Polity
Q1. Lokpal and Lokayukta are considered to be posts of “accommodation center”. In light of this statement examine the effectiveness of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013. 10M
Q2. Analyzing the performance of The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA Act) over the years, do you think it has rejuvenated self-governance in tribal regions? 15M
Ethics
Q3. What do you understand by Social influence? Differentiate between influence and persuasion with real-life examples. 10M
Case Study
Q4. Sunil is appointed as a Panchayat development officer (PDO). He is an honest, hardworking person and wants to serve poor people through public service. His role as a PDO is to supervise and monitor the operation or functioning of Gram Panchayats. Once he starts working, he soon realizes that the real power rests in the elected representatives and the officers are routinely harassed. In his panchayat, the post of president is reserved for a women representative. Though the Panchayat president is a woman, she acts just as a nominee to her husband who vests the real decision-making power, this is the point of contention between Sunil and the Panchayat president. Sunil wants the women to be a real representative. He is constantly threatened for his strict actions and he has no real support from other panchayat members or his senior officers. Recently, Sunil has been forced to sign some bills that he suspected to be fudged. Sunil resists, leading to further tensions. Sunil wants to resign from his job, as it’s difficult to handle the political pressure without compromising on his principles. The panchayat members argue Sunil is full of idealism and lacks any practical knowledge. He doesn’t stay in the village and doesn’t respect gram panchayat members who lack education and he delays the progress of welfare schemes by insisting on the due procedure.
Sunil is just one example, the same has been happening with PDO’s all over the state because the state follows a model wherein, the cheques should be signed by both the gram panchayat president and the PDO. As a result, the elected member takes the decisions and the officers get pulled up by courts if something goes wrong. This has led to constant clashes between the PDO’s and the Panchayat members.
Given the situation,
- Discuss the changes required in the attitudes of the panchayat members and the PDO’s to avoid clashes. Suggest measures to bring about such changes.
- What are the options available to Sunil? Discuss their merits and demerits. Is resigning a better option, given that Sunil doesn’t want to compromise on his ideals? Give our opinion.
