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Approach – Answer: General Studies Mains Mock Test 1050 (2018)

1. Citizens’ Charters make administration both accountable and citizen-friendly. However, over time, in a
large number of offices, Citizens’ Charters have fallen into disuse. Suggest measures that can make
these charters effective tools for bringing accountability in public service. (150 WORDS
Approach:
 Briefly explain the concept of Citizens‘ Charters.
 Succinctly discuss their state of implementation and the reasons for its disuse.
 Enlist the measures to make the Citizens‘ Charters more effective.
Answer:
A Citizens‘ Charter is a document that outlines the commitment of a public body towards standard, quality
and timeframe of service delivery along with grievance redress mechanism. It makes a public institution
transparent and accountable and thus can be an effective tool to engage the civil society and to curb
corruption.
However, Citizen Charters have fallen into disuse mainly due to following deficiencies in charters:
 Poor design and content: Critical information that end users need to hold agencies accountable are
missing in charters.
 Lack of consultation: End-users and NGOs are not consulted when Charters are drafted.
 Inadequate groundwork: Non-familiarity of the service providers with the philosophy, goals and
main features of charters.
 Lack of public awareness: Effective efforts of communicating and educating the public about the
standards of delivery have not been undertaken.
 Resistance to change: Vested interests work for stalling the Citizens‘ Charter altogether or in making
it toothless.
 Lack of revision and periodic updation of charters.
 Absence of legal backing to charters.
To address the above issues and to make these Charters effective tools of accountability in public service,
following measures can be undertaken:
 Design of the Charters: There is need for citizens and staff to be consulted at every stage of
formulation of the Charter. Periodic evaluation of the charters should be done to measure their
implementation and address the deficiencies in their design.
 Remedy for non-action: Charters should clearly spell out the remedy/penalty/compensation in case
of lapse in execution.
 Citizens’ awareness and engagement: There is a need for wider publicity of the Charter through
print and social media. Regular feedback should be taken from the end-users.
 Rating of public agencies: Visitors‘ feedback can be taken as one of the parameters. Sevottam model
can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Charters.
 Creation of database on consumer grievances and redress.
The Citizens‘ Charters have given desirable results in various countries such as the United Kingdom,
Malaysia, Australia and Canada. We can study the CCs‘ implementation in these countries to successfully
execute the same in India. It is advisable to give legal backing to these charters to mandate the concerned
departments to implement them with all seriousness.

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2. Discuss the importance of involving civil society in pre-legislative scrutiny and mention the steps that
can be taken by the government to increase public engagement in it. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Introduce by highlighting the need for all stakeholders especially citizens to participate in policy
making.
 Suggest means to ensure the participation of the citizenry in pre-legislative scrutiny of policies.
 Provide a brief conclusion.
Answer:
The need to build linkages between citizens and the policy-making process arises from the necessity to
have greater transparency and equality of access for all stakeholders that form the bedrock of a democratic
framework. Pre-legislative scrutiny calls for a process to garner public feedback at an early stage of
framing a law or statute.
As laws enacted by the Parliament can have a major impact on the lives of citizens, a close public scrutiny
ensures that objectives and proposals have a wide acceptance. The Right to Information Act and the Jan
Lok Pal Bill, drafted by the civil society are examples of the same.
Currently, though public participation with respect to draft bills is not statutorily mandated, the Indian
government can adopt various international best practices to increase public engagement, such as:
 Releasing all bills in the public domain for a stipulated period, before introducing them in the
Legislature.
 Making a green paper on the legislative priorities addressed by the bill, available to the citizens.
 Publishing a list of bills proposed to be introduced in the coming year and sending the draft versions
of these bills to a parliamentary committee, which takes public comments and consults experts – as is
currently practiced by Britain.
Additionally, the government can take the following steps to further public engagement:
 Providing the Financial memoranda for each bill specifying the budgetary allocation for the
processes/bodies created by the bill.
 Using social media forums for greater outreach.
 Expanding the purview of citizen‘s right to petition their representatives with legislative proposals.
 Utilizing MyGov platform to invite suggestions on a bill.
In the past, the government has taken steps to actively engage the public, such as, in the matters of the draft
Direct Tax Code and the draft Electronic Service Delivery Bill. The recommendation of the National
Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution that the draft bills should be subjected to thorough
and rigorous examination by experts and laymen alike, must be implemented effectively.

3. Poor standards of tertiary education are a drag on India’s competitiveness. Elucidate. Also enumerate
the initiatives taken by the government in the past few years to improve the quality of higher education
in India. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Introduce by stating facts regarding the dismal picture of tertiary education in India.
 Link India‘s lack of global competitiveness standard with poor tertiary education.
 Mention steps taken by the government to improve the state of higher education in India.
Answer:
India has made significant progress in terms of gross enrollment (GER) in higher education with GER of
24.5% in 2015-16 from 20.8% in 2011-12. However, the quality and standards for tertiary education
remain abysmal. For instance, recently, a report by McKinsey stated that only a quarter of engineers in
India were actually employable.
This impacts India‘s competitiveness on several fronts, such as:

