NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same
General Studies – 1
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: insightsonindia.com
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.
Key Demand of the question: To write about puppetry as an art from which borrows and combines elements from other art forms.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with what Indian puppetry is and its diversity across Indian states.
Body:
Write in detail about how puppetry draws from painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama and other visual arts. Cite examples to substantiate your points. The diverse forms of Indian puppetry and its various types.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing about importance of puppetry as visual art.
Introduction
A puppet is one of the most remarkable and ingenious inventions of the man. Puppetry is a type of narrative theatre; at the crossroads between bardic storytelling and theatre plays. Shows include live music, narration and gestures taken from dance. Puppetry throughout the ages has held an important place in traditional entertainment. Like traditional theatre, themes for puppet theatre are mostly based on epics and legends. Puppets from different parts of the country have their own identity. Regional styles of painting and sculpture are reflected in them.
Body:
- The earliest reference to the art of puppetry is found in Tamil classic ‘Silappadikaaram’ written around the 1st or 2nd century B.C.
- In Sanskrit terminology Puttalika and Puttika means ‘little sons’.
- Ancient Hindu philosophers have paid the greatest tribute to puppeteers. They have likened God Almighty to a puppeteer and the entire universe to a puppet stage.
- Srimad Bhagavata, the great epic depicting the story of Lord Krishna in his childhood say that with three strings-Satta, Raja and Tama, the God manipulates each object in the universe as a marionette.
- Natyashastra, the masterly treatise on dramaturgy written sometime during 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD., does not refer to the art of puppetry but the producer-cum-director of the human theatre has been termed as ‘Sutradhar’ meaning the holder of strings.
- Stories adapted from puranic literature, local myths and legends usually form the content of traditional puppet theatre in India which, in turn, imbibes elements of all creative expressions like painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama, etc.
- For instance, theKathputli of Rajasthan is accompanied by a highly dramatised version of the regional music. In Kundhei of Odisha, the music is drawn from the popular tunes of the region and is sometimes influenced by the music of Odisha dance.
- Almost all types of puppets are found in India. Puppetry throughout the ages has held an important place in traditional entertainment. Like traditional theatre, themes for puppet theatre are mostly based on epics and legends.
- g.: In Tholu Bommalatta of AP, the music is dominantly influenced by the classical music of the region and the theme of the puppet plays are drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. Episodes enacted in Gombeyatta of Karnataka are usually based on Prasangas of the Yakshagana plays. The music that accompanies is dramatic and beautifully blends folk and classical elements.
- Puppets from different parts of the country have their own identity.
- g. In Thogalu Gombeyatta of Karnataka, the puppets however differ in size according to their social status, for instance, large size for kings and religious characters and smaller size for common people or servants.
- Regional styles of painting and sculpture are reflected in them.
- g.: the traditional glove puppet play is called Pavakoothu. It came into existence during the 18th century due to the influence of Kathakali, the famous classical dance-drama of Kerala, on puppet performances. The face of the puppets are decorated with paints, small and thin pieces of gilded tin, the feathers of the peacock, etc. The theme for Glove puppet plays in Kerala is based on the episodes from either the Ramayana or the Mahabharata.
However, the art of puppetry is dying due to the following reasons:
- Lack of patronage in the modern age.
- Competition from Electronic media which is a preferred mode of entertainment. People find it more appealing to watch mythological stories of Ramayan and Mahabharat on electronic media rather than in Puppetry.
- Puppetry Art is usually confined to only devotional and mythological stories.
- With changing times, Puppetry does not take up modern social issues.
- Puppetry lacks modernization in terms of script, lighting, sound and other stage effects.
Conclusion:
Besides traditional puppetry, India is home to a lively contemporary scene. Independent India opened up to artistic exchange, and new forms and techniques affected puppetry, introducing new styles and giving origin to a refined urban puppet theatre. The birth of modern troupes and the opening to the international scene created new contexts for traditional puppetry to flourish. Several festivals organized in the last decades offer the stage to traditional troupes. So far modernity threatened the very survival of traditional puppetry, but a more conscious use of contemporary means and opportunities is actually the key to preserve this rich heritage of India.
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: insightsonindia.com
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the regional manifestations of folk art.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving a brief about folk art in India with examples.
