UPSC Prelims 2017 CSAT Paper II · Q42 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

There has been a significant trend worldwide towards regionalism in government, resulting in a widespread transfer of powers downwards towards regions and communities since 1990s. This process, which involves the creation of new political entities and bodies at a sub-national level and an increase in their content and powers, is known as devolution. Devolution has been characterized as being made up of three factors—political legitimacy, decentralization of authority and decentralization of resources. Political legitimacy here means a mass demand from below for the decentralization process, which is able to create a political force for it to take place. In many cases, decentralization is initiated by the upper tier of government without sufficient political mobilization for it at the grassroots level, and in such cases the decentralization process often does not fulfil its objectives.

Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?

  1. (a) Emergence of powerful mass leaders is essential to create sub-national political entities and thus ensure successful devolution and decentralization.
  2. (b) The upper tier of government should impose devolution and decentralization on the regional communities by law or otherwise.
  3. (c) Devolution, to be successful, requires a democracy in which there is free expression of the will of the people at lower level and their active participation at the grassroots level. ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) For devolution to take place, a strong feeling of regionalism in the masses is essential.

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage defines political legitimacy as a 'mass demand from below' that creates the necessary political force for decentralization to succeed.

• It explicitly states that when decentralization is initiated by the upper tier of government without sufficient grassroots political mobilization, the process often fails to meet its objectives.

• Therefore, for devolution to be successful, it requires the active participation and expression of will from the people at the lower level, which aligns with the principles of democracy.

• Option (c) correctly infers that successful devolution depends on this bottom-up political legitimacy and active grassroots participation, rather than top-down imposition or specific leadership types.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Emergence of powerful mass leaders is essential to create sub-national political entities…
The passage emphasizes mass demand and grassroots mobilization, not the emergence of specific powerful mass leaders, as the essential factor for political legitimacy.
(b) The upper tier of government should impose devolution and decentralization on the…
The passage argues that top-down initiation by the upper tier of government without grassroots support often leads to failure, so imposing devolution is not a logical inference for success.
(d) For devolution to take place, a strong feeling of regionalism in the masses is essential.
While regionalism is mentioned as a trend, the passage identifies 'mass demand' and 'political mobilization' as the critical factors for success, not necessarily a strong feeling of regionalism itself.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2017, held on 18 June 2017. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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