Question map
The fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? 1. People's participation in development 2. Political accountability 3. Democratic decentralization 4. Financial mobilization Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Explanation
The Panchayat system brings governance closer to people, enabling their active participation in decision-making processes, and is fundamentally a form of self-government[1]. The scheme of 'democratic decentralization' was recommended by the Balwantrai Mehta Committee, which ultimately came to be known as Panchayati Raj[2], establishing democratic decentralization as a core objective.
Democracy in the Panchayati Raj system works both through direct participation of people and through their elected representatives, giving people in rural areas a measure of self-governance to manage their issues and collaborate in development plans[3]. This inherently ensures political accountability through elected representation. The fundamental objectives of Panchayati Raj include people's participation in development, political accountability, democratic[4] decentralization, and financial mobilization.
Therefore, all four elementsโpeople's participation in development, political accountability, democratic decentralization, and financial mobilizationโare fundamental objectives of the Panchayati Raj system, making option D the correct answer.
Sources- [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Panchayati Raj System > p. 164
- [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Balwant rai Mehta Committee > p. 383
- [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Before we move on ... > p. 171
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Best vs. Good' trap. While accountability and finance are desirable features, the *fundamental* historical objectives (stemming from the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee, 1957) were strictly 'Democratic Decentralization' and 'People's Participation'. The question tests your ability to distinguish between the core philosophy of a system and its functional attributes.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Is people's participation in development a fundamental objective of the Panchayati Raj system?
- Statement 2: Is political accountability a fundamental objective of the Panchayati Raj system?
- Statement 3: Is democratic decentralization a fundamental objective of the Panchayati Raj system?
- Statement 4: Is financial mobilization a fundamental objective of the Panchayati Raj system?
- Explicitly states Panchayats bring governance closer and make it possible for people to actively participate in decision-making.
- Links Panchayats to promoting development and ensuring benefits of schemes reach the grassroots.
- Says democracy in Panchayati Raj works through direct participation and elected representatives.
- States Panchayati Raj institutions give people self-governance to manage issues and collaborate in development plans.
- Describes the Community Development Programme which sought to promote people's participation in local development.
- Places the three-tier Panchayati Raj recommendation in the context of promoting local development through participation.
- States that democracy in the Panchayati Raj works through direct participation and elected representatives โ a mechanism that implies representatives are answerable to the people.
- Emphasises local self-governance and participation which are core to ensuring political responsiveness and oversight.
- Explains the constitutionalisation of Panchayati Raj and the requirement that elections be held at regular intervals โ a formal institutional mechanism for political accountability.
- Notes that state governments are under obligation to adopt provisions, reducing arbitrariness and strengthening predictable accountability processes.
- Recommends decentralisation 'under popular supervision', explicitly linking local governance design to oversight by the people.
- Positions district-level decentralisation as subject to 'popular supervision', highlighting accountability as an intended feature.
- Balwantrai Mehta Committee explicitly recommended establishment of the scheme of 'democratic decentralization' which 'ultimately came to be known as Panchayati Raj'.
- This links democratic decentralization as the foundational idea behind the creation of Panchayati Raj.
- C.Y.K. Rao Committee speaks of planning and management 'in the scheme of democratic decentralisation', assigning Panchayati Raj institutions key roles at district and lower levels.
- Shows that later committees continued to treat Panchayati Raj within the framework of democratic decentralization.
- NCERT states democracy in Panchayati Raj works through direct participation and elected representatives, and that these institutions give rural people a measure of self-governance.
- Supports the idea that Panchayati Raj aims to decentralize democratic power to the grassroots.
- Explicitly lists 'Financial mobilization' alongside other core aims (people's participation, accountability, decentralization), indicating it is an objective.
- Presents financial mobilization as part of the conceptual framework for strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions.
- Recommends 'Powers of Taxation to the Panchayati Raj bodies', which directly supports the goal of mobilizing local finances.
- Recommendation by a committee to grant taxation powers implies financial mobilization is a recognized and important objective.
Explicit section heading and summary reference โ the source summarises 'sources of revenue of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their financial problems', indicating finances are a recognised theme in discussion of PRIs.
A student could take this as a rule that PRIs have designated revenue sources and then check whether mobilising those revenues is listed among formal objectives in primary texts (e.g., 73rd Amendment or state acts).
Notes that states differed with regard to 'functions, finances and so on' when creating PRIs โ linking finances as an integral attribute of PRI design.
One could compare state Panchayat Acts or committee reports (Balwant Rai Mehta) to see if financial mobilisation is stated as an objective or a necessary function across states.
Defines Panchayati Raj as rural local selfโgovernment 'entrusted with rural development' โ an objective that typically requires financial resources to implement.
Using the common-sense link between development tasks and funding, a student might infer that mobilising funds is necessary and then verify whether mobilization is formalised in PRI objectives or fiscal provisions.
Lists the broad responsibilities of PRIs (agriculture, roads, water, education, health, welfare) โ illustrating scope of functions that create fiscal needs for PRIs.
