Public Administration for UPSC Civil Services Examination

ANALYSIS & APPROCH: IAS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MAINS PAPER

Public Administration, in recent times, has gained a reputation of being one of the most Successful and
Popular optional amongst the entire gamut of subjects offered by the UPSC for Civil Services Main
examination. But the buck does not stop here! As, at the same time, a process of remarkable change has
also been enunciated in the quality as well as the quantity of the questions that are being asked now a
days.
This should not be taken as a shock, surprising or something very unprecedented. UPSC has already shown
its intention of change through various means- one of which being the new and drastically changed
Preliminary Test. So, it should be clear that UPSC does not want conventional and in a way- Static, hence
out-dated baboos (bureaucrats) anymore. As they do not fit-in in the changed state-of-affairs of modern
India and most importantly, in the changed world scenario in which India has to engage in, as part of her
day-today business. 
Having an idea of why such change? It should not be very difficult for one to adopt well into these changes
and prepare oneself as a dynamic personality who is eager to take up this challenge that India has
undertaken by exposing herself into the new phenomena called globalization. Yes, our approach would
have to include such elements of change that India is undergoing today and accordingly we should shape
our preparation strategies that are based on understanding, innovating, inter-linking and introspecting
rather than simply memorising the previously prepared notes.
So, it becomes clear that UPSC is not interested in the conventional knowledge of the subject matter
instead, it is testing you in real and live situations and your ability to come out of it. Whether you are able
to actually administer the public or simply reading the subject? Are you updated with the recent news &
have ability to link it with your answers or simply cramming the notes? In short they are checking your
suitability for the job by quality of your answers. And therefore, we should prepare in the same way.
Public Administration is now no more confined to the general texts available in the market but much
beyond that. This is evident in this year’s question paper which was more applied, practical & non-
conventional in nature and shape. There is visual shift of focus. The paper can be called as lengthy that
demanded the more innovative side of you. On the spot thinking, decision making & answer writing skills
are the key tools to tackle such kind of paper. More relevance has to be given to the contemporary issues. 
These are some of the guidelines that can be provided at this point in time and at this level of your
preparation