Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
STUDY PLAN FOR CSS – 2011

Study Area – I: Nature, History, Scope and Features of Public Administration

2010 - What is good governance? Explain the role of public administration in good governance
particularly with reference to Pak?
2010 - Define public administration. Explain and justify your definition in comparison with various other
competing definitions of public administration. Do you think public administration is different from
business administration both in theory and practice?
2009 - Public administration is a broad ranging and amorphous mix of theory and practice. The purpose
of public Administration is to frame a superior understanding of government and its relationship with
the society it governs, as well as to promote public policies responsive to social needs. Public
Administration also institutes managerial practices attuned to effectiveness, efficiencies, and a deeper
human requisite of the citizenry. Discuss.
2009 - Write a short essay on the intellectual history of Public Administration.
2008 - It is said that "PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION is nothing less than the whole government in action".
What is your view about the nature of public administration?
2007 – Discuss the general problems comprising the elements of public administration in detail.
2006 – “Administration is the most obvious part of government; it is government in action; it is the
executive, the operative, the most visible side of government and is of course as old as government
itself.” Discuss the above statement in the light of theory and practice of public administration.
2005 – In a democratic state, government is said to be the WILL of the people in action. This concept
has widened the scope of Public Administration. What should be the new role f Public Administrator, as
per expectations of the people?
2004 – “Public Administration is detailed and systematic application of law. Every particular
application of law is an act of administration.” (Woodrow Wilson) Discuss the scope of public
administration in the light of above statement.
2003 – Discuss three major issues in public administration theory and practice. State clearly your
position on these issues and support your viewpoint with examples.
2001 – Describe the notion of good governance. Discuss the scope and functions of public
administration within the framework of governance.
2000 – Describe the characteristic features of Public Administration and highlight the strengths and
weaknesses of governmental machinery in Pakistan.
AREA OF FOCUS

1. What is Public Administration? What are its features? How is it different in theory & practice?
2. History of Public Administration, its Scope & Functions.
3. Dichotomy between Public Administration & Business Administration.
4. Strengths & Weaknesses of Public Administration
5. Role of Public Administration in Good Governance

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Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

Study Area – II : Schools of thought in Public Administration

2010 - Compare & Contrast the Bureaucratic model with new public management (NPM). Do you think
NPM has replaced the bureaucratic approach to public administration? Support your views with
examples from Pak.
2010 - Comparatively evaluate Taylor's scientific management & Weber's ideal bureaucracy & discuss.
2006 – Fredrick W. Taylor is considered the originator of the scientific management movement. Explain
the principles of scientific management propounded by him.
2000 – Give a comprehensive account of Behavioural School of thought in Administration. How can it
be made instrumental for good governance in Pakistan?
2002 – Discuss how an integrated approach to various schools of thoughts of management can be
applied, by the present day administrators, for the success of their organizations?

AREA OF FOCUS

1. Bureaucratic Model VS New Public Management

2. Theories of Max Weber, Fredrick W. Taylor, Behavioural School of thought
3. Application & Integration of these theories & Models lead to success. Yes/No? How/Why?

Study Area – III : Accountability & Auditing

2007 & 2009 - The judicial remedies and accountability for the citizen of the country against the abuse
of power has become prevalent in the modern time. What are those remedies? Elaborate.
2004 – Administrative accountability of the public services is done under two heads that is internal and
external control in Pakistan. Elaborate these in detail.
2000 – A fair, free and transparent system of accountability is a pre-requisite of public administration in
a democratic state. Identify the causes and suggest remedies for the failure of system of accountability
during the democratic regimes in Pakistan.
2000 – Accounting and auditing system of financial administration in Pakistan has almost collapsed as it
has failed to control financial corruption. Suggest modern managerial methods to check the leakage of
funds in the public sector organizations.

