Chapter 1

1.  Define public administration. Discuss the nature and scope of public administration.

2. What is public administration? Describe the managerial and integral views of public administration.

3. Explain how public administration differs from private administration.

4. Discuss the evolution of public administration as a disci- pline.

5. Examine the various stages in the evolution and growth of public administration as an academic discipline.

6. What is new public administration? Discuss its implica- tions for public administration.

7. Critically examine new public management.

8. Discuss the impact of globalization on public administra-

   tion.

9. Write an essay on the Minnowbrook Conference III.

10. What are the new trends in the discipline of public admin- istration? Elaborate.

Chapter 2

1. Do you think that the theory building exercise in public administration is in a shamble? Explain the statement in the light of the evolution of public administration.
2. Examine the basic principles of classical organization theory.
3. What are the distinguishing features of the scientific man- agement theory as propounded by Fredrick Taylor? How far Scientific Management Theory is considered to be sci- entific? What are the areas where there is democratic and participatory emphasis?
4. Give a critical estimate of the Human Relations Approach in organization theory.
5. Critically examine the impact of Hawthorn Studies in the organization theory.
6. Discuss Herbert Simon’s Rational Decision-making model with special reference to his concept of ‘bounded rationality’.
7. Examine, after Weber, the structural and functional fea- tures of bureaucracy. Are these features relevant in devel- opment administration?
8. Write an essay on the post-Weberian development of bu- reaucracy.
9. What do you mean by post-bureaucratic theory? Eluci- date after Warren Bennis, the shifting paradigm of post- bureaucratic organization.
10. What is pathological theory of organization? Identify the major variants of pathological theory of organization.

Chapter 3

1.  What do you mean by governance? What is ‘good’ in good governance? Identify the major features of governance.

2.  What role does state play in the process of governance?

3. What is corporate governance? Why do we need a regime of corporate governance?

4. Trace the evolution of corporate governance. Identify its major components.

5. Give an account of the Indian version of corporate gover- nance.

6. What is digital governance? What are the different com- ponents of corporate governance?

7. How could we bridge the digital divide? Identify a few possible steps in this regard.

8. Write a brief account on the gender images in public ad- ministration.

9. What are the different approaches of feminist discourse in public administration?

10. ‘Public administration has become less catholic as a disci- pline of study.’ Do you agree with the statement? Elaborate your response.

Chapter 4

1. Discuss the various models and approaches to the study of public policy.

2. ‘Public policy is the essence of public administration.’ In the light of this statement, discuss the relevance of public policy-making.

3. What do you understand by public policy? How are public policies formulated? Discuss.

4. Define public policy. Examine the challenges in its imple- mentation.

5. Discuss the process of policy formulation and evaluation. How can we improve the evaluation process?

6. ‘An ounce of implementation of policy is more important than the tonnes of written policies.’ In the light of this statement, discuss various factors which obstruct the im- plementation of public policy.

7. Critically examine the formulation and implementation of public policy in India.

8. Discuss the various factors which influence the formula- tion of public policies.

9. Critically examine the role of bureaucracy in policy im- plementation.

10. Explain, with illustration, the conditions required for suc- cessful policy implementation.

Chapter 5

1.  What is development administration? Discuss the various elements of development administration.

2. Define development administration. Discuss its role and relevance in the developing countries.

3. Describe the main features of development administra- tion. How far is it relevant in understanding the problems of developing countries?

4. Discuss the major characteristics of development admin- istration. What are the hindrances before administration to achieve its objectives?

5. Write an essay on the changing patterns of development administration.

6. What is development administration? Differentiate be- tween traditional and development administration.

7. What is development administration? Has this technique really accelerated the speed of development in the devel- oping countries?

8. Distinguish between administrative development and ad- ministration of development.

9. Development administration is ‘an action-oriented, goal oriented administrative system’. Discuss

10. ‘Development administration calls for some revolutionary changes in the attitudes, behaviour, orientation, and outlook of public services at all levels of administration.’ Discuss.

Chapter 6

1. What is decentralization? Discuss the significance and ap- proaches to decentralization.

2. Decentralization leads to greater democratization of ad- ministration. Discuss.

3. Distinguish between delegation and decentralization. Dis- cuss the merits and demerits of decentralization.

4. What is democratic decentralization? Examine democratic decentralization in the context of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act for Panchayats.

