Aspirant Academy

Public Administration

Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Issues in Public Administration: Union-State Relations, Minister-Civil Servant Relationship, Generalists vs Specialists, Administrative Reforms, Social Audit

Paper III · Unit 2 Section 9 of 11 0 PYQs 23 min
Topic Preview Subject Inventory

Public Section Preview

Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Q1 (5 marks — 50 words): What is social audit? How is it implemented under MGNREGS?

Model Answer:

Social audit is community-based verification of government programmes — checking actual expenditures, works, and beneficiaries against official records. Under MGNREGS (Section 17), Gram Sabha audits are mandatory every 6 months; independent Social Audit Units (SAU) facilitate the process; Jan Sunwais (public hearings) expose irregularities. Pioneered by MKSS (Rajasthan, 1990s); it empowers citizens to hold government accountable for delivery.

Q2 (5 marks — 50 words): Discuss the minister-civil servant relationship in India. What are its main tensions?

Model Answer:

The classical model assigns ministers policy-making and accountability; civil servants neutral advice and implementation. In India, tensions arise: (1) Political transfers — officers transferred for honest advice; (2) Ambiguous policy-administration boundary; (3) Accountability gap — minister takes credit, blames civil servant for failures; (4) Coalition pressures create competing loyalties. The 2nd ARC recommended civil servants' right to record dissent and a Civil Services Board.

Q3 (10 marks — 150 words): Discuss the generalists vs specialists debate in Indian public administration with reference to major commissions.

Model Answer:

The generalists vs specialists debate is central to personnel policy in Indian public administration — it asks whether the IAS generalist model or domain expertise should dominate senior administration.

Generalist arguments: IAS officers rotate across departments, building administrative breadth, coordination skills, and political interface capacity. They understand governance holistically — budgeting, law, public relations, crises. Paul Appleby (1953) in his seminal report on Indian administration argued that specialist-trained officers lack the administrative perspective needed to manage complex government programmes. The First ARC (1966–70) strongly endorsed the generalist, recommending higher pay parity for specialists rather than displacing generalists from policy positions.

Specialist arguments: Modern governance — infrastructure, health systems, digital economy — requires deep domain expertise. A generalist IAS officer heading a telecom or pharmaceutical ministry may be vulnerable to expert contractors. Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) argued specialists should head technical departments. Lateral entry (2018) reflects this logic — bringing economists, engineers, and scientists directly to Joint Secretary level.

2nd ARC resolution (2008): Rather than choosing sides, the 2nd ARC recommended domain specialisation within the IAS — officers choose 2–3 sectors at the start of their career (e.g., finance, agriculture, health) and receive postings primarily in those areas. This builds expertise without sacrificing the generalist's breadth.

Assessment: The debate is a false binary. Both generalist coordination and specialist knowledge are needed. Domain specialisation, complemented by lateral entry for truly niche roles, offers the best balance for 21st-century governance.

Q4 (10 marks — 150 words): Examine the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State administrative relations and assess their relevance today.

Model Answer:

The Sarkaria Commission (1983–87), appointed under Justice R.S. Sarkaria, examined Centre-State relations comprehensively and produced 247 recommendations, most of which remain relevant.

Key recommendations:

  1. Article 356: Should be used only in genuine constitutional emergencies — not for political removal of state governments. Supreme Court's S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) endorsed this — making President's Rule subject to judicial review.
  2. Governor: Should be an eminent, non-partisan person, not from the ruling party at Centre; should not act as Centre's agent; should give the largest party/coalition opportunity to form government before recommending President's Rule.
  3. All India Services: Must be preserved; Centre should not allow state governments to obstruct AIS officers' careers or postings.
  4. Inter-State Council (Article 263): Should be established and meet regularly — done in 1990.
  5. Concurrent List: Centre should consult States before legislating on concurrent subjects.

Relevance today:

  • Article 356 misuse: 132 times imposed between 1950–2023; Supreme Court's Bommai judgment has significantly curbed this, vindicating Sarkaria.
  • Punchhi Commission (2007–10) reviewed Sarkaria in coalition era — recommended stronger Inter-State Council and "localised emergency" concept.
  • AIS cadre-State disputes remain live — States resent Centre's control over their senior officers.
  • Regional parties' rise has made cooperative federalism imperative — NITI Aayog's Governing Council attempts to institutionalise it.

The Sarkaria framework remains India's most systematic analysis of Centre-State administrative harmony and is highly examination-relevant.

Q5 (5 marks — 50 words): What are the recommendations of the 2nd ARC on administrative reforms in India?

Model Answer:

The 2nd ARC (2005–08, Moily) submitted 15 reports. Key recommendations: (1) RTI strengthening — fewer exemptions; (2) Code of Ethics — statutory code for civil servants; (3) Civil Services Act — legislative service protection; (4) Domain specialisation — IAS officers specialize in 2–3 sectors; (5) Lokpal and Lokayukta in all states; (6) Citizens' Charter with legal backing; (7) E-Governance via single-window delivery.

Q6 (5 marks — 50 words): Distinguish between the First and Second Administrative Reforms Commissions in India.

Model Answer:

Aspect First ARC (1966–70) Second ARC (2005–08)
Chairman Morarji Desai (later L.K. Jha) Veerappa Moily
Reports 20 15
Key focus PMO, DOPT, Lok Pal idea, machinery Ethics, RTI, ICT, local governance
Context Post-Nehruvian era Post-liberalisation, NPM era

Both are landmark commissions. First ARC laid organisational foundations; Second ARC addressed citizen-centric governance in the digital age.