General Studies (Paper-IV)
Time: 3 Hours Max.Marks: 250
Instructions
* There are Fourteen questions divided in two Sections and printed both in Hindi and in English.
* All questions are compulsory.
Answer questions in NOT MORE than the word limit specified for each in the parenthesis. Content of the answer is more important than its length.
Section-A
1. What do you understand by values and ethics? In what way is it important to be ethical along with being professionally com-petent? (150 words) 10 Marks
2. a) What do you understand by the following terms in the context of public service (250 words)
3´5 =15 Marks
i) Integrity
ii) Perseverance
iii) Spirit of service
iv) Commitment
v) Courage of conviction
b) Indicate two more attributes which you consider important for public service. Justify
your answer. (100 words) 10 Marks
3. Some people feel that values keep changing with time and situation, while others strongly believe that there are certain universal and eternal human values. Give your perception in this regard with due justification
(150 words) 10 Marks
4. What is emotional intelligence and how can it be developed in people? How does it help an individual in taking ethical decisions?
(150 words) 10 Marks
5. a) What do you understand by the term voice of conscience? How do you prepare
yourself to heed to the voice of conscience (150 words) 10 Marks
b) What is meant by crisis of conscience? Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and how you resolved the same.
(150 words) 10 Marks
6. Given below are three quotations of great moral thinkers/ philo-sophers. For each of these quotations, bring out what it means to you in the present context:
a) There is enough on this earth for every one's need but for no one's greed. - Mahatma Gandhi (150 words) 10 Marks
b) Nearly all men can withstand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power - Abraham Lincoln.
(150 words) 10 Marks
c) I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies - Aristotle
(150 words) 10 Marks
7. The good of an individual is contained in the good of all. What do you understand by this statement? How can this principal be implemented in public life. (150 words) 10 Marks
8. It is often said that politics and ethics do not go together. What is your opinion in this regard? Justify your answer with illustrations. (150 words) 10 Marks
Section-B
In the following questions, carefully study the cases presented and then answer the questions
that follow.
9. A public information officer has received an application under RTI Act. Having gathered the information, the PIO discovers that the information pertains to some of the decisions taken by him, which were found to be not altogether right. There were other employees also who were party to these decisions. Disclosure of the information is likely to lead to disciplinary action with possibility of punishment against him as well as some of his colleagues, non-disclosure or part disclosure of camouflaged disclosure of information will result into lesser punishment or no punishment.
The PIO is otherwise an honest and conscientious person but this particular decision on which the RTI application has been filled, turned out to be wrong. He comes to you for advice.
The following are some sugges-ted options. Please evaluate the merits and demerits of each of the options.
i) The PIO could refer the matter to his superior officer and seek his advice and act strictly in accordance with the advice, even though he is not completely in agreement with the advice of the superior.
ii) The PIO could proceed on leave and leave the matter to be dealt by his successor in office or request for transfer of the application to another PIO.
iii) The PIO could weigh the consequences of disclosing the information truthfully, including the effect on his career and reply in a manner that would not place him or his career in jeopardy, but at the same time a little compromise can be made on the contents of the information.
iv) The PIO could consult his other colleagues who are party to the decision and take action as per their advice.
Also please indicate (without necessarily restricting to the above options) what you would like to advise, giving proper reasons. (250 words) 20 Marks
10. You are working as an Executive Engineer in the construction cell of a municipal corporation and are presently in-charge of the construction of a flyover. There are two junior Engineers under you who have the responsibility of day-to-day inspection of the site and are reporting to you, while you are finally reporting to the Chief Engineer who heads the cell. While the construction is heading towards completion, the Junior Engineers have been regularly reporting that all construction is taking place as per design specifications. However, in one of your surprise inspections, you have noticed some serious deviations and lacunae which in your opinion, are likely to affect the safety of the flyover. Rectification of these lacunae at this stage would require a substantial amount of demolition and rework which will cause a tangible loss to the contractor and will also delay completion. There is a lot of public pressure on the corporation to get this construction completed because of heavy traffic congestion in the area, When you brought this matter to the notice of the Chief Engineer, he advised you that in his opinion it is not a very serious lapse and may be ignored. He advised for further expediting the project, for completion in time. However, you are convinced that this was a serious matter which might affect public safety and should not be left unaddressed.
What will you do in such a situation? Some of the options are given below. Evaluate the merits and demerits of each of these options and finally suggest what course of action you would like to take, giving reasons.