5. Analyse the functional and fiscal decentralization of ad- ministration in the context of rural India.

6. Discuss the problems in the process of decentralization in rural administration.

7. What are the main features of the 74th Amendment Act?

8. Discuss the implications of the 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts.

9. Critically examine the functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India.

10. Briefly examine the major rural–urban development programmes and their management in India.

Chapter 7

1. What is social welfare administration? Discuss its main characteristics.

2. Write an essay on the evolution of social welfare adminis- tration.

3. Examine the role of social welfare administration in India, with particular reference to weaker sections of the society.

4. How far social welfare administration benefited the weak- er sections in India? Discuss.

5. What measures have been taken by the Government of India for the uplift of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes? Discuss.

6. Discuss the organizational structure and functions of so- cial welfare administration in India.

7. Examine the effectiveness of welfare programmes for women in India.

8. ‘Social welfare administration has to go a long way to get the recognition as an independent discipline.’ Com- ment.

9. What are the main challenges before social welfare ad- ministration in India? Discuss.

10. How do you make social welfare administration efficient? Explain.

Chapter 8

1. Examine the relationship between citizens and adminis- tration.

2. What is the citizen’s perception about administration in India? Discuss.

3. Discuss the necessary pre-conditions for citizen-centric administration.

4. Write an essay on people’s participation in administra- tion.

5. What is accountability? Discuss the administrative ac- countability in India.

6. What are the main factors responsible for the growing dis- content of citizens with administration?

7. What are the important grievance redressal mechanisms in India? Examine their effectiveness.

8. Discuss the impact of e-governance on administration.

9. What is a citizen’s charter? Examine its role in ensuring administrative accountability.

10. Write an essay on ‘Right to Information’ in India.

Chapter 9

1. Trace the evolution of public administration in India.

2. Evaluate the importance of Council Acts in colonial publication administration in India.

3. Evaluate the significance of the 1858 Queen’s Proclamation in changing India’s public administration.

4. What are the distinctive features of Indian administration under parliamentary control following the adoption of the 1858 Government of India Act? Elaborate.

5. ‘Colonial interests were paramount in administration dur- ing the British rule in India.’ Do you agree? Elaborate your response.

6. Critically evaluate the 1935 Government of India Act.

7. ‘The Government of India Act of 1935 was a significant step towards transferring power in 1947.’ How do you ac- count for this assessment? Elaborate your response.

8. ‘All India Civil Services are nothing but a continuity of the erstwhile British administration in India.’ Do you agree? Elaborate your response.

9. Do you agree with the view that the prevalence of the Indian Administrative Services challenges India’s federal- ism? Elaborate your response.

10. Is it fair to argue that the nature of administration is con- tingent on the existing socioeconomic milieu and political calculations? Elaborate your response.

Chapter 10

1. What is a budget. Discuss its significance.

2. What are the different types of budget? Discuss

3. ‘Budget is an instrument of socioeconomic change.’ Discuss this statement.

4. Performance budgeting is an improved form of budgeting. Discuss.

5. What is gender budgeting? Discuss its role in improving the status of women.

6. Discuss the process of budget formulation in India.

7. Examine the role of different actors in the process of budgeting in India.

8. Write an essay on budgetary innovations.

9. Write an essay on financial administration in India.

10. Suggest reforms in the financial administration in India.

Chapter 11

1. Discuss the concept of ‘administrative reform’.

2. Explain the Gerald Caiden’s notion of administrative reform.

3. Write an essay on administrative reforms in post-Independence India.

4. Discuss the main recommendations of the first administrative reform commission.

5. Examine the changing pattern of administrative reform in the post-liberalization era in India.

6. Highlight the main recommendations of the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions on administrative reforms in India.

7. Discuss the recent initiatives undertaken for civil service reforms in India.

8. Highlight the significant recommendations of the second administrative reform commission.

9. Discuss the impact of information technology on admin- istrative reforms in India.

10. Write an essay on ‘Lokpal and administrative reforms’.

Chapter 12

1. What do you mean by globalization? What are the differ- ent facets of globalization?

2. What do you mean by LPG or Liberalization Privatization Globalization? Elucidate the three stages of economic glo- balization.

3. ‘The Westphalian model of nation state system is given way to a post-Westphalian order of global interconnected- ness.’ Explain the statement in the light of globalization.

4. ‘Globalization is a new form of imperialism.’ Elucidate the statement in the light of its pernicious impact on the newly independent states.

5. Assess the impact of globalization on public administration.

6. What do you mean by global justice? Distinguish between global justice and international justice.

7. What are the major philosophical justifications behind the concept of global justice?

8. Does the concept of global justice at all feasible?

9. Write a brief note on Rawls’ contribution in developing the concept of global justice.

10. What do you mean by cosmopolitanism? Identify the different variants of cosmopolitanism.