Part A: Meaning, Evolution & Nature of Public Administration (Q1–15)
Q1. Who is regarded as the father of Public Administration?
(A) Max Weber
(B) Woodrow Wilson
(C) Luther Gulick
(D) Herbert Simon
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Woodrow Wilson’s essay “The Study of Administration” (1887) is considered the foundation of Public Administration as an academic discipline.
Q2. Public Administration is primarily concerned with:
(A) Private business management
(B) Implementation of public policies
(C) Legislative processes
(D) Party politics
Answer: (B)
Explanation: It deals with execution and management of government policies and public services.
Q3. The phrase “Politics-Administration Dichotomy” was introduced by:
(A) Max Weber
(B) Woodrow Wilson
(C) Herbert Simon
(D) Elton Mayo
Answer: (B)
Q4. The emphasis of classical public administration was on:
(A) Human behavior
(B) Efficiency and structure
(C) Decision-making
(D) Equity and justice
Answer: (B)
Q5. The behavioral approach in Public Administration emerged in:
(A) 1880s
(B) 1930s
(C) 1950s
(D) 1990s
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Influenced by psychology and sociology, focusing on human relations in organizations.
Q6. The Minnowbrook Conference (1968) is associated with:
(A) New Public Administration
(B) Comparative Public Administration
(C) Scientific Management
(D) Bureaucratic Theory
Answer: (A)
Q7. Public Administration differs from private administration mainly in:
(A) Scope and accountability
(B) Decision-making
(C) Communication
(D) Finance
Answer: (A)
Q8. “Administration is the most obvious part of government” — who said this?
(A) L.D. White
(B) Woodrow Wilson
(C) Max Weber
(D) Fayol
Answer: (B)
Q9. The term “Public Administration” means:
(A) Government by people
(B) Management of public affairs
(C) Political campaigns
(D) Public opinion
Answer: (B)
Q10. In the modern era, Public Administration is viewed as:
(A) Bureaucratic control only
(B) Cooperative and citizen-centric governance
(C) Economic monopoly
(D) Military structure
Answer: (B)
Q11. “POSDCORB” stands for:
(A) Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, Budgeting
(B) Planning, Ordering, Staffing, Decision, Control, Reviewing, Budget
(C) Programming, Organizing, Supervision, Direction, Control, Reform, Budget
(D) None of the above
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Coined by Luther Gulick to describe managerial functions.
Q12. The term “comparative administration” gained prominence after:
(A) Second World War
(B) American Revolution
(C) Cold War
(D) Great Depression
Answer: (A)
Q13. The post-1990s Public Administration emphasizes:
(A) Rule-following
(B) Market-oriented efficiency and accountability
(C) Centralization
(D) Political neutrality
Answer: (B)
Q14. Public administration is a part of:
(A) Private sector
(B) Executive branch of government
(C) Judiciary
(D) Legislature
Answer: (B)
Q15. The focus of Development Administration is on:
(A) Maintenance of law and order
(B) Economic and social development
(C) Judicial reform
(D) Political campaigning
Answer: (B)
🟢 Part B: Approaches to Public Administration (Q16–30)
Q16. Systems theory views administration as:
(A) Mechanical process
(B) Closed structure
(C) Interrelated system of inputs and outputs
(D) Isolated unit
Answer: (C)
Q17. The ecological approach was developed by:
(A) Chester Barnard
(B) Herbert Simon
(C) Fred W. Riggs
(D) Elton Mayo
Answer: (C)
Q18. Riggs’ Prismatic–Sala model explains:
(A) Industrialized countries
(B) Developing societies
(C) Socialist states
(D) Bureaucratic organizations only
Answer: (B)