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 Indian Industry: Poor quality of tertiary education limits the industries‘ capabilities of access to
cutting edge advances in S&T which revolutionize the production process.
 Lack of indigenization of technology: India remains dependent on other countries in many important
sectors such as defence, electronics, and high speed transportation and so on due to subpar higher
education.
 Brain Drain: It leads to loss of tax revenue, loss of potential future entrepreneurs and a shortage of
skilled workers.
 Ranking of Indian Universities: In global rankings of higher education institutes, no Indian institute
figures in the list of top 200 universities. India doesn‘t attract top faculties in tertiary education due to
poor standards.
 Lack of Research in humanities.
These issues have remained due to lack of financial allocation to tertiary education, lack of autonomy to
top institutes and issues with regulation and governance of universities. To tackle these issues various steps
have been undertaken by the government such as:
 An allocation of 10,000 crore rupees over 5 years to develop 10 public and 10 private world class
institutes.
 Reforming the regulatory system and provide more autonomy to colleges to give impetus to the growth
of higher education.
 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): Outlines a methodology to rank institutions of
higher education in India and create competitiveness among them.
 Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): Centrally Sponsored Scheme providing financial
support to State Higher Educational Institutions to improve infrastructure and to promote research and
innovation.
 SWAYAM portal provides free online courses for higher learning; SWAYAM PRABHA, a group of
DTH channels telecasts high quality educational programmes.
 Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT): a Pan-IIT and IISc joint initiative to
develop a roadmap for research to solve major engineering and technological challenges.
 Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) aims to tap the talent pool of scientists and
entrepreneurs, internationally to encourage their engagement with Indian institutes of higher education.
 National Digital Library, campus connect programme, Uchhatar Avishkar Abhiyan, Unnat Bharat
Abhiyan are being implemented to improve the quality of higher education in the country.
 Reforms in UGC for promoting greater administrative and academic autonomy and revised framework
for outcome based accreditation and credit based programme.
 Higher Education Funding Agency is being set with a corpus of Rs 20,000 to augment research and
related infrastructure.
India needs a determined drive to upgrade the quality of tertiary education across the board which requires
that primary and secondary education must also be reformed.

4. Social audit has a crucial role in effective implementation of social sector programmes. Comment. Also
discuss its strengths and limitations. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 In the introduction, briefly write about social audit.
 Highlight the need of social audit.
 Discuss the strengths and limitations of social audit.
 In conclusion, briefly mention ways to overcome the limitations.
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Answer:
Social audit is a process in which details of resources used by public agency for development initiatives
are shared with people often through public platforms, which allows end users to scrutinize the impact of
developmental programs.
The importance of social audit for social sector programmes can be understood from the following points:
 Accurate identification of requirements.
 Prioritization of developmental activities as per requirements.
 Proper utilization of funds.
 Benefit to targeted section.
 Conformity of the developmental activity with the stated goals.
 Quality of service.
 Reduction of wastages.
 Reduction in corruption.
In recent years due to the steady shift in devolution of funds and functions to the local government, the
demand for social audit has grown. In flagship schemes such as MGNREGA, the Union Government is
promoting social audit to check corruption. Similarly, various state governments such as Rajasthan and
Andhra Pradesh have taken the initiative to incorporate social audit as part of their monitoring systems
through Gram Sabhas and in partnership with a consortium of NGOs.
Strengths of Social Audit:
It focuses on outputs as opposed to outlays.
 It facilitates transparency and accountability in governance.
 It provides the strongest and direct evidence for utilisation of resources and assets.
 It provides a voice to the people to participate and be heard.
 It makes the monitoring and appraisal mechanism multi‐perspective and transparent.
 It provides an opportunity to strengthen the micro level scrutiny of the programme planning,
implementation and monitoring.
 It promotes integrity and a sense of community among people.
 Promotes human resources and social capital; benefits disadvantaged groups.
Limitations of Social Audit:
 The scope of social audits is highly localised and covers only certain selected aspects.
 Social audits are often sporadic and ad hoc.
 Monitoring is informal and unprocessed.
 The findings of social audit cannot be either generalised over the entire population.
 Individual programs present their own unique challenge, such as, literacy program for adults require
data on migration.
 Several problems require a package of programme to be implemented simultaneously. For example,
rural health requires convergence between water supply, education, sanitation, nutrition etc. Social
audit may therefore need a more holistic approach.
 Absence of trained auditors.
 Lack of action on audit reports and findings.
 Opposition from vested entrusts.
Way Forward:
 Creating awareness among stakeholders regarding social audit.
 Establishing a protocol for sustainable ongoing partnership with the major social audit organisations
within the country.
 Promoting proactive disclosure of information to facilitate social audits.
 Institutionalize social audit, as has been done by Andhra Pradesh, with organic link from the grass
root level to the state level.

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5. What are the major welfare schemes for elderly in India? Do you think the benefits of such schemes
are reaching a wide section of the target segment? Give reasons. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 In the introduction, briefly demonstrate the significance of geriatric care in India.
 List some of the core policies and programmes aimed at elderly population.
 Assess the implementation of these welfare schemes and highlight the lacunae and major reasons
behind the same.
 Conclude by briefly suggesting the way forward.
Answer:
The number of elderly in India was 103.8 million in 2011 and is projected to be 173.2 million in 2026.
The Government of India has demonstrated its commitment to ensure a secure, dignified and productive
life for the elderly through various measures:
 National Policy on Older Persons
 Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP)
 Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
 Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme
 Annapurna scheme
 National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE)
 Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
Recent initiatives include Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Varishtha Pension
Bima Yojana 2017, Senior Citizens Welfare Fund. Other important measures include Scheme of National
Award for Senior Citizens (Vayoshreshtha Samman), Insurance schemes for senior citizens, tax incentives
for senior citizens, reservation of seats and concessions in road, rail and air transport, recognition of
International day for older persons etc.
Assessment of the implementation welfare schemes
While the central schemes for the elderly are ambitious, the reach of these schemes remains limited. It can
majorly be attributed to:
 Low level of awareness and utilization about these schemes
o According to a UNFPA survey, about 70% are aware of the national old age pension scheme and
the widow pension schemes and only about 18% are accessing old-age pensions.
o The use of Annapurna scheme, to provide food security to senior citizens, is also low.
o Low utilization is observed in the case of railway concessions and seat reservations for elderly in
buses.
 Inadequacy of Returns: Schemes are often criticized for providing only minimal social security
coverage.
 Gender differentials: Women face greater vulnerabilities and isolation in old age, however,
government schemes often ignore this factor.
 Lack of competent human resources: There is a need of more than 10 million caregivers to address
the needs of elderly population and a massive training programme to create competent human
resource.
It is hence essential to have an easy and transparent disbursement system in place which can be facilitated
through technological solutions like JAM trinity. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and civil society need
to play an active role in creating awareness and expanding coverage of the ongoing schemes. All
stakeholders, Central and State government, statutory bodies, leading academic and research institutions,
social activists and donors must work in tandem to translate schemes into purposeful action.

