Which of the statements about Public Policy are Correct? 'A Public Policy may be;

(1) General or Specific

(2) Broad or Narrow

(3) Positive or Negative

(4) Rational or Irrational

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

OPSC OAS (Preliminary) Exam (GS) Official Paper-I (Held On: 15 Dec, 2024)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Option 3

Key Points

A Public Policy can be General or Specific.
A Public Policy can be Broad or Narrow.
A Public Policy can be Positive or Negative.
A Public Policy can be Rational or Irrational, although this is less commonly discussed in academic contexts.

Additional Information

General or Specific: Public policies can be designed to address broad issues affecting a wide range of people or specific issues targeting a particular group or problem.
Broad or Narrow: Policies can be broad in scope, affecting many areas of public life, or narrow, focusing on a single issue or sector.
Positive or Negative: Policies can be designed to encourage certain behaviors or outcomes (positive) or to discourage or prevent certain behaviors or outcomes (negative).
Rational or Irrational: Rational policies are typically based on logical, systematic analysis and evidence. In contrast, irrational policies may be based on ideology, emotion, or other non-evidence-based factors. While rationality is often a goal, real-world policymaking can sometimes be influenced by irrational factors.