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Question

The fine art of decision-making is not making decisions that others can make. Comment. 

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CSE 2025 (Prelims) CSAT Official Paper (25-May-2025)

Decision-making in administration is not merely about choosing among alternatives but about prioritizing where authority and responsibility should be exercised. Leaders are expected to invest their time in decisions that require vision, discretion, and long-term impact, rather than routine matters that subordinates can handle. Effective delegation ensures efficiency, empowers lower levels, and prevents decision paralysis at the top. If senior administrators indulge in micro-decisions, they risk losing focus on strategic concerns such as policy design, institutional reforms, and crisis management. The art lies in differentiating between operational and strategic choices, and ensuring that only those decisions demanding higher judgment, accountability, and foresight are reserved for leadership. Thus, decision-making at higher levels is less about volume and more about quality and relevance.

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