Body:
Mention the major elements of folk art in India. Elaborate how they are manifestation of cultural diversity as well as regional specializations. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Summarize with respect to folk art of India.
Introduction
India had always been known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional vibrancy through its conventional arts and crafts. The states and union territories sprawled across the country have their own distinct cultural and traditional identities, and are displayed through various forms of art prevalent there. Every region in India has its own style and pattern of art, which is known as folk art. It consists of paintings, music, dance, drama, martial arts etc.
Body
The folk and tribal arts of India are very ethnic and simple, and yet colourful and vibrant enough to speak volumes about the country’s rich heritage. Folk art generally reflects the creative energy found in rural areas that acts as an undercurrent to the craftsmanship of the tribal people. They are intertwined with the lifestyle and activities of the people. Every social event of their lives is linked to one or the other folk art form, making it an imperative part of life.
- Folk Paintings:
- The rural folk paintings of India bear distinctive colourful designs, which are treated with religious and mystical motifs.
- Some of the most famous folk paintings of India are the Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Patachitra paintings from the state of Odisha, the Nirmal paintings of Andhra Pradesh,Kangra painting from Himachal Pradesh and Warli paintings from Maharashtra and other such folk art forms.
- Each school has its distinct style of colour combinations or figures and its features.
- Folk art is however not restricted only to paintings, but also stretches to other art forms such as pottery, home decorations, ornaments, cloths-making, and so on.
- Folk paintings have a relationship with household ceremonies of marriage, birth; worship/ reverence for nature; religious occasions and worships etc.
- Warli artistsare animists living in the rugged part of the isolated Sahyadri range. Their traditional art forms were in the past restricted to images of the mother-goddess and can be traced back to the Neolithic period. Their Tarpa dance reflects the cooperation of the villagers as they join hands and sway in quick circles to the steady bass drone of a wind instrument called the tarpa.
- Folk Dances:
- The regional dances of India, such as the Bhangra dance of Punjab, the Dandiya of Gujarat, the Bihu dance of Assam, etc, which project the cultural heritage of those regions, are prominent contenders in the field of Indian folk art.
- These folk dances are performed by people to express their exhilaration on every possible eventor occasion, such as the arrival of seasons, the birth of a child, weddings, festivals, etc.
- Folk Theatres:
- India has a longest and richest tradition in theatre going back to at least 5000 years.
- The origin of Indian theatre is closely related to ancient rituals and seasonal festivitiesof the country.
- The actors of Bhand Pather in J&K are mainly from the farming community and the impact of their way of living, ideals and sensitivity in the drama is discernible. Swang in Haryana, where Religious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons in an open area or an open air theatre surrounded by the audience.
- Ramman:It is celebrated every year in Baisakh month (april) in the courtyard of the temple of Bhumiyal Devta situated in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. Jatra in Bengal refers to the musical plays performed at fairs in honour of gods, or religious rituals and ceremonies. Mudiyettu is a traditional ritual theatre and folk dance drama from Kerala that enacts the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. The ritual is a part of the Bhagavathi or bhadrakali cult.
Conclusion
The folk and tribal arts of India speak volumes about the country’s rich heritage. Art forms in India have been exquisite and explicit. Local fairs, festivals, deities, heroes (warriors), myths and legends play a vital role in these art forms. The Governments, as well as other societies and associations, have therefore made all efforts to promote such art forms, which have become an intrinsic part of India’s cultural identity.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: https://www.newindianexpress
Why the question: The article discusses India’s strengthening relations with Italy and France, focusing on the economic and strategic aspects of these ties.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the key aspects Indo-French and Indo-Italian relations and significance of India-EU partnership.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, discuss about the historic relations between the India and France in brief.
Next, discuss about the historic relations between the India and France in brief.
Next, write about the importance of India-EU strategic partnership and scope for greater cooperation in the areas of defence, space, and renewable energy etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward in order to achieve the potential.
Introduction
In an uncertain global business environment, India has been proactively engaging with the world for new economic opportunities. This is an opportune moment to deepen engagement with two long-time collaborators and close partners—Italy and France—with whom India shares historical ties and many mutual interests.
Body
Key aspects of India’s growing relations with Italy and France
- Trade: Both Italy and France are among India’s top trading partners, with India’s total trade recording around $25 billion during April-January of FY 2022–23.
