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.
According to the passage, which of the following factor/factors led to the adverse consequences for governance/public administration?
1. Inability of civil services to strike a balance between internal and external accountabilities
2. Lack of sufficient professional training to the officers of All India Services
3. Lack of proper service benefits in civil services
4. Lack of constitutional provisions to define the respective roles of professional civil services vis-a-vis political executive in this context.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4
The correct option is 1 and 4 only.
Based on a close reading of the passage, we can evaluate each of the given statements step-by-step to understand why statements 1 and 4 represent the factors that led to adverse consequences for governance and public administration, while statements 2 and 3 do not:
1. Analysis of Statement 1 (Inability of civil services to strike a balance between internal and external accountabilities):
The passage states, "The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line." It further explains that "the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders..." and that this overall imbalance and the "system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance." Therefore, the inability to balance these two forms of accountability is a direct cause of the adverse consequences, making Statement 1 correct.
2. Analysis of Statement 2 (Lack of sufficient professional training) & Statement 3 (Lack of proper service benefits):
Nowhere in the text is there any mention of "professional training" or a "lack of proper service benefits" as reasons for the governance issues. Since our answers must be based strictly on the passage, both Statement 2 and Statement 3 are incorrect and must be excluded.
3. Analysis of Statement 4 (Lack of constitutional provisions to define the respective roles of professional civil services vis-a-vis political executive in this context):
The passage emphasizes the need for defining these roles to improve governance, stating: "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." It suggests that laws, regulations, and the proposed Civil Services Bill are needed to address these requirements because they are currently lacking in the system. Thus, Statement 4 is correct.
By eliminating Statements 2 and 3, and validating Statements 1 and 4, we arrive at the correct combination: 1 and 4 only.
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