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6. Welfare policies in India have undergone a paradigm shift in recent decades, yet they retain certain
elements of continuity. Discuss with examples. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Give a brief introduction of welfare policies.
 Discuss the trend of design of these policies over the years, bring out the shifts in these.
 Enumerate the features that continue to remain the same.
 Use examples for various arguments, throughout.
Answer:
Welfare policies in India are driven by the principles of equitable distribution of resources and public
responsibility for the underprivileged with the aim of providing them with a minimum social safety net.
In the recent decades, the welfare policies have become demand-driven and are being designed for
targeted beneficiaries rather than having a universal coverage e.g. the PDS and MGNREGS.
Trend of welfare policies in India:

1950s – 1970s Five-yearly plans with sector-wise focus; institution-centric development e.g.
river valley projects; less influence of electoral politics

1970s – 1990s Poverty became the main focus to be addressed via the Directed Anti-Poverty
Programmes, Employment Generation Programmes e.g. Integrated Rural
Development Programme (IRDP)

1990s – 2000s With the LPG reforms, the government began transitioning into a facilitator
than a service provider in various fields e.g. electricity distribution by private
bodies; yet rural areas remained the focus of welfare policies e.g. PM Gramin
Awas Yojana

2000s – 2015 Rights-based delivery of welfare services e.g. the MGNREG Act, Right to
Education Act etc.; alignment with global goals e.g. the MDGs, the SDGs,
90:90:90 target of UNAIDS

2015 onwards Consolidation of schemes; end of Five-yearly planning and onset of long-term
planning using short-term strategies e.g. National Nutrition Strategy; call for
direct benefit transfers using JAM than in-kind benefits; increased use of digital
technologies; minimum government maximum governance; Cooperative
federalism.

Though the focus areas of these welfare policies have changed along with time, yet certain elements
continue to remain the same.
Elements of continuity:
 Gradual approximation of the DPSPs.
 Use of formal Democratic Planning for design of these policies, with periodic inputs from the
Finance Commissions and NITI Ayog lately.
 Annual revision and allocation of subsidies, often driven by political expediency than economic
priorities.
 Reduction of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
India performs poorly on various developmental indices, which makes a strong case for increased
expenditure on social protection from the current level of 1.4% of GDP along with better targeting.

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7. Discuss whether changes recommended by the Law Commission in its 268th report can help in
addressing the problems of undertrials languishing in jails in India. What other measures can be taken
in this regard? (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Discuss in brief the problem of under-trials in India.
 Mention the recommendations given by the Law Commission in its 268th report concerning the
under-trials.
 Discuss whether these recommendations are sufficient to solve the problems of the under-trials.
 Suggest other measures to solve the above problems.
Answer:
The ‗Prison Statistics India 2015‘ report by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) highlights
overcrowding as ―one of the biggest problems faced by prison inmates‖ with occupancy rate at 114.4% in
2015 with 67% of under-trials. To tackle the issue, Law Commission in its 268th report provided the
following recommendations:
 Period of incarceration should be reduced to one-third of the maximum punishment.
 Substituting bailable and non-bailable offence with a more articulate definition of bail.
 Anticipatory bail must be granted with caution and made operative for a limited period of time.
 All forms of economic offences which include tax evasion, customs offences or bank fraud should be
dealt with strictly and provision for restricted bail should be incorporated in the Criminal Procedure
code.
 Stricter scrutiny in granting the bail in Special laws like terrorism laws, NDPS law etc.
 Electronic monitoring system like electronic tagging must be used only in the grave and heinous
crimes.
 The requirement of financial obligations (personal monetary bond, or through sureties) should be
the last resort.
 Victim-oriented approach should govern bail after consulting the victim and submission of a ‗Victim
Impact Assessment‘ report.
 High Courts must frame rules making it mandatory for trial courts to hear bail applications of accused
within a week of their filing.
It has become a norm that the powerful, rich and influential obtain bail promptly and with ease, whereas
the masses languish in jails. Thus, though the above reforms will bring relief to under trials, they are not
sufficient. Additional efforts to solve the structural problems are therefore needed to deal with the problem
of under-trials, such as:
 Reduction in Corruption: Transparency International found that 62 per cent people pay bribe during
their interactions with the police.
 Expediting the trial process: More Fast Track Courts, increasing the number of public prosecutors,
improving judge-population ratio etc.
 Regularizing the functioning of the Under-trial and Periodic Review Committees.
 Focus on improving data collection and digitization to prevent duplication of work.
The problem of under trials thus needs a multipronged approach with participation of all stakeholders in
the criminal justice system.

8. While various government initiatives and policies have created opportunities in the affordable housing
segment, there are challenges that still persist. Discuss. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Discuss the various government initiatives/policies in affordable housing sector in India and the
opportunities created by it.
 Discuss the underlying challenges.
 Briefly suggest remedial measures.

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Answer:
Various government initiatives that aim at creating opportunities to ensure affordable housing finance,
affordable technology design and affordable land and infrastructure are:
 “Housing for All by 2022‖: Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) to build 2 crore urban and 1
crore rural houses.
 Affordable housing recognised at par with infrastructure: hence eligible for priority sector lending
and access to foreign funds at cheaper costs. .
 Relaxing eligibility criteria of home size from built up area to carpet area.
 Tax relief on home sales and reduction in holding period for long-term capital gains.
 Policies by states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: waiver of Stamp Duty; ‗Equity Building‘ and
housing on ‗Rent Cum Ownership‘ basis, etc.
 Real Estate Regulatory Authority has boosted buyer‘s confidence.
Opportunities:
 Stimulating real estate sector with focus on affordable housing.
 Developing Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) with special skills and capacities.
Leveraging Public Private Partnership.
Rapid Urbanization and favourable demand-supply dynamics.
Key Challenges:
 Lack of clear definition for affordable housing.
 Lack of availability of urban land at reasonable price, rising costs of construction, high fees and taxes,
regulatory issues & unfavourable development norms.
 Issues associated with relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers.
 Bringing in private sector by streamlining regulations.
 Identification of demand and assessment of capacity.
Affordable housing has crucial implications which will require balanced and sustainable funding models
and pro-active participation of all stakeholders. Dovetailing it with Smart City and AMRUT can be
explored.

