2015 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I

Question 85: Polity and Governance

The fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following?

  1. 1.People's participation in development
  2. 2.Political accountability
  3. 3.Democratic decentralization
  4. 4.Financial mobilization

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a1, 2 and 3 only
b2 and 4 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2, 3 and 4

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

The basic idea of Panchayati Raj is democratic decentralisation: taking decision-making down to the village, block and district, so that people take part in planning and carrying out development. UPSC therefore accepts people's participation in development and democratic decentralisation as the fundamental objects. Political accountability and financial mobilisation are results or instruments, not its core aim.

  • 1. Local bodies are meant to involve people in development.
  • 2. Accountability follows from decentralisation but is not the system's fundamental object, on UPSC's key.
  • 3. Panchayati Raj is the instrument of democratic decentralisation.
  • 4. Financial mobilisation is a means, not the fundamental object.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (a), (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: Accountability follows from decentralisation but is not the system's fundamental object, on UPSC's key.

Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 1, 3 or 4.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) UPSC does not count political accountability as a fundamental object.
  • (b) Neither political accountability nor financial mobilisation is the core aim.
  • (c) Correct: people's participation and democratic decentralisation are the fundamental objects.
  • (d) Financial mobilisation and political accountability are by-products, not the core aim.

Worth knowing: Political accountability can also be argued as an aim of Panchayati Raj, so options (a) and (c) are close; UPSC's key is (c).

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.