QUESTION 18
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 reforms are required in Civil Services? Comment.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Comment on whether the civil services need drastic reform to recover neutrality and effectiveness.
CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Original design: Patel's 'steel frame', permanent, neutral, merit-based≈50 words
- 2Present gaps: politicisation, transfers, status quo culture, generalist bias, weak performance appraisal, corruption≈50 words
- 3Reforms in place: Mission Karmayogi (2020), lateral entry (2018), 360-degree appraisal, e-office, premature retirement under FR 56(j)≈50 words
- 4Stand: deep but structured reforms, not abolition; protect neutrality via tenure and Civil Services Boards≈50 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Design goalsPresent gapsReforms doneFurther neededStandConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Only criticising bureaucrats
- No stand on 'drastic'
Draw this
- Table: goal → present problem → reform
Value addition
- CaseT.S.R. Subramanian v Union (2013): fixed tenure, Civil Services Boards, recording of oral instructions.Supreme Court, 2013
- Report2nd ARC 10th Report 'Refurbishing of Personnel Administration' (2008) suggested domain competence and performance-linked careers.2nd ARC, 2008
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 11 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 35 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.