As Administrative Officer, Rajesh is regularly interacting with his immediate boss, who is his reporting officer for writing his ACR. One day he calls Rajesh and wants him to buy computer-related stationery on priority from a particular vendor. Rajesh instructs his office to initiate action for procuring these items. During the day, the dealing Assistant brings an estimate of Rupees Thirty Five Lakhs covering all stationery items from the same vendor. It is noticed that as per delegated financial powers, as provided in the GFR (General Financial Rules) as applicable in that Organisation, expenditure for office items exceeding Rupees Thirty Lakhs requires sanction of the next higher authority (boss in the present case). Rajesh knows that immediate superior would expect all these purchases should be done at his level and may not appreciate such lack of initiative on his part. During discussions with office, he learns that common practice of splitting of expenditure (where large order is divided into a series of smaller ones) is followed to avoid obtaining sanction from higher authority. This practice is against the rules and may come to the adverse notice of Audit. Rajesh is perturbed. He is unsure of taking decision in the matter. ,(a) What are the options available with Rajesh in the above situation?(b) What are the ethical issues involved in this case?(c) Which would be the most appropriate option for Rajesh and why?
What the examiner wants
Rajesh's boss wants a ₹35 lakh purchase from one vendor at Rajesh's level, which would need splitting the order against GFR. List options, issues and choose.
Demand-wise check
- 1(a) Options: split the order; send to the boss for sanction; check need and run proper procurement (GeM/tender); reduce to what is needed≈65 words
- 2(b) Issues: rule violation, favouring a vendor, fear for ACR, loyalty vs integrity, audit risk≈65 words
- 3(c) Best: do not split; verify requirement; process through GeM/competitive bids; put the file to the boss for sanction with a clear note≈65 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Where marks usually go
- Calling splitting acceptable because it is 'common practice'
- Missing the single-vendor favour issue
Draw this
- Option table: rule-compliant? fair? risk?
Value addition
- RuleGFR 2017 Rule 157 says purchases shall not be split to avoid sanction of higher authority.General Financial Rules, 2017
- PlatformGovernment e-Marketplace (GeM) is mandated for common-use items under GFR Rule 149.GFR 2017; GeM
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 33 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aakash Garg · AIR 5 · Page 31 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 31 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aakash Garg · AIR 5 · Page 39 ↗Same syllabus reference
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