- Diaspora: There is a large Indian diaspora in both countries and the presence of Italian and French companies in India has been historically strong.
- Investment: France is the eleventh-largest foreign investor in India while Italy is India’s seventeenth-largest contributor in terms of direct investments.
- High level delegation: India’s relationship has intensified with the two European Union members, with frequent exchanges and visits at the highest levels and constant collaborations across diverse sectors.
- FTA: With India and the EU progressing on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the two large economies of the region will play an important role in future economic engagement with India.
- Defence: Defence has been a critical pillar in the India-France Strategic Partnership for many years. France has been a key supplier of military hardware such as the Rafale and Dassault aircraft and has supported India in the development of missile systems. There is great potential for enhancing collaboration in areas such as naval systems, unmanned systems and cybersecurity.
- Likewise, India can take forward its defence cooperation with Italy and greatly benefit from the latter’s strong expertise in air defence, communication, surface/submarine naval systems, etc. The two can also enhance cooperation in co-production and design of military equipment.
- Green technology: Green infrastructure is an important area of cooperation.
- France and Italy can share best practices and expertise in planning and implementing green infrastructure projects.
- India’s renewable energy mission has made it the fourth-largest renewable energy market and the two European partners can collaborate in the green hydrogen mission, solar module manufacturing and energy efficiency, along with co-creation of green infrastructure projects.
- Luxury industry: France and Italy are leaders of the global luxury industry. India has one of the fastest-growing luxury markets in the world, with luxury and fashion goods such as fine dining, luxury travel, jewellery, luxury cars, etc witnessing rising demand and strong growth.
- India can be a key market for both the countries and can also participate in their creative industries through design and innovation centres.
Significance of India-EU strategic partnership
- India recently concluded the fourth round of negotiations with the European Union on the India-EU comprehensive FTA, which saw progress on several fronts. A well-negotiated Agreement will significantly boost trade and investments between India and the EU, and further enhance India’s economic ties with France and Italy.
- The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 12.9% of India’s overall trade. Further the trade in services have almost tripled in last decade.
- Overall, the EU is the second largest investor in India, with €70 billion of cumulative FDI from April 2000 to March 2017, accounting for almost one quarter of all investments flows into India.
- EU and India remain close partners in the G20 and have developed a regular macroeconomic dialogue to exchange experience on economic policies and structural reforms.
- As EU seeks to move away from a global supply chain that is overly dependent on China, India can emerge as its most natural ally.
- There is a significant untapped potential to expand India-EU bilateral trade relation through an FTA.
- The FTA will deliver on enhancing India’s market access in key services.
- For this to happen, regulatory barriers in cross-border supply as well as provision of services through temporary movement of professionals will need to be addressed.
Conclusion
Given the rapidly changing geopolitical scenario, strengthening the India-Italy and India-France partnerships holds great potential for expanding trade and investment opportunities across new frontiers. With the relevant ministers engaging strongly and businesses interacting with each other, a new pace for India’s economic relationship with Europe is being rapidly set.
General Studies – 3
Topic: issues of buffer stocks and food security
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: indianexpress.com
insightsonindia.com
Why the question: The article argues that India’s self-sufficiency in food production does not necessarily translate into food security, as there are still significant challenges in terms of access and distribution of food to those in need.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the various threats to food security and measures needed to ensure it.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving statistic related to food security scenario in the country.
Body:
First, write the about the various threats to food security in the country – geopolitical tension, adverse weather events like floods and droughts, improper supply chains, storage issues etc
Next, write the measures needed to overcome the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward on overcoming the above shortcomings.
Introduction
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Food Price Index has increased by 30 per cent in the year 2021-22. The last time it had increased in similar proportion was in 2010-11. This phenomenon was one of the factors that led to the Arab Spring. Currently, at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had already disrupted the food supply chains around the world in 2020, tensions are exacerbated by Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine: Russia and Ukraine represent 27 per cent of the world market for wheat, 16 per cent for corn, 23 per cent for barley, and 53 per cent for sunflower.
Body
Background: India and food crisis vulnerability
- India, currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the world around 195 million.
- India has high undernourishment (about 16% of the population), wasting (about 17%),stunting (about 31%)and low exclusive breastfeeding practice (only 58%)
- A troubling statistic in the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data, conducted in 2019-21, is not well-known.