9. Demographic dividend may become demographic liability in the absence of adequate skill development.
In this context, discuss the importance of National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,
2015. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Give a brief detail about India‘s demographic dividend and how it can help in India‘s growth.
 Briefly identify the issues that lead to non-realization of potential of demographic dividend.
 Discuss how the National Policy for Skill development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 can help realize
the full potential of existing and upcoming demographic dividend.
Answer:
As per Labour Ministry data, 10 lakh new workforce enters the labour market every year. However, a
large portion of this group may either remain totally unemployed or only partially employed and that too
primarily in the unorganized sector.
This is mainly due to lack of adequate skills and unavailability of suitable jobs. Hence, India‘s
demographic dividend which is expected to remain for another 25-30 years needs to be realized quickly;
else, it may turn into demographic liability.
In this light, the role of National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 is to:
 Address key obstacles to skilling, including low aspirational value, lack of integration with formal
education, lack of focus on outcomes, low quality of training infrastructure and trainers.
 Align supply and demand for skills by bridging existing skill gaps, promoting industry engagement,
operationalising a quality assurance framework, leveraging technology and promoting greater
opportunities for apprenticeship training.

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 Focus on Equity: targets skilling opportunities for socially/geographically marginalised and

disadvantaged groups.
 Specific focus on women participation.
 Educating and equipping potential entrepreneurs both within and outside the formal education
system.
 Connect entrepreneurs to mentors, incubators and credit markets, foster innovation and
entrepreneurial culture, improve ease of doing business and promote a focus on social
entrepreneurship.
It is imperative that policy makers should also focus on ―quality‖ of jobs and emerging technological
challenges like automation which tend to impact the labour market adversely.

10. Highlight the need for whistleblower protection in India. Critically analyze whether the Whistleblower
Protection Act provides sufficient protection to the whistleblowers. (150 WORDS)
Approach:
 Briefly highlight the need for whistleblower protection.
 Mention the objectives and main provisions of Whistleblower Protection Act.
 Comment on the salience of the provisions to protect whistleblowers and shortcomings if any.
 Suggest improvements in the Act, if any.
Answer:
India annually witnesses cases of murder, violence and victimization against whistle blowers. Satyendra
Dubey, Manjunath Shanmugham, Narendra Kumar, Satish Shetty are some of the prominent examples of
crimes against whistleblowers in India. Compounded with the number of RTI activists who have been
subject to gruesome & sometimes fatal attacks, it is arguable that the country needs comprehensive
whistleblower protection. Their protection is imperative in boosting our crusade against corruption in high
public offices.
In this light, Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014 was brought to provide people with adequate protection
and encourage them to speak out against corruption and/or misuse of power.
Major provisions of the Act
 Disclosures/complaints against corrupt public officials can be made by any person.
 Identity of the complainant will not be revealed further, penalties will be imposed on officials who
reveal identity of complainant.
 Penalty is prescribed for knowingly making false complaints.
 Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is tasked with receiving complaints, assessing public disclosure
requests, and safeguarding complainants.
The Act gives a statutory confirmation to the 2004 Government Resolution, which empowered CVC to
take steps to protect whistleblowers. This was a significant step towards whistle blower protection.
However, the Act suffers from serious lacunae that limit its effectiveness.

S No Limitations of the Act Resulting Consequences

1 No provision for anonymous complaint Prevents genuine complaints due to fear of

victimization. Hence, few complaints received
annually.

2 Limited to cover only public servants and not Seriously limits the power to curb corruption
ministers. in highest offices.

3 No incentive for whistleblower. Employees are disinterested if not directly

affected by it.

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4 No time limit for inquiry. This allows inquiry to be dragged for years,
which may find the whistleblower being
victimized.

5 Act does not define Victimization and does This is a huge deterrent and dilutes the
not specify the punishment for it either. effectiveness of the Act.

6 No power to punish the public servant.
Power of the CVC is limited to recommending
action against public servants to their
concerned department and cannot directly
purse action against them. This shields corrupt
officials.

7 Does not cover corporate whistleblowers This leads the Act being ineffective in the era
unearthing fraud or serious damage to public of PPPs and corporate participation in delivery
interest. of public goods and services.

8 No civil penalties for workplace retaliation Contributes to fear psychosis and is a

disincentive for the whistleblower

Consequently, the victimization of whistleblowers continues unabated. Furthermore, an amendment has

been proposed in the Act that excludes ten categories of information from the bill. This will further dilute
the Act.
Hence, the need is to strengthen complainant safeguards in the Act by clearly specifying meaning of
victimization, entertaining anonymous complaints, including ministers under the Act, time bound inquiry
and incentives for whistleblowers amongst other reforms to it. Lokpal and Loakyukta Act must be
harmonized with the Act for comprehensive protection of complainants and speedy investigation and
eventual realization of the true potential of this landmark legislation.

11. What are the factors which have been responsible for slow pace of growth of coverage under the
Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). Enumerate the recent steps taken by the government in
order to increase this pace to achieve universal coverage swiftly. (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Briefly explain the purpose of the Universal Immunisation Programme & highlight the slow rate of
progress in its implementation.
 List the challenges that are being faced in the implementation of the Programme.
 Mention the recent steps taken by the government such as Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network
(eVIN) for the effective implementation of the programme.
Answer:
The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), started in 1985, is an initiative towards reducing child
mortality & morbidity due to vaccine preventable diseases in the country. Through UIP, India has
achieved the elimination of polio, small pox and recently maternal and neonatal tetanus. However, the
progress of full immunisation coverage is a matter of concern. NFHS 4 results suggest that immunisation
coverage increased from 44% in 2005-06 to 62% in 2015-16. Although the pace of progress has
accelerated post NRHM, India still remains far short of its SDG commitment of achieving universal
immunization coverage by 2030. The rate of expansion in immunisation coverage has been a mere 1% per
year from 2009-2013.
Factors for slow pace of coverage are:
 Social Constraints: Lack of awareness about the benefits of immunisation, schedules & locations
among parents, poor community participation & lack of public confidence/distrust over government‘s
objectives related to vaccination.
 Logistical Constraints: Problems of logistics in supplying the vaccine throughout the supply chain in
India. For example, vaccines need to be kept in a cold chain from being manufactured to being
administered.
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 Institutional Constraints: Lack of adequate frontline health workers.

