Organisations – Public Administration Optional PYQs (1995–2026)

Here are all 42 Organisations questions asked in UPSC Public Administration Optional Paper I from 1995 to 2026, arranged under the 6 topics of the official syllabus. Within each topic the latest questions come first.

Each question ends with a code such as [2024/15m/3b] – the year, the marks, the word limit (where UPSC set one) and the question number in the paper.

4.1] Theories of organisation: systems and contingency

10 questions

1. There is no single best way to manage an organisation. Instead, it is about the optimal structure and strategic fit between the organisation’s internal sub-systems and its dynamic external environment. Elucidate. [2026/15m/3b]

2. “Organization theory is not a single theory with a loosely knit of many approaches to organizational analysis, and it provides different answers to different situations.” Comment. [2023/20m/3a]

3. “Organizations of the future will be organic-adaptive structures but temporary systems.” Discuss how Warren Bennis characterises the new form of organization. [2020/15m/2b]

4. Contingency theory of organization is founded on the interplay of ‘external fit’ and ‘internal fit’. Discuss. [2019/20m/4a]

5. “Systems Theory in essence is not a theory, but an approach to the study of administrative phenomena.” Comment. [2017/15m/4b]

6. How does the Strategic Contingencies Theory of organizational design deal with problems arising from sub-unit centrality and non-substitutability? [2014/15m/2c]

7. Comment on: “In organizational analysis there is always gender around.” (Gouldner). Argue. [2013/10m/150w/5b]

8. (i) ‘The essence of the contingency theory paradigm is that organizational effectiveness results from fitting characteristics of the organization, such as its structure, to contingencies that reflect the situation of the organization.’ Give your reactions to this statement. (20) (ii) In the light of your discussion on 3(b)(i) above, also show where and how this ‘fitting’ differs essentially from the ‘coping’ with ‘stress’ from the environment emphasized by the systems theory of organization. (20) [2012/40m/3b]

9. The Systems Approach is relevant even today for organisational analysis. Discuss how Chester Barnard and David Easton adopted this approach in their respective areas of study. [2011/30m/3b]

10. Examine the view that systems theory, despite its promises to the contrary, followed similar patterns that characterized the structural classical theories. [1996/30m/3b]

4.2] Structure and forms: Ministries and Departments, Corporations, Companies

8 questions

1. Hierarchical structures do not align with the modern business world. Discuss the different forms of structuring modern organisations. [2026/15m/4c]

2. “Departments, Boards and Commissions as forms of organization are dissimilar in the context of accountability and responsibility.” Analyse. [2020/10m/150w/1d]

3. “Form of an organisation influences the success of a public enterprise, but the choice of a form has always remained problematic.” Discuss the statement in the context of the comparative merits and limitations of departments, corporations, companies and boards. Give illustrations. [2018/20m/4a]

4. “The autonomy of Public Corporations raised a great debate about their internal working and external relation with the Ministers and the Parliament.” Discuss. [2016/10m/150w/1d]

5. “There is no doubt the departmentalisation is fraught with complexities. These are in part technical, in part political.” Discuss. [2009/20m/200w/5a]

6. “To claim that a company or a corporation form is always more effective than a departmental form of organization is an outdated view. The real test of a sound structure is its capacity to balance decisional autonomy and operational flexibility with optimal accountability.” Critically examine this statement. [2008/60m/4]

7. “Autonomy and accountability in Public Enterprises cannot walk together.” Explain. [2006/20m/200w/1d]

8. “Public corporations are not an end in themselves but an extension of the government activities designed to promote public welfare.” Substantiate. [2002/20m/200w/1c]

4.3] Boards and Commissions

5 questions

1. “Departments, Boards and Commissions as forms of organization are dissimilar in the context of accountability and responsibility.” Analyse. [2020/10m/150w/1d]

2. “Form of an organisation influences the success of a public enterprise, but the choice of a form has always remained problematic.” Discuss the statement in the context of the comparative merits and limitations of departments, corporations, companies and boards. Give illustrations. [2018/20m/4a]

3. “If the Regulatory Commissions …. are wholly independent, they are completely irresponsible for the doing of very important policy determining and administrative work …. on the other hand, to rob the commissions of their independence is seriously to menace the impartial performance of their judicial work.” (Cushman) Examine. [2016/20m/3a]

4. Comment on: “The Commission form of organisation would tend to be a ‘headless fourth branch’ of government.” [1999/20m/200w/1c]

5. Comment on: “Theoretically the Board administration violates the distinction between government and politics because through it politics is injected in the administration.” [1997/20m/200w/1d]

4.5] Headquarters and field relationships

4 questions

1. Healthy Headquarters and Field Agencies relationship thrives on effective communication. Comment. [2024/10m/150w/1d]

2. “An effective Management Information System (MIS) is the key to successful headquarter-field relationships.” Comment. [2018/15m/3c]

3. Comment on: “Headquarter and Field relationships determine the tenor of implementation of programmes.” [1998/20m/200w/1c]

4. “Centralization inclines toward power and domination. Decentralization, on the other hand, inclines toward competition and self-determination.” Discuss. [1997/30m/3b]

4.6] Regulatory Authorities

8 questions

1. Regulatory Authorities are independent and effective for controlling service delivery activities, but are subjected to extraneous factors. Do you agree? Give reasons. [2024/15m/2c]

2. Regulatory governance frameworks have become essential building blocks of world society. Discuss their potential and impact in fulfilling the hopes and demands. [2022/15m/4b]

3. Standards are the foundation which do not replace regulations but complement them. Comment. [2022/10m/150w/5d]

4. Regulation is an old but increasingly necessary mode of social coordination and political intervention into societal processes. Examine it in the context of globalization. [2021/15m/3c]

5. “The advent of the regulatory regimes indicates the demise of the arbitrator state.” Comment. [2019/15m/3c]

6. “If the Regulatory Commissions …. are wholly independent, they are completely irresponsible for the doing of very important policy determining and administrative work …. on the other hand, to rob the commissions of their independence is seriously to menace the impartial performance of their judicial work.” (Cushman) Examine. [2016/20m/3a]

7. “Delegation to independent agencies has taken place in an interdependent process driven by emulation.” Discuss in the context of independent regulatory agencies in the modern regulatory State. [2014/15m/4b]

8. “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. [2013/15m/6c]

4.7] Public-Private Partnerships

7 questions

1. Under the New Public Management framework ‘Public Private Partnership’ challenges the entropy of closed and open models of organization. Analyse. [2025/15m/2c]

2. “Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been justified in various ways over time that seek to privatize public services for the profit of private entities.” Do you agree? [2023/15m/2c]

3. Public-private partnership phenomenon has been transformed into a type of governance scheme or mechanism. Discuss its capacity to overcome future challenges. [2021/15m/2c]

4. Discuss the essential characteristics of public sector-centred and market-centred perspectives in Public Private Partnerships and also compare the two. [2018/15m/2c]

5. “PPPs serve too many parties and too many interests … to be focussed.” Identify in the context of the statement, the parties involved in Public-Private Partnerships and their conflicting aims. [2015/15m/2c]

6. “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. [2013/15m/6c]

7. Explain the impact of privatisation on public administration with special reference to public-private partnership. [2010/20m/3b]

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Last updated: 30 October 2026