Question : Discuss the major highlights of the reforms introduced from time-to-time in Central Civil Services Conduct Rules and add your own comments.
(2015)
Answer : In 1930s a compendium of ‘do’s and dont’s’ were added in Civil Service Conduct Rule which were changed into distinct rules in 1955. Santhanam committee recommended for enlargement of rules and Central Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1964 came into force. The Rules contains norms like maintaing integrity and absolute devotion to duty, not indulging in conduct unbecoming of govt. servant. These rules do not constitute code of ethics.
Thus Draft Public Service Bill, 2007 was proposed ....
Question : Assess the role of honest and upright civil servants in regulatory and development administration in India. Give examples to substantiate your arguments.
(2014)
Answer : Administration can be chiefly divided into two main functions regulatory and developmental. Regulatory functions main motive is to maintain stability, status-quo and maintain an environment of adherence to rules and regulations. Development functions look for change in the existing system, like socio-economic developments in the society.
Honest ethical upright officers are required to carry out functions both regulatory and developmental. One cannot distinguish between the two functions when it comes to the suitability of the job.
When ....
Question : Elaborate the features of the grievance redressal mechanism of the civil services in India. Does this mechanism satisfy the objectives of its creation?
(2014)
Answer : Administrative adjudication is an important component of administrative law along with delegated legislation. It came into response to modern day changes. It is a settlement of disputes related to administrative functioning by an administrative tribunal (an executive body that may act as quasi judicial body). This helps in non-stagnation of policy work and thus benefits the people at large.
There are three types of administrative tribunals setup under administrative tribunals act of 1985 for better grievance ....
Question : Discuss the need for civil service neutrality in development administration. Suggest some measures for achieving and strengthening it in practice
(2014)
Answer : One of the foundational pillars of an effective, competent and corruption free civil service is for it to be neutral & fearless in its approach & faithful to the Constitution (the people) while carrying out their duties , and not soliciting for patronage from any party for vested interests. The founding fathers of the Constitution wisely provided, by making provisions in Part XIV of the Constitution, for apolitical and independent civil services, with requisite protection ....
Question : Supreme Court ruling on 31st October, 2013 in respect of bureaucracy’s functioning would help achieve good governance. Analyse this ruling and add your comments on it.
(2014)
Answer : At present the civil servants are not having stability of tenure, particularly in the State governments where transfers and postings are made frequently, at the whims and fancies of the executive head for political and other considerations and not in public interest.
To insulate the bureaucracy from political interference and to put an end to frequent transfers of civil servants by political bosses, the Supreme Court on October 2013 directed the Centre and the States to ....
Question : Judicial review of administrative tribunal’s decision defeats the very objective of establishing tribunals. Comment with reference to Central Administrative Tribunal.
(2013)
Answer : Administrative adjudication is the resolution of quasi-judicial matters by administrative agencies or commissions established for the purpose. A number of technical issues and’ disputes emerge in the day-to-day administration. The ordinary courts do not have the technical expertise and it becomes quite dilatory and costly to dispense with cases of administrative nature. It is only the administrative agencies, which are capable of looking into the matters of administrative exigencies. These administrative agencies with the power ....
Question : Gandhian model of decentralization is similar to the process of reinventing governance. Analyze in the context of good governance.
(2013)
Answer : Political decentralization aims to give citizens or their elected representatives more power in public decision-making. It is often associated with the pluralistic politics and representative Government, but it can also support democratization by giving citizens, or their representatives, more influence in the formulation and implementation of policies. Advocates of political decentralization assume that decisions made with greater participation will be better informed and more relevant to diverse interests in society than those made only by ....
Question : Civil service neutrality is founded on the application of the principles of rule of law. Comment.
(2013)
Answer : The recruitment of Civil Servants on a permanent basis in a changing political climate calls for neutrality of the permanent members. This means the members are not supposed to commit themselves to any political values. They are expected to cooperate and assist any party in power irrespective of the political preferences. This implies that members of the permanent executive either do not have clear preferences or do not allow those values enter their day-to-day work. ....
Question : ‘Bureaucrats should not play politics, but understand how politics works.’ Comment.
(2012)
Answer : Max Weber has talked about impersonal attachment and objectivity in his bureaucracy which means an officer should take decision independent of any emotion which would be equal for everyone and in benefit of public rather than individual or community benefit. But at present, politics gives importance to community benefits. If some politician is elected then he tries to work for the benefit of the group which was responsible for his victory even if that ignores ....
Question : Indian administration is yet to fully appreciate and adopt the benefits of Information Technology. Elucidate.
(2012)
Answer : Although Information Technology is priority of today but progress in this direction is very slow. In India, the preconditions of e-governance are not being adhered to. This is the reason why Indian administration is not able to reap full benefits of the Information Technology. For example, no software development in local languages, unavailability of computers in rural areas etc, displays lack of use of IT in administration. Although there has been significant development in this ....