 Geographical Diversity: Due to huge geographical diversity, the reach of immunisation network
remains limited.
Steps taken by the government in this regard are:
 Mission Indradhanush launched in 2014 aims to immunize every Indian child by 2020 by the
identification of 201 high-focus districts, across 28 states with poor identification coverage.
 ―Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)‖ which is a supplemental aggressive action plan to cover all
left outs and drop outs in select districts and urban areas with low routine immunization coverage in a
specific time-frame.
 Committment to Global Vaccine Action Plan to assure more equitable access to vaccines by 2020.
 Building sustainable health systems through micro-planning and mobilisation of frontline workers
along with keeping communication at the centre stage and enabling better monitoring and sharing of
feedback between all levels of the health system.
 eVIN (Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network) is an indigenously developed technology system that
digitizes vaccine stocks and monitors the temperature of the cold chain through smart phone
application.
 National Vaccine Policy 2011 provides guidelines related to immunisation.
 The Government has also increased vigilance about Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI)
to enhance public confidence in vaccines.
Thus, by filling the gaps in routine immunisation through innovative strategies and solutions combining
technology, governance and human resources and vigorously pursuing IEC (Information, Education and
Communication), use of mass media and other platforms to create awareness about benefits of
immunisation, universal immunisation in India is achievable.

12. Highlight the ways in which digital divide perpetuates and manifests itself in India. Discuss the
importance of steps taken by the government to bridge this divide. (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 In the introduction, briefly explain what digital divide means.
 Enumerate the factors responsible for digital divide in India and its continuance.
 Discuss the significance of the various steps taken by the government. Do not just list the steps taken
by the government.
 Conclude.
Answer:
Digital divide refers to the disparities between the people with ready access and resources to use
information and communication technology, and those without such access and resources, including the
gap in terms of skills, knowledge and ability.
Reasons for Digital Divide in India
 Skewed digital infrastructure development: In comparison to the urban areas, rural areas have low
internet penetration and poor mobile services. Also, industries are less inclined to invest in rural areas.
 Affordability and accessibility: High cost of ICT devices and data plans, low incomes have led to
the exclusion.
 Delayed implementation of government programs and policies: The National Optical Fibre
Network, which was estimated to be completed by 2013, is still in progress.
 Most of the people lack computer literacy.
 Unjustified social norms imposing a ban on the use of mobile or internet by females.
Though digital divide is a reality, the government has taken various steps in this direction, such as:

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 The National Optical Fibre Mission (2011) is intended to provide internet connectivity to 2,50,000
gram panchayats.
 Digital India initiative (2015) to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks and improve
digital literacy.
 The Technology Development for Indian Languages Programme aims to facilitate human-machine
interaction without a language barrier.
 CSCs (Common Service Centers), as pan-India network, are the access points for delivery of essential
public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education and agriculture
services.
 Various state initiatives like Bhoomi project and Gyandoot project. These were aimed to benefit the
people from rural areas.
Reduction in digital divide is necessary to fulfil the government aim of increased use of ICT and Aadhaar
in the delivery of public goods. As the World Bank‘s study has found that use of ICT contributes upto 60%
of the economic growth, bridging digital divide would result in inclusive growth and social inclusion.

13. What are the objectives of National Health Mission? Why, in your opinion, non-communicable
diseases have acquired salience in recent times? What are its implications for health policy in the
country? (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Mention the National Health Mission and list out its objectives.
 Discuss the concerns regarding non-communicable diseases.
 State recent reports and findings about non-communicable diseases.
 Discuss the implications on health policy.
 Conclude.
Answer:
The National Health Mission (NHM) is a flagship programme to revitalise rural and urban health sectors.
Its objectives are:
 Reduction in child and maternal mortality.
 Prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
 Comprehensive primary health care.
 Population stabilisation, gender and demographic balance.
 Revitalising local health traditions and mainstreaming AYUSH.
 Universal access to public services for food, nutrition, sanitation, hygiene with emphasis on woman &
child health and immunisation.
 Promotion of healthy lifestyle.
Various studies, including World Bank‘s Global Disease Burden Report and World Health Organisation‘s
reports have attributed growing number (approx. 61%) of deaths in India to NCDs. Reports suggest that
an overwhelming 23% of the population is at risk of premature death due to NCDs.
The magnitude of problem increases manifold if the following are taken into consideration:
 Resources and preparedness to deal with NCDs in countries like India is limited.
 Changing lifestyle and dietary habits, including tobacco use, low physical activity, etc.
 Growing levels of pollution.
 India‘s level of sanitation, cleanliness etc. are among the worst in the world.
 Rising levels of food adulteration and contamination through soil and water.

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 Disease patterns are not uniform across India, e.g. states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab have
growing incidence of NCDs, whereas states like Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha are grappling to
control communicable diseases.
The implications of increasing burden of NCDs on health policy are:
 Diversion of funds from primary health care to tertiary, specialised sectors.
 Drugs, diagnostics and emergency services need to be robust to ensure that the population does not
suffer additional disadvantages.
 Since one health policy would not suit the entire nation due to variation in disease pattern, there is a
need to assign a greater role to the states.
 Measures like fat tax and sugar tax to promote healthy living.
 Extensive awareness generation and provision of pre-emptive care required along with involving the
private sector.

