Aspirant Academy

Public Administration

Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Institutions: UPSC, Election Commission, CAG, Finance Commission, Lokpal, NITI Aayog

Paper III · Unit 2 Section 10 of 12 0 PYQs 23 min
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Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Q1 (5 marks — 50 words): What is the role of the CAG in India's financial administration? Mention the types of audit it conducts.

Model Answer:

The CAG (Article 148) is India's supreme audit authority, called "guardian of the public purse." It conducts: (1) Regularity audit — spending per rules; (2) Appropriation audit — matching Parliamentary grants; (3) Performance audit — evaluating outcomes. CAG reports go to President → Parliament → PAC. Dr. Ambedkar called it the Constitution's most important officer.

Q2 (5 marks — 50 words): How does the Election Commission of India ensure free and fair elections? What is the Model Code of Conduct?

Model Answer:

The ECI (Article 324) ensures free elections through: (1) MCC enforcement — banning new government schemes and misuse of state machinery from election announcement; (2) deploying central forces; (3) EVMs with VVPAT since 2013; (4) disqualifying candidates (RP Act 1951). The Model Code of Conduct is not a statute but derives force from Article 324, upheld by Supreme Court.

Q3 (5 marks — 50 words): How does NITI Aayog differ from the Planning Commission it replaced?

Model Answer:

NITI Aayog (2015) differs from the Planning Commission (1950) in four key ways: (1) No power to allocate Plan funds — pure advisory; (2) States are partners, not recipients — Chief Ministers sit in Governing Council; (3) Bottom-up planning replacing top-down Five-Year Plans; (4) Created by Cabinet resolution — no constitutional or statutory status. Vision 2047 is its current flagship.

Q4 (10 marks — 150 words): Examine the composition, powers, and role of the Finance Commission in India's federal fiscal relations.

Model Answer:

The Finance Commission, established under Article 280, is appointed by the President every five years to adjudicate Centre-State fiscal relations.

Composition: A Chairman plus four members appointed by the President; qualifications are prescribed by Parliament (experience in finance/administration/economics/law).

Functions: (1) Vertical devolution — fixing states' share in the divisible pool of central taxes; (2) Horizontal devolution — distributing among states based on criteria (population, income distance, area, forest, demographic performance); (3) Grants-in-aid under Article 275 for needs-based states; (4) Augmenting States' Consolidated Fund for panchayats/municipalities.

Evolving role: The 14th FC (Y.V. Reddy) dramatically raised states' share from 32% to 42%, reducing discretionary grants and strengthening fiscal federalism. The 15th FC (N.K. Singh) rationalised to 41% (J&K becoming UT) and introduced performance-based incentives — forest cover, ease of doing business, and demographic performance.

Limitations: Recommendations are technically advisory, though accepted by convention. The Commission lacks enforcement power; and the concurrent growth of centrally sponsored schemes dilutes effective state autonomy despite higher devolution.

Q5 (10 marks — 150 words): Discuss the Lokpal institution in India — its establishment, jurisdiction, and challenges.

Model Answer:

The Lokpal is India's apex anti-corruption ombudsman, established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, operationalised in March 2019 when Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed as the first Chairperson. Its establishment followed decades of advocacy, the 2011 Jan Lokpal movement led by Anna Hazare, and recommendations of the 2nd ARC (2005–08).

Composition: 1 Chairperson (retired SC Judge or CJI or eminent person) + up to 8 members (at least 4 judicial). Selection is by a committee chaired by the PM, including the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition, CJI, and an eminent jurist.

Jurisdiction: PM (with safeguards), all Union Ministers, MPs (for corruption, not Parliament conduct), and all Group A–D Central Government servants. Can investigate FCRA entities.

Powers: Directs CBI; has Inquiry Wing; can attach assets for 90 days; conviction attracts up to 7 years' rigorous imprisonment.

Challenges: (1) PM has elaborate safeguards — full bench required; (2) No suo motu power; (3) Depends on CBI for investigation — undermining independence; (4) State Lokayuktas not yet established in all states despite the Act's mandate; (5) Whistle-blower protection remains incomplete.

The Lokpal represents an important accountability mechanism but requires stronger investigative independence to become effective.

Q6 (5 marks — 50 words): What are the safeguards that ensure the independence of the UPSC from executive control?

Model Answer:

UPSC independence is protected by: (1) Security of tenure — removal only by President after Supreme Court inquiry for misbehaviour (Article 317); (2) Salary charged to Consolidated Fund — not subject to vote; (3) Members ineligible for further government employment after retirement (Article 319); (4) Annual report to Parliament — creates public accountability; (5) Government bound to explain non-acceptance of UPSC advice.