Governance, transparency, e-governance

Current affairs on this topic 8

• Official rabies death count is under 1% of ICMR's estimate, clouding the 2030 goal 5 October 2026

  Government records show 54 rabies deaths in 2024. An ICMR survey estimates 5,726 a year. Which number guides policy?

• Supreme Court orders curbs on vehicle services until unpaid e-challans are cleared 2 October 2026

  Of ₹49,194 crore in traffic fines issued, only ₹26,175 crore was collected. Can blocking services fix that?

• Policing report: one in eight faced cybercrime, poor victims paid more bribes for redress 30 September 2026

  If the rich are scammed more often, why do the poor end up paying bribes to get their money back?

• Tamil Nadu withdraws order that kept its law and order department out of RTI 28 September 2026

  Can a State simply declare one of its departments a security agency and shut it out of the RTI Act?

• Op-ed: After the SIR, use Aadhaar to keep voter rolls clean 15 September 2026

  The government trusts Aadhaar to pay pensions and deliver rations. Should it also decide who stays on the voter list?

• How should registered unrecognised political parties be regulated? 11 September 2026

  Six little-known Gujarat parties reported more donations than five national parties. Who keeps watch on such parties?

• Centre launches DILRMP 3.0 guidelines for a GIS-based land records system, 2026-31 11 September 2026

  Most land disputes start with a messy record. Can a 14-digit ID and digital maps fix India's land records?

• Bihar makes prior State consent mandatory for CBI probes into its employees 6 September 2026

  The CBI is a central agency. Why must it ask a State before probing that State's own officials?

Background from the reference shelf

• Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India
• Second Administrative Reforms Commission
• World Press Freedom Index

Previous-year questions 19

1. 2026 · GS2 · 10 marks Is the right to vote a fundamental right? Discuss the position of the Election Commission of India while undertaking the revision of electoral rolls. Can it also examine the question of citizenship…
2. 2026 · GS2 · 15 marks To what extent do pressure groups, social movements and corporate lobbies deepen pluralistic democracy in India by representing excluded interests? Analyse whether the growing convergence of…
3. 2026 · GS2 · 10 marks Analyse the advantages and limitations of the generalist structure of the Indian Civil Services in contemporary governance.
4. 2024 · GS2 · 15 marks In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest some measures through which the…
5. 2024 · GS2 · 15 marks 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…
6. 2024 · GS2 · 15 marks What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for…
7. 2022 · GS2 · 10 marks Reforming the government delivery system through the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a progressive step, but it has its limitations too. Comment.
8. 2022 · GS2 · 15 marks "While the national political parties in India favour centralisation, the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy." Comment.
9. 2021 · GS2 · 15 marks The jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding lodging an FIR and conducting probe within a particular state is being questioned by various States. However, the power of…
10. 2020 · GS2 · 10 marks Recent amendments to the Right to Information Act will have a profound impact on the autonomy and independence of the Information Commission. Discuss.
11. 2018 · GS2 · 10 marks Appropriate local community level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve 'Health for All' in India. Explain.
12. 2018 · GS2 · 10 marks E-governance is not only about utilisation of the power of new technology, but also much about the critical importance of the 'use value' of information. Explain.
13. 2018 · GS2 · 15 marks The Citizen's Charter is an ideal instrument of organisational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater…
14. 2017 · GS2 · 15 marks To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make…
15. 2017 · GS2 · 15 marks Initially Civil Services in India were designed to achieve the goals of neutrality and effectiveness, which seems to be lacking in the present context. Do you agree with the view that drastic…
16. 2014 · GS2 · 12.5 marks Starting from inventing the 'basic structure' doctrine, the judiciary has played a highly pro active role in ensuring that India develops into a thriving democracy. In light of the statement…
17. 2014 · GS2 · 12.5 marks What do you understand by the concept "freedom of speech and expression"? Does it cover hate speech also? Why do the films in India stand on a slightly different plane from other forms of…
18. 2014 · GS2 · 12.5 marks Though 100 percent FDI is already allowed in non-news media like a trade publication and general entertainment channel, the government is mulling over the proposal for increased FDI in news media…
19. 2013 · GS2 · 10 marks Though Citizens' charters have been formulated by many public service delivery organizations, there is no corresponding improvement in the level of citizens' satisfaction and quality of services…