2021 · GS Paper 4 · Q6(a) · 10 marks
An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate.
In short
An independent and empowered social audit lets citizens verify public programmes, improving performance, enforcing accountability and deterring corruption, and can extend to courts by auditing delay and access rather than judgments. The CAG's 2024 Andhra Pradesh report found ₹232.99 crore of social audit findings not acted on.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 263 words
Performance
MGNREGA's Section 17 audits, run in Andhra Pradesh by SSAAT since 2009, surface ghost workers, inflated measurements and delayed wages through regular village-level checks.
Accountability and ethics
Public reading of muster rolls makes downward accountability real, and the certainty of scrutiny deters corruption before it happens.
Independence
Meghalaya's Social Audit Act, 2017 gave audits of public services a statutory footing separate from implementing departments.
Empowerment
The CAG's 2024 Andhra Pradesh local bodies report found ₹232.99 crore of social audit findings not acted on, with no recovery even on ₹89.35 crore accepted as misappropriation.
Every sphere
School Management Committees under the RTE Act, 2009 and community-based monitoring under the National Rural Health Mission carry the idea into schools and clinics.
The judiciary
National Judicial Data Grid pendency data, live-streamed Supreme Court hearings and judges' asset disclosures in 2025 let citizens audit delay and access, never the merits of judgments, preserving independence under Article 50.
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.