GS Paper IV 2016 · Q4 (Section A)
2 parts · 10 marks and 150 words each Moral thinkers & philosophers X-Ray · Core #17Q4(a) 10 marks · 150 words · answered on its own
“Corruption causes misuse of government treasury, administrative inefficiency and obstruction in the path of national development.” Discuss Kautilya’s views.
Approach · directive: “discuss (Kautilya's views)”
What it asks · Bring out how Kautilya saw corruption harming the treasury, the efficiency of administration and the people's prosperity, and the remedies he designed against it.
It asks 3 things — answer each
- Discuss Kautilya's view of corruption as a drain on the treasury
- Discuss his view of its effect on administrative efficiency and on development
- Bring out the remedies he proposed
Open with · Kautilya's chapter on embezzlement, which opens with the statement's own premise: all undertakings depend upon finance, so foremost attention goes to the treasury; corruption attacks treasury, administration and prosperity at once.
Cover
- A table pairs each harm the statement names with Kautilya's view and his remedy.
- Treasury: about forty ways of embezzlement, hence accounts and audit over goodwill.
- Human nature: honey or poison on the tongue, and officials like fish moving under water.
- Inefficiency and development: the root of wealth is activity; dispensing with too many government servants as conducive to financial prosperity.
- Remedies: secret tests of allurement for ministers, and an informant's reward of one-sixth of the embezzlement proved.
Close with · Kautilya's moral test, in the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness and in their welfare his welfare: every rupee stolen from the treasury is stolen from that welfare.
Add value (verified)
- Kautilya opens his chapter on embezzlement by government servants: all undertakings depend upon finance, so foremost attention goes to the treasury; among the things conducive to financial prosperity he counts rewards for good conduct and dispensing with too many government servants (Arthashastra, Book II, ch. 8).Kautilya's Arthashastra, tr. R. Shamasastry, Book II, Chapter 8: Detection of what is embezzled by government servants out of state revenue — Internet Archive ↗“ALL undertakings depend upon finance. Hence foremost attention shall be paid to the treasury. Public prosperity (prachdrasamriddhih), rewards for good conduct (charitrdnugrahah), capture of thieves, dispensing with (the service of too many) government servants, abundance of harvest, prosperity of commerce, absence of troubles and calamities (upasargapramokshah), diminution of remission of taxes, and income in gold (hiranyopdyanam) are all conducive to financial prosperity.”
- Kautilya: like fish moving under water, government servants cannot be found out while taking money for themselves.Kautilya's Arthashastra, tr. R. Shamasastry (full text, Internet Archive) ↗“Just as fish moving under water cannot possibly be found out either as drinking or not drinking water, so government servants employed in the government work cannot be found out (while) taking money (for themselves).”
- Kautilya tested ministers through secret allurements; those who refused were deemed pure.Kautilya's Arthashastra, tr. R. Shamasastry (full text, Internet Archive) ↗“each minister being asked "this attempt is to the liking of all of us; what dost thou think?" 22 Kautilya's Arthashastra If they refuse to agree, they are to be considered pure. This is what is termed monetary allurement.”
- Kautilya: an informant who proves embezzlement just under perpetration gets one-sixth of the amount as reward; a government servant who informs gets one-twelfth (Arthashastra, Book II, ch. 8).Kautilya's Arthashastra, tr. R. Shamasastry, Book II, Chapter 8: rewards for informants — Internet Archive ↗“Any informant (siichaka) who supplies information about embezzlement just under perpetration shall, if he succeeds in proving it, get as reward one-sixth of the amount in question; if he happens to be a government servant (bhritaka), he shall get for the same act one-twelfth of the amount.”
- Kautilya on the king's duty: in the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness, in their welfare his welfare; the root of wealth is activity, and of evil its reverse (Arthashastra, Book I, ch. 19).Kautilya's Arthashastra, tr. R. Shamasastry, Book I, Chapter 19: The Duties of a King — Internet Archive ↗“In the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness; in their welfare his welfare; whatever pleases himself he shall not consider as good, but whatever pleases his subjects he shall consider as good. Hence the king shall ever be active and discharge his duties; the root of wealth is activity, and of evil its reverse.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2016, GS Paper IV — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 220words · Minimalist IAS
Kautilya opens his chapter on embezzlement with the statement's own premise: 'All undertakings depend upon finance. Hence foremost attention shall be paid to the treasury.' Corruption, for him, attacks the treasury, the administration and the people's prosperity at once.
| Harm named | Kautilya's view | His remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Misuse of treasury | About forty ways of embezzlement | Accounts, audit, swift punishment |
| Administrative inefficiency | Officials hidden like fish in water | Secret tests, spies, transfers |
|---|---|---|
| Obstructed development | Root of wealth is activity | Rule for the subjects' welfare |
- Treasury: he listed about forty ways in which officials embezzle, so he relied on accounts and audit rather than on goodwill.
- Human nature: public money is like honey or poison on the tongue, sure to be tasted; and like fish moving under water, officials cannot be seen taking it.
- Inefficiency and development: 'the root of wealth is activity, and of evil its reverse'; he even counted 'dispensing with (the service of too many) government servants' as conducive to financial prosperity.