- Among mothers with a child between ages 6-23 months, 18 per cent reported that their child did not eat any food whatsoever — referred to as “zero-food” — in the 24 hours preceding the survey.
- The zero-food prevalence was 30 per cent for infants aged 6-11 months, remains worryingly high at 13 per cent among the 12-17 months old, and persists even among 18-23 months-old children at 8 per cent..
- Inequities in food and health systems increase inequalities in nutrition outcomes that in turn can lead to more inequity, perpetuating a vicious cycle.
Various threats to India’s food security
- Conflict: TheRussia Ukraine Conflict has forced elements of Ukraine witnessing decrease sowing due to the struggle, the web impression of global food provide shocks might be felt in every single place.
- Ukraine and Russia export wheat across the globe and a sudden stopper has made nations take steps such asexport ban of wheat as in India.
- In peacetime,the Black Sea ports, now blocked, account for about 95 per cent of grain exports from Ukraine.
- Weather Extremes: The Global Drought Observatory has reported that drought is probably going to have an effect on 47% of European soil. The newest EU forecast suggests a decline of 16% for maize to 5% for wheat and 8-10% for edible oil.
- While China has seen warmth waves and drought in a number of elements of the nation, the US can also be struggling a dry season with excessive warmth and poor rains.
- Similar circumstances have affected Brazil, with its agricultural worth output declining by 8% within the first quarter, main to excessive food inflation.
- With most massive food producers reporting drops in manufacturing, there seems to be a powerful chance that the approaching months will see global provide shortages for many farm commodities.
- Economic Shocks: Over 30 million people in 21 countries / territories suffered acute food insecurity in 2021 due to economic shocks, down from over 40 million people in 17 countries / territories in 2020.
- Crop diseases: With experiences of the standing paddy crop in main rice-producing states witnessing a thriller dwarfing illness in India, the web decline in paddy manufacturing may very well be anyplace at 15-20% in contrast to regular ranges.
Measures to fortify food security in India
- Stock regulation in private sector:The Indian government could ensure more transparency on food stocks and regulate the private sector. For that, there is a need to set restrictions on the reserves that the private sector can hold, as they often tend to hoard food stocks to later sell at a profit.
- This will help prevent the opaqueness of private sector reserves, which often fuels speculation by large international financial actors.
- Agriculture-Nutrition linkage schemes have the potential for greater impact in dealing with food security malnutrition and thus, needs greater emphasis.
- Recognising the importance of this link, the Ministry for Women and Child Development launched theBharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh in 2019.
- There is a need to promote schemes directed to nutrition-agriculture link activities in rural areas. However, implementation remains the key.
- Underutilisation of Resources:It has been pointed out many a times that expenditure made under many nutrition-based schemes is considerably lower than what was allocated under them. Thus, emphasis needs to be on implementation.
- The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013,legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
- The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards under the Act.
- Convergence with other Schemes:Nutrition goes beyond just food, with economic, health, water, sanitation, gender perspectives and social norms contributing to better nutrition. This is why the proper implementation of other schemes can also contribute to better nutrition.
- The convergence of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission with schemes pertaining to nutrition,will bring holistic changes to India’s nutrition scenario.
Conclusion
Food security of a nation is ensured if all of its citizens have enough nutritious food available, all persons have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality and there is no barrier on access to food. The right to food is a well-established principle of international human rights law. It has evolved to include an obligation for state parties to respect, protect, and fulfil their citizens’ right to food security.
India needs to adopt a policy that brings together diverse issues such as inequality, food diversity, indigenous rights and environmental justice to ensure sustainable food security.
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: indianexpress.com
Why the question: In his article “Roadmap to Energy Justice,” Hardeep S. Puri discusses the importance of providing access to reliable and affordable energy to all citizens of India.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the ways to achieve energy justice and its importance.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining energy justice.
Body:
First, write about the various bottlenecks and threats to the energy justice of India which constrain India from achieving energy security.
Next, write about the measures that the government can take in order to achieve energy justice and role of renewable sources and government policies in it.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Energy justice envisions elements of a global energy system that fairly distributes both energy services’ benefits and burdens and can be used as a framework to identify energy injustices.
