Passage

Directions for the following 6 ( six ) items: Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage-1 Accountability, or the lack of it, in governance generally, and civil services, in particular, is a major factor underlying the deficiencies in governance and public administration. Designing an effective framework for accountability has been a key element of the reform agenda. A fundamental issue is whether civil services should be accountable to the political executive of the day or to society at large. In other words, how should internal and external accountability be reconciled ? Internal accountability is sought to be achieved by internal performance monitoring, official supervision by bodies like the Central Vigilance Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General, and judicial review of executive decisions. Articles 311 and 312 of the Indian Constitution provide job security and safeguards to the civil services, especially the All India Services. The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that provision of these safeguards would result in a civil service that is not totally subservient to the political executive but will have the strength to function in larger public interest. The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line. Over the years, the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day who in turn are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process. This system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance. Some special measures can be considered for improving accountability in civil services. Provisions of articles 311 and 312 should be reviewed and laws and regulations framed to ensure external accountability of civil services. The proposed Civil Services Bill seeks to address some of these requirements. The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that professional managerial functions and management of civil services are depoliticized. For this purpose, effective statutory civil service boards should be created at the centre and in the states. Decentralization and devolution of authority to bring government and decision making closer to the people also helps to enhance accountability.

With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Political executive is an obstacle to the accountability of the civil services to the society 2. In the present framework of Indian polity, the political executive is no longer accountable to the society Which of these assumptions is/are valid ?

(a) 1 only ✓ UPSC's answer
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Why the answer is (a)

• The passage states that the emphasis has tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of civil services to the political leaders of the day, implying that the political executive acts as a barrier to direct external accountability to society, validating Assumption 1.

• The passage explicitly states that political leaders are 'expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process,' which contradicts Assumption 2 that they are no longer accountable.

• Although the passage notes that this system 'has not worked out,' it does not claim that the mechanism of accountability (elections) has ceased to exist or that the executive is no longer accountable in principle.

• Therefore, only Assumption 1 is supported by the text, while Assumption 2 is factually incorrect based on the passage's description of the constitutional framework.

Why the other options are wrong

(b) 2 only: Assumption 2 is invalid because the passage states that political leaders are expected to be externally accountable to society through the election process.
(c) Both 1 and 2: Assumption 2 is invalid because the passage confirms that the political executive is expected to be accountable to society via elections, even if the system has not worked out perfectly.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2: Assumption 1 is valid because the passage indicates that the tilt towards internal accountability to political leaders hinders direct external accountability to society.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2016, held on 7 August 2016. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.