MAINS 2015
GS2
12.5 marks
Examine critically the recent changes in rules governing foreign funding of NGOs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Examine critically the recent changes in rules on foreign funding of NGOs under the FCRA.
Examine criticallyAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Context: FCRA 1976 replaced by FCRA 2010; 2015 rules - online returns, renewals every five years, disclosure of receipts≈35 words
- 2Actions: thousands of registrations cancelled, Greenpeace India and others restricted (2015)≈35 words
- 3Justification: national security, accountability, misuse for protests against development projects≈35 words
- 4Criticism: chilling effect on civil society, vague 'public interest' grounds, compliance burden; later 2020 amendment tightened further≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Legal backgroundChangesGovernment rationaleCriticismBalanced reform
Where marks usually go
- Only praising or only criticising the rules
- Not noting the 2010 Act replaced the 1976 one
Draw this
- Timeline: 1976 Act → 2010 Act → 2015 rules → 2020 amendment
Value addition
- LawFCRA Amendment 2020 cut the administrative expense cap from 50% to 20%, barred sub-granting and required an SBI New Delhi account.FCRA (Amendment) Act, 2020
- CaseNoel Harper v Union of India (2022) upheld the 2020 amendments, saying there is no right to receive foreign contribution.Supreme Court, 2022
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 38 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 44 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 11 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 5 ↗Same syllabus reference
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