Friday 8 February 2008

Civil Services Main Exam_Public Administration--By V.P. GUPTA, Director, RAU's IAS Study Circle, New Delhi

PAPER-WISE ACTION PLAN
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Paper I starts with the meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration along with topics on evolution and various approaches. It is of great importance that the candidate should grasp the 'Meaning' of Public Administration in terms of its various dimensions. The various approaches and stages of evolution should be studied in detail and for overall comprehension as this unit provides the framework to Public Administration in terms of syllabus and as a discipline.
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The candidate should write summary of each sub-unit along with (P.T.R.) Points to remember. As the questions asked are generally opinion-based and are not very objective in nature it is important for the candidate to understand the concepts to such an extent that he can articulate well on the issues.
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The unit on Principles and Theories of Organization should be clubbed with the Unit on Administrative Behaviour. Both of the units are drawn from management and books especially related to that are very useful. This units are very important as the organization used for any administration and the various practices come from this knowledge only.
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The sub-units provide a conceptual framwork of the organization and its functioning. Candidates should give sufficient emphasis to the various theories mentioned and also on various management techniques. The study of Administrative Behavious should be done for understanding the various aspects, approaches and applications to various issues of Indian Administration. For instance a question on motivation or leadership theory can always be linked with Civil Services in India or development administration in India etc.
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This section also includes typologies of executive and types of organizations available with the executive. This is an area where a footing polity helps, as the candidate should have an understanding of various typologies, e.g. Presidential/Parliamentary form of the Government. The merits and limitations of both should be studied on comparative basis. Similarity, in the case of types of organizations a candidate should be ready with purpose, advantages and limitations of different forms of organizations, viz., department, corporation, coulcil etc. Here the candidate should definitely give illustrations from the Indian Administration. Further while studying this unit a candidate should also go through central administration in India covered in Paper II, Section A.
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Unit on Accountability & Control has to be seen in the context of conceptual and philosophical premises of accountability. The candidate should appreciate the significance of accountability especially when you are operating in the public settings. Various controls should be studied with reference to Indian Administration though some references from administration in the USA, UK and France may also be useful. Further, an understanding of citizens' role and relationship with administration will be very useful. As the nature of questions asked is more and more pragmatic, very high probability is there that the citizen's role under this unit or in some other unit is discussed.
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Adminstrative Law is a very useful unit for the purpose of Main Exam as here more or less the questions can have standard answers. So it is very helpful to prepare standard notes on rationale of Administrative Law vis-a-vis Rules of Law. The candidate should be very clear in terms of bringing its relevance to the surface. Delegated Legislation and Administrative Adjudication similarly should be prepared with notes in terms of rationale, limitations and safeguards. Referrence to the Indian Administration is a must here.
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In the next section of this paper the candidate should be well aware of concepts underlying Administrative Reforms and Organisation and Methods. The candidate should reforms and also of the various committees that have been set up in India in this regard. Though majorly the focus should be on post-Independence measures, an awareness of pre-Independence in some cases may be helpful. The concept of O & M and its status in the country should be understood. On the O & M section a technical question may also be asked.
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Units on Comparative Administration should be clubbed with Development Administration. Riggs should be studied comprehensively for both of the units. Development Administration apart from the philosophical basis should be seen in Indian context only.
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Candidate should develop an appreciation of significance of CPA (Comparative Public Administration) as well as of Development Administration. In development administration students should specifically understand the concept of 'Change' and the problems in case of India related to change management.
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Public Policy in terms of Mains is a rewarding unit. It should be seen in terms of various public models and in terms of its various constituents. Indian context is must while answering this unit.
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Personnel Administration has lot of conceptual background in respect of Personnel Management. A book on the same will be helpful. It is important that this unit is clubbed with Paper II Unit 'Civil Services in India'.....

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