(250 words) 20 Marks
i) Follow the advice of the Chief Engineer and go ahead.
ii) Make an exhaustive report of the situation bringing out all facts and analysis along with your own viewpoints stated clearly and seek for written orders from the Chief Engineer.
iii) Call for explanation from the junior Engineers and issue orders to the contractor for necessary correction within targeted time.
iv) Highlight the issue so that it reaches superiors above the Chief Engineer.
v) Considering the rigid attitude of the Chief Engineer, seek transfer from the project or report sick.
11. Sivakasi in TamilNadu is known for its manufacturing clusters on firecrackers and matches. The local economy of the area is largely dependent on firecrackers industry. It has led to tangible economic development and improved standard of living in the area.
So far as child labour norms for hazardous industries like fire crackers industry are concerned, International Labour Organization (ILO) has set the minimum age as 18 years. In India, however, this age is 14 years.
The units in industrial clusters of firecrackers can be classified into registered and non-registered entities. One typical unit is household based work. Though the law is clear on the use of child labour employment norms in registered/ non registered units, it does not include household based works. Household-based work means children working under the supervision of their parents/ relatives. To evade child labour norms, several units project themselves as household based works but employ children from outside. Needless to say that employing children saves the costs for these units leading to higher profits to the owners.
On your visit to one of the units at Sivakasi, the owner takes you around the unit which has about 10-15 children below 14 years of age. The owner tells you that in his household-based unit, the children are all his relatives. You notice that several children smirk, when the owner tells you this. On deeper enquiry, you figure out that neither the owner not the children are able to satisfactorily establish their relationship which each other
a) Bring out and discuss the ethical issues involved in the above case.
b) What would be your reaction after your above visit?
(300 words) 25 Marks
12. You are heading a leading technical institute of the country. The institute is planning to convene an interview panel shortly under your chairmanship for selection of the post of professors. A few days before the interview, you get a call from the personal secretary (PS) of a senior government functionary seeking your intervention in favour of the selection of a close relative of the functionary for this post. The PS also informs you that he is aware of the long pending and urgent proposals of your institute for grant of funds for modernization, which are awaiting the functionary's approval. He assures you that he would get these proposals cleared.
a) What are the options available to you?
b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the options which you would adopt giving reasons (250 words) 20 Marks
13. As a senior officer in the Finance Ministry, you have access to some confidential and crucial information about policy decisions that the Government is about to announce. These decisions are likely to have far reaching impact on the housing and construction industry. If the builders have access to this information beforehand they can make huge profits. One of the builders has done a lot of quality work for the government and is known to be close to your immediate superior, who asks you to disclose this information to the said builder.
a) What are the options available to you?
b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option which you would adopt giving reasons.
(250 words) 20 Marks
14. You are the Executive Director of an upcoming Infotech Company which is making a name for itself in the market.
Mr. A, who is a star performer, is heading the marketing team. In a short period of one year, he has helped in doubling the revenues as well as creating a high brand equity for the Company so much so that you are thinking of promoting him. However, you have been receiving information from many corners about his attitude towards the female colleagues, particularly his habit of making loose comments on women. In addition, he regularly sends indecent SMS's to all the team members including his female colleagues.
One day, late in the evening Mrs. X who is one of Mr.A's team members, comes to you visibly disturbed. She complains against the continued misconduct of Mr.A, who has been making undesirable advances towards her and has even tried to touch her inappropriately in his cabin.
She tenders her resignation and leaves your office.
a) What are the options available to you?
b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option you would adopt, giving reasons.
(250 words) 20 Marks
OPTIONAL SUBJECT
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
(PAPER-I)
Time: 3 Hours Max. Marks: 250
Instructions
n There are EIGHT questions divided in two SECTIONS.
n Candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.
n Questions no. 1 and 5 are compulsory and out of the remaining, THREE are to be attempted choosing at least ONE from each section.
Section - A
Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each.
Q 1. 10 × 5 = 50
a) How did traditional public administration "resolve a fundamentally irresolvable problem - creating an administration strong enough to be effective but not so strong enough to endanger accountability"?
10 Marks
b) The theory of 'organizational incompetence' has two separate and distinct faces. Examine Chris Argyris' views on this.
10 Marks
c) "In the globalized public administration, hierarchy creates more ethical problems than it solves.. .'' Comment. 10 Marks
d) Public Administration in the neo-liberal era is governed less by instruments of internal accountability and more by those of external accountability. Elaborate.
