NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Chapter 13 Governance and Public Policy

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NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Chapter 13 Governance and Public Policy

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Governance and Public Policy

Chapter – 13

Part – II: Understanding Society India and Beyond

Important Question Answer

Answer the Following Question:

1. What is government? 

Ans: Government refers to the formal institutions and authorities—such as the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary—that hold and exercise political power.

2. What is governance?

Ans: Governance is the functional process of decision-making, implementation, and monitoring through which public affairs are managed for the welfare of society.

3. What is public policy?

Ans: Public policy is a planned course of action or set of decisions adopted by the government to solve public problems, meet community needs, and promote general welfare.

4. Name the four foundational principles of good governance.

Ans: The four foundational principles of good governance are:

(i) transparency.

(ii) accountability.

(iii) citizen participation.

(iv) The rule of law.

5. How did the ancient Ṛigveda refer to early participatory bodies?

Ans: The Ṛigveda records the Sabha and Samiti as important early institutions where matters of governance and public welfare were discussed.

6. What is meant by the ancient concept of Rajadharma?

Ans: Rājadharma represents the foremost duty of an ideal ruler to protect the people by upholding Dharma and promoting the welfare of society.

7. What is India’s national motto, and where is it taken from?

Ans: India’s national motto is Satyamev Jayate, which is derived from the Munḍaka Upaniṣhad.

8. What is the significance of the Sengol placed in the Indian Parliament?

Ans: The Sengol is a historic cultural marker of righteous rulership originating during the Chola dynasty; it was received by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on August 15, 1947, and placed in the newly inaugurated Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.

9. What is e-governance?

Ans: E-governance refers to the use of Information and Communication Technology by governments to deliver public services, share information, receive feedback, and streamline administration.

10. How do a policy, a programme, and a scheme differ from one another?

Ans: A policy sets the broad direction or goal; a programme provides the strategy or plan to achieve that goal; and a scheme provides the concrete operational actions or services delivered to specific groups.

11. What core characteristics make a policy ‘public’?

Ans: A policy is ‘public’ because it exists for everyone, is formulated by public authorities, uses public funds/taxes, involves citizen participation, and promotes public welfare.

12. What takes place during the “Policy Desirability” stage of the policy cycle?

Ans: During “Policy Desirability”, unaddressed societal problems, community needs, or facilities requiring improvement are identified to determine what issues require government policy action.

13. What role do Civil Society Organisations and NGOs play in public policy?

Ans: CSOs and NGOs study ground-level problems, raise public awareness, suggest solutions, monitor government programs, and provide feedback on service delivery.

14. Why is policy evaluation and feedback important in the policy cycle?

Ans: Policy evaluation assesses the real-world impact and results of a policy, using stakeholder feedback to refine, modify, or improve the policy over time.

15. What was a unique feature of the drafting process of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

Ans: NEP 2020 featured large-scale public consultations involving 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies, 676 districts, and around 2 lakh citizen suggestions.

Answer the Following Question:

1. How is ‘governance’ different from ‘government’? Explain with a suitable example.

Ans: While ‘government’ and ‘governance’ are closely related, they refer to distinct aspects of managing public affairs:

Government: Refers to the formal institutions and official authorities that exercise political power—specifically the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary. It focuses on who governs.

Governance: Refers to the overall process by which decisions are made, implemented, monitored, and sustained for the welfare of the people. It involves collaboration between government institutions, citizens, media, civil society, and private organizations. It focuses on how governing is carried out.

Real-World Example: A municipal corporation or panchayat installing streetlights represents the government exercising its authority to provide a public facility. However, the entire process of identifying dark spots, installing the lights, maintaining them, reporting non-functional bulbs, and incorporating citizen feedback to ensure public safety represents governance.

2. Trace the historical evolution of governance concepts and traditions in India from ancient times to the modern democratic system.

Ans: India’s tradition of governance has evolved over thousands of years through rich historical experiences:

Ancient Indian Wisdom and Traditions: In ancient times, governance was viewed as a sacred responsibility rather than merely exercising power. Texts like the Ṛigveda* mention early democratic bodies such as the Sabhā and Samiti. Kauṭilya’s Arthaśhāstra stressed that a ruler’s happiness lies in the happiness of the subjects. The ancient ideal of Rājadharma mandated rulers to protect citizens and uphold Dharma. Mahatma Gandhi later articulated this collective ideal as Rām Rājya—a system rooted in probity, compassion, transparency, and people-centric welfare. Historical markers like the Chola dynasty’s Sengol symbolized righteous rule.

Colonial Impact: Foreign colonial rule interrupted local organic models by introducing centralized bureaucratic structures aimed primarily at control.

Modern Democratic Constitution: Following Independence in 1947, Indian leaders framed the Constitution, adapting traditional values to a modern democracy. Foundational values were preserved in institutional mottos such as Satyamev Jayate and the Supreme Court motto Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ. Today, governance continues to evolve through e-governance to make service delivery faster, more transparent, and accessible.

