Do you agree with the view that increasing dependence on donor agencies for development reduces the importance of community participation in the development process? Justify your answer.

Theme

T103 Civil society, NGOs, charitable trusts & donor agencies

What UPSC asks in this theme

Questions ask whether CSOs are seen as anti-state, the potential of public charitable trusts, whether donor dependence weakens community participation, NGOs as an alternative service-delivery model, how marginal non-state actors are, FCRA changes, and what kind of government–NGO–private partnership works best.

What to cover

• Types: NGOs, CSOs, trusts, cooperatives, donors, CSR foundations
• Contributions: service delivery, advocacy, watchdog, innovation (SEWA, Pratham, Akshaya Patra)
• Concerns: accountability, foreign funding, political activism, 'anti-state' label
• FCRA 2010 and 2020 amendment: key changes and criticism
• Donor dependency vs community ownership
• Partnership models: PPP in social sector, CSR, NGO–government convergence

Writing the answer

• Balance: contribution, concerns, regulatory reform
• Always give two or three named organisations

These notes are for the whole theme, built from all 7 of its PYQs. UPSC does not publish model answers.