Topic: Role of civil services in a democracy.
Q3. “Civil service reform remains the unfinished agenda of democratic deepening.” Explain past reform efforts. Identify key structural bottlenecks. Propose measures to make bureaucracy outcome-oriented. (15 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the question:
Due to the ongoing debate on bureaucratic efficiency, Mission Karmayogi reforms, and the need to align civil services with democratic and developmental outcomes.Key demand of the question:
It requires evaluation of past reform efforts, identification of persisting structural weaknesses, and suggesting specific measures to make civil services more accountable, specialised, and performance-driven in a democratic framework.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Start with the significance of civil services as the administrative backbone of Indian democracy and briefly mention that reform efforts have been continuous but remain incomplete.Body:
- Past reform efforts: Briefly mention major post-independence reform commissions and their core recommendations.
- Structural bottlenecks: Highlight key institutional, procedural, and behavioural issues limiting reform success.
- Measures for outcome orientation: Suggest recent and forward-looking reforms focusing on capacity building, accountability, and citizen-centric service delivery.
Conclusion:
End with a futuristic note on building a professional, ethical, and adaptive bureaucracy essential for democratic deepening.