Q19. In decision-making theory, Herbert Simon emphasized:
(A) Complete rationality
(B) Bounded rationality
(C) Irrationality
(D) Group behavior
Answer: (B)
Q20. In systems theory, “feedback” means:
(A) Ignoring past actions
(B) Response that influences future actions
(C) Hierarchical control
(D) Bureaucratic rigidity
Answer: (B)
Q21. The main focus of decision-making approach is:
(A) Structure
(B) Process of choosing alternatives
(C) Rules and hierarchy
(D) Authority
Answer: (B)
Q22. Ecological approach highlights the link between:
(A) Politics and Economics
(B) Administration and Environment
(C) Government and Business
(D) Politics and Judiciary
Answer: (B)
Q23. Riggs used the term “Sala” to refer to:
(A) Pure traditional system
(B) Industrialized society
(C) Transitional mixed system
(D) Modern democratic model
Answer: (C)
Q24. Decision-making theory is associated with:
(A) Dwight Waldo
(B) Herbert Simon
(C) F.W. Taylor
(D) Max Weber
Answer: (B)
Q25. Systems theory treats organization as:
(A) Static structure
(B) Dynamic adaptive entity
(C) Machine
(D) Bureaucracy
Answer: (B)
Q26. “Administration is influenced by environment” — is principle of:
(A) Ecological approach
(B) Bureaucratic theory
(C) Human relations
(D) Classical theory
Answer: (A)
Q27. Decision-making is the heart of:
(A) Bureaucracy
(B) Administration
(C) Management
(D) Leadership
Answer: (B)
Q28. “Bounded rationality” limits decision-making due to:
(A) Time, information, cognitive limits
(B) Law and order
(C) Organizational hierarchy
(D) Economic control
Answer: (A)
Q29. Riggs’ “Prismatic” societies show:
(A) Fusion of traditional and modern elements
(B) Only industrial structures
(C) Fully modern systems
(D) Tribal systems
Answer: (A)
Q30. The feedback mechanism in administration ensures:
(A) Resistance to change
(B) Control and learning
(C) Hierarchical rigidity
(D) Isolation
Answer: (B)
🟢 Part C: Theories and Concepts (Q31–50)
Q31. Scientific Management was developed by:
(A) Max Weber
(B) F.W. Taylor
(C) Fayol
(D) Elton Mayo
Answer: (B)
Q32. Taylor’s main objective was:
(A) Job satisfaction
(B) Maximum efficiency and productivity
(C) Employee welfare
(D) Rule-following
Answer: (B)
Q33. Rational Choice Theory assumes:
(A) Emotions drive behavior
(B) People act to maximize self-interest
(C) Administrative neutrality
(D) Cultural factors dominate
Answer: (B)
Q34. “Social equity” is the core of:
(A) New Public Administration
(B) Bureaucratic theory
(C) Development Administration
(D) Human Relations theory
Answer: (A)
Q35. The main advocate of Development Administration:
(A) Peter Drucker
(B) Edward Weidner
(C) Riggs
(D) Simon
Answer: (B)
Q36. Comparative Public Administration studies:
(A) One nation only
(B) Comparative administrative systems
(C) Private management
(D) Bureaucratic rules
Answer: (B)
Q37. New Public Management (NPM) emphasizes:
(A) Market principles and efficiency
(B) Centralization
(C) Bureaucratic rigidity
(D) Hierarchical control
Answer: (A)
Q38. The term “Governance” replaced “Government” because:
(A) It is more authoritative
(B) It includes non-state actors
(C) It excludes public sector
(D) It means only law enforcement
Answer: (B)
Q39. Christopher Hood is associated with:
(A) NPA
(B) NPM
(C) Development Administration
(D) Comparative Administration
Answer: (B)
Q40. New Public Management was influenced by:
(A) Keynesian model
(B) Neo-liberal reforms
(C) Socialist planning
(D) Communist ideas
Answer: (B)
Q41. “Administrative man” concept was given by:
(A) Dwight Waldo
(B) Herbert Simon
(C) Max Weber
(D) Taylor
Answer: (B)
Q42. The classical theory of organization focused on:
(A) Efficiency and structure
