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General Studies 2026 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Comment

GS Paper II — Q16

"Transparency and accountability in governance are not about controlling corruption but about creating the trust of stakeholders…

"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. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

“शासन में पारदर्शिता और जवाबदेही का उद्देश्य केवल भ्रष्टाचार को नियंत्रित करना नहीं है, बल्कि विधि के शासन (Rule of Law) और सहभागितापूर्ण शासन (Participatory Governance) का पालन करके नीति निर्माण प्रक्रिया में हितधारकों का विश्वास स्थापित करना है।” टिप्पणी कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q16 of the 2026 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper II, as printed
The question as printed in the 2026 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Transparency and accountability are often viewed through the instrumental lens of curbing graft, but their deeper normative purpose is cementing citizen-state trust and democratic legitimacy. As emphasized by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission in its report on Ethics in Governance, transparency is central to bridging the trust deficit, transforming governance from an opaque authority into an open covenant with the people.

Rule of Law and Institutional Predictability Trust in policy processes is anchored in A.V. Dicey’s Rule of Law principles—namely the supremacy of law, equality before the law, and procedural predictability. Instruments like the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 operationalize this foundation by institutionalizing informational trust, enabling citizens to scrutinize decisions beyond mere corruption detection. Similarly, Citizen’s Charters and e-governance platforms under Digital India, such as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), remove arbitrary administrative discretion, ensuring uniform, rule-bound service delivery that reinforces public confidence.

Participatory Governance and Civic Ownership Accountability fosters trust when stakeholders become active participants in decision-making. Devolved platforms like the Gram Sabha under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment and PESA, 1996 convert policy subjects into decision-makers. Furthermore, social audits under MGNREGA—pioneered systematically in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya—replace adversarial surveillance with participatory validation, embedding collective ownership within public administration.

This relational dimension is mirrored globally in World Bank governance frameworks, where indicators such as 'Voice and Accountability' capture stakeholder agency beyond narrow corruption metrics. Ultimately, while curbing malfeasance is an essential byproduct, transparency and accountability primarily function to uphold the Rule of Law, assuring stakeholders of a fair, predictable, and participatory policy ecosystem.

What "Comment" is asking you to do

Take a position on the statement and support it. Comment usually attaches to a quoted line in the short slots, so the reasoning must be compressed — an opening view, a few load-bearing reasons, and the limit of the claim.

Structure that answers it

Unpack what the statement asserts → your stance → two or three supporting reasons → the qualification that limits it

Where marks are lost

Neutral summary; a comment without a stance has not answered. Equally costly is accepting the quoted line wholesale and never testing where it fails.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 Governance. comment: context > arguments both sides > judgment > close Full marks: Nuanced argument linking Rule of Law and participation to trust, with specific examples and a clear judgment.

Key points expected

  • Define transparency/accountability as trust-building mechanisms
  • Explain Rule of Law as the foundation of stakeholder trust
  • Explain Participatory Governance as a tool for policy legitimacy
  • Provide a balanced judgment on the quote's validity

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Contextualize the quote, argue for the primacy of trust over anti-corruption, and provide a judgment. 15 marks · 250 words

    comment— context → arguments both sides → judgment → close

    Must cover

    • Define transparency/accountability as trust-building mechanisms
    • Explain Rule of Law as the foundation of stakeholder trust
    • Explain Participatory Governance as a tool for policy legitimacy
    • Provide a balanced judgment on the quote's validity

    Loses marks

    • Focusing primarily on anti-corruption measures
    • Reciting Articles without linking to trust
    • Failing to provide a clear judgment

    Earns more

    • Cite specific examples of participatory mechanisms (e.g., Panchayati Raj)
    • Reference the 2nd ARC report on governance
    • Mention the role of RTI in transparency
    • Discuss the link between trust and policy implementation

    Extra mark

    • Cite a specific Supreme Court judgment on Rule of Law
    • Reference a specific Law Commission report on accountability

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.

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