14. Over the years, there has been a growing realisation that undue interference from the State, lack of
autonomy and widespread politicisation has severely impaired the functioning of Cooperative sector
and there is a need to introduce urgent reforms in the Cooperative sector. Discuss. (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Give a very brief account of the evolution of cooperative sector in India.
 Discuss the national policy regarding cooperative sector.
 Critically examine the existing weakness.
 Discuss the reform measures suggested by various Committees in cooperative sector.
Answer:
Co-operatives in India have had a checkered history. During the first few decades after Independence, it
played a pivotal role in the economy by making significant contribution to our primary sector production.
Yet it has been hampered by several lacunae.
Weaknesses of the Cooperatives:
 Bureaucratisation and Government control: Bureaucratic controlled cooperative infrastructure has
gone against the very logic of the cooperative movement.
 Politicisation of cooperative leadership: The Boards of a majority of cooperative Bodies are
dominated by politicians who want to use this position as a stepping stone for their political
ambitions.
 Non-accountability: Cooperatives enjoy many benefits provided by the state but without
commensurate accountability.
 Non-competition: Most of the cooperatives function as monopoly, therefore, they become lethargic
and the high cost is borne by the consumers.
In realization of these drawbacks National Policy on Co-operatives, 2002 was brought to provide support
for promotion and development of cooperatives as autonomous, independent and democratic
organizations so that they can play their due role in the socio-economic development of the country.
A number of Committees were appointed to go into various issues of cooperatives. These committees
made a number of valuable suggestions to turn cooperatives into self-reliant, autonomous and
democratised institutions. These are:
 Replace the existing government dominated cooperative laws by a new people centric legislation.
 Reducing the politicisation of cooperatives by ensuring periodic free and fair elections.
 Increase the accountability of the cooperatives by mandating periodic audit by independent
professionals and bringing them under the purview of the RTI.
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 Fixing the term of the directors of cooperatives.

 Empowering the State Governments to obtain periodic reports of activities and
accounts of co-operative societies.
Most of these proposals have been enacted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011, giving
cooperatives Constitutional status on the lines of the PRIs. These provisions will not only ensure the
autonomous and democratic functioning of co-operatives, but also ensure the accountability of
management to the members and other stakeholders.
Further, success stories like AMUL or agricultural credit societies can be emulated through incorporating
their features like:
 An integrated approach with participation of community and the management being attuned to the
need of most marginalised.
 Use of modern technology.
 Mobilization of women and rural workers.

15. With the current system of health financing in India being largely out-of-pocket payments, examine the
need for reforms in healthcare finance. Also discuss the issues associated with reinforcing insurance as
the long-term strategy for health financing in this regard. (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 State the reasons why reforms in healthcare financing in India is required.
 Assess the issues associated with reinforcing insurance as a long-term strategy for health financing.
 Suggest way forward.
Answer:
Despite years of planned development, there is a serious mismatch between the declared objective of
public universal healthcare and the actual level of public health expenditure in India.
Need for reforms in healthcare financing in India
 Inadequate financing: Total spending on healthcare is approximately 1.4% of GDP (Economic
Survey 2016-17), even though National Health Policy, 2015 envisages progressively raising public
health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP.
 Increasing out-of-pocket household expenditure: India has one of the highest out-of-pocket
expenditures on health globally, which has increased significantly in both urban and rural households.
 Increasing reliance on the private sector: Approximately 60% of inpatient and 70% of outpatient
treatments are provided by private sector. This increases financial burden on low and middle-income
groups, as fees charged by the sector is unregulated and arbitrary.
 Low insurance penetration: Only about 5% of the population is covered by insurance, which
increases out-of-pocket health expenditure.
 Corruption in the procurement process: Approximately 26% of healthcare budget is spent on
procurement of drugs, vaccines and medical supplies. However, corruption, and opacity in the
procurement process result in inaccurate quantification, delays in tender decisions, siphoning off
resources etc.
 Budgetary incentives: Keep changing each year without meaningful assessment of existing
programmes.
Health insurance is deemed as one of the means to alleviate healthcare financing problems in India.
However, over 80 per cent of India‘s population is not covered under any health insurance scheme as per
NSS. Thus, its long term benefits and costs need to be analyzed.
Positive aspects of reinforcing health insurance
 It will reduce out-of-pocket household expenditure on health.
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 Low-income groups will get access to adequate healthcare facilities.

 It will act as a measure of social security especially in the case of chronic ailments.
 It can boost the insurance sector and associated financial sectors.
Negative aspects of reinforcing health insurance
 It is considered a poor model for healthcare financing in India due to pervasive information
asymmetry and consequent burden on public exchequer.
 In India, people who buy insurance on average are sicker than average population. This makes the
pool of insured more risky, thereby, makes pricing of insurance difficult.
 India has a labour-intensive occupational structure with increased associated health risks, which
makes premium costlier.
 Large section of population depends on publicly funded health insurance schemes like PMJSBY,
RSBY etc. However, these are limited in their coverage and outreach. Further, extremely poor
households do not use health insurance due to low financial literacy and awareness.
Way forward
In India, the importance of providing publicly financed health care cannot be overestimated given its vast
human resources. Since, health expenditure is increasingly becoming a burden for citizens, it is important
to consider universalization of health care after a rigorous cost-benefit analysis of an apt insurance
scheme. Further, National Health Policy (2017) too aims at achieving universal health coverage and
delivering quality health care services to all at an affordable rate.