(B) Emotions and behavior
(C) Environment
(D) Politics
Answer: (A)
Q43. In NPM, citizens are considered as:
(A) Subjects
(B) Clients or customers
(C) Subordinates
(D) Administrators
Answer: (B)
Q44. Bureaucratic theory was propounded by:
(A) Weber
(B) Mayo
(C) Fayol
(D) Taylor
Answer: (A)
Q45. Weberian bureaucracy is characterized by:
(A) Nepotism
(B) Rule-based hierarchy
(C) Arbitrary authority
(D) Informal behavior
Answer: (B)
Q46. The term “span of control” means:
(A) Number of subordinates a manager can supervise effectively
(B) Financial control
(C) Time management
(D) Legal control
Answer: (A)
Q47. Elton Mayo’s experiments were conducted at:
(A) Harvard
(B) Hawthorne Plant, Western Electric
(C) MIT
(D) Oxford
Answer: (B)
Q48. The Hawthorne experiments established the importance of:
(A) Economic incentives only
(B) Social and psychological factors
(C) Political interference
(D) Bureaucratic control
Answer: (B)
Q49. Development administration is characterized by:
(A) Status quo orientation
(B) Change and innovation
(C) Bureaucratic rigidity
(D) Profit motive
Answer: (B)
Q50. The New Public Administration emerged as a reaction against:
(A) Classical bureaucracy
(B) Liberalization
(C) Political participation
(D) NPM
Answer: (A)
🟢 Part D: Leadership, Motivation, Communication, and Conflict (Q51–85)
Q51. Leadership is the ability to:
(A) Give orders only
(B) Influence and guide others
(C) Control the environment
(D) Avoid responsibility
Answer: (B)
Q52. Democratic leadership emphasizes:
(A) Participation and consultation
(B) Strict control
(C) Secrecy
(D) Autocracy
Answer: (A)
Q53. “Theory X and Theory Y” were proposed by:
(A) Maslow
(B) Herzberg
(C) McGregor
(D) Mayo
Answer: (C)
Q54. According to Maslow, the highest human need is:
(A) Safety
(B) Love
(C) Esteem
(D) Self-actualization
Answer: (D)
Q55. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory divides factors into:
(A) Internal and external
(B) Hygiene and motivation
(C) Monetary and non-monetary
(D) Positive and negative
Answer: (B)
Q56. Expectancy theory was given by:
(A) Peter Drucker
(B) Vroom
(C) McGregor
(D) Taylor
Answer: (B)
Q57. Communication in organizations is effective when:
(A) One-way only
(B) Two-way with feedback
(C) Secretive
(D) Hierarchical only
Answer: (B)
Q58. Chester Barnard emphasized communication as:
(A) Central to cooperative systems
(B) Optional activity
(C) Legal requirement only
(D) Technical formality
Answer: (A)
Q59. Downward communication flows from:
(A) Subordinates to superiors
(B) Superiors to subordinates
(C) Peer to peer
(D) None
Answer: (B)
Q60. Mary Parker Follett considered conflict as:
(A) Destructive always
(B) Natural and constructive
(C) Avoidable
(D) Bureaucratic failure
Answer: (B)
Q61. Follett’s method for resolving conflict effectively is:
(A) Domination
(B) Compromise
(C) Integration
(D) Suppression
Answer: (C)
Q62. Integration aims at:
(A) Win–lose outcome
(B) Win–win creative solution
(C) Avoidance
(D) Domination
Answer: (B)
Q63. Leadership style depends on situation, according to:
(A) Fiedler
(B) Mayo
(C) Taylor
(D) Weber
Answer: (A)
Q64. Motivation improves:
(A) Efficiency and job satisfaction
(B) Bureaucratic control
(C) Law enforcement
(D) Political campaigns
Answer: (A)
Q65. Barnard’s communication principle stresses:
(A) Clear channels and feedback
(B) Silence
(C) Authority and fear
(D) Rules only
Answer: (A)
Q66. Horizontal communication occurs between:
(A) Superior and subordinate
(B) Employees of same level
(C) Government and citizens
(D) Administration and judiciary
Answer: (B)
Q67. Informal communication network is also known as:
