What is Transparency and Accountability in Governance?
Historical Background
Key Points
10 points- 1.
Pillars of Good Governance: Transparency and accountability are fundamental pillars, alongside participation, rule of law, responsiveness, equity, effectiveness, and efficiency.
- 2.
Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005: A landmark legislation empowering citizens to seek information from public authorities, thereby promoting transparency and holding government accountable.
- 3.
Whistleblower Protection Act 2014: Aims to protect persons making disclosures on corruption or willful misuse of power, fostering an environment of accountability.
- 4.
Social Audits: A mechanism for public oversight of government schemes and expenditures, ensuring accountability at the grassroots level.
- 5.
E-governance: The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve government services, enhance transparency, and reduce corruption (e.g., GeM, online portals for public services).
- 6.
Role of CAG: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits government accounts, ensuring financial accountability of the executive to the legislature.
- 7.
Parliamentary Oversight: Through various mechanisms like committees, questions, debates, and no-confidence motions, Parliament holds the executive accountable.
- 8.
Judicial Review: Courts ensure that government actions are within the bounds of law and constitutional principles, acting as a check on executive and legislative overreach.
- 9.
Citizen Charters: Commitments by public organizations on standards of service delivery, information provision, and grievance redressal, enhancing responsiveness and accountability.
- 10.
Lokayukta/Lokpal: Institutions established for inquiring into allegations of corruption against public functionaries, promoting ethical governance and accountability.
Visual Insights
Transparency and Accountability: Key Components
A mind map illustrating the key components and mechanisms for ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.
Transparency and Accountability in Governance
- ●Right to Information (RTI)
- ●Citizen Charters
- ●Social Audit
- ●E-Governance
- ●Whistleblower Protection
Recent Developments
5 developmentsIncreased use of digital platforms for public service delivery and information dissemination, enhancing real-time transparency.
Ongoing debates on the effectiveness and implementation challenges of RTI and Whistleblower Protection Acts, including issues of political interference.
Growing focus on performance-based accountability and outcome budgeting to measure the impact of public spending.
Efforts to strengthen anti-corruption institutions and streamline their functioning.
Emphasis on ethical leadership and integrity in public life as foundational for transparent and accountable governance.
This Concept in News
3 topicsJNU's Autonomy and Academic Freedom: A Call for Agency
25 Feb 2026The news about JNU underscores the importance of transparency and accountability even within autonomous institutions. (1) It highlights the aspect of participatory decision-making as a key component of transparency, ensuring that faculty, students, and staff are involved in important decisions. (2) The news demonstrates how external pressures and bureaucratic interference can challenge the principles of transparency and accountability in practice, potentially leading to decisions that are not in the best interests of the institution. (3) It reveals that maintaining autonomy requires a commitment to open communication and responsible governance. (4) The implications of this news are that universities and other autonomous bodies need to actively safeguard their independence while also upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability. (5) Understanding this concept is crucial for analyzing the challenges faced by institutions like JNU and for formulating effective strategies to promote good governance in the education sector.
Guiding Principles for Governments in Developing Public Artificial Intelligence
16 Feb 2026This news highlights the critical need for transparency and accountability in the context of emerging technologies like AI. (1) The news emphasizes the *transparency* aspect by stressing the importance of governments being clear about the purpose and functioning of AI systems. It also highlights the *accountability* aspect by requiring governments to be responsible for the decisions made by these systems. (2) The news applies the concept of transparency by suggesting that governments should openly share information about the data used, algorithms employed, and potential biases in AI systems. It applies accountability by suggesting mechanisms for citizens to challenge AI decisions and seek redress. (3) The news reveals that the increasing use of AI in governance necessitates new frameworks for ensuring transparency and accountability, as traditional methods may not be sufficient. (4) The implications of this news are that governments need to proactively develop ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks for AI to prevent misuse and ensure public trust. (5) Understanding transparency and accountability is crucial for analyzing this news because it allows us to critically evaluate whether the proposed guiding principles are sufficient to prevent bias, discrimination, and other potential harms associated with AI in governance. Without these principles, AI could undermine democratic values and erode public trust in government.
PM CARES Fund Details and Utilization Overview
9 Feb 2026The PM CARES Fund news highlights the critical need for transparency in government funding. (1) It demonstrates how a lack of transparency can lead to public concern and criticism. (2) The news applies the concept of transparency by examining whether the fund's operations are open and accessible to the public. It challenges the concept by raising questions about the fund's governance structure and decision-making processes. (3) The news reveals the importance of clear and accessible information for maintaining public trust. (4) The implications of this news for the concept's future are that governments need to prioritize transparency and accountability in all their activities, especially when dealing with public funds. (5) Understanding this concept is crucial for properly analyzing and answering questions about this news because it provides a framework for evaluating the fund's operations and assessing its impact on governance.
