MAINS 2016
GS2
12.5 marks
Traditional bureaucratic structure and culture have hampered the process of socio-economic development in India. Comment.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Comment on how colonial, rule-bound bureaucracy has slowed socio-economic development and what has changed.
CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Features hampering: hierarchy, rigid rules, red tape, generalist dominance, risk aversion, status consciousness, colonial control mindset≈35 words
- 2Effects: delays in projects, poor delivery, low citizen trust≈35 words
- 3Counterpoint: bureaucracy also delivered elections, Green Revolution, disaster response≈35 words
- 4Reforms: Mission Karmayogi, lateral entry, e-office, outcome focus≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Weberian/colonial traitsEffects on developmentCounterpointsReformsConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Pure bureaucracy-bashing without counterpoints
- No reform measures
Draw this
- Table: traditional trait → development cost → reform
Value addition
- ThinkerFred Riggs' 'prismatic-sala' model explains formalism in transitional societies' bureaucracies.Riggs, 1964
- SchemeMission Karmayogi (2020) shifts training from rule-based to role-based.DoPT, 2020
- Report2nd ARC 10th Report (2008) recommended domain specialisation and performance management.2nd ARC, 2008
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 41 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 32 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 9 minutes, then get it checked.