UPSC Previous Year Question | Mains GS2 | 2026
“Transparency and accountability in governance are not about controlling corruption but about creating the trust of stakeholders in the policy process by following the Rule of Law and Participatory Governance.” Comment. (Answer in 250 words)
Answer
Introduction
Transparency makes reasons, information and procedures visible; accountability connects authority to answerability and remedy. Together they create legitimacy beyond merely detecting corruption.
Trust Through Rule Of Law
Predictable, public and non-arbitrary rules assure citizens that similarly placed persons are treated alike. Reasoned decisions, due process, independent review, audits and time-bound services make discretion defensible and reduce policy uncertainty for citizens and investors.
Participatory Governance And Stakeholders
Consultations, social audits, Gram Sabhas, public hearings, RTI and citizen feedback bring affected communities into agenda-setting and monitoring. Participation improves local knowledge, ownership and policy fit, while inclusion of women, SC/ST groups and vulnerable users prevents elite capture.
Accountability Architecture And Limitations
Parliamentary oversight, CAG, Lokpal, vigilance bodies, grievance redress and judicial review assign responsibility. Digitisation can improve traceability but cannot replace human appeal, privacy protection or offline access. Excessive secrecy, selective disclosure, token consultation and weak sanctions erode trust.
Way Forward
Publish datasets and reasons by default, protect personal data, strengthen independent information and audit institutions, enforce service standards, institutionalise social audits and close the feedback loop by reporting action taken. Trust is earned when participation changes decisions and failure has remedy.
Keywords
Rule of Law; RTI; social audit; CAG; grievance redress; participatory governance; reasoned decision; institutional trust
Topics: accountability, governance, participatory governance, transparency