Question : ‘Good governance is closely aligned with effective democratic governance.’ Elaborate.
(2012)
Answer : Good governance and democracy are complementary. Both are related as means and end- democracy as means and Good governance as end. Democracy provides power to rule and provides people with right to elect government of their choice therefore both concepts are citizen centric and assume people as ultimate goal of administration.
In good governance the elements such as transparency, participation, sensitivity, people orientation, etc. are emphasized upon. They make a democracy successful and meaningful. Transparency emphasizes ....
Question : ‘Performance Appraisal Systems’ with special reference to the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES) are expected to transform the bureaucratic culture of Indian administration. Do you agree? Give reasons.
(2011)
Answer : The current systems for accountability for results in Government suffer from several limitations. Typically, performance evaluation systems in governments suffer from two major conceptual flaws. First, they list a large number of targets that are not prioritized. Hence, at the end of the year it is difficult to ascertain performance. For example, simply claiming that 16 out of 20 targets were met is not enough. It is entirely possible that the four targets that were ....
Question : “Civil Service Neutrality is a fiction. How many thinking person can be neutral.
(2010)
Answer : Sardar Patel had made the following observations in the Constituent Assembly to support the continuance of the pre-independence civil service structure:-
“It needs hardly to be emphasized that an efficient, discipline and contended civil service assured of its prospects as a result of diligent and honest work, is a sine-quanon of sound administration under democratic regime even more than under an authoritarian rule. The service must be above party and we should ensure that political considerations, ....
Question : “The weakest aspect of Indian administration is the grievance redressal machinery.” Discuss.
(2009)
Answer : The modern Indian administration is based on legacy of British colonial rule which is based on the form of Weberian Bureaucratic Model of administration.
In the country like India where there is a parliamentary form of democracy is in existence since last six decades the goal of the government should be betterment of its’s citizen. Therefore to achieve the goal of ‘welfare state’ it needs not only policy guidelines by the executive and legislative but their ....
Question : There is no basic contradiction between civil service neutrality and civil service activism.” Comment.
(2009)
Answer : Civil service neutrality is one of the core feature of Weberian bureaucracy for its functioning in efficient and effective way. The administrator should behave in organization without any fear and favour to anyone either inside the organization or the person influencing them from outside the organization. The administrator should perform his duty as per rule of law and with detached spirit.
In the democratic country like India where bureaucracy has to work within the political guidance ....
Question : The recommendations of the second Administrative Reforms Commission on reforming the civil service are radical yet implementable.” Do you agree?
(2009)
Answer : Government India has constituted 2nd ARC under chairmanship of V. Moily (2005) to suggest measures to make Indian administration suitable to face the challenges of 21st century. After prolonged debates, discussions, seminars and conferences to analyse the administrative structure of various ministries and departments at different levels of administration, it came out with 13 reports. “The Ist report-Right to Information” is the landmark event in the history of Modern Indian Administration. Thereafter various reports like ....
Question : Do state services suffer in comparison with the All India and Central Services? Suggest measures for enhancing the role, competence and impact of state services.
(2009)
Answer : All India services and central services employees are selected by U.P.S.C. through competitive examination. Thereafter they are imparted rigorous training during probation period ranging from Academy to rural areas. Even during mid-carrier they have been given training regarding latest development in the field of management and public administration.
They have opportunity to work at central and state both levels even in different states thus imparting variation and diversity in their training hence competence level.
On the other ....
Question : A fixed tenure in civil service e postings can increase productivity, accountability and probity in Government.
(2009)
Answer : Tenure security of civil servants posting during their administrative carrier is the major determinant of their productivity, accountability and probity in government. It is the long tenure that can provide sufficient time for civil servants to get acquainted with the concerned area, their problems and tentative solutions to be reached out.
A long tenure also makes civil servants accountable for their action. The local people, leaders, civil-society, News, media etc. have sufficient time to monitor the ....
Question : ‘Training of civil servants for capacity building should be in consonance with the needs of the socio-economic and technological development of the country.’ Explain
(2008)
Answer : Training has been defined by William G. Torpey as ‘the process of developing skills, habits, knowledge, and aptitudes in employees for the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of employees in their present government positions.
Training is an well-articulated effort to provide for increased competence in the public services, by imparting professional knowledge, broader vision and correct patterns of behaviour, habits and aptitudes. Training helps broaden the vision andoutlook of the appointees by constantly holding out to ....
Question : “A well-designed module-based training for Civil Servants is the best way to achieve the goals of good governance.” Analyse.
(2007)
Answer : The good governance is a form of governance where the administration works for the welfare of the people. Here, the citizens take centre stage in the administrative set up. Since, till now, the bureaucracy has been dominating the administration and its attitude has been that of self-aggrandizement and possession of power.
