QUESTION 7
GS2
10 marks
e-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration than user-centric designs. Examine.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Examine whether Indian e-governance projects are built around technology and back-end integration more than around the citizens who use them.
ExamineGo into the details, test each point against evidence, and conclude on what it shows.
Demand-wise check
- 1Evidence of technology bias: portals designed around department databases, English-first interfaces, mandatory biometrics and OTPs, few offline fallbacks, success measured by transactions not outcomes≈35 words
- 2Evidence of user-centric design: UPI, DigiLocker, UMANG single app, CSC assisted access, Bhashini language support≈35 words
- 3How to make design user-first: user research, assisted access, grievance loops, accessibility standards (GIGW), service-level outcome metrics≈35 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
State the claimExamples of back-end biasCounter-examplesDesign principles to fix itConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Agreeing with the statement but giving no Indian example
- Listing digital schemes without saying who they fail and why
Draw this
- Two-column table: technology-first feature / user-first alternative
Value addition
- StandardGuidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW 3.0, 2023) set accessibility and usability standards for government portals.Ministry of Electronics and IT / NIC
- ExampleCommon Service Centres provide assisted access to e-services for people who cannot use them alone.CSC e-Governance Services India, MeitY
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 32 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 41 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.