AREA OF FOCUS

1. Judicial Accountability & its remedies

2. Administrative Accountability & its types
3. Causes of failure of accountability in democratic government and suggestions to improve it.
4. Corruption in public sector, its causes, controlling methods and prevention

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Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

Study Area – IV: Financial Administration, Budgeting & Privatization

2009 - How and why governments implement public programmes by hiring the private sector to do
work for them. In writing your answer also discuss the concepts of privatization and public private
partnership.
2007 – The long experience of the leading countries of the world suggests certain principles to which
budget-making should conform. What are those importance principles? Describe briefly.
2005 – Briefly discuss the role of various agencies of fiscal management in the government of Pakistan.
What are the benefits of Financial Advisers Scheme introduced in the Federal Ministries?
2006 – What is the importance of Public-Private Partnership in Effective Governance? Discuss the
concept of Public Private Partnership with an example from Pakistan.
2004 – What is deficit financing and deficit budgeting? Is deficit financing a boon or curse? Discuss.
2003 – Discuss and review the management of fiscal and administrative relations between the federal
government and provincial government in Pakistan.
2001 – Define the term ‘Privatization’ in context of Pakistan. How can privatization be useful in
transforming the manufacturing and service sector of Pakistan? Discuss in light of Privatization policy of
Pakistan.

AREA OF FOCUS

1. Concept of Privatization & Public Private Partnership, Need for privatization???

2. Privatization Policy of Pakistan & its impacts (-ve/+ve) on the economy.
3. Budgeting, Principles of budgeting, deficit budgeting, its importance.

Study Area – V: Public Policy, Planning , Decision Making & Human Resource
Management
2010 - Human Resource Management (HRM) is a contemporary approach to managing people in
business organization. What are the salient features of HRM model? Do you think this model is being
applied to reform personnel system in Pak?
2010 - Compare AND Contrast rational, incremental and NPM approaches to decision making in public
administration. Explain your views with examples from Pak.
2009 - Explain the system of project planning in the government of Pakistan and how does it extend to
the provinces and local governments?
2009 - Domestic public policy is implemented not merely by government but by governments. The
administration of a single public policy often involves a medley of funding sources and public
administrators interacting through all the three levels of governments. Please comment on the strength
of inter government relations i.e.; financial, legal, political and administrative relationship that exist
among the various governments units of aid government in Pakistan.
2007 – One of the writers on planning Mr. Pfeiffer points out that that constitution of a country is a
plan. Every planning and purposeful activity is preceded by preparation for an action. Do you agree with
this statement? Discuss.

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Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

2004 – What is Administrative Planning? Explain it in the light of personnel and techniques.
2003 – What is public policy? Explain the policy process and discuss various types of policy with
examples from Pakistan.
2002 – Critically examine the planning process and machinery in Pakistan.

AREA OF FOCUS
1. Salient Features of HRM Model, Personnel & technique
2. Rational, Incremental & New Public Management approaches to Decision Making
3. Administrative Planning? Project Planning? Planning process? How it extends to provincial &
local governments?
4. Public Policy, Its types, inter government relations i.e.; financial, legal, political

Study Area – VI: Organization, Hierarchy, Structure & Bureaucracy

2010 - Discuss the functions and organizational structure of federal government of Pakistan including
administrative relations between federal ministries and federal bodies such as commissions,
authorities, boards & state-owned enterprises.
2009 – “Bureaucracy and Democracy are antithetical. Bureaucracy is hierarchical, elitist, specializing
and informed while democracy is communal, pluralist, generalizing and ill informed.” Keeping in mind
the quantum of expectations in Pakistan and the reality of the civic culture discuss the above statement.
2008 - Explain the new administrative setup under Local Government Ordinance 2001.How far it
affected the efficiency of Bureaucracy?
2008 - "Bureaucratic power is not the same as administration effectiveness. A powerful bureaucracy is
administratively weak". What are your reasons for agreement or disagreement with the statement?
2007 – The bureaucracy in many developing countries has played a considerable part as a change
agent in modernizing and development. Why bureaucracy is lacking in this respect in Pakistan?
Elaborate.
2006 – What is bureaucracy? Why is it so important to the effective functioning of organization?
Explain in the light of Max Weber’s theory of Bureaucracy.
2005 – Briefly explain the characteristics of bureaucracy as indicated by Max Weber. Critically examine,
whether these characteristics are relevant to modern times and should be maintained.
2003 – Compare and contrast Taylor’s scientific management and Weber’s bureaucracy. Do you think
these two theories are still relevant to changing public administration?
2002 – Discuss organizational and functional setup of Federal and Provincial governments in Pakistan.
How their relationship can be further strengthened?
2002 – Discuss how good governance can be introduced in the Bureaucracy of Pakistan and used as an
instrument of rapid economic growth?
2001 – Critically examine role of bureaucracy in good governance in general and with particular
reference to Pakistan.
2001 – Explain Max Weber’s theory of Bureaucracy. In your opinion, has bureaucracy outlived its
usefulness? Why or Why not?