But the emancipation of good governance requires bureaucracy to change its mindset for the betterment of the public. For this to happen a well-designed module ....
Question : “One of the most distinctive characteristics of Indian administrative service is its multipurpose character”.
(2005)
Answer : The Indian Administrative Service, since independence has always been the glamour service for young men in the small towns and village. The IAS acts as the eye, ears and mouth of the government and symbolizes in person in essence of state sovereignty.
This service reflects its multi-purpose character. It is composed of ‘generalist administrators’ who are expected, from time to time, to hold posts involving a wide variety of duties and functions; for example, maintenance of ....
Question : One of the greatest inherent in a federal polity is the responsibility on the part of public servants as between central and state government.” Elaborate and comment.
(2004)
Answer : The responsibility on the part of public servants as between central and state government is a bit complex one.
The union government has pointed out that it has the sole responsibility for all matters relation to public servants especially of All India Services character. According to Article 312 of the constitution confers power on parliament to regulate recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to AIS. However, the states are not completely removed from the ....
Question : “In-service training of officers belonging to higher civil services has been perhaps the most conspicuous development in Indian administration”. Discuss with reference to training designed for the Indian Administrative service officers.
(2003)
Answer : The importance and significance of training of civil service personnel cannot be underestimated in todays administration. It is rather rightly felt that unless these personnel are properly trained they cannot deliver the goods and the nation shall be the sufferer. But at the same time it cannot be forgotten that training has its own problems. The main objective of training is to make service personnel more efficient and bring them up to the task, which ....
Question : “All India Services is an institution-is the result of history”. Comment.
(2002)
Answer : In India All India Services occupy pivotal position in our bureaucratic set up. Their creation has historical background.
Since India is a vast country in which there are several subjects which are to be handles at national level, therefore need for all India services has always been felt. Before independence these services were known as Indian Civil Services. Indian civil services was created as early as in 1854.It was however in 1923 that Royal Commission on ....
Question : “All India Services plays a cubical unifying role in the whole administrative system of the country.” Explain.
(2000)
Answer : Presently, India has three All India Services - the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service. Article 312(1) of the Indian constitution says that, if Rajya Sabha has declared by resolution supported by not less than too third of the members present and voting, that it is necessary or expedient, in the national interest to do so, parliament may, by law provide for the creation of one or more of All India ....
Question : “The All-India Services have, naturally, to be remunerate on a higher level than services recruited purely on a local bodies.” Comment.
(1999)
Answer : The remuneration of the All-India Services is more favourable than the state services or local services. This is mainly to attract talent from all over the country. But this imposes heavier financial burden on the states. Not only this, the financial burden leaves correspondingly less resources for development tasks. Apart from this, the All-India Services keep the members of the state services alienated and thus, have a demoralizing effect on the totality of the services. ....
Question : “Article 320 states that the Government shall consult the U.P.S.C. on certain specific matters.” Comment.
(1999)
Answer : Articles 315 to 323 deal with the establishment of Public Services Commission for the Union and States. Article 320 deals with the functions of the Public Service Commissions. The duty of the Commissions is to conduct examinations for appointment to the services.
Article 320 (3) specifically provides that the Public Service Commission should be consulted:
Question : “Central services are more “All-India” in character than are the All-India Services.” Comment.
(1998)
Answer : The Central Services enjoy a crucial place in the Indian administrative system. The personnel of these services occupy important specialized technical and functional positions in various central government organizations. Though governed by their respective cadre-managing ministries and departments of the Government of India, the personnel belonging to these services serve in the central government, union territories and states. Unlike the officers of the All-India Services, the central services officials do not work under the state ....
Question : It is argued that the recruitment and training of All-India and Central Services have not kept pace with the changing needs and time. Give suggestions for improving these processes in order to make administrators more effective, committed and honest.
(1998)
Answer : Training and recruitment as an instrument of human resource development in organization and public administration is as old as organization and administration. Training and recruitment can solve a variety of manpower problems through adding to their apperceptive backgrounds specific, identifiable items of additional knowledge skills or understanding. To understand the real import of training in the civil services, particularly in the changing perspective, it is necessary to discover its correct foci, which undeniably: the man, ....
Question : “Independence of the Public Service Commissions has been ensured under specific provisions of the constitution.” Examine.
(1996)
Answer : The constitution seeks to maintain the independence of the Public Service Commission from the Executive in several ways –
Question : “The public services in India have been conferred a constitutional status.” Comment.
(1996)
Answer : Public services generally defined to mean, constituted by the government to translate all its plans and programmes into implementable action.
Part XIV of the constitution deals with the services under the Union and States. It lays down that the appropriate legislature may regulate the recruitment, and conditions of services of persons appointed, to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the union or of any state. A person of the All-India Service holds ....