A student could map these responsibilities to likely budgetary requirements and then examine whether PRI mandates include raising revenues or relying on transfers/grants, to judge whether mobilization is a fundamental aim.
States that the 73rd Amendment gives constitutional status and makes certain provisions compulsory for states โ implying structural/obligatory aspects (which could encompass fiscal arrangements) are central to PRI functioning.
A student can use this to check the 73rd Amendment and accompanying state obligations for explicit clauses on finances or fiscal decentralisation as core objectives.
- [THE VERDICT]: Trap. Source: Laxmikanth (Chapter: Panchayati Raj) & NCERT Class XI (Local Governments). The answer (C) relies on historical precision, not general logic.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The Evolution of Local Self-Government and the specific mandate of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Committee Timeline': Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) โ 'Democratic Decentralization'; Ashok Mehta (1977) โ Two-tier system & Mandal Panchayat; G.V.K. Rao (1985) โ 'Grass without roots'; L.M. Singhvi (1986) โ Constitutional Status.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Always distinguish between 'Objectives' (Why it was created) and 'Features' (How it works). PRIs were created specifically because the Community Development Programme (1952) failed due to a lack of people's participation.
Multiple references state Panchayats enable active participation and that democracy at the grassroots works through direct involvement of people.
High-yield for polity questions: explains the normative purpose of local bodies and connects to topics like decentralisation, grassroots democracy and governance outcomes. Useful for questions on objectives of constitutional amendments and evaluation of local governance; prepare by linking NCERT explanations with functions of Panchayats.
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Panchayati Raj System > p. 164
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Before we move on ... > p. 171
- Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Power-sharing > Forms of power-sharing > p. 11
Sources link Panchayats to promoting development and ensuring benefits of schemes reach the grassroots.
Frequently tested in GS papers and essays on rural development and implementation of schemes. Helps answer why decentralised institutions matter for service delivery and development outcomes; study by mapping functions of Panchayats to development responsibilities and case examples.
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Panchayati Raj System > p. 164
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Panchayati Raj > p. 383
- Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: LOCAL GOVERNMENTS > Local Governments in Independent India > p. 181
References describe the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure and recommend Zilla Parishad as district planning agency.
Important for questions on institutional design and federal distribution of powers. Connects to constitutional provisions (73rd Amendment), role of tiers in planning and local governance; revise committee recommendations and tier-wise functions for application-based questions.
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Before we move on ... > p. 171
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Thungon Committee > p. 387
- Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Thungon Committee > p. 387
Panchayati Raj is repeatedly described as local self-government enabling direct participation and decisionโmaking at the village level, which underpins political accountability.
High-yield for UPSC polity answers: explains the rationale for local bodies and links to questions on decentralisation, citizen participation, and responsiveness. Study by mapping how local participation translates into accountability, and practice answer frameworks that connect participation โ representation โ accountability.
- Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Panchayati Raj > p. 383
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Panchayati Raj System > p. 164
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Before we move on ... > p. 171
The 73rd Amendment and related Act give Panchayats constitutional status and mandate regular elections โ institutional measures that enforce political accountability.
Essential for polity essays and mains answers about decentralisation and reform: explains legal guarantees for continuity and oversight. Master the constitutional basis, mandatory vs. discretionary provisions, and implications for state obligation; useful for questions on federalism and institutional design.
- Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Significance of the Act > p. 388
- Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Panchayati Raj > p. 383
Documents (e.g., committee recommendations) explicitly use 'popular supervision' to describe decentralisation under citizen oversight โ a concrete accountability concept.
Valuable for analytical answers on how accountability is operationalised at local levels. Helps candidates critique and propose reforms (e.g., strengthening supervision, electoral oversight). Prepare by linking committee recommendations to accountability outcomes and comparing proposed mechanisms.
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Ashok Mehta Committee > p. 385
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy โ Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Before we move on ... > p. 171
The term is named as the scheme that led to Panchayati Raj (Balwantrai Mehta) and is repeatedly referenced by later committees as its organising principle.
High-yield for polity: explains rationale for local self-government and features in questions about Panchayati Raj objectives and reforms. Connects to topics on local governance, decentralization of planning, and role of committees. Prepare by memorising definition, origin (committees), and functional implications for planning and participation.
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Balwant rai Mehta Committee > p. 383
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > C. Y.K. Rao Committee > p. 386
The Community Development Programme (1952). It is the 'failed ancestor' of Panchayati Raj. A future question will likely test *why* it failed (Bureaucratization/Lack of people's participation) or the specific phrase 'Grass without roots' coined by the G.V.K. Rao Committee.
Use the 'Weakness vs. Objective' filter. 'Financial Mobilization' (Statement 4) is a well-known *weakness* or *failure* of PRIs in India, not their fundamental object. Eliminating 4 removes Options B and D. Between A and C, 'Democratic Decentralization' is the verbatim title of the Balwant Rai Mehta report, making it the non-negotiable core.
Link this to the 'Principle of Subsidiarity' in GS-2 (Governance) and GS-4 (Ethics). It states that decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level of governance. This is the theoretical bedrock of Democratic Decentralization.