(A) Grapevine
(B) Bureaucratic order
(C) Command chain
(D) Reporting system
Answer: (A)
Q68. “Authority should follow communication” was emphasized by:
(A) Weber
(B) Barnard
(C) Taylor
(D) Simon
Answer: (B)
Q69. Conflict management enhances:
(A) Efficiency and cooperation
(B) Anarchy
(C) Domination
(D) Resentment
Answer: (A)
Q70. According to Drucker, management should focus on:
(A) Work rules
(B) Objectives and performance
(C) Supervision
(D) Bureaucracy
Answer: (B)
Q71. MBO stands for:
(A) Management by Objectives
(B) Management by Operations
(C) Management by Organization
(D) Management by Output
Answer: (A)
Q72. Peter Drucker introduced MBO in:
(A) 1947
(B) 1954
(C) 1968
(D) 1975
Answer: (B)
Q73. MBO emphasizes:
(A) Participation and goal setting
(B) Command and control
(C) Political loyalty
(D) Legalism
Answer: (A)
Q74. Motivation theory emphasizing needs hierarchy:
(A) Herzberg
(B) Maslow
(C) McGregor
(D) Drucker
Answer: (B)
Q75. Follett’s idea of “integration” promotes:
(A) Cooperation through understanding
(B) Bureaucratic control
(C) Subordination
(D) Power hierarchy
Answer: (A)
Q76. Upward communication flows from:
(A) Employees to managers
(B) Managers to employees
(C) Citizens to politicians
(D) Judiciary to legislature
Answer: (A)
Q77. Two-way communication improves:
(A) Feedback and efficiency
(B) Delays
(C) Control
(D) Bureaucracy
Answer: (A)
Q78. “Informal organization” was highlighted by:
(A) Weber
(B) Barnard
(C) Taylor
(D) Gulick
Answer: (B)
Q79. Conflict, according to Follett, is a sign of:
(A) Organizational failure
(B) Diversity of ideas and growth potential
(C) Discipline collapse
(D) Poor control
Answer: (B)
Q80. According to Drucker, performance must be:
(A) Measured and accountable
(B) Ignored
(C) Political
(D) Legalistic
Answer: (A)
Q81. Communication breakdown leads to:
(A) Misunderstanding and inefficiency
(B) Productivity
(C) Motivation
(D) Teamwork
Answer: (A)
Q82. Barnard viewed authority as:
(A) Derived from subordinates’ acceptance
(B) Legal command
(C) Coercive power
(D) Political mandate
Answer: (A)
Q83. Motivation is essential for:
(A) Efficient human behavior in organization
(B) Legal framework
(C) Administrative hierarchy
(D) Decision-making only
Answer: (A)
Q84. MBO aims to integrate:
(A) Personal goals with organizational goals
(B) Private with public administration
(C) Rules with values
(D) Authority with politics
Answer: (A)
Q85. Leadership is most effective when it:
(A) Adjusts to environment and followers
(B) Imposes strict control
(C) Avoids feedback
(D) Ignores motivation
Answer: (A)
Part E: Liberalisation, Globalisation, and Changing Nature (Q86–Q100)
Q86. Liberalisation in India began in:
(A) 1985
(B) 1991
(C) 1997
(D) 2004
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Economic liberalisation began with the 1991 New Economic Policy, which reduced controls, encouraged private participation and FDI.
Q87. One important administrative reform introduced after liberalisation is:
(A) Increased licensing requirements
(B) E-governance and IT automation
(C) Complete centralization of power
(D) Reduced transparency
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Post-1991 reforms accelerated e-governance, MIS and digital public services to improve efficiency and transparency.
Q88. Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) are an example of:
(A) Purely government-run service delivery
(B) Market mechanisms in public service provision
(C) Complete privatization without regulation
(D) Judicial reforms
Answer: (B)
Explanation: PPPs combine public oversight with private sector efficiency in delivering public goods.
