KSLU Solved Question Papers
Political Science (Public Administration)
Previous Year Question Paper with Solution
B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) · Sem 4
2022 Oct Examination
munotes.in
Mumbai
B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) Sem 4 Political Science (Public Administration) 2022 Oct Question Paper with Solutions
First published on munotes.in on 21 October 2026.
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The question paper reproduced here is the paper as set by Karnataka State Law University at the 2022 Oct examination.
Contents
The questions below are the paper as Karnataka State Law University set it at the 2022 Oct examination, in the order it was set.
MarksPage
MarksPage
The Paper as Set
The questions in this volume are the questions asked at the 2022 Oct examination, reproduced as Karnataka State Law University set them, in the order it set them. Long reading passages are shortened to their first and last lines and our summary; the original paper prints them in full. Only the answers are ours. See the original question paper.
Duration 3 hours · Total marks 80 · 20 questions answered
Instructions printed on the paper
- N.B. (1) Answer all five Units. (2) One essay type question and short note/problem is compulsory. (3) Figures to the right indicate marks. (4) Answers should be written either in English or in Kannada completely.
How to use this volume
Solve the paper first, under exam conditions and against the clock. Then read the answers here and mark your own. Reading a solution before attempting the question feels productive and teaches very little, because recognising an answer is not the same as being able to write one.
Q1
Unit I
(a)Explain the differences between Public Administration and Private Administration.[10]
Answer
For full marks, cover: a one-line meaning of each; the differences explained point by point (aim, source of authority and the rule of law, political direction, accountability, equal treatment, breadth of impact, finance and its control, competition and monopoly, personnel systems, measure of success, speed and procedure, openness), with Indian examples and Appleby's view (1945) that "Government Is Different"; a summary table; how far the differences are narrowing; a conclusion.
Meaning in brief
Public administration is the administration carried on by the government and its agencies to execute laws and public policies for the good of the people. Private administration is the management of business firms and other non-governmental bodies by their owners or managers, mainly for profit or the owners' purpose.
Both use similar managerial methods. The real question is how they differ, and Paul Appleby answered it sharply in Big Democracy (1945), whose first chapter is titled "Government Is Different".
The differences
1. Aim. Public administration aims at public welfare and service. A government hospital treats the poor whether or not they can pay. Private administration aims mainly at profit. A private hospital must cover its costs and earn a return.
2. Source of authority and the rule of law. A public official may act only where a law authorises him, and every act can be tested against that law. A private manager may do anything that the law does not forbid.
3. Political direction. Public administration works under elected ministers and responds to public opinion and the legislature. Appleby counted this "political character" as a mark of government. Private administration is directed by owners and boards, not by parties.
4. Accountability. Public administration answers to the legislature, the courts, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, the media and the voters. Its decisions can be questioned in Parliament and under the Right to Information Act 2005. A private firm answers mainly to its shareholders and to regulators on matters of law.
5. Equal treatment. Government must treat all citizens alike under the same rules. Article 14 forbids arbitrary discrimination by the State. A private firm may choose its customers and give special terms to some.
6. Breadth of impact. Government decisions affect the whole society, and they must weigh every interest. Appleby described this as "breadth of scope, impact, and consideration". A business serves a limited market.
7. Finance and its control. Public money comes from taxes and borrowing, and it can be spent only as the legislature votes. Article 265 requires authority of law for every tax. A private firm raises and spends its own money as its board decides.
8. Competition and monopoly. Many government services, such as policing, passports and land records, have no rival. Private firms usually face competition, which pushes them to cut costs and improve service.
9. Personnel system. Public servants are recruited through open competition by bodies like the UPSC, enjoy security of service under Article 311, and follow conduct rules. Private employees are hired and dismissed more freely under their contracts and labour law.
10. Measure of success. Private success is measured largely by profit, sales and market share. Public success is harder to measure: lower crime, better health and higher literacy are real but slow results. A government school cannot be judged by profit, because its purpose is to teach every child, including those who pay nothing.
11. Speed and procedure. Public administration must follow rules, keep records and consult widely, which makes it slower and gives it a reputation for "red tape". Private administration can decide and change course quickly.
12. Openness. Government is expected to be transparent, publishing budgets, reports and decisions. Business may keep many matters confidential as trade secrets.
Summary table
| Point | Public administration | Private administration |
|---|---|---|
| Aim | Public welfare and service | Profit or owners' purpose |
| Authority | Only what law allows | Anything law does not forbid |
| Direction | Elected ministers | Owners and boards |
| Accountability | Legislature, courts, audit, public | Shareholders, regulators |
| Point | Public administration | Private administration |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment | Equal for all | May discriminate among customers |
| Finance | Taxes, voted by legislature | Own funds, decided by board |
| Market | Often a monopoly | Usually competitive |
| Staff | Merit recruitment, security of service | Contract-based |
| Success | Social outcomes | Profit and growth |
| Procedure | Rule-bound, slower | Flexible, quicker |
| Openness | Transparent | Can be confidential |
Are the differences narrowing?
Some differences have narrowed. Governments now use business methods such as performance targets, outsourcing and public-private partnerships. Private firms in banking, telecom and energy face public regulation and public duties. Yet the basic differences of aim, legal basis and accountability remain, because government exercises the coercive power of the State.
Conclusion. Public and private administration share techniques but differ deeply. Public administration serves the public good under law, political direction, wide accountability and equal treatment. It is financed by voted taxes, often holds a monopoly, recruits on merit, and is judged by social outcomes through transparent and rule-bound procedures. Private administration seeks profit with more freedom, speed and confidentiality. Appleby's verdict that government is different still holds.
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