IAS / UPSC Preparation: Public Administration (Optional)

IAS Prem Ranjan Singh (Rank 62, CSE 2013

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Public administration has become very tricky to score in UPSC. Fortunately I

have been able to score good marks in this subject… 2010- 340; 2011 – 330;

2012- 210 (good by any standards as pub ad was butchered that year);

2013- 228...

Some of the things which we must remember/follow/understand in pub-ad...

The most important thing in Pud-ad is conceptual clarity. Unfortunately

most of us rely completely on coaching notes and end up having only

superficial knowledge which is very dangerous in present setup of UPSC

exam and especially in Pub-ad.

Until n unless u have conceptual clarity you won’t be able to understand

the question in the first place.

All of us write answers in Pub-ad and feel that we have written it well but

the problem is most of us interpret questions differently and end up

writing different answers. The correct interpretation of question will only

happen if your concepts are clear.

I know you may think that what is so new in that but I tell you very honestly

that this is the reason why most of us are not able to score good marks in

Pub-ad (apart from UPSC recent break-up n hate for Pub-ad).

Rahul Pandey (rank-52) who scored 230 this year has written on his blog: –

“The secret of success for writing good answers in Public Administration lies

in understanding the questions. Most of the students fail to write good

answers simply because of their failure to understand the questions. In the

last two years, UPSC has deliberately increased the difficulty levels of

question paper as they are more interested in those students who have

conceptual clarity and ability to write those concepts in a simple manner.”

• I am not against any coaching notes but you need to study some basic

books so that you develop good understanding of the subject. Books can

vary from person to person... There are many books on pub-ad... all of them

are equally good but whichever book you are studying, study it well... Study

it multiple times.

• Answer writing is very important in pub-ad. You must write some answers

before mains and show it your pub-ad trainer or to someone like me. You can

scan and send it me. It would be great if you share it with someone scoring

good marks.

• I have always tried to write answers in point format as much as possible so

that I can stuff more content in few lines. And also your answers will be more

concise and to the point which will be helpful for the examiner to evaluate.

• Use as simple language as possible. Strict no to flowery language without

any content. This is not semester exam of B.Tech/ MBA. They will punish you

if you start faking answers by using flowery language. Since my command

over English language is very limited, I did not have such issues.

• One of the very important thing which we must follow while writing

answers is our ability to interlink Paper-1 and Paper-2. For this u must

remember syllabus completely. Read the syllabus every day for 5 minutes.

Close your eyes and try to interlink them.

I will again quote Rahul (Rank-52) here “Another important aspect about

answer writing is your ability to interlink the concepts. If we take a closer

look at the questions that were asked in the previous two years, one thing is

very much clear. UPSC wants us to have conceptual clarity and more

importantly have in depth knowledge about inter linkages among the

theories and thinkers. For example in this year’s exam, there was question

regarding Simon and Bernard’s views regarding decision making. Next

comes the ability of the candidate to link concepts in Paper – I with the

examples from Indian Administration. Again the trend in the last few years is

that there is not much of difference in the questions that were asked in

Paper – I and Indian Administration. Candidates are expected to give

examples from Indian Administration while explaining the concepts in Paper

– I.”

I will give you chapter –wise detail of study material which “I followed”. U

need not follow this. Just follow your own study material but please follow the

basic instructions mentioned above.

Paper- I: -

1. Introduction: – Vajiram class notes of Gupta sir (best for this chapter),

Paradigms of Public Administration by Nicholas Henry (only few pages), New

Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya. Restructuring

Public Administration A New Look by Mohit Bhattacharya

2. Administrative Thought: - Prasad & Prasad, New Horizons of Public

Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya.

3. Administrative Behaviour: - Prasad & Prasad, New Horizons of Public

Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya. Organization Behaviour by Stephen

Robbins.

5. Accountability and control: - New Horizons of Public Administration by

Mohit Bhattacharya, 2nd ARC report. Fadia & Fadia Paper-1

6. Administrative Law: - Fadia & Fadia Paper-1

7. Comparative Public Administration: - Prasad and Prasad (Riggs), New

Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya, CPA by Ramesh K

Arora, Fadia & Fadia Paper-1

8. Development Dynamics: - Social Theory and Development Administration

by Mohit Bhattacharya, Fadia &Fadia Paper-1

9. Personnel Administration: - New Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit

Bhattacharya, 2nd ARC Report.

10. Public Policy: – Vajiram class notes of Gupta sir, New Horizons of Public

Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya, Prasad n Prasad (Dror),

11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement: - Fadia & Fadia, New

Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya

12. Financial Administration: - Vajiram class notes, 2nd ARC Report, New

Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya

Paper- II: - For this paper 2nd ARC is the most important study source. Apart

from that Economic survey is also very good for collection of data. And news

related to administrative problems and reforms are also very useful.

1. Evolution of Indian Administration: - Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal

and Ramesh K Arora.

2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government: - Indian

Administration by Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K Arora.

3. Public Sector Undertakings: - Vajiram class notes.

4. Union Government and Administration: - Indian Administration by Rajni

Goyal and Ramesh K Arora. 2nd ARC Report.

5. Plans and Priorities: – Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K

Arora. 12th plan approach paper of Planning Commission.

6. State Government and Administration: - Indian Administration by Rajni

Goyal and Ramesh K Arora. Punchi commission report, 2nd ARC Report.

7. District Administration since Independence: - Indian Administration by

Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K Arora, Punchi commission report, 2nd ARC Report.

8. Civil Services: - Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K Arora,

2nd ARC Report.

9. Financial Management: - Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal and Ramesh

K Arora, 2nd ARC Report.

10. Administrative Reforms since Independence: - Indian Administration by

Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K Arora. Punchi commission report, 2nd ARC Report.

11. Rural Development: - Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal and Ramesh K

Arora, 2nd ARC Report.

12. Urban Local Government: - Indian Administration by Rajni Goyal and

Ramesh K Arora, 2nd ARC Report.

13. Law and Order Administration: - 2nd ARC Report, Punchi Commission

report.

14. Significant issues in Indian Administration:- 2nd ARC Report, Internet,

Current affairs.