10 Marks
e) Discuss the view that "tribunals should have the same degree of independence from the executive as that enjoyed by the Supreme Court and the High Courts, especially for those tribunals that look over the functions of High Courts.''
10 Marks
Q 2.
a) "New Public Management may have neither been the saviour its enthusiasts promised nor the devil its critics worried it would be." Discuss. 25 Marks
b) "The design of the physical structure, the anatomy of the organization came first, and was indeed the principal consideration."
"An organization is a system of interrelated social behaviours of participants."
Analyse these statements and evaluate the contributions of the respective approaches to administration theory. 25 Marks
Q 3.
a) "Decisions are not made by 'organizations', but by 'human beings' behaving as members of organizations." How do Bernard and Simon conceptualize the relation between the decisions of the individual employee and the organizational authority?
20 Marks
b) "A variety of different organizational arrangements can be used to provide different public goods and services." Explain the theory underlying this proposition and its potential contribution.
15 Marks
c) What is the nature of psychological contract pursued by organizational management through authority and the employees through exertion of upward influence?
15 Marks
Q 4.
a) Structural theory is, by and large, grounded in classical principles of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. Explain.
25 Marks
b) "Public interest is still inadequate as a ground concept to evaluate public policy." Discuss.
25 Marks
SECTION - B
Q 5.
Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each.
10 × 5 = 50
a) "Comparative Public Administration both resembles and differs from modern organization theory." Elaborate.
10 Marks
b) "In organizational analysis there is always gender around." (Gouldner). Argue.
10 Marks
c) What is administrative elitism? How does it evolve in public administration? Elaborate your response with reference to historical examples.
10 Marks
d) The success rate of e-government projects in most developing countries is stated to be rather low. Assess the reason.
10 Marks
e) What new models of budgetary capacity and incapacity have emerged after the decline of Planning Programming Budgeting and Zero-based Budgeting?
10 Marks
Q 6.
a) "For those who use the euphemism of 'shared power' for participation, the appropriate literature for guidance is practical politics, not organization and management."
"Strong state and strong civil society are the need to develop both participatory democracy and responsive government as mutually reinforcing and supportive."
Bring out the myths and realities associated with public participation.
20 Marks
b) ".... in most cases .... newly independent states, of the nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America, despite their differences .... are in transition." (Ferrel Heady). What common features are indicative of characteristics of their administrative patterns (cultures)? 15 Marks
c) "To talk about the regulatory framework is to talk about governance." Analyse the statement in the context of public-private partnerships and identify the elements of regulation. 15 Marks
Q 7.
a) "Economic reforms are a work in progress with the state reluctant to fully relinquish its reins." Discuss the statement with regard to implementation of economic reforms in India.
15 Marks
b) "The policy process was not structured in the way required by bureaucratic planning."
"Arguably, incrementalism now stands most in contrast to neo-liberal nationality that impose markets against both gradual change and democratic liberalism." Analyse these two statements.
20 Marks
c) Budget allocation involves series of tensions between actors with different backgrounds, orientations and interests and between short-term goals and long-term institutional requirements.
Discuss. 15 Marks
Q 8.
a) Read the following instances carefully and suggest what specific perspectives on organizational psychology of motivation would help the concerned organization to reconcile the needs of the following four persons with the needs of the organization:
30 Marks
i) Mr. A comes to his office with clocklike punctuality; does his work with impeccable honesty and integrity; takes order from above gladly; responds well to overtures by peers; but neither mixes with anyone himself nor seeks anyone's company. What is more, he seems quite happy in his isolation.
ii) Mr. B is an efficient charge-hand at the welding shop. He is very outgoing and makes friends fast, but falls out with them very fast too. He is, however, easily pacified when anyone asks him to calm down in the name of the organization.
iii) Dr. C is completely happy and absorbed when he is teaching in the classes, and does not at all mind when his workload gets heavier and covers new areas. But he gets angry when the finance section raises objections about his medical bills; and is furious that the higher administration is yet to give him full tenure.
iv) Mr. D is a metallurgist in the forge shop of the steel plant, and has received honours for his innovativeness in modifying conventional alloys. He also paints well and values his painting skills far more than his metallurgy and is extremely unhappy that the company house journal did not finally carry his water sketch on its front cover.
b) Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley girded by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational techniques of policy analysis should it resort to for coping with likely uncertainties and unforeseen contingencies?
20 Marks