16. Explain the significance of the recently launched National Nutritional Strategy in the light of sliding
ranking of India along the Global Hunger Index. Also, discuss with examples, the role that local self
governments can play in promoting, monitoring and sustaining nutrition initiatives. (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Give a brief account of India‘s sliding ranking on Global Hunger Index and therefore the significance
of National Nutritional Strategy.
 Highlight the significance of local government in improving nutrition.
 Conclude appropriately.
Answer:
India‘s ranking in Global Hunger Index 2017 has slipped 100 among 119 countries from 97th rank.
Moreover, with more than 30 percent of India‘s children as malnourished and India being among the
countries having highest malnutrition, National Nutrition Strategy (NNS), envisaging ‗Kuposhan Mukt
Bharat‘ is a welcome move.
Significance of the NNS
 A holistic approach: The strategy seeks to enable integration of nutrition-related interventions cutting
across sectors like women and child development, health, food and public distribution, sanitation,
drinking water, and rural development.
 Special focus on maternal care and nutrition thereby reducing maternal mortality by 1/5th through
directed nutritional program.
 It seeks to reduce malnutrition through its focus on the monitorable targets.
 It adopts Life Cycle Approach so that intergenerational cycle of malnutrition is controlled.
 It focuses on preventive action by linking it with sanitation and timely intervention.
Role of local self government
Subjects allocated in the 73rd and 74th Amendments include those addressing the immediate and
underlying determinants of undernutrition such as Health and Sanitation, Drinking Water among others.
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Therefore it is essential that local self governments own, promote, monitor and sustain nutrition initiatives
- effecting convergence of action at the grass roots. This is even more relevant in light of the
implementation of the Fourteenth Finance Commission recommendations, with greater devolution of
resources to States and also to PRIs and ULBs.
Through a decentralized approach, the local self governments (LSGs) would be in better position to devise
program according to the local needs. For example, if there is no deficiency of iron in a region and if the
uniform approach of providing iron supplement is implemented then it would cause more harm than good.
Therefore, it is for the respective LSG of the region to figure out the actual deficiency.
Similarly, the LSGs keep the program under direct monitoring, thus helping to find out the shortcomings
at implementation stage. For example, the concept of social audit in MGNREGA improves the
accountability mechanisms of the program. NNS should be implemented on the similar lines.
The Nutrition Strategy framework envisages a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat linked to Swachh Bharat and
Swasth Bharat. The aim is to ensure States to create customised State and District Action Plans addressing
local needs and challenges. This is especially relevant in view of enhanced resources available with states
to prioritise focused interventions with a greater role for panchayats and urban local bodies.

17. The bureaucracy in India is facing a number of serious challenges from diminishing human capital to
political interference that, if left unaddressed, will lead to further institutional decline. Discuss. How
can these challenges be addressed? (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 State the challenges that the bureaucracy in India faces.
 Mention the consequences if these challenges remain unaddressed.
 Discuss the reforms that are required to address the challenges.
Answer:
Indian bureaucracy is mired by several obstacles, which can lead to its institutional decline and have far-
reaching consequences, if left unaddressed. These are:
Challenges faced by the bureaucracy and their consequences include:
 Shortfall in personnel: Overall shortage of personnel, especially in mid-level and higher level
services as highlighted by the Baswan Committee Report (2016) leads to delay in service, burden on
existing staff, etc.
 Undue political interference: This often results in frequent transfers of those who challenge the
political executive, de-motivating others from taking a stand, thus undermining public‘s faith in
bureaucracy.
 Lack of specialized skills among bureaucrats: In decisions regarding promotion and staffing,
general competency is valued. However, lack of specialised skills can make them redundant in a fast
changing world..
 Detachment from the public: This leads to a gap in policy formulation and implementation
especially regarding welfare activities, if bureaucrats are unaware of the ground reality.
 Increased corruption: High level of corruption in bureaucracy is associated with low levels of
investment and growth.
 Lack of transparency and accountability: This can result in discretionary decisions by officers for
their personal benefits.
 Resistance to change: Bureaucracy has often been criticized for its resistance to change towards
adopting technology and decentralization of governance.
Reforms required to address the challenges:
 Implementing a fixed tenure for bureaucrats.
 Proper compensation and privileges to curb corruption. Further, there should be strict vigilant
mechanisms and proper implementation of anti-corruption laws.
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 Digitization in the administrative process and communication of bureaucratic decisions to the public
thereby ensuring proper channelization of resources.
 Lateral entry of experienced officers.
 Strengthening accountability mechanisms by intensive reviews at mid-career stage and
comprehensive evaluation mechanisms to rank officers on their functional skills, domain expertise,
behavioural competence and integrity.
 Officers should be assigned to different departments early in their careers to develop specific domain
expertise. They should also go on regular field visits in order to assess ground reality.
Hindrances to bureaucratic functioning should be adequately addressed so that bureaucracy remains a
steel frame that holds the country together.

18. While many people have been able to rise above poverty line, India is still home to the largest number
of poor. Discuss briefly the underlying factors responsible for the prevalence of poverty in India. What
are the areas in which focussed efforts need to be made in order to accelerate poverty eradication in a
sustainable manner? (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Introduce by throwing light on the context of the statement given.
 Discuss the various causes of poverty in India.
 Suggest areas that need to be focused to reduce poverty.
 Conclude on the basis of the above points.
Answer:
Poverty can be defined as a condition wherein a person is unable to fulfill the basic necessities for the
sustenance of life.
India is home to 26% of the global extreme poor. It is also home to the largest number of people who have
escaped poverty in recent years, based on a poverty line set at $ 1.90 per person per day (in 2011
Purchasing Power Parity). Despite an emerging middle class, many are still vulnerable to falling back into
poverty.
There are different dimensions to poverty in India such as:
Economic causes:
 Slow economic growth leads to increase in unemployment and poverty.
 Decreased agricultural output due to unpredictable weather patterns leads to some serious inflation
issues.
 Due to inadequate industrialization in certain areas employment opportunities become limited.
 Uneven concentration of wealth and resources in the country.
 Unemployment and under-employment.
 Jobless growth due to growth concentrated in capital intensive sectors.
Social causes:
 Social evils like untouchablity effects the democratic rights like employment etc. which leads to
poverty among certain lower castes.
 Widespread ignorance and illiteracy: Uneducated people are unaware of their full potential which
leads to limited earning sources.
 Mass migration to cities causes increased competition in the employment sector especially in cities
which leads topoverty even among the educated population.
 High divorce rates and unequal employment opportunities to women leads to feminization of poverty.
 Widespread corruption and poor governance.

