Question Details

Direction for the following 6 ( six ) items: Read the following two passages and answer the items (1-6) that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.


Accountability, or the lack of it, in governance generally, and civil services, in particular, is a major factor underlying the deficiencies in governance and public administration. Designing an effective framework for accountability has been a key element of the reform agenda. A fundamental issue is whether civil services should be accountable to the political executive of the day or to society at large. In other words, how should internal and external accountability be reconciled? Internal accountability is sought to be achieved by internal performance monitoring, official supervision by bodies like the Central Vigilance Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General, and judicial review of executive decisions. Articles 311 and 312 of the Indian Constitution provide job security and safeguards to the civil services, especially the All India Services. The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that provision of these safeguards would result in a civil service that is not totally subservient to the political executive but will have the strength to function in larger public interest. The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line. Over the years, the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day who in turn are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process. This system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance.

Some special measures can be considered for improving accountability in civil services. Provisions of Articles 311 and 312 should be reviewed and laws and regulations framed to ensure external of civil services. The proposed Civil Services Bill seeks to address some of these requirements. The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that professions managerial functions and management of civil services are depoliticized. For this purpose, effective statutory civil service boards should be created at the centre and in the states. Decentralization and devolution of authority to bring government and decision making closer to the people also helps to enhance accountability.


With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. Political executive is an obstacle to the accountability of the civil services to the society.
2. In the present framework of Indian polity, the political executive is no longer accountable to the society.
Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

Options

A

1 only

B

2 only

C

Both 1 and 2

D

Neither 1 nor 2

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option A

1 only

Solution :

The correct option is 1 only.

Let us analyze the validity of both assumptions step-by-step based strictly on the provided passage:

Analysis of Assumption 1:
The passage states that over the years, the system of accountability has tilted in favor of "greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day". It further highlights that this arrangement—where political leaders are expected to be externally accountable to society, who in turn control the civil services—"has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance." Because the political executive's dominance over the civil services has compromised the direct accountability of civil services to the public, the political executive acts as an obstacle. To remedy this, the passage suggests that the roles of the professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that managerial functions and civil services management are "depoliticized." This confirms that the political executive's current influence is indeed viewed as an obstacle to the civil services' accountability to society. Therefore, Assumption 1 is valid.

Analysis of Assumption 2:
The passage notes that the system where the political leaders "are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process" has "not worked out" in terms of seeking proper accountability. However, saying that the system of seeking accountability has not worked out and has led to adverse consequences is not the same as asserting that the political executive is "no longer accountable" to society in the present framework of Indian polity. The elections still exist as a mechanism of accountability, even if the system has not functioned effectively. The passage does not make such a sweeping, absolute assumption that accountability is completely absent. Therefore, Assumption 2 is invalid.

Consequently, only the first assumption is valid.

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