Aspirant Academy

Economy

Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Good Governance, Digital Transformation

Paper I · Unit 2 Section 13 of 14 0 PYQs 33 min
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Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Q1 (5 marks — 50 words)

What is the Jan Soochna Portal? Why is it considered a landmark in transparency governance?

Model Answer (EN): Jan Soochna Portal (launched 2019) is India's first proactive disclosure platform, providing data from 100+ departments and 100+ schemes without requiring an RTI application. It preemptively discloses beneficiary lists, scheme eligibility, and government decisions — shifting the paradigm from reactive RTI to proactive transparency. It fulfils Section 4 of the RTI Act 2005's spirit of voluntary disclosure.

Q2 (5 marks — 50 words)

Describe the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system in Rajasthan and its achievements in 2024-25.

Model Answer (EN): DBT electronically transfers welfare benefits directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts, eliminating middlemen and reducing leakages. In 2024-25, ₹27,494.31 crore was transferred to 5.71 crore beneficiaries across 150 schemes (99 State + 51 Central). Cumulative DBT stands at ₹3,14,385.88 crore. All transfers are routed through Jan Aadhaar — Rajasthan's single family identity platform with 7+ crore registrations.

Q3 (5 marks — 50 words)

What is the E-Mitra scheme in Rajasthan? How does it promote inclusive digital governance?

Model Answer (EN): E-Mitra is Rajasthan's single-window citizen service platform delivering 450+ government services through 55,000+ kiosks across all 50 districts. It provides services like birth/death certificates, utility bill payments, and scheme registrations at the last mile. Integration with Paytm and m-Pesa enables digital payments. It bridges the urban-rural service gap and enables even digitally illiterate citizens to access government services.

Q4 (5 marks — 50 words)

Explain the key features of the Rajasthan IT Policy 2024 and its vision for 2030.

Model Answer (EN): Rajasthan IT Policy 2024 (November 2024) replaced the 2015 version with a 2030 vision targeting ₹1 lakh crore IT investment and 5 lakh IT-sector jobs. Key incentives include capital subsidy up to 30%, power tariff concessions, and land at industrial rates for IT parks in tier-2 cities (Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer). Focus sectors: GovTech, FinTech, AgriTech, and vernacular AI applications.

Q5 (10 marks — 150 words)

Critically evaluate the Jan Aadhaar platform as a tool of good governance in Rajasthan. How does it improve upon the earlier Bhamashah scheme?

Model Answer (EN): Jan Aadhaar, launched in 2019 as Rajasthan's single-family identity platform, has become the backbone of state welfare delivery. With 7+ crore registered beneficiaries, it integrates 175+ schemes and has processed transactions worth ₹78,300+ crore. In 2024-25 alone, ₹27,494.31 crore was transferred to 5.71 crore beneficiaries across 150 schemes — making it India's largest single-state multi-scheme DBT architecture.

Improvement over Bhamashah: Bhamashah (launched 2014) had limited scheme integration, no central government CSS linkage, and required physical family card issuance. Jan Aadhaar adds Aadhaar-seeded biometric authentication, mobile wallet integration, Central Sponsoring Scheme convergence (51 central schemes), and real-time DBT tracking. The female-as-head model was retained from Bhamashah. iStart GovTech startups are building vernacular AI and optimisation tools on Jan Aadhaar's open APIs.

Challenges: DPDP Act 2023 compliance is pending — Jan Aadhaar holds sensitive family data requiring consent frameworks and data principal rights; rural digital literacy gaps affect beneficiary access; biometric failure rates among elderly. Still, Jan Aadhaar's centralisation of 150 schemes into one identity ecosystem represents a breakthrough in India's welfare architecture.

Q6 (10 marks — 150 words)

Discuss the key pillars of Rajasthan's e-governance architecture and assess the challenges of inclusive digital transformation.

Model Answer (EN): Rajasthan's e-governance rests on six interconnected pillars:

  1. Identity & DBT: Jan Aadhaar — 7+ crore beneficiaries, 175+ schemes, ₹78,300+ crore transacted.
  2. Service Delivery: E-Mitra — 55,000+ kiosks, 450+ services across all 50 districts.
  3. Transparency: Jan Soochna Portal — 100+ departments, proactive RTI-free disclosure; India's first.
  4. Grievance Redressal: Jansunwai (3-tier), Rajasthan Sampark (181 helpline) — 99.8% disposal rate in 2024.
  5. File Management: Raj-Kaj portal — 28.8 lakh+ electronic files, 77 departments, 9.8 lakh users.
  6. Financial Governance: IFMS (Integrated Financial Management System) — integrates budgeting, accounting, payments.

Additional initiatives: iStart (5,500+ startups), Rajasthan IT Policy 2024 (₹1 lakh crore IT investment target), tele-radiology AI for silicosis detection (National e-Governance Gold Award 2024-25).

Challenges of inclusive digital transformation: Rural internet penetration is only ~38% (TRAI 2024); gender digital divide (female mobile ownership/literacy gaps); intermittent power supply in remote villages; language barriers (Hindi/Rajasthani vernacular AI underinvestment); DPDP Act 2023 compliance for state platforms (consent frameworks, breach notification); last-mile E-Mitra quality variation.

Solutions pathway: BharatNet expansion, subsidised smartphones for women, vernacular AI (iStart GovTech cohort 2024 — 15 startups on vernacular AI, last-mile E-Mitra, rural digital literacy), solar-powered kiosks, female E-Mitra operators.