UPSC Mains 2025 GS2 Q7 — E-governance
e-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration than user-centric designs. Examine. (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Examine
- Scope keywords
- e-governance projectsbuilt-in biastechnology and back-end integrationuser-centric designs
- Implicit sub-parts
- Evidence of the prevailing technical/back-end bias in current e-governance implementations.
- Root causes for why policy design prioritizes system architecture over user experience.
- Consequences of neglecting user-centricity, such as digital exclusion or low adoption rates.
- Strategies to shift from 'system-centric' to 'citizen-centric' models.
- Common pitfalls
- Listing successful e-governance schemes like UPI or Aadhaar without critiquing their design bias.
- Failing to distinguish between 'availability' (having an app) and 'accessibility' (usability for rural/non-tech-savvy users).
- Writing a generic essay on the benefits of ICT instead of addressing the specific 'bias' mentioned in the prompt.
- Ignoring the 'back-end integration' aspect, which refers to inter-departmental silos versus a seamless front-end interface.
- Dimensions required
- Digital Divide/SociologicalAdministrative/BureaucraticTechnological/InfrastructureEconomic/Cost-efficiency
- Marks allocation hint
Spend 30 words defining the bias and its context. Devote 60 words to examining why tech-heavy back-ends dominate (e.g., data security, interoperability). Use 40 words to discuss the 'user-centric' deficit (e.g., language barriers, complex UI). Conclude with a 20-word forward-looking recommendation.
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