GS Paper II — Q8
Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify. (Answer…
Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
नागरिक समाज संगठनों को गैर-राज्य अभिनेता की तुलना में प्रायः राज्य-विरोधी अभिनेता माना जाता है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? औचित्य सिद्ध कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)
Model answer
Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are non-State actors operating within the public sphere to advance collective social interests independently of the government.
Basis of the 'Anti-State' Perception The adversarial perception arises when CSOs challenge state policy, as seen during rights-based movements (Narmada Bachao Andolan), systemic accountability drives (India Against Corruption), and increased scrutiny over foreign funding leading to FCRA cancellations. Structurally, this perception is magnified by the selective media visibility of confrontational protests and state sensitivities toward rights-based demands.
The Constructive Non-State Role However, equating CSOs with anti-State activism is an oversimplification. CSOs act as vital developmental partners by bridging critical governance gaps through grassroots service delivery (SEWA), legislative and policy support (PRS Legislative Research), and disaster response (Goonj).
Conclusion The 'anti-State' label is reductionist. In a constitutional democracy, the State-CSO dynamic is fundamentally dialectical, where institutional collaboration and legitimate democratic contestation coexist to strengthen governance.
How this answer will be evaluated
Framework: GS2: Governance, Transparency, and Accountability
What earns full marks: Balanced judgment with specific examples of constructive and obstructive roles.
Evaluation rubric
Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.
- The answer Take a position on whether CSOs are anti-State or non-State actors, and justify it with examples of both confrontational and constructive roles. 10 marks · 150 words
justify— claim → 3-4 reasons → evidence → conclusion
Must cover
- Explain the basis of the anti-State perception (protests, litigation, foreign funding concerns)
- Identify CSOs as non-State actors with a constructive, complementary mandate
- Examples of CSOs aiding governance (e.g., RTI movement, SEWA, PRS, Goonj, disaster relief)
- A clear, balanced judgment
Loses marks
- Reciting definitions without judgment
- Adopting an activist tone without objective analysis
- Failing to address the anti-State aspect
Earns more
- Watchdog role: social audits, public interest litigation
- Regulation: FCRA amendments (2020) and licence cancellations
- Partnership in scheme delivery (health, education, SHGs)
- Accountability deficits of some CSOs (transparency, funding)
Extra mark
- Noel Harper v. Union of India (2022) upholding the FCRA amendments
- 2nd ARC or the National Policy on the Voluntary Sector (2007)
What "Justify" is asking you to do
Defend a position with reasons that carry evidence, and show why the contrary view does not hold. Where the stem runs as a question and asks you to justify your answer, the position is yours to choose and the marks lie wholly in the defence.
Structure that answers it
Position stated plainly → reason 1 with evidence → reason 2 with evidence → strongest objection, met → position restated as qualified
Where marks are lost
Reasons stated and none of them evidenced. The other standard loss is fence-sitting — an answer that finds merit on both sides and commits to neither has justified nothing.
Practice this exact question
Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.
Evaluate my answer →More from General Studies 2025 GS Paper II
- Q5 "The Attorney General of India plays a crucial role in guiding the legal framework of the…
- Q6 Women's social capital complements in advancing empowerment and gender equity. Explain. (…
- Q7 e-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration th…
- Q8 Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State…
- Q9 India-Africa digital partnership is achieving mutual respect, co-development and long-ter…
- Q10 "With the waning of globalization, post-Cold War world is becoming a site of sovereign na…
- Q11 "Constitutional morality is the fulcrum which acts as an essential check upon the high fu…