DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. Has religion improved the sense of community in Indian society? Discuss (250 Words)
Paper & Topic: GS I – Social issues
Model Answer:
Introduction:
- A society’s members must be willing to cooperate for it to survive and grow. The term “social cohesion” refers to this. In addition to addressing financial and economic disparity, it entails building communities of shared values and interpretation, as well as giving individuals the impression that they are all working on the same project, facing the same issues, and being a member of the same community.
Body:
Religion’s contribution to social cohesion:
- Religion, which also develops a feeling of community, allows people to come together around common values.
- Religious customs, rituals, and traditions have importance and foster societal harmony.
- Our lives are improved by the realisation that many religious communities are united, demonstrating that religious diversity is not always a source of conflict or social dysfunction.
- The advancement of humanity is a higher good served by religious institutions.
- Several religious societies encourage altruistic values like compassion, kindness, and mercy for the benefit of mankind as a whole.
- They cooperate to foster a supportive social environment because they share goals and promote altruistic values.
- Religious institutions place a high priority on moral philosophy, which fosters a sense of duty that spans from personal to social responsibility.
Conflict caused by faith:
- On social, economic, and political levels, among others, religion is a source of conflict for many individuals.
- Because of race and religion, humanity has gone through a lot of pain throughout history.
- Religion has a poor reputation since its history includes holy wars, crusades, jihad, and other violent events.
- Extremists from many religions may contribute to a worsening of a conflict. They think that taking drastic measures is necessary in order to fulfil God’s plan.
- There are sizable evangelical movements in many other religions as well, and these can be divisive. The task of increasing the flock and spreading the gospel belongs to Christians.
- For instance, the attempt to impose Christianity on the inferior peoples was a crucial component of the conflict surrounding European colonisation.
- Religious nationalists frequently hold the view that any harm to their country or homeland poses a threat to their own survival because both are so intricately related to their religious practises.
- Religious nationalists seek a political structure in which their religion is given precedence over other faiths in reaction to threats to their religion.
Conclusion:
- As a result, promoting a better understanding of the positive role that religion has played in numerous instances of conflict resolution and peacebuilding is one component of the answer. In general, combating ignorance can be highly successful. Interfaith dialogue would be advantageous at all echelons of the hierarchy and across all divisions of religious groupings. It would be a big step forward to learn about diverse religions in a place where silence and miscommunication are all too often. Understanding other religions can help people accept and understand the beliefs of others; yet, it does not imply conversion. Also, practising self-criticism and communicating with humility might be good.
Q2. Describe how e-Government could improve India’s ability to deliver public services. (250 Words)
Paper & Topic: GS II – Governance-related issues
Model Answer:
Introduction:
- E-government is primarily concerned with performing the tasks and generating the results of governance using what is now generally referred to as information and communications technology. Technology is essentially accustomed to how government functions in order to attain “Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent” (SMART) governance.
Body:
India’s capacity for electronic governance:
- improved government services that help it operate more effectively and efficiently and achieve its aims
- Enhanced services: E-government can provide quick and efficient services to stakeholders.
- Transparency in information dissemination and online publication: This makes information easily accessible and, as a result, makes the system responsible to the general public. The internet not only permits the open flow of information, but also makes it available to everyone.
- E-government services are available at any time and from any location since they are offered through web-enabled technologies.
- The general public, enterprises, and the government are the main target audiences for user-centered ICT-enabled services.
- Savings in both money and time are possible when the services are provided online.
- Economic expansion: The usage of ICTs reduces transaction costs, which decreases service prices. For instance, rural areas suffer from a lack of knowledge about markets, goods, agriculture, health, education, weather, etc. If all of this material could be found online, additional opportunities would arise, which would ultimately lead to success in these fields.
- Social development: Access to information increases the power of the people. The conception, execution, monitoring, and service supply of a programme or project can all be done with the participation and expression of concerns from the informed public. Participating online will help to overcome the biassed factors that shape our social behaviour.
- E-government lowers bureaucracy by removing the chain of command needed to access any government services.
- Automation of Administrative Processes: An e-governed system would be computer-driven and require little to no human input.
- Government agencies now have better coordination and communication since many of them can use an automated service, which allows for more coordination and communication.
- Reduced Paperwork: The paperwork would be affected right away by the automation of operations. Paperwork is significantly reduced by the capacity to share, store, and access information electronically. Because of everything, paperless offices are more prevalent.
- Governments can deliver services to citizens that are more sensitive, responsive, and responsible because to ICT. The quality of services has increased as a result of people’s increasing capacity to receive services quickly and effectively.
- Elimination of Hierarchy: The use of ICT has reduced organisational procedural delays caused by hierarchical processes. Thanks to LAN and the Intranet, it is now possible to transmit data and information simultaneously across multiple organisational levels.
- Administrative Culture Change: The ills that beset bureaucratic entities are aptly described by Victor Thompson’s term “bureau-pathology.” During the New Public Administration era, the pathological or dysfunctional elements of art have been discussed.
- Strategic Information System: The changing organisational environment and increased competition are putting a burden on the performance of the functionaries. For the management to make both routine and strategic decisions, they must always have access to all pertinent information.
- Some of the e-Governance models implemented in India: Customs and Excise (Government of India); Indian Railways; Postal Department; Passport/Visa; Bhoomi – Automation of Land Records (State Government of Karnataka); Gyandoot: Intranet in Tribal District of Dhar (State Government of Madhya Pradesh); e-Mitra – Integrated Citizen Services Centre/ e-Kiosks (State Government of Rajasthan) etc.
Conclusion:
- APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India, characterised e-Governance in terms specific to India as “a transparent, smart e-Governance with seamless access, secure and authentic flow of information bridging the interdepartmental barrier and giving a fair and unbiased service to the citizen.”
- As a result, e-Government has increased government simplicity, efficiency, and accountability while also enhancing individuals’ access to information and high-quality services. In view of the wide range of e-Governance initiatives that have been implemented in India with varying degrees of success as well as the diversity of conditions across the nation, the research emphasises that e-Governance projects need to be adapted for different settings and contexts.