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Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

2001 – Compare and Contrast Closed and Open Career system models. Which of these two models best
explain the career system of public bureaucracy in Pakistan?

AREA OF FOCUS

1. Functions and organizational structure of federal government, administrative relations

between federal ministries and federal bodies such as commissions, authorities, boards &
state-owned enterprises.
2. Max Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy, its characteristics, its pros & cons
3. Bureaucracy in Present Scenario, its usefulness, its role in administration & good governance,
its role in development, its role as an effective organization.
4. Closed & Open Career System Models

Study Area – VII: Administrative leadership & Administrative Law

2007 – The professional ethics and consciousness is a sort of built in control mechanism and it prompts
the administrative leadership to maintain high standard of efficiency and integrity. Do you agree with
this statement? Discuss.

2003 – What is Administrative law? Discuss the principles and practice of administrative law in
Pakistan.

AREA OF FOCUS

1. What is administrative law?

2. Principles & Practice of administrative law.
3. Administrative leadership & its in-built mechanism of maintaining efficiency & integrity

Study Area – VIII: Short Notes:

1. Role of Executive, Legislature and Judiciary in Public Administration
2. Types of Communication
3. Essentials of Good Governance
4. Politics – Administration dichotomy – 2001, 2003,
5. Taylor’s Scientific Management – 2002, 2005,
6. Coordination Methods - 2002
7. Communication Breakdown in organizations
8. Budget as a control device – 2002,
9. Administrative Ethics – 2003,
10. Role of civil society in Public Administration

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Prepared by: Altaf Ahmed Sheikh

11. Management by Objectives (MBO) – 2005,

12. Administrative Law – 2005,
13. E-government – 2005,
14. New Public Management (NPM)

AREA OF FOCUS

1. Role & Interaction of and between Executive, Judiciary & Legislature.

2. Communication, its types, its breakdown in organizations.
3. E-government
4. New Public Management

Study Area – IX: Miscellaneous

2008 - Analyze the Recruitment and training process of Central and Provincial Service?
2008 - Discuss various styles of leadership? What style of leader you prefer? Justify your preference?
2008 - The CSP officers were accused of harbouring a colonial mentality of being little more "Brown
Englishmen's in the conduct of duties .Do you agree with this observation. Comment.
2008 - "The Hawthorne’s studies played a significant role in changing the dominant view at the time the
employees were no different from any other machines that the organization used." Discuss human
relation movement with particular emphasis on the Hawthorne’s studies?
2007 – Describe briefly the merit system and its disadvantages.
2006 – “Work is accomplished by the employees who have not yet reached their level of
incompetence.” Explain in the light of structure and operation of hierarchies in the government.
2005 – What are various methods of legislative control over executive in Pakistan? Why these controls
are not so effective and taken lightly by the bureaucracy?
2005 – In democracy, political neutrality of civil servants is only a normative value. They have to
endorse and follow the policies of the ruling party as they cannot afford to act otherwise. Discuss and
suggest remedies.
2004 – Write in detail the main hindrances of effective communication. Can these be remedied?
2002 – Compare the Executive leadership in Pakistan with its political leadership. How the latter can
further be improved?
2001 – Describe the role of government in human resource management at enterprise level with
particular reference to Pakistan.
2000 – Describe role and functions of political and administrative leadership. How can we reconcile the
conflict between political and administrative leadership?

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