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UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper 1, question 51

Topic: Polity and governance

Q51

Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a private service provider responsible for vaccine distribution was compromising on quality to make profits. Despite immense pressure to manage the issue due to vested interests, he raised his voice based on the principles of public administration which he learnt during various training programmes attended across his career. He reported the issue to the appropriate vigilance authority and halted the contract to ensure citizen welfare.

Which one among the following principles of public administration was most strongly demonstrated by Mr. X's actions ?

  1. (a) Esprit de corps
  2. (b) Equity
  3. (c) AccountabilityCorrect answer
  4. (d) Delegation

Solution.

Answer: (c) Accountability

  1. Accountability in public administration requires a civil servant to answer for the lawful, ethical, and citizen-centric use of public authority and funds, even against vested pressures.
  2. By reporting quality violations to the vigilance authority and halting the compromised contract to safeguard public health, Mr. X upheld his institutional and public accountability.

Trap: Esprit de corps refers to team spirit and organizational harmony, Equity refers to fairness toward employees/citizens, and Delegation refers to transferring authority downward.