Aspirant Academy

Ethics

Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Liberal Society: Transparency, Media, and Bureaucracy

Paper II · Unit 1 Section 11 of 13 0 PYQs 28 min
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Predicted Questions with Model Answers

Q1 (5 marks — 50 words): What is meant by transparency in governance? Name two mechanisms through which it is ensured in India.

Model Answer:

Transparency in governance means citizens can access information about how public decisions are made and resources spent, preventing arbitrariness and corruption. Two mechanisms: (1) RTI Act 2005 — citizens can obtain government records within 30 days; over 60 lakh applications annually. (2) Social audits — community-level verification of MGNREGS expenditure, pioneered by MKSS in Rajasthan, mandated under Section 17 of the MGNREGS Act.

Q2 (5 marks — 50 words): What is "paid news"? Why is it a threat to liberal democracy?

Model Answer:

Paid news (defined by Press Council of India) is content that appears as independent journalism but is commercially purchased by political or corporate interests to promote a favourable narrative — without disclosure. It threatens liberal democracy because: (1) deceives voters — false impressions of public support influence elections; (2) corrupts press freedom — editorial independence is sold; (3) erodes public trust — when exposed, faith in all media collapses, undermining the informed citizenry liberalism requires.

Q3 (10 marks — 150 words): Discuss the role of media as the "Fourth Estate" in a liberal democracy. What are the major challenges facing media ethics in India today?

Model Answer:

In liberal democracies, the media is called the "Fourth Estate" — alongside legislature, executive, and judiciary — because it independently monitors power and informs citizens. Its functions include: watchdog (investigating corruption and misconduct), information (enabling informed voting and civic participation), forum (facilitating public deliberation on policy), and agenda-setting (drawing attention to neglected issues).

A free press is constitutionally protected in India under Article 19(1)(a) — the Supreme Court has held press freedom is implicit in freedom of expression.

Major ethical challenges today:

  1. Media concentration: Large corporate groups owning multiple newspapers, channels, and digital outlets create conflict of interest between editorial and ownership.
  2. Paid news: Undisclosed commercial influence on reporting — particularly during elections.
  3. Fake news and disinformation: Social media spreads false stories faster than corrections; WhatsApp misinformation led to mob violence.
  4. Regulatory overreach: IT Rules 2021 and proposed government fact-check units create chilling effects on legitimate journalism.
  5. Safety of journalists: Journalists covering crime, corruption, or conflict face threats; India records journalist deaths and imprisonments annually.

Restoring media credibility requires strengthening self-regulation (Press Council of India's quasi-judicial role), ensuring editorial independence through ownership disclosure laws, and protecting whistleblowers within newsrooms.

Q4 (10 marks — 150 words): Explain the concept of bureaucratic accountability. How does a liberal society ensure that its bureaucracy remains accountable to citizens?

Model Answer:

Bureaucratic accountability means that public officials answer for their decisions, actions, and use of public resources — ensuring power is exercised in the public interest rather than for personal gain, political patronage, or bureaucratic convenience.

In a liberal society, accountability operates through four interlocking channels:

1. Legislative accountability: Parliament's Question Hour allows elected representatives to probe ministerial decisions. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) scrutinises government expenditure post-audit. In Rajasthan, the Legislative Assembly's PAC reviews CAG reports and can recommend action.

2. Judicial accountability: Citizens can challenge administrative action through writ petitions (Article 226 — High Courts) alleging arbitrariness, unreasonableness, or violation of natural justice. Public Interest Litigations have been powerful accountability tools. Administrative tribunals (Central Administrative Tribunal, State Administrative Tribunal) hear service matter disputes.

3. Executive oversight: Independent bodies like Lokpal (national anti-corruption ombudsman), Lokayukta (state-level), Anti-Corruption Bureau investigate misconduct. Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APAR) and departmental inquiries discipline errant officers.

4. Citizen mechanisms: RTI Act 2005 allows any citizen to demand information. Rajasthan's Jan Soochna Portal provides proactive disclosure. Citizens' Charters commit agencies to service standards. Social audits — pioneered in Rajasthan by MKSS — allow communities to verify expenditure authenticity.

The synthesis of these channels creates redundant accountability — if one mechanism fails, others compensate — which is the hallmark of a robust liberal state.

Q5 (5 marks — 50 words): What is the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014? Why is it important for good governance?

Model Answer:

The Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014 allows any person to disclose information about corruption or wilful misuse of power by a government servant to the Competent Authority (Central Vigilance Commission at Centre), while protecting the complainant's identity from disclosure and providing safeguards against victimisation. Importance for good governance: internal accountability depends on insiders who dare to speak — without protection, fear of retaliation silences potential whistleblowers; the Act converts moral courage into a legally protected right, reinforcing transparency from within the system.

Q6 (5 marks — 50 words): How does social media both enable and threaten liberal democracy?

Model Answer:

Enabling: Social media democratises speech — any citizen can publish, mobilise, and hold power accountable (Arab Spring, #MeToo). It bypasses traditional media gatekeepers, giving voice to marginalised groups. Threatening: Disinformation spreads 6× faster than corrections (MIT, 2018); algorithmic echo chambers polarise discourse; deep fakes undermine evidentiary trust; coordinated inauthentic behaviour manipulates public opinion. The liberal response: platform accountability regulation balanced against free expression — the IT Rules 2021 debate in India illustrates this tension.