- Remedies: ministers were tested through secret allurements, and only those who refused were deemed pure; an informant who proved embezzlement earned one-sixth of the amount, an early whistle-blower reward.
His deepest test is moral: 'In the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness; in their welfare his welfare.' Every rupee stolen from the treasury is stolen from that welfare.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
Q4(b) 10 marks · 150 words · answered on its own
How could social influence and persuasion contribute to the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan ?
Approach · directive: “how could”
What it asks · Explain how social influence and persuasion change sanitation behaviour, with concrete ways they can make Swachh Bharat succeed and last.
It asks 3 things — answer each
- Explain social influence and persuasion and why Swachh Bharat needs them
- Show how social influence (norms, role models, peers) can change sanitation behaviour
- Show how persuasion (credible messengers, framing) can be used, and how to make the change last
Open with · Social influence as the change in attitudes or behaviour that others bring about, and persuasion as deliberate communication through a credible source and a clear message; a toilet built is not a toilet used.
Cover
- A flowchart traces the change: awareness, a new social norm, public commitment, daily habit, lasting ODF.
- Behaviour first: the Economic Survey 2018-19 on the mission as the first to stress behaviour change as much as construction.
- Social norms and role models: people stop open defecation when neighbours stop; sarpanches, teachers and schoolchildren carry the norm.
- Credible messengers: the Darwaza Band campaign (2017) aimed at men with unused toilets, with women urged to lead.
- Framing with dignity, not shaming; results: rural sanitation coverage from 39% in 2014 to 100% in 2019, kept only with water, maintenance and waste services.
Close with · SDG target 6.2: ending open defecation by 2030, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations, which such persuasion serves.
Add value (verified)
- The Economic Survey 2018-19: Swachh Bharat Mission was the first sanitation programme to emphasise behaviour change as much as toilet construction.Economic Survey 2018-19, Vol. 1, Ch. 2: Policy for Homo Sapiens, Not Homo Economicus (Ministry of Finance, archived copy) ↗“It is not the first programme to address sanitation concerns. However, there were no dramatic shifts in the access rates until SBM as is shown in Figure 3. SBM is the first one to emphasize behaviour change as much as, if not more than, construction of toilets.”
- The Economic Survey 2018-19 cites the power of social norms: people are more likely to stop open defecation if their neighbours stop.Economic Survey 2018-19, Vol. 1, Ch. 2: Policy for Homo Sapiens, Not Homo Economicus (Ministry of Finance, archived copy) ↗“People are more likely to stop defecating in the open if their neighbours stop or are more likely to value their girl children if that is touted as the social norm.”
- PIB (Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, 29 May 2017): the Amitabh Bachchan-led 'Darwaza Band' campaign, launched on 30 May 2017, was designed to change the behaviour of men who have toilets but do not use them; Anushka Sharma encourages women to take a leadership role in their villages.Swachh Bharat Mission to go all out for 'Darwaza Band' — PIB, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, 29 May 2017 ↗“It is designed to encourage behaviour change in men who have toilets but are not using them. The campaign also features actor, Ms Anushka Sharma, who will be seen encouraging women to stand up for this issue in their villages and assume a leadership role.”
- SBM (Grameen) was launched on 2 October 2014; rural sanitation coverage rose from 39% in 2014 to 100% in 2019 (PIB, Ministry of Jal Shakti, 24 March 2025).Objectives achieved under Swachh Bharat Mission — PIB, Ministry of Jal Shakti, 24 March 2025 ↗“Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] was launched on 2nd October, 2014 with the aim to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in rural areas by 2nd October, 2019 by providing access to toilets to all rural households. Under SBM(G), sanitation coverage was increased from 39% in 2014 to 100% in 2019”
- SDG target 6.2: by 2030, achieve adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.Goal 6: Targets and indicators — United Nations, Sustainable Development (sdgs.un.org) ↗“Target 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2016, GS Paper IV — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 230words · Minimalist IAS
Social influence is the change in attitudes or behaviour that others bring about; persuasion is deliberate communication that changes attitudes through a credible source and a clear message. Swachh Bharat needs both, for a toilet built is not a toilet used.
- Awareness
- New social norm
- Public commitment
- Daily habit
- Lasting ODF
- Behaviour first: the Economic Survey 2018-19 (since then) notes the mission was the first to emphasise behaviour change as much as toilet construction.
- Social norms: people are more likely to stop defecating in the open if their neighbours stop; village-wide ODF declarations make the new norm visible.
- Role models and peers: sarpanches and teachers who use toilets, and children who carry the message home, break the link between sanitation and low status.
- Credible messengers: the 'Darwaza Band' campaign (since then, in 2017), led by Amitabh Bachchan, targeted men who had toilets but did not use them, while Anushka Sharma urged women to lead in their villages.
- Framing with dignity: appeals to health, women's safety and village pride persuade; shaming and coercion breach dignity and breed resentment.
- Lasting results: rural sanitation coverage rose from 39% in 2014 to 100% (since then, by 2019); the habit holds only if water, maintenance and waste services follow.
Such persuasion serves SDG target 6.2: ending open defecation by 2030, 'paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations'.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
