Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability
Q4. The institutional architecture for ensuring accountability in India faces challenges of overlap, inertia, and excessive centralization. Discuss. (15 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the Question:
The understanding of systemic issues in India’s accountability framework and demands an analytical approach to identify and address key governance challenges.Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must examine how overlap, inertia, and centralization hinder accountability mechanisms, supported by examples, and suggest potential improvements.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Briefly introduce India’s institutional framework for accountability and mention its significance in ensuring transparency and good governance.Body:
- Challenges of overlap: Highlight issues like jurisdictional conflicts, role ambiguity, and duplication of efforts.
- Challenges of inertia: Focus on procedural delays, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and lack of proactive action.
- Challenges of excessive centralization: Explain central dominance in investigative bodies, appointment control, and reduced state autonomy.
- Way forward: Suggest reforms like empowering state institutions, technology-driven transparency, and greater institutional autonomy.
Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for institutional clarity, decentralization, and digital innovation to ensure a more accountable governance framework.
