Administrative inefficiency in India is not just a management issue, but a governance failure. Examine this statement. Discuss the role a dedicated efficiency department can play in remedying this. What safeguards are needed to preserve democratic accountability?
Kartavya Desk Staff
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability.
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability.
Q3. Administrative inefficiency in India is not just a management issue, but a governance failure. Examine this statement. Discuss the role a dedicated efficiency department can play in remedying this. What safeguards are needed to preserve democratic accountability? (15 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question Growing institutional delays, fragmented digital reforms, and calls for creating a dedicated government efficiency department like the U.S. DOGE, with relevance to India’s DARPG reform potential. Key Demand of the question It asks you to analyse inefficiency as a systemic governance challenge rather than a mere functional lag, evaluate how a dedicated institutional setup can address this, and propose mechanisms to ensure such a body remains democratically accountable. Structure of the Answer: Introduction Mention how inefficiency in public systems stems from entrenched structural issues—such as outdated procedures, fragmented institutions, and lack of process accountability—and not just from poor execution. Body Explain that inefficiency reflects deeper governance failures like legacy SOPs, uncoordinated ministries, and poor outcome tracking Suggest how a dedicated efficiency department can improve inter-ministerial integration, process redesign, and digital infrastructure reuse Provide safeguards like parliamentary oversight, citizen feedback loops, federal flexibility, and separation of reform from executive overreach Conclusion Emphasise that administrative reform must marry speed with accountability to ensure the government becomes not only efficient but also more transparent and citizen-centric.
Why the question Growing institutional delays, fragmented digital reforms, and calls for creating a dedicated government efficiency department like the U.S. DOGE, with relevance to India’s DARPG reform potential.
Key Demand of the question It asks you to analyse inefficiency as a systemic governance challenge rather than a mere functional lag, evaluate how a dedicated institutional setup can address this, and propose mechanisms to ensure such a body remains democratically accountable.
Structure of the Answer:
Introduction Mention how inefficiency in public systems stems from entrenched structural issues—such as outdated procedures, fragmented institutions, and lack of process accountability—and not just from poor execution.
• Explain that inefficiency reflects deeper governance failures like legacy SOPs, uncoordinated ministries, and poor outcome tracking
• Suggest how a dedicated efficiency department can improve inter-ministerial integration, process redesign, and digital infrastructure reuse
• Provide safeguards like parliamentary oversight, citizen feedback loops, federal flexibility, and separation of reform from executive overreach
Conclusion Emphasise that administrative reform must marry speed with accountability to ensure the government becomes not only efficient but also more transparent and citizen-centric.