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Q85 (IAS/2020) Polity & Governance › Governance, Policies & Social Justice › Administrative machinery structure Official Key

In the context of India, which one of the following is the characteristic appropriate for bureaucracy ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4. In the Indian administrative framework, the primary and defining characteristic of the bureaucracy (the permanent executive) is to serve as an agency for the implementation of public policy.

While other options may describe incidental effects of a well-functioning administration, they do not define its core functional nature:

  • Option 1 is incorrect because widening the scope of democracy is primarily a political process driven by the legislature and grassroots movements.
  • Option 2 is incorrect as the federal structure is governed by constitutional provisions and political negotiations, not the bureaucratic apparatus alone.
  • Option 3 is incorrect because political stability is a function of the electoral mandate and legislative dynamics, whereas economic growth is a policy outcome.

The bureaucracy’s fundamental role is policy execution. It translates the laws and plans formulated by the political executive into action, ensuring the continuity of administration and the delivery of services to citizens, regardless of changes in government.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. In the context of India, which one of the following is the characteristic appropriate for bureaucracy ? [A] An agency for widening the s…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 7.5/10 · 2.5/10
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This is a textbook 'Definition Question' straight from NCERT Class XI. While options A, B, and C sound like positive outcomes of governance, Option D is the functional definition of the Permanent Executive. Strategy: Always prioritize the 'Primary Function' over 'Secondary Outcomes' in Polity concepts.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In the context of India, does the bureaucracy serve as an agency for widening the scope of parliamentary democracy?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: EXECUTIVE > PERMANENT EXECUTIVE: BUREAUCRACY > p. 95
Presence: 4/5
“machinery. At the same time, this machinery is made politically accountable. The bureaucracy is also expected to be politically neutral. This means that the bureaucracy will not take any political position on policy matters. In a democracy, it is always possible that a party is defeated in elections and the new government wants to opt for new policies in the place of policies of the previous government. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the administrative machinery to faithfully and efficiently participate in drafting the policy and in its implementation. The Indian bureaucracy today is an enormously complex system.”
Why this source?
  • States the bureaucracy is expected to be politically neutral and to faithfully and efficiently participate in drafting and implementing policy, which enables elected governments to translate legislative choices into action.
  • Highlights the bureaucracy as a permanent, complex machinery that provides continuity across changing governments, expanding the practical reach of parliamentary decisions.
Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: EXECUTIVE > PERMANENT EXECUTIVE: BUREAUCRACY > p. 94
Presence: 5/5
“Who implements the decisions of the ministers? The Executive organ of the government includes the Prime Minister, the ministers and a large organisation called the bureaucracy or the administrative machinery. To underline the difference between this machinery and the military service, it is described as civil service. Trained and skilled officers who work as permanent employees of the government are assigned the task of assisting the ministers in formulating policies and implementing these policies. In a democracy, the elected representatives and the ministers are in charge of government and the administration is under their control and supervision. In the parliamentary system, the legislature also exercises control over the administration.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly identifies the bureaucracy as the body that implements ministers' decisions and assists in policy formulation and implementation, showing how parliamentary will is operationalised.
  • Notes administration is under control and supervision of elected representatives and that the legislature exercises control over administration, linking bureaucratic action to parliamentary accountability.
Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > HOW DOES THE PARLIAMENT CONTROL THE EXECUTIVE? > p. 114
Presence: 3/5
“In a parliamentary democracy, the executive is drawn from the party or a coalition of parties that has a majority in Lok Sabha. It is not difficult for the executive to exercise unlimited and arbitrary powers with the support of the majority party. In such a situation, parliamentary democracy may slip into Cabinet dictatorship, where the Cabinet leads and the House merely follows. Only if the Parliament is active and vigilant, can it keep regular and effective check on the executive. There are many ways in which the Parliament can control the executive. But basic to them all is the power and freedom of the legislators as people's representatives to work effectively and fearlessly.”
Why this source?
  • Emphasises the need for an active, vigilant Parliament to keep the executive in check, implying that bureaucracy functioning under legislative oversight helps sustain representative democracy.
  • Frames the relationship between legislature and executive such that bureaucratic implementation must align with parliamentary freedom and scrutiny.
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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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