Clean energy appears to be the future for the power needs of humanity across the globe as reliance of fossil fuels continues to diminish. However, the road to clean energy is not straight forward and here is where the government must rely on calculated measure to balance energy security and net-zero commitments.
Body
Background: Energy Justice in India
- Massive cuts in excise duty and VAT rates of petrol and diesel.
- An export cess on petrol, diesel and ATF.
- Windfall tax on domestically produced petroleum products to prevent refiners and producers from profiteering at the cost of domestic consumers.
- Subsidised administered pricing mechanism (APM) gas for the city gas distribution sector was drastically increased.
- Revising the New Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines 2014 to rationalise and reform APM gas pricing.
Government policies and measures to move towards renewable energy
- Focus on Energy Efficiency: Will need energy efficient buildings, lighting, appliances and industrial practicesto meet the net-zero goal.
- Increased usage of Biofuels: Can help reduce emissions from light commercial vehicles, tractors in agriculture.
- In aviation, the only practical solution for reducing emissions is greater use of biofuels, until hydrogen technology gains scale.
- Transition towards Electric vehicles: This will further help curb the carbon emissions and move towards cleaner fuel. Vehicular emissions are one of the biggest sources of GHG.
- Carbon Sequestration: India willhave to rely on natural and man-made carbon sinks to soak up those emissions. Trees can capture 0.9 billion tons; the country will need carbon capture technologies to sequester the rest.
- Carbon Pricing:
- India, which already taxes coal and petroleum fuels, should consider putting a tax on emissions to drive change.
- Deploying lower-carbon Energy: There are four main types of low-carbon energy: wind, solar, hydro or nuclear power. The first three are renewable, which means these are good for the environment – as natural resources are used (such as wind or sun) to produce electricity.
- Deploying lower carbon energy would help address both domestic and international climate challenges while simultaneously improving the economic well-being of India’s citizens.
- Mainstreaming Renewable energy: India’s energy mix is dominated by coal powered electric generation stations as of now.
- The need of the hour is increasing the share of renewable energy in this energy mix.
Way forward to ensure energy justice
India is a global exporter of petroleum products and its refining capacity is the fourth largest in the world after the US, China, and Russia.
Efforts are underway to further enhance this capacity to 450 MMT by 2040.
- Innovation and investments in exploration and production (E&P): India wants to boost its net geographic area under exploration from 8% to 15% (0.5 million sq km) by 2025 and has reduced the prohibited/no-go areas in EEZ by 99%.
- Moving towards a gas-based economy: By increasing the share of gas from the current 3 to 15% by 2030.
- India has connected more than 9.5 crore families with clean cooking fuel in the past nine years.
- PNG connections have increased from 28 lakh in 2014 to over 1 crore in 2023.
- The number of CNG stations in India has gone up from 938 in 2014 to 4,900 in 2023.
- Since 2014, India has increased the length of its gas pipeline network from 14,700 km to 22,000 km in 2023.
- Biofuel revolution: At the recent India Energy Week 2023, India launched E20 – 20% ethanol blended gasoline – which will be expanded across the country in the next two years.
- India’s ethanol-blending gasoline has grown from just 53% in 2013-14 to 10.17% in 2023.
- India is also setting up five 2nd generation ethanol plants, which can convert agricultural waste into biofuel → reducing pollution due to stubble burning → generating income for farmers.
- Developing the entire green hydrogen ecosystem: The National Green Hydrogen Mission has been launched with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore to accelerate India’s efforts towards –4 MT of annual green hydrogen production and Rs 1 lakh crore of fossil fuel import savings by 2030.
- An integrated path for transitioning India’s future mobility pathways: Along with green hydrogen and biofuels, India is also supporting electric vehicles through a production-linked incentive scheme.
- India is targeting the installation of alternative fuel stations (EV charging/CNG/ LPG/LNG/CBG etc.) at 22,000 retail outlets by May 2024.
Conclusion
According to IEA estimates, India will account for ~25% of global energy demand growth between 2020-2040. As India aspires to become a $26 trillion economy by 2047, implementing a unique strategy for ensuring energy security and achieving energy independence is the need of the hour.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
Difficulty level: Tough
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Key Demand of the question: To write about why probity is such a rare occurrence in governance and its impact.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining probity in governance.
Body:
First, with examples mentions why civil servants with strong moral principles are rare and mention the factors that make civil servants compromise their integrity. Write about its impact.
