Public Administration Mains 2012: Paper 1

SECTION-A
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.

Q. 2.

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

Q.3.

‘Three features characterize Simon’s original view of bounded rationality search for alternatives, satisficing, and asp.iration adaptation.’ Elucidate.
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

Q.4.

‘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.
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

Q.5

‘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.

Q.6

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

Q.7

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

Q.8

‘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