Q89. New Public Management (NPM) response to globalization emphasizes:
(A) Bigger bureaucracies
(B) Managerialism, performance measurement, and customer orientation
(C) Ideological conformity
(D) Elimination of private sector role
Answer: (B)
Explanation: NPM borrows private-sector management techniques to make public services more efficient and accountable.
Q90. A key risk of globalization for public administration is:
(A) Greater autonomy for local governments
(B) Reduced policy space due to international agreements
(C) Increase in public sector job security
(D) Stronger traditional bureaucracy
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Global commitments (trade, investment treaties) can constrain domestic policy choices and regulatory freedom.
Q91. Information Management in modern public administration primarily seeks to:
(A) Hide information from citizens
(B) Support decision-making through accurate data and MIS
(C) Replace human decision-makers entirely
(D) Increase paperwork and manual records
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Effective information systems (MIS, dashboards, data analytics) enable evidence-based policy and faster decisions.
Q92. Citizen Charter is an initiative aimed at:
(A) Privatizing public services
(B) Defining service standards and ensuring accountability to citizens
(C) Making government opaque
(D) Increasing red tape
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Citizen Charters specify service norms, timelines and grievance redressal to improve public service delivery.
Q93. Globalisation has led to the increased role of which actors in governance?
(A) Only central ministries
(B) Multilateral institutions, NGOs, and transnational corporations
(C) Traditional village councils only
(D) Only the judiciary
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Globalisation expanded the governance ecosystem beyond the state to include international and non-state actors.
Q94. Under liberalisation, accountability mechanisms shifted to include:
(A) Only internal audits
(B) Performance contracts, audits, citizen feedback and market competition
(C) Elimination of audits
(D) Sole reliance on political patronage
Answer: (B)
Explanation: New accountability tools include performance appraisal, independent audits, customer satisfaction surveys and RTI.
Q95. One organizational challenge created by liberalisation is:
(A) Reduced need for human resources
(B) Pressure to adapt skills, continuous training and flexible structures
(C) Increase in rigid hierarchy
(D) Elimination of coordination needs
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Liberalisation and technology require capacity building, training and more adaptable organizational forms.
Q96. E-governance contributes to good governance by:
(A) Reducing access to services
(B) Increasing transparency, reducing corruption and improving delivery speed
(C) Removing citizen participation
(D) Making government slower
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Digital platforms (portals, mobile apps, digital payments) reduce intermediaries and improve transparency.
Q97. In the liberalised era, measuring public sector outcomes focuses more on:
(A) Inputs only (budget & staff)
(B) Outputs and outcomes (results, impact)
(C) Rituals and ceremonies
(D) Historical precedent
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Emphasis shifted from inputs to measurable outputs and outcomes (service quality, impact).
Q98. Organizational communication in the era of globalisation must handle:
(A) Only local language communication
(B) Complex multi-stakeholder, cross-cultural, and digital interactions
(C) Exclusively top-down orders
(D) Only written memos
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Modern organizations need multilingual, multicultural and digital channels for effective coordination.
Q99. Management by Objectives (MBO) helps organizations in liberalised settings by:
(A) Removing performance measurement
(B) Aligning individual goals with organizational strategic targets and improving accountability
(C) Promoting secrecy
(D) Increasing bureaucratic red tape
Answer: (B)
Explanation: MBO fosters clarity of goals, measurable targets and participative planning—useful for performance culture.
Q100. The overall effect of liberalisation and globalisation on public administration is:
(A) Return to closed, inward-looking administration
(B) Transition toward market-oriented, technology-enabled, citizen-centric governance with new accountability demands
(C) Complete privatization of all government functions
(D) Elimination of administrative ethics
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Reforms led to a hybrid model: state still provides public goods but uses market mechanisms, technology and participatory practices to enhance effectiveness and accountability.