Public Administration 2024 Paper II 50 marks 150 words Compulsory Analyse

Q1

Answer the following in about 150 words each: (a) "Ethics in Public services has been the main concern of Kautilya's Arthashastra." Examine the statement. (10 marks) (b) "The Mughal Administration was by nature centralised." Analyse. (10 marks) (c) "Autonomy to Public Undertakings is a myth." Analyse. (10 marks) (d) "It should be people's Prime Minister Office (PMO), it can't be Prime Minister's PMO." Comment. (10 marks) (e) "Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a Paradigm shift in the centre-state relations, both financially and politically." Analyse. (10 marks)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

निम्नलिखित में से प्रत्येक का लगभग 150 शब्दों में उत्तर दीजिए : (a) "लोक सेवाओं में नैतिकता कौटिल्य के अर्थशास्त्र का मुख्य सरोकार रहा है।" इस कथन का परीक्षण कीजिए। (10 अंक) (b) मुगल प्रशासन स्वभाव से केंद्रीकृत था ।" विश्लेषण कीजिए। (10 अंक) (c) "सार्वजनिक उपक्रमों को स्वायत्तता एक मिथक है।" विश्लेषण कीजिए। (10 अंक) (d) "यह लोगों का प्रधानमंत्री कार्यालय (पी.एम.ओ.) होना चाहिए, यह प्रधानमंत्रीका पी एम ओ नहीं हो सकता ।" टिप्पणी कीजिए। (10 अंक) (e) "वस्तु एवं सेवा कर (जी.एस.टी.) के कार्यान्वयन से, वित्तीय एवं राजनीतिक दोनों रूप से, केंद्र-राज्य संबंधों में आमूल बदलाव आया है।" विश्लेषण कीजिए। (10 अंक)

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Directive word: Analyse

This question asks you to analyse. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

This multi-part question requires examining (a), analysing (b), (c), (e), and commenting on (d). Spend approximately 30 words/3 minutes per sub-part, with balanced coverage across all five. Begin each part with a brief stance, develop with 2-3 analytical points, and end with a crisp conclusion. For (a) examine both ethical and pragmatic dimensions; (b) analyse centralisation with provincial nuances; (c) debate autonomy versus accountability; (d) comment on democratic accessibility versus concentration of power; (e) analyse GST's federal restructuring.

Key points expected

  • (a) Kautilya's Arthashastra: Examine the tension between rajdharma/statecraft and ethics—codes for amatyas, anti-corruption measures (spies as checks), yet pragmatic acceptance of mandala theory and ends-justify-means; distinguish between personal ethics of ruler and institutional ethics
  • (b) Mughal Administration: Analyse centralisation through mansabdari, jagirdari, revenue assignment; counter with provincial administration (subah, sarkar, pargana), local autonomy in zamindari, and Akbar's decentralising experiments
  • (c) Public Undertakings Autonomy: Analyse myth argument—ministerial control, CAG audit, parliamentary oversight, pricing constraints; counter with Navratna/Maharatna status, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) framework, operational flexibility
  • (d) PMO: Comment on tension between personalised decision-making (PM's PMO) and democratic accessibility (people's PMO)—cite expansion under Indira Gandhi, NITI Aayog's advisory role, public grievance mechanisms, need for transparency
  • (e) GST and Centre-State Relations: Analyse paradigm shift—GST Council as federal institution (Article 279A), voting structure (centre has 1/3rd weight), loss of fiscal autonomy for states, compensation mechanism, political bargaining, cooperative federalism vs competitive federalism

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Concept correctness20%10Accurately defines and applies core concepts: for (a) distinguishes between Kautilya's normative ethics and descriptive statecraft; for (b) correctly identifies Mughal administrative hierarchy without conflating centralisation with uniformity; for (c) distinguishes between operational, financial and administrative autonomy; for (d) captures PMO's constitutional status (extra-constitutional body); for (e) correctly explains GST structure (CGST, SGST, IGST) and constitutional amendment (101st)Basic definitions present but some conflation—treating Arthashastra as purely ethical text, describing Mughal system as completely centralised without provincial nuances, or presenting GST only as tax reform without federal implicationsMajor conceptual errors—calling Arthashastra a religious text, confusing Mughal with Sultanate administration, treating PSUs as purely private entities, describing PMO as constitutional body, or fundamentally misunderstanding GST mechanism
Theoretical anchor20%10Deploys appropriate theoretical frameworks: for (a) uses Sihag's interpretation of Kautilyan political economy or Boesche's 'realist' reading; for (b) applies Habib's 'centralised bureaucracy' thesis or Richards' 'patrimonial-bureaucratic' model; for (c) cites R.K. Mishra on PSU autonomy or A.H. Hansen on public enterprise theory; for (d) uses concentration of power theories or democratic decentralisation; for (e) applies cooperative federalism (Wheare) or bargaining federalism (S.R. Bommai principles)Mentions scholars or theories without clear linkage—naming Kautilya or Akbar without analytical framework, or citing GST without federalism theoryNo theoretical grounding—purely descriptive answers without scholarly references or analytical models across all parts
Indian administrative examples20%10Rich, specific Indian illustrations: for (a) cites specific Arthashastra provisions (2.9 on amatyas, 4.1 on spies); for (b) contrasts Akbar's centralisation with Aurangzeb's over-centralisation or Deccan policies; for (c) compares Navratna status (ONGC, NTPC) with departmental undertakings (Air India pre-privatisation); for (d) contrasts Nehru's small PMO with Indira Gandhi's expansion or Modi's PRAGATI platform; for (e) cites specific GST Council decisions (rate disputes, compensation cess extension) or state resistance (Tamil Nadu, Kerala)Generic examples—mentioning 'ancient Indian administration' without specifics, naming PSUs without autonomy status, or citing GST without concrete federal conflictsNo Indian examples, or inappropriate foreign comparisons that don't illuminate Indian administrative context
Reform / policy angle20%10Demonstrates contemporary relevance and reform consciousness: for (a) links to Lokpal, RTI, or civil service codes; for (b) draws lessons for current district administration or revenue systems; for (c) connects to disinvestment policy, strategic sale, or performance-linked MoUs; for (d) relates to PMO restructuring proposals, e-governance (Digital India), or grievance redressal (CPGRAMS); for (e) analyses GST Council as model for other federal institutions, or proposes reforms (rate rationalisation, inclusion of petroleum)Mentions reforms without analytical depth—naming RTI or GST without explaining administrative implications, or listing reforms without connecting to questionNo reform or policy dimension—purely historical or descriptive treatment without contemporary relevance
Conclusion & forward look20%10Each sub-part ends with balanced, forward-looking synthesis: for (a) reconciles ethics-statecraft tension as context-dependent; for (b) concludes centralisation was tendency, not absolute, with adaptive lessons; for (c) suggests autonomy-accountability continuum with performance-based delegation; for (d) proposes institutionalised accessibility without diluting executive effectiveness; for (e) projects GST Council evolution toward genuine cooperative federalism with institutionalised dispute resolutionSummative conclusions without synthesis—repeating points made, or generic statements about 'need for reform' without specificityNo conclusions, or abrupt endings; alternatively, unbalanced conclusions that ignore counter-arguments or present one-sided views across parts

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