Theme T104 · Governance

Transparency, accountability & anti-corruption: RTI, whistleblowers, Lokpal, corporate governance

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What UPSC asks

UPSC asks whether transparency is really about building trust through rule of law and participation, impact of RTI amendments on Information Commission autonomy, causes of decline in public morality, corporate governance after Satyam, whistleblower protection dilution, and limits of Lokpal against immorality.

Prepare these

• RTI Act 2005 and 2019 amendment (tenure and salary of commissioners)
• Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014 and the pending amendment
• Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013: structure, working, limits
• Corporate governance: Companies Act 2013, SEBI LODR, independent directors, audit reforms after Satyam
• Factors behind low integrity index: legal, political, social, cultural
• Trust-based governance: transparency as participation, not only anti-corruption

Answer writing

• Link institutional fixes with GS4 ethics (probity, integrity)
• End with a reform agenda: institutions + culture + technology

Directive words in these PYQs: Discuss (4), Comment (1), Evaluate (1), Critically (1).

Linked themes

Builds on: study these first

These come earlier in the roadmap. Questions in this theme use them.

Comes back later in

Later themes that take this one further.

Syllabus lines covered

• GS2-L9 — Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
• GS2-L15 — Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

All 6 PYQs, newest first

1. GS2202615 marks · 250 wordsGS2-GOV-07-M2026-S01

   Transparency and accountability in governance are not about controlling corruption but about creating the trust of stakeholders in the policy process by following the Rule of Law and Participatory Governance. Comment

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2. GS22020GS2-GOV-07-M2020-S02

   “Recent amendments to the Right to Information Act will have a profound impact on the autonomy and independence of the Information Commission”. Discuss.

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3. GS22016GS2-GOV-07-M2016-S01

   In the integrity index of Transparency International, India stands very low. Discuss briefly the legal, political, social and cultural factors that have caused the decline of public morality in India.

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4. GS22015GS2-GOV-07-M2015-S01

   In the light of Satyam Scandal (2009), discuss the changes brought in corporate governance to ensure transparency, accountability.

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5. GS22015GS2-GOV-07-M2015-S02

   “If amendment bill to the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011 tabled in the Parliament is passed, there may be no one left to protect.” Critically evaluate.

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6. GS22013GS2-POL-15-M2013-S02

   ‘A national Lokpal, however strong it may be, cannot resolve the problems of immorality in public affairs.’ Discuss.

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