In the previous article, we saw how to approach RAS PubAd (Mains) Paper I (Click me). Now this article is about Paper II.
  1. Essential books for PubAd Paper II (RAS)
  2. Evolution: Kautilya, Mughal and British
  3. Basics of Polity
  4. Central Government Organization
  5. Centre State relations
  6. Government jobs
  7. Planning
  8. PSUs
  9. Budget
  10. Police administration
  11. State Administration
  12. District
  13. PRI
  14. Welfare
  15. Issues in Indian administration
  16. Warning

Essential books for RAS Mains Public Administration paper II

English Medium Hindi Medium
  1. Public Administration by M.Laxmikanth
 Lok Prashasan by M.Laxmikanth
  1. Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth
 Bharat Ki Rajya Vyavastha by M.Laxmiknath
  1. IGNOU B.A and M.A.Public Administration booklets (can be downloaded for free, from egyankosh.ac.in or can be purchased from Delhi).
 Same but in Hindi

UPSC Public Administration paperset (for preparing static-direct question): Free PDF file available on https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9AJvFSzIyiwMGFaOTI3eXZ5WHc/edit?pli=1

Evolution: Kautilya, Mughal and British

  • Do it from IGNOU BA Public Administration (code BPAE-102),
  • Keep in mind that IGNOU BA Public Administration is very minute and detailed information on the progress made during British administration, including small events and datelines, that stuff is not important.
  • You just need “salient features and important highlights”.
  • Easy way to mugup Mauryan and Mughal systems= prepare them as “similarities and differences from each other.

Basics of Polity

II.  Environmental Setting – Constitution, Parliamentary Democracy, Federalism Planning, Socialism.
III.  Political Executive at the Union Level – President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Cabinet Committees.

Refer

  1. Mug up Chapter 18, 19, 20 and 21 from Laxmikanth’s Polity book.
  2. Chapter 9: Union Government and administration from Laxmikanth’s Public Administration book
  3. Lot of fodder material scattered in IGNOU MPS 003 etc.

Central Government Organization

IV. Structure of Central Administration – Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat, Ministries and Departments, Boards and Commissions, Field Organisations.

  1. IGNOU BPAE-102 Block 2.

Centre State relations

V.  Centre- State Relations – Legislative, Administrative and Financial.

  1. Mugup Chapter 13 from M.Laxmikanth’s book on Polity.
  2. IGNOU BA Public Administration: Block 6 (BPAE-102)

Government jobs

VI.  Public Services – All India Services, Central Service, State Services, Local Civil Services, Union and State Public Service Commissions, Training of Civil Services.

  1. Mugup Chapter 13 from Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.
  2. Mugup Chapter 10 Civil Service in India from Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
  3. IGNOU BA Public Administration: Block 2 and 3 (BPAE-102)

Planning

VII.  Machinery for Planning – Organization and role of National Development Council and Planning Commission; Planning Machinery at the State and District and Local Levels.

  1. Basics of NDC and Planning Commission given in Laxmikanth’s Polity Book
  2. IGNOU BA, Block EPA-03.

PSUs

VIII.  Public Undertakings- Forms of management, Control and impact of liberalization and improving performance and public enterprises in India.

  1. MUGUP End portion of Chapter 9: Union Government and Administration in India, from Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
  2. IGNOU BA Public Administration: EPA-03 (Block 6)

Budget

IX.  Control of Public Expenditure- Parliamentary Control; Role of the Finance Ministry; Comptroller and Auditor General.

  1. For parliamentary control read accountability and control chapter in Laxmikanth’s pubAd book.
  2. For role of finace ministry and CAG, Chapter 8: Financial Administration in Laxmikanth’s pubAd book
  3. Also Parliament and CAG chapters in Laxmi Polity
  4. Chapter 11 IGNOU MPA 013.
  5. EPA-05 from IGNOU BA Public Administration. (Selective study.)