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Geographical Factors:
Selective fertility of land creates fertile islands in the country and the unfertile lands are pushed towards
poverty naturally.
Environmental and climatic factors include floods, droughts etc.
To have sustainable poverty reduction, these areas must be focused upon:
 Accelerate rural poverty reduction: Capitalize on growing connectivity between rural and urban
areas, and between the agriculture, industry and services sectors, has been effective in reducing
poverty.
 Creating more and better jobs: Efforts are needed to address tepid job creation in labour intensive
sectors.
 More focus is required on the low participation of women in the labour market and the slow
progress among Scheduled Tribes.
 Smart Cities along with Smart Villages are required (PURA model).
 Improve human development outcomes for the poor which are central to improving their quality of
life.
 Special Employment Schemes for the poor such as MGNREGA.
 Governance reforms through training of functionaries, participation of people in conceptualization,
implementation and review of public programmes, implementation of social audit and citizen charters.
 Use of ICT to improve governance and outreach of programmes.

19. In context of the need to strengthen corporate governance, the Kotak panel report has called for a
major overhaul in norms for listed companies. Critically discuss the impediments to corporate
governance in India and evaluate how the recommendations can help in overcoming them. (250
WORDS)
Approach:
 Briefly explain corporate governance and need to strengthen it.
 Discuss the impediments to corporate governance in India.
 Discuss the recommendation by the Kotak panel.
 Highlighting the role of board, auditors and regulator to improve corporate governance discuss how
recommendations will help in overcoming impediments.
 Discuss other reform measures.
Answer:
Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices and processes by which a company is directed and
controlled. It essentially involves balancing the interests of all stakeholders, and is important for attracting
investors
Impediments to Corporate Governance in India:
 Though Board of directors is appointed by shareholders, majority shareholders of large corporations
in India are individuals or family. Thereby they are ineffective in upholding the interests of small
shareholders.
 Compromise of Audit committee; questionable independence of Independent directors from
management; complete absence of employment relationships.
 Lack of adherence to regulatory framework and weak enforcement and monitoring systems.
 Lack of transparency and disclosure.
 Business relationships of investors with firms in which they invest.

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The Kotak committee has extensively examined the current state of affairs and recommended sweeping
changes that will help improve governance and enhance investor confidence. Emphasis has been laid on
strengthening the three gatekeepers—the board, the auditors and the regulator. It focused on the
following:
Independent Directors
 Their strength should be increased from 33% to 50% of the board to protect small investors.
 No board meeting can be conducted without the presence of an independent director.
 Suggested measures so that independent directors inducted in the board are truly independent.
Regarding Audit:
 An audit committee to look into utilization of funds infused by a listed entity into unlisted
subsidiaries, including foreign subsidiaries.
 It covers issues in accounting and auditing practises by listed companies and seeks to improve the
effectiveness of board evaluation practises.
Strengthening the regulator:
 Strengthening the role of the market regulator to improve the governance practises at listed entities.
 SEBI should have the power to act against auditors if the need arises.
 SEBI to develop capabilities to be able to regulate listed companies more effectively and protect the
interests of small shareholders.
Other Reforms:
 For government companies, it recommended that the board have final say on the appointment of
independent directors and not the nodal ministry.
 It made some radical suggestions to improve the safeguards and disclosures pertaining to related-party
transactions.
 It seeks to address the issues faced by minority investors on voting and participation in annual general
meetings.
Although most of the recommendations in the committee‘s report are incremental in nature, there a few
far-reaching as well, they aim to strengthen corporate governance further particularly in the realm of
implementation. These would help in realizing the objectives of Companies Act 2013 and SEBI‘s
subsequent reforms for improving Corporate Governance.

20. Several issues related to adopting new technologies, transforming processes and improving
implementation of NeGP need to be addressed. Discuss. Also, enumerate the sets of principles guiding
the design and implementation of the e-Kranti Program (NeGP 2.0). (250 WORDS)
Approach:
 Briefly define the NeGP.
 Discuss the three issues under separate sub-headings.
 Explain the e-Kranti Program, enlisting its guiding principles.
 Conclude appropriately.
Answer:
The National e-Governance Plan, launched in 2006, focused on e-governance initiatives at the national
level to improve the public services‘ delivery and simplify the process of accessing them. It initially
comprised of 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs). The core ICT infrastructure created by MeitY, under the
NeGP, included State Data Centers, State Wide Area Network, State Service Delivery Gateways, Mobile
Seva and eGov AppStore.

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The NeGP had strengthened the basic IT infrastructure in many regions and the increasing political
support had helped its case. Yet, it suffered from various issues.

Adoption of new Improvement in implementation of

Transformation of processes
technologies NeGP

 Emerging technologies  Lack of Government  Limited scope of existing MMPs

such as Mobile, Cloud etc.
not leveraged
 Weak monitoring and 
evaluation system
 Sub-optimal use of core IT 
infrastructure
Process Reengineering in  Non-inclusiveness of various
its schemes, projects etc. MMPs
Improper databases and  Significant time overruns
applications  Problem of last mile connectivity
Lack of integration and
interoperability

To address these issues, e-Kranti Framework (or the NeGP 2.0) was launched in 2014. The vision of e-
Kranti is "Transforming e-Governance for Transforming Governance‖. There are 44 MMPs under e-
Kranti programme, which are grouped into Central, State and Integrated projects.
The key principles of e-Kranti are as follows:
 Transformation and not Translation
 Integrated Services and not Individual Services
 Government Process Reengineering (GPR) to be mandatory in every MMP
 Cloud by Default
 Mobile First
 Language Localization
 ICT Infrastructure on Demand
 Fast Tracking Approvals
 Mandating Standards and Protocols
 National GIS (Geo-Spatial Information System)
 Security and Electronic Data Preservation
The institutions such as the National e-Governance Academy and the e-Governance Knowledge Portal
along with the social media would also assist in achieving the goals of e-Kranti. The creation of
e-Governance Impact Index has also been planned.
e-Kranti is an important pillar of the Digital India Programme that strives to achieve the full potential of
e-Governance for improving delivery of Government services to citizens. It would transform the delivery
channels, introduce new Business Models and may also help India attain global leadership in the export of
e-governance.

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