3. Describe the key stages of the public policy cycle and explain how the National Education Policy 2020 demonstrates this process.

Ans: Public policy is developed through a systematic, multi-stage cycle rather than a single isolated decision:

(i) Policy Desirability: Recognizing new societal needs or problems that require government intervention.

(ii) Prioritising Policy: Determining which public issues need immediate priority.

(iii) Policy Formulation: Consulting experts, stakeholders, and citizens; drafting policy frameworks; and evaluating financial feasibility.

(iv) Policy Adoption: Framing legislation (laws) and formal administrative regulations.

(v) Policy Implementation: Putting the policy into action via government departments, local bodies, civil society, and private organizations through structured programmes and schemes.

(vi) Policy Monitoring: Tracking operational progress and ensuring resource efficiency.

(vii) Policy Evaluation Feedback: Assessing real-world impacts and using stakeholder feedback to refine the policy over time.

NEP 2020 Exemplar:

Need and Formulation: Recognizing that society had changed rapidly since the previous 1986 policy, the Government initiated a new policy process in 2015 and set up an expert committee chaired by Dr. K. Kasturirangan in 2017.

Public Consultation: The draft policy underwent extensive consultation across 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies, and 676 districts, incorporating around 2 lakh public suggestions.

Cabinet Approval: After recommendations were reviewed, the final National Education Policy 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2020.

4. What are the main features of ‘Good Governance’, and how does E-Governance help strengthen them?

Ans: Core Features of Good Governance: Good governance ensures public institutions manage resources and deliver services effectively, transparently, and equitably. Its key pillars include:

Transparency: Open and accessible decision-making processes.

Accountability: Public officials taking responsibility for their decisions and actions.

Participation: Active involvement of citizens in public decision-making.

Rule of Law: Equal treatment of all citizens under impartial legal frameworks.

Responsiveness and Inclusiveness: Promptly addressing societal needs and providing equal opportunities to all groups.

Effectiveness and Efficiency: Wise and prudent utilization of public resources.

Role of E-Governance:

E-governance leverages digital technology (ICT) to make public administration faster, more transparent, and convenient.

It drastically reduces physical paperwork and enables citizens to apply for certificates, access records, or register grievances online without visiting government offices.

Portals and platforms like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UMANG, GeM, and CPGRAMS enhance transparency, accountability, and direct delivery.

Inclusivity Requirement: To prevent digital exclusion, e-governance must be accompanied by reliable internet access, digital devices, and digital literacy across rural and marginalized communities.

5.. Who are the major contributors to policy-making and implementation, and why is policy coordination essential?

Ans: Major Contributors Their Roles: Effective policy formulation and execution require complementary efforts across multiple societal actors:

Citizens: Highlight ground-level issues, vote, participate in public consultations, and provide feedback on service quality.

Elected Representatives: Represent people’s voices, enact legislation, raise public concerns in assemblies, and approve budgets.

Government Officials, Departments and Ministries: Draft policy details, design operational programmes/schemes, coordinate execution across administrative levels, and deliver public services.

Civil Society Organisations, NGOs Media: Conduct field research, build social awareness, monitor government programs, and highlight implementation gaps.

Private Sector: Provides technical innovation, funding, and infrastructure development—often through Public-Private Partnerships.

International Organisations: Provide global best practices, technical support, and financial aid (like, WHO in health campaigns).

Importance of Policy Coordination: Policy implementation is complex, particularly in a vast and diverse country like India. Without proper inter-departmental and vertical coordination (from central to state, district, and block levels), policies face delays, resource wastage, or failure. For example, the success of the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 requires synchronized action between the Central Government, State Governments, Block-level bodies, private sponsors, and families.

Fill in the Blanks

1. India’s national motto, Satyamev Jayate (“Truth alone triumphs”), is derived from the ______________Upaniṣhad.

Ans: Munḍaka.

2. Kauṭilya’s Arthaśhāstra states that “In the happiness of the _____________ lies the happiness of the ruler”.

Ans: people.

3. The historic _______________, a cultural marker of righteous governance originating during the Chola dynasty, was placed in the new Parliament building in 2023.

Ans: Sengol.

4. While a policy sets the direction, a _______________ provides the specific strategy or plan, and a ______________ delivers concrete operational benefits to specific target groups.

Ans: programme; scheme.

5. The expert drafting committee for the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was chaired by the renowned scientist _______________.

Ans: Dr. K. Kasturirangan.

True or False 

1. “Government” and “Governance” mean the exact same thing.

Ans: False.

2. The early participatory institutions where matters of governance and public welfare were discussed in the Vedic period were known as the Sabhā and Samiti.

Ans: True.

3. Technology and e-governance alone are sufficient to ensure good governance without requiring digital access, user skills, or responsive administration.

Ans: False.

4. A policy is classified as a “public policy” when it is formulated by government authorities, serves the public benefit, and utilizes public resources.

Ans: True.

5. Once a public policy is formally adopted and implemented, the policy cycle ends and no further evaluation or monitoring is needed.

Ans: False.