UPSC Mains 2024 GS2 Q16 — Citizen Charters Governance
The Citizens' charter has been a landmark initiatice in ensuring citizen-centric administration. But it is yet to reach its full potential. Identify the factors hindering the realisation of its promise and suggest measures to overcome them. (Answer in 250 words) 15
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Identifysuggest
- Scope keywords
- Citizens' charterlandmark initiativecitizen-centric administrationfull potentialfactors hinderingrealisation of its promisemeasures to overcome
- Implicit sub-parts
- Briefly define the 'promise' of the Citizens' Charter (transparency, accountability, grievance redressal).
- Analyze institutional and behavioral bottlenecks within the bureaucracy.
- Evaluate the lack of legal backing and its impact on implementation.
- Propose structural reforms and technological interventions (e.g., Sevottam model) for rejuvenation.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing a generic essay on Good Governance without focusing on the specific mechanics of Charters.
- Failing to mention the 'top-down' nature of existing charters (lack of stakeholder consultation).
- Neglecting the critical link between the Charter and the Right to Service Acts.
- Omission of the 'Sevottam' model or the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommendations.
- Dimensions required
- Institutional/AdministrativeLegal/StatutoryTechnological/DigitalSociological (Citizen Awareness)Behavioral (Bureaucratic mindset)
- Marks allocation hint
Spend 40 words on the concept and its landmark status; devote 90-100 words to identifying specific hindering factors (split between design, implementation, and awareness); use 80-90 words for concrete, actionable measures; conclude with 20 words on the future of 'e-charters' and Sevottam.
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