
is it correct to state that one of the major reasons for the failure of many……public 2
sector undertakings was due to departures from the original concept of autonomy? 0

Civil services
more developed an administrative system because the grater the likelihood that it 1
would that it would have development effects. 5
thrust of development administration failed to energies the Indian bureaucracy 1
5
civil service neutrality is a fiction. How many thinking person can be neutral? 2
 0
Administrative reforms (पपपपपपपपप पपपपप)
with reference to India , discuss the assertion that administrative reforms are multi- 3
dimensional & need to be substantiated by reforms in other related areas of state 0
action.
the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission in its 10th report, observes that the 3
common perception is that the incentive structure in government is too weak & 0
inadequate to motivate better performance
Financial Management
prevalence of multiple channels for transfer of resources from the center to the 3
states is stated to have compounded the problems of federal fiscal arrangements. 0
Discuss
states with record of good governance, it is argued by spokesperson of some states, 2
lost their earlier share from the finance commissioner’s award. 0
optimism expressed by proponents of the financial responsibility & budget 2
management act 2003, in ensuring fiscal discipline appears to be unwanted 0
Plans and Priorities
planning commission is an armchair advisor 1
5
planning commission should reinvent itself a systems reforms commission in the 1
backdrop of changed global domestic scenario. 5
Rural Development
non-government organizations play a catalytic role in enabling communities to 2
define their own priorities. 0

Urban Local Government

Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) is one of the biggest reforms- 2
linked develop programmes taken upt by the government. 0

Significant issues in Indian Administration

it is argued that the Bhopal gas disaster & the response pattern to it reflect multiple 3
vulnerabilities relating to system of corporate social responsibility, governance at 0
local state & central levels, legal safeguards liabilities. Comment on this assessment.
(you can put this in disaster Management as well)
creation of new regulatory agencies in the wake of liberalization, overlapping 3
jurisdiction & conflicts became the new trend. Is there need for the creation of a 0
super-regulator/unified regulator?

Section wise Breakup (Paper-2)

Sectio Questio
n n
A 1 Polity, PSU,Kautilya Compulsor
y
2 British Administration + Civil services
today
3 Reform + Finance
4 Polity only (that too, only static part!) Relief!
B 5 Mixed bag : Polity, Finance and Civil Compulsor
services y
 6 Planning Commission + 2nd ARC
7 Mixed bag: Rural, Urban and Financial
8 Disaster + Administrative Adjudication

Conclusion : Paper-2
1. No question on Law and Order (the whole Naxal issue ignored)
2. Routine questions Panchayati Raj (73rd and 74th) are ignored
3. Routine questions from PSU and planning Commission are asked.
4. Static part from polity worth 100 marks
5. Judicial activism and PIL: alone total 50 marks.
6. Financial Management portion, (which was ignored in paper-1) gets good
treatment here.
7. State, central and district Administration: ignored.
8. Overall, the paper was more issue and latest current affairs related
a. Manmohan Singh’s comment on Judicial activism
b. New CJI’s approach over PILs
c. ‘Arm-chair advisor’ comment by Kamal Nath.
d. Disaster Management
e. JNNRUM
9. If you count above 5 current affairs topics: totally about 130+ Marks (=almost
50%) was from current affairs related questions. Rest paper from (relatively) static
portion.

Earlier on this Blog

1. [Topicwise analysis] GS mains paper 2 (2010)
2. [Topicwise-Analysis] General Studies paper-1 (Mains) 2010
3. [Question Paper] Essay Mains 2010