Next, mention steps that must be taken to improve and promote probity in governance.
Conclusion:
Conclude by suggesting measures to make these measures more robust and effective.
Introduction
Probity is “the quality or condition of having strong moral principles, integrity, good character, honesty, decency”. It is the act of adhering to the highest principles and ideals rather than avoiding corrupt or dishonest conduct. It balances service to the community against the self-interest of individuals.
Body
The importance and relevance of probity:
- Individual level
- For individuals, probity is about understanding the limits of their authority and powers and acting within those limits.
- Public servants need to be conscious at all times of the need to uphold the highest standards of conduct in their dealings on the government’s behalf, which includes acting with integrity and avoiding conflicts of interest.
- Having a conflict of interest is not morally wrong or unethical in itself. The challenge is in recognising and managing them.
- Public servants should also be aware of the need to avoid any perception of bias in their dealings. This requires an open mind in decision-making and acting fairly and impartially in good faith.
- Organisational level
- For organisations, probity is about setting values at an organisation level, and then implementing those values through policies and codes of practice.
- It is then for managers to demonstrate those values through leadership, to positively reinforce the values and also to ensure compliance with, and enforcement of, the values.
- Government agencies should establish an ethical culture. Then, they should set out to live that culture.
- To ensure the equitable distribution of resources
- To bring strong image of country around the globe
- To cater to the needs of all sections of society. So that inclusive growth is achieved.
- In Public sphere
In a democracy, probity espouses the principles of equality before law and a respect for the rights and duties of leaders towards their citizens. Conversely, probity is a societal expectation which citizens demand from decision makers and all those who function as a part of the state’s apparatus
- Legitimacy of the system: Foremost, it helps build up the legitimacy of the system, i.e. the state. It builds trusts in the institutions of the state and a belief that the actions of the state will be for welfare of the beneficiaries.
- Objectivity: It provides for an objective and independent view on the fairness of the process.
- Checks and balances: It helps in checking the abuse and misuse of power by various organs of government such as magistracy, police and all other providers of public service e.g. PWD, health, education, etc.
- Equitable and sustainable development: It is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for socio-economic development.
- To serve the constitutional cause:Probity in Governance is required to serve the motto of Constitution. i.e. to provide Social, Political and economic justice to all. It enhances faith in the governance.
- Reduced politicization of bureaucracy:It helps address nepotism, Favouritism, Political partisanship. Public reposes more trust in governance and therefore it facilitates participatory governance. It leads to avoidance of sub-optimal outcomes, corruption and poor perception
Conclusion
According to Second Administrative Reforms Commission, apart from the traditional civil service values of efficiency, integrity, accountability and patriotism, it is necessary for civil servants to inculcate and adopt ethical and moral values including probity in public life, respect for human rights and compassion for the downtrodden and commitment to their welfare.
Probity in governance is the antithesis of corruption in public life. Probity is emphasised by the UN Convention against corruption. Probity is the evidence of ethical behaviour in a particular process. For Government employees and agencies, maintaining probity involves more than simply avoiding corrupt or dishonest conduct. It involves applying public sector values such as impartiality, accountability and transparency.
Value addition
Concept of Probity
- Probity is confirmed integrity. It is usually regarded as being incorruptible.
- It is the quality of having strong moral principles and strictly following them, such as honesty, uprightness, transparency and incorruptibility.
- Probity in Governance is concerned with the propriety and character of various organs of the government as to whether these uphold the procedural uprightness, regardless of the individuals manning these institutions.
- It involves adopting an ethical and transparent approach, allowing the process to withstand scrutiny.
- Probity goes further than the avoidance of being dishonest because it is determined by intangibles like personal and societal values.
- Probity has been described as a risk management approach ensuring procedural integrity.
- It is concerned with procedures, processes and systems rather than outcomes. The principles of probity, ethics and good governance operate on many levels – from, the individual, to the organization and on to the ‘watch-dog’.
Probity principles
There are several generally accepted probity concepts that serve to preserve the integrity of a system. These are:
- Transparency:It is sizeable that the procedure is transparent to the most volume feasible so that each one stakeholder can have faith within the consequences. Transparent, open techniques additionally decline the possibility for, and the threat of, corruption, and fraud.
