Answer:
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How to approach the question
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Introduction
Accountability refers to the responsibility of individuals, organisations, or systems to answer for their actions, decisions, and policies. It involves being answerable and transparent in one’s conduct and being willing to accept the consequences of one’s actions, whether they are positive or negative.
Accountability Vs Responsibility:
| Aspect | Accountability | Responsibility |
| Definition | Being answerable for one’s actions, decisions, and results. | The obligation to perform assigned tasks and duties. |
| Focus | Outcome-oriented: Concerned with the end result. | Task-oriented: Concerned with completing specific tasks. Example Harsh Mander, a former Indian Administrative Service officer, left his bureaucratic career to dedicate himself to social activism. |
| Scope | Broader in scope, covering overall performance and results. | Narrower in scope, focusing on specific tasks or duties. |
| Ownership | Involves taking ownership of both successes and failures. | Involves taking ownership of assigned tasks or duties. |
| Delegation | Cannot be delegated or transferred completely. | Can be delegated or assigned to others. |
| Answerability | Accountable individuals answer for the final outcomes and decisions made. | Responsible individuals answer for completing their assigned tasks or duties. |
| Consequences | Consequences of accountability may include praise, recognition, or disciplinary action. | Consequences of responsibility may include praise, recognition, or corrective feedback. |
| Hierarchy | Accountability may apply to individuals, teams, or organisations. | Responsibility can be assigned at individual, team, or departmental levels. |
Anonymity Vs Neutrality:
| Aspect | Anonymity | Neutrality |
| Definition | The state of being unknown or unidentified. | The state of being impartial and unbiased. |
| Identity | Conceals or keeps the identity of individuals hidden. E.g., Mundhra deal scam (1957) |
Does not pertain to concealing identity, but rather to maintaining impartiality.
E.g., The Central Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1964 and the All-India Services Conduct Rules 1968 provide for neutrality. |
| Context | Often applied to situations involving personal information or opinions. | Primarily applied to situations requiring impartiality and lack of bias. |
| Purpose | Protects privacy, promotes free expression, or avoids bias based on personal identity. | Ensures fair treatment, unbiased judgement, and equal representation. |
| Focus | Concerned with individual privacy or protection from potential consequences. | Concerned with maintaining fairness and objectivity in decision-making. |
Conclusion:
It’s important to note that accountability and responsibility are often interconnected, and individuals or organisations may have varying interpretations of these terms. Similarly, neutrality and anonymity have their own significance when it comes to serving ones’ responsibility with proper accountability.
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January 12, 2024
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