GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

"When good individuals in any society become complacent and cease their vigilance and struggle, malevolent forces prevail." Discuss the role and significance of civil society in curbing corruption and official misconduct.

Answered by 5 toppers · CSE 2024–2025

CorruptionTransparency and InformationAccountability and Ethical GovernanceProbity in Governance

Syllabus: Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

How toppers approached it

From all 5 answers · about 160 words · 20% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening40%
  • A quotation40%
  • A definition20%

Body

  • Points100%

Close

  • A way forward60%
  • A source20%
  • A summary20%

The toppers’ answers

Diksha RaiAIR 40 · CSE 2025 · 175 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a quotation

"So few now dare to be eccentrics, marks the true danger of our time"

Body · points

-JS Mill.

JS Mill in his "On Liberty" highlighted the need of vigilance on absolute power as a prerequisite to protect Liberty.

Civil society, known as the 5th pillar of democracy plays a significant role in checking abuse of power and thus upholding constitutionalism.

Role of civil society in curbing corruption & official misconduct

  1. Awareness generation and thus mobilising public pressure eg: India against corruption movement

  2. By using official mechanisms to highlight corruption eg - RTI reports in AP highlighted corruption in MGNREGA -

  3. Research and Data analysis eg: According research by ADR - 46% of MPs have cases filed against them.

  4. Highlighting official misconduct using media especially social media eg: video of officer slapping a groom in Tripura.

  5. Filing PIL in Supreme court.

Close · a summary

eg: through the efforts of PUCL, SC established the practise of publishing criminal antecedents of candidates.

The civil society organisation play a major role in enforcing accountability and fostering transparency in governance

More on Corruption

The challenge of corruption: its causes, forms and control, whistleblowing, and the ethics of tolerating it.

All GS4 questions on Corruption