Police administration

X.  Administration of Law and Order – Role of Central and State Agencies in Maintenance, of Law and Order.

  • IGNOU BA Public Administration: BPAE 102, Block 4.
  • Also consult IGNOU MPS-003 for role of police.

State Administration

XI.  State Administration – Governor; Chief Minister, Council of Minister, Secretariat, Chief Secretary, Directorates with Special reference to Rajasthan.

  • Religiously mugup Chapter 11 State and District Administration of Laxmikanth’s Pubad book.
  • For more ‘polity’ related points of governor, CM and Council of Ministers, go through Chapter 24, 25 and 26 in Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.
  • IGNOU BA Public Administration: BPAE 102, Block 3
  • For special reference to Rajasthan, visit their Government websites (or any bogus readymade coaching notes, if available).

District

XII.  District Administration – Role and importance,; District Collector, land and revenue, Law and order and developmental functions; District Rural Development Agency.

  • Religiously mugup Chapter 11 State and District Administration of Laxmikanth’s Pubad book.
  • IGNOU BA, BPAE-102 Block 4.
  • For DRDA consult India Yearbook + Government  websites.
  • For special reference to Rajasthan, visit their Government websites. (or any bogus readymade coaching notes, if available).

PRI

XIII.  Local Administration – Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Governments Features, Forms and Problems with special reference to Rajasthan: Autonomy of Local Bodies.

  • Religiously mugup Last chapter of Laxmikanth’s Pubad book.
  • Chapter 30 and 31 in Laxmikanth’s Polity book.
  • IGNOU BA Public Administration: EPA 03: under Development administration.
  • Problems, autonomy related issues discussed in IGNOU MA course code MPA-016 at length.
  • For special reference to Rajasthan, visit their Government website. (or any bogus readymade coaching notes, if available).

Welfare

XIV. Administration for welfare – Administration for the Welfare of Weaker Sections with particular Reference to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Programs for the Welfare of Women and Children in Rajasthan.

  • Relevent chapters from India Yearbook.
  • For special reference to Rajasthan, visit their Government website. (or any bogus readymade coaching notes, if available).

Issues in Indian administration

Issue Source
Relationship between Political and Permanent Executives.
  1. End part of Chapter 7 Personnel administration in Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
Generalist vs Specialist
  1. Basics explained in Chapter 10, Civil Service in India, in Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
  2. For extra fodder, consult IGNOU BA : BPAE 102 block 6.
Integrity
  1. Ethics, Integrity End part of Personnel administration chapter in Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
People’s participation
  1. Basically overlaps with Panchayati Raj problem topic.
  2. Also refer to Chapter 5 Accountability and control in Laxmikanth’s PubAD book.
  3. Extra fodder, consult MPA-011 and MPS-003.
Redressal of Citizens Grievances
  1. IGNOU BA BPAE-105, Block 5.
  2. Citizen’s charter, R.T.I etc. from internet.
Lok Pal and Lok Ayuktas
  1. Chapter 51 of Laxmikanth’s Polity book. (religiously mugup)
  2. + whatever fodder you come across in newspaper editorials.
ARC
  1. IGNOU BA : BPAE 102 block 6.
  2. 2nd ARC reports (only do the recommendations given at the end of each report, if you’ve time) OR directly mugup Appendix 8 of Governance in India by M.Laxmikanth.

Warning

  • ^This is minimum essential priority reading list. If you’ve books such as Avasthi and Avasthi, Sharma and Sadana, Fadia and Fadia etc. you can consult them also, for getting extra fodder material, depending on the time available. Ultimately marks in descriptive paper= depend on quantity and quality of answer-points.
  • Public Administration is a dangerous optional. After reading a chapter one or two times, you’ll feel “haa thik hai, sab samaj mein aa gaya” (all ij well, I’ve understood everything.) but you won’t be able to recall exact points during the exam= poor quality answers= not good marks.
  • Therefore Revision, notes making, answer writing practice= essential for success.