- Accountability: Itis the responsibility with a view to give an explanation for or account for the manner duties were achieved. The government has to have appropriate mechanisms in the area to expose that they may be liable for their practices and decisions.
- Confidentiality: Being employed, all public servants or other employees under a general responsibility of confidentiality to their corporation. Accordingly, it is not vital for participants of the Government Project Team who are public servants to execute a confidentiality project in terms of the mission. Moreover, all Government advisors, servants, members and some other third party that is aware of commercially sensitive statistics ought to ensure a proper venture to Government that they’ll preserve this information confidential.
- Conflict of interest:This is wherein the general public responsibility and private interests of a Board or staff member can be in conflict which results in their personal interest unreliably influencing their duties and needs. Stakeholders have the authority to count on that Board and staff contributors will best make selections in the best interest of the organization.
- Impartiality:People and companies interacting with an employer are predicted to be independent at every level of the method. If they do no longer trust the process is accurate or fair or unbiased, it may harm the popularity of the enterprise.
Topic: Citizen’s Charters
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining citizen charter.
Body:
First, mention the shortcoming of citizen charters – not formulated through a consultative process, lack of awareness, absence of grievance redressal etc.
Next, suggest steps to overcome the above shortcomings.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stressing on need to make the charters effective to provide high quality public service delivery.
Introduction
A Citizens’ Charter represents the commitment of the Organisation towards standard, quality and time frame of service delivery, grievance redress mechanism, transparency and accountability. The concept of Citizens Charter enshrines the trust between the service provider and its users.
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in Government of India (DARPG) initiated the task of coordinating, formulating and operationalising Citizen’s Charters.
Body
The basic objective of the Citizens Charter is to empower the citizen in relation to public service delivery.
Importance of Citizen’s charter in the Governance of developing nation like India:
- To make administration accountable and citizen friendly.
- To ensure transparency.
- To take measures to improve customer service.
- To adopt a stakeholder approach.
- To save time of both Administration and the citizen
Problems faced in implementation of Citizen’s charter:
- One size fits all: Tendency to have a uniform CC for all offices under the parent organization. CC have still not been adopted by all Ministries/Departments. This overlooks local issues.
- Silo operations: Devoid of participative mechanisms in a majority of cases, not formulated through a consultative process with cutting edge staff who will finally implement it.
- Non-Dynamic: Charters are rarely updated making it a one-time exercise, frozen in time.
- Poor design and content: lack of meaningful and succinct CC, absence of critical information that end-users need to hold agencies accountable.
- Lack of public awareness: only a small percentage of end-users are aware of the commitments made in the CC since effective efforts of communicating and educating the public about the standards of delivery promise have not been undertaken.
- Stakeholders not consulted: End-users, Civil society organizations and NGOs are not consulted when CCs are drafted. Since a CC’s primary purpose is to make public service delivery more citizen-centric, consultation with stakeholders is a must.
- Measurable standards of delivery are rarely defined: making it difficult to assess whether the desired level of service has been achieved or not.
- Poor adherence: Little interest shown by the organizations in adhering to their CC. since there is no citizen friendly mechanism to compensate the citizen if the organization defaults.
Way forward:
- Wide consultation process: CC be formulated after extensive consultations within the organization followed by a meaningful dialogue with civil society.
- Participatory process: Include Civil Society in the process: to assist in improvement in the contents of the Charter, its adherence as well as educating the citizens about the importance of this vital mechanism.
- Firm commitments to be made: CC must be precise and make firm commitments of service delivery standards to the citizens/consumers in quantifiable terms wherever possible.
- Redressal mechanism in case of default: clearly lay down the relief which the organization is bound to provide if it has defaulted on the promised standards of delivery.
- One size does not fit all: formulation of CC should be a decentralized activity with the head office providing only broad guidelines.
- Periodic updation of CC: preferably through an external agency.
- Fix responsibility: Hold officers accountable for results: fix specific responsibility in cases where there is a default in adhering to the CC.
Conclusion
Citizen’s Charter is playing a prominent part in ensuring “minimum government & maximum governance”, changing the nature of charters from non-justiciable to justiciable & adopting penalty measures that will make it more efficient & citizen friendly. The Sevottam model proposed by 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission for public Service Delivery can be regarded as a standard model for providing services in citizen centric governance.
