UPSC Mains 2016 GS Paper 2 Q10: model answer
“In the Indian governance system, the role of non-state actors has been only marginal.” Critically examine this statement.
What the question wants
Critically examine whether non-state actors have played only a small part in how India is governed.
How to structure it
Critically examine: test the statement with evidence for and against.
- Who they are
- Evidence of real influence
- Where they remain marginal
- Verdict
How to think it through
The RTI Act, the forest rights law, MGNREGA and the food security law all began outside government. That alone weakens 'only marginal'. But in daily administration, NGOs and citizens still knock on a closed door. Answer 'significant in shaping laws, marginal in running them'.
Model answer
The RTI Act (2005) began in a Rajasthan village with the MKSS; the Forest Rights Act (2006) with tribal campaigns; the right to food with a PUCL petition in 2001. Few laws of this century came purely from inside government.
Who the non-state actors are
NGOs, SHGs, cooperatives, business associations, trade unions, media, think tanks, religious bodies, donors, and the private sector delivering public services.
Evidence that their role is not marginal
- Law-making: RTI, MGNREGA, FRA and the Lokpal Act were shaped by civil society campaigns.
- Service delivery: Akshaya Patra serves mid-day meals to lakhs of children; SEWA and Kudumbashree run livelihood programmes; private hospitals deliver most care under PM-JAY.
- Accountability: ADR's litigation forced candidates to declare assets and criminal records (2002–03) and helped end electoral bonds (2024).
- Policy expertise: industry chambers in budgets, think tanks in NITI Aayog consultations.
- Disaster response: NGOs and religious groups were first responders during Covid.
Where they remain marginal
- Formal decision-making is still closed; pre-legislative consultation is often skipped.
- Gram sabhas and ward committees, the official space for citizens, meet irregularly.
- FCRA and funding limits shrink civic space.
- Business influence is large, but grassroots groups are weak.
Verdict
The statement is only half true: non-state actors shape what India decides, but they are marginal in how it is carried out day to day. Institutionalising their role in planning, social audit and monitoring would complete the picture.
Draw: Two bars per stage: 'shaping law' (tall) and 'running delivery' (short) for non-state actors.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
governance vs government, MKSS, PUCL v Union of India (right to food), ADR (2002), Akshaya Patra, PM-JAY empanelled hospitals, pre-legislative consultation policy 2014, civic space.
Where most answers lose marks
- Agreeing with the statement. Laws like RTI make 'only marginal' hard to defend.
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Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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