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Q16 (IAS/2017) Polity & Governance › Local Government › Local self-government Official Key

Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B - Democratic decentralisation.

Local government is the best way to realise one important principle of democracy, namely local self-government.[1] Democracy means decentralisation of power and giving more and more power to the people. The laws about local governments are an important step in the direction of democratisation.[2] Giving more power to local government means that we should be prepared for real decentralisation of power. Ultimately, democracy means that power should be shared by the people; people in the villages and urban localities must have the power to decide what policies and programmes they want to adopt.[2]

While local government involves elements of federalism (as a third tier), administrative functions, and some direct participation, its essence lies in democratic decentralisation - the systematic transfer of power and decision-making authority to the people at the grassroots level. Local government believes that local knowledge and local interest are essential ingredients for democratic decision making. They are also necessary for efficient and people-friendly administration.[3] This makes democratic decentralisation the most accurate characterization of local self-government as an exercise in empowering citizens at the local level.

Sources
  1. [1] Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Federalism > Decentralisation in India > p. 24
  2. [2] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: LOCAL GOVERNMENTS > Conclusion > p. 192
  3. [3] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: LOCAL GOVERNMENTS > WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS? > p. 178
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Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in [A] Federalism [B] Democratic decentralisation [C] Administrative delega…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10
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This is a 'Definitional Purism' question. While local government is structurally part of federalism, its functional soul is 'Democratic Decentralisation'. This specific phrase is the standard textbook heading for the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommendations found in every basic Polity book and NCERT.

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Statement 1
Is local self-government an exercise in federalism?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Federalism > Overview > p. 13
Presence: 5/5
“In the previous chapter, we noted that vertical division of power among different levels of government is one of the major forms of power-sharing in modern democracies. In this chapter, we focus on this form of powersharing. It is most commonly referred to as federalism. We begin by describing federalism in general terms. The rest of the chapter tries to understand the theory and practice of federalism in India. A discussion of the federal constitutional provisions is followed by an analysis of the policies and politics that has strengthened federalism in practice. Towards the end of the chapter, we turn to the local government, a new and third tier of Indian federalism.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly frames local government as "a new and third tier of Indian federalism", directly linking local self-government to the federal structure.
  • Places discussion of local government within the chapter on federalism, implying conceptual continuity with vertical power-sharing.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 16: India–Political Aspects > Federal States > p. 2
Presence: 4/5
“The term federal has its origin in the Latin foederis meaning league. In a federal state, the government authority is layered at different levels. Its implication is one of alliance, contract and coexistence of the state's internal diverse regions and peoples. Under the federal system, the rights and responsibilities of local governments are protected by constitution. Here the central authority cannot simply assume the functions of local governments temporarily to relinquish them when the demands have been met. The individual regions of the state possess a certain degree of autonomy which is protected, and there is a constant watch against over-centralisation.”
Why this source?
  • States that in a federal state rights and responsibilities of local governments are protected by the constitution, indicating local bodies form part of the federal layering of authority.
  • Emphasises constitutional protection and autonomy against over-centralisation, which supports viewing local self-government as a federal level.
Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Federalism > Decentralisation in India > p. 24
Presence: 4/5
“This helps to inculcate a habit of democratic participation. Local government is the best way to realise one important principle of democracy, namely local self-government. The need for decentralisation was recognised in our Constitution. Since then, there have been several attempts to decentralise power to the level of villages and towns. Panchayats in villages and municipalities in urban areas were set up in all the States. But these were directly under the control of state governments. Elections to these local governments were not held regularly. Local governments did not have any powers or resources of their own. Thus, there was very little decentralisation in effective terms.”
Why this source?
  • Links local self-government to decentralisation, a principle recognised in the Constitution, showing intent to devolve power to villages and towns.
  • Describes Panchayats and municipalities as institutional mechanisms intended for local self-government within the constitutional framework.
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