QUESTION 16
GS2
15 marks
“Transparency and accountability in governance are not about controlling corruption but about creating the trust of stakeholders in the policy process by following the Rule of Law and Participatory Governance.” Comment.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Show how transparency/accountability build policy trust through legality, answerability and participation—not merely anti-corruption.
CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Transparency reduces information asymmetry≈40 words
- 2Accountability creates answerability and correction≈40 words
- 3Rule of law makes decisions predictable/non-arbitrary≈40 words
- 4Participation adds voice and procedural legitimacy≈40 words
- 5Together they build trust, but raw disclosure/formalism can fail≈40 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Transparency/accountabilityRule of law + participationTrustConditions/limits
Where marks usually go
- Listing RTI/social audit tools without explaining trust effects
- Treating transparency as disclosure volume rather than usable information
Value addition
- Trust chain: information + answerability + participation + legality → legitimacy
→ Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.
Official source anchors
These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.