UPSC Governance – Chapter 3: Administrative Reforms in India (20 MCQs)

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UPSC Governance – Chapter 3: Administrative Reforms in India (20 MCQs) – 20 questions, subject: Governance. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

The Report on the Reorganisation of the Machinery of Government (1949) was prepared by:

Correct Answer: A [N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar]

Explanation:

Gopalaswamy Ayyangar's 1949 report on reorganising the machinery of government sought better grouping and coordination of ministries.

2.  

The Organisation and Methods Division and the Indian Institute of Public Administration followed the recommendations of:

Correct Answer: B [Paul H. Appleby]

Explanation:

Appleby's 1953 report called for an O&M organisation and an institute of public administration; both followed in 1954.

3.  

Which one of the following statements about the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 is correct?

Correct Answer: A [It was passed by Parliament in April 2026 and amends provisions in 79 Central Acts.]

Explanation:

The Lok Sabha passed it on 1 April and the Rajya Sabha on 2 April 2026; it amends 784 provisions in 79 Central Acts.

4.  

Who succeeded Morarji Desai as chairman of the First Administrative Reforms Commission?

Correct Answer: B [K. Hanumanthaiya]

Explanation:

K. Hanumanthaiya took over in 1967 when Morarji Desai became Deputy Prime Minister.

5.  

The First Administrative Reforms Commission recommended the creation of:

Correct Answer: B [Lokpal and Lokayuktas]

Explanation:

Its 1966 interim report on redress of citizens' grievances proposed a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the States.

6.  

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission was chaired by:

Correct Answer: C [M. Veerappa Moily]

Explanation:

M. Veerappa Moily chaired the Second ARC from 2005 until his resignation in March 2009.

7.  

The first report of the Second ARC was on:

Correct Answer: C [Right to Information]

Explanation:

Its first report (2006), Right to Information – Master Key to Good Governance, opened the series of fifteen.

8.  

How many reports did the Second Administrative Reforms Commission submit?

Correct Answer: D [15]

Explanation:

The Second ARC submitted fifteen reports between 2006 and 2009, from RTI to State and district administration.

9.  

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is under the:

Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]

Explanation:

The DARPG is a department of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and is the nodal reform agency.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. The Second ARC described the Right to Information as the "master key to good governance".
2. The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration are given on Civil Services Day.
3. The First ARC submitted fifteen reports.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2 are correct; statement 3 is wrong because the First ARC gave twenty reports.

11.  

Assertion (A): The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 replaced imprisonment with monetary penalties for many minor offences.

Reason (R): Fear of criminal prosecution for minor procedural lapses raises the cost of doing business and living.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Both are true, and the burden of criminal prosecution for minor lapses is exactly why the Act replaced jail with penalties.

12.  

The last (fifteenth) report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission dealt with:

Correct Answer: C [State and District Administration]

Explanation:

The 15th report (2009), State and District Administration, closed the series that began with the RTI report in 2006.

13.  

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission was constituted on 31 August 2005 as a:

Correct Answer: B [Commission of Inquiry set up by a Government resolution]

Explanation:

The Government constituted it as a Commission of Inquiry to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping public administration.

14.  

Interviews for Group B (non-gazetted) and Group C posts of the Central Government were discontinued from:

Correct Answer: D [2016]

Explanation:

The Central Government discontinued interviews for Group B (non-gazetted) and Group C posts from 1 January 2016.

15.  

Which Second ARC report dealt with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme as a case study?

Correct Answer: A [Unlocking Human Capital]

Explanation:

The 2nd report, Unlocking Human Capital – Entitlements and Governance, was a case study of NREGA (2006).

16.  

The online public grievance portal of the Government of India run by the DARPG is:

Correct Answer: C [CPGRAMS]

Explanation:

CPGRAMS is the online public grievance portal of the Government of India run by the DARPG.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. First Administrative Reforms Commission
2. Appleby's first report
3. Second Administrative Reforms Commission
4. Gorwala Report

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [4-2-1-3]

Explanation:

1951, 1953, 1966, 2005.

18.  

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 amended provisions in how many Central Acts?

Correct Answer: D [42]

Explanation:

The 2023 Act decriminalised 183 provisions spread over 42 Central Acts.

19.  

Which of the following is the main reason why many reform recommendations remain unimplemented?

Correct Answer: D [Weak follow-up and resistance to change]

Explanation:

Recommendations are often accepted in principle but not followed up, and established interests resist change.

20.  

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission was constituted in:

Correct Answer: C [2005]

Explanation:

August 2005.

➤ Full notes, maps, tables, a reason for every option and Mains PYQs – U12 · Governance (UPSC book, ₹249): www.shanmugamiasacademy.in/study-materials/upsc-governance

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