UPSC Prelims 2020 · Question 25 of 100
UPSC Prelims 2020 question on Bureaucracy Characteristics
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2020
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectPolity
- TopicGovernance
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
In the context of India, which one of the following is the characteristic appropriate for bureaucracy?
Show answer
Answer: D. An Agency for the implementation of public policy
While the heads of government and their ministers, saddled with the overall responsibility of government policy, are together known as the political executive having a shorter term of office (in India, it is generally for 5 years), those responsible for the day to day administration are called the permanent executive, i.e. the Bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy is also termed the 'Permanent Executive' as opposed to the political executive. Its primary characteristic is as an agency for the implementation of public policy — carrying out the policies and programs decided by the political executive.
Hence option (d) — An Agency for the implementation of public policy — is the correct answer.