UPSC CSE Mains 2016 · GS2
“Effectiveness of the government system at various levels and people’s participation in the governance system are interdependent” Discuss their relationship in the context of India.
Theme
T102 Policy design, implementation & people's participation
What UPSC asks in this theme
UPSC asks why decisions sit far from where problems are (defeating development), whether rights-based welfare works with poor integration and investment, how government effectiveness and people's participation depend on each other, whether government adapted to LPG, WASH targeting, aspirational districts, sports talent hunts and FDI in news media.
What to cover
- Policy cycle: design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation — where Indian policies usually fail
- Subsidiarity and decentralised decision-making (link 73rd/74th Amendments)
- People's participation: social audit, gram sabha, participatory budgeting
- Convergence models: Aspirational Districts Programme (convergence, collaboration, competition)
- Outcome-based targeting: matching beneficiary identification to outcomes (WASH, Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan)
- Rights-based welfare (NFSA, MGNREGA, RTE) vs scheme-based welfare
- Government response to LPG: regulatory state, second-generation reforms
Writing the answer
- Use the frame: idea → why it fails in practice → Indian example → reform
- Quote ARC or NITI Aayog recommendations where relevant
These notes are for the whole theme, built from all 8 of its PYQs. UPSC does not publish model answers.
More PYQs from this theme
- GS2202615 marks
- GS2202515 marks
- GS12018
- GS22017
- GS22016
- GS22014
- GS22014
All 20 GS2 2016 questions · Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations · Report a typo