General Studies 2024 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Suggest

Q16

The Citizens' charter has been a landmark initiative 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

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

नागरिक-केंद्रित प्रशासन को सुनिश्चित करने के लिए नागरिक अधिकार-पत्र एक ऐतिहासिक पहल रही है। किन्तु, इसे अभी भी अपनी पूर्ण क्षमता तक पहुँचना बाकी है। इसके वादे की प्राप्ति में बाधा डालने वाले कारकों की पहचान कीजिए और उन्हें दूर करने के उपाय सुझाइए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में लिखिए)

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Directive word: Suggest

This question asks you to suggest. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'suggest' requires identification of implementation barriers followed by actionable, practical solutions. Structure as: brief introduction defining citizens' charter → body with two balanced parts (challenges 40%, measures 50%) → forward-looking conclusion emphasizing digital integration and behavioral change.

Key points expected

Lack of legal enforceability and absence of penalty mechanisms for non-compliance
Poor awareness among citizens and inadequate staff training leading to tokenism
One-size-fits-all approach without service-specific customization
Absence of independent grievance redressal and monitoring mechanisms
Measures: legislative backing, Sevottam model institutionalization, social audit integration, digital dashboards for real-time tracking
Reference to 2nd ARC recommendations and recent DARPG initiatives

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Correctly interprets 'suggest' as requiring problem-solution pairing; maintains 40:60 balance between challenges and measures; avoids drifting into generic administrative reform discussion	Identifies challenges and measures but treats them as separate lists without logical linkage; minor misinterpretation of directive weightage	Misreads directive as 'discuss' or 'analyse'; produces descriptive account without actionable suggestions; disproportionate focus on history/origin
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Covers systemic (legal, institutional), procedural (design, monitoring) and behavioral (attitude, capacity) dimensions accurately; cites specific schemes like Sevottam, IS15700 standards	Covers 2-3 dimensions adequately; mentions common challenges (corruption, red tape) without specificity; generic measures like 'training' without elaboration	Superficial listing of obvious points; factually incorrect claims about legal status; conflates citizens' charter with RTI or social audit
Structure & flow	20%	3	Clear problem-solution mapping with smooth transitions; effective use of subheadings or signposting; maintains thematic coherence within word limit	Basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; some logical gaps between identified problems and suggested solutions; minor repetition	Disorganized or bullet-heavy without synthesis; abrupt shifts between topics; missing conclusion or disproportionate sections
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific illustrations: UK Citizens' Charter origins, Sevottam pilot success in Passport/EPFO, Karnataka's Sakala Act, DARPG's 2022 charter review; quantitative reference (coverage percentage, grievance resolution rates)	Vague mention of 'some states' or 'many departments'; no specific schemes named; generic international comparison without naming countries	No examples or irrelevant examples (RTI success stories, e-governance portals); fabricated data or incorrect attribution
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Synthesizes around citizen-state trust deficit; proposes innovative measures like charter-based performance appraisal linkage or AI-enabled compliance monitoring; connects to SDG16 or Amrit Kaal vision	Standard summative conclusion restating points; generic optimism about 'political will'; no fresh insight	Absence of conclusion; abrupt ending; mere repetition of introduction; unrealistic or unrelated suggestions (complete privatization, constitutional amendment)

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