📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. e-Governance: Meaning, Models and SMART
e-Governance = delivering government services, information and processes to citizens, businesses and departments through information and communication technology (ICT), so that governance is faster, more transparent, cheaper and accountable.
| Model | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| G2C | Government → citizen | Passport Seva, online income-tax return, DigiLocker |
| G2B | Government → business | Government procurement on GeM, GST portal |
| G2G | Government → government | e-Office, fund tracking through PFMS |
| G2E | Government → employee | Online pay slips, iGOT training |
- SMART governance — Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Transparent; from the 11th report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC), “Promoting e-Governance: The SMART Way Forward”.
- Early state projects: Bhoomi (Karnataka — computerised land records), Gyandoot (Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, 2000 — rural kiosks), FRIENDS (Kerala — bill payment), e-Seva (Andhra Pradesh).
- The National Informatics Centre (NIC, 1976) provides ICT infrastructure, websites and services such as e-Office to the government; nodal ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
📌 2. NeGP, e-Kranti and Digital India
- National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) — approved on 18 May 2006; 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) at first, later 31. Core infrastructure: SWAN (State Wide Area Networks), State Data Centres (SDC), Common Services Centres (CSC).
- e-Kranti = NeGP 2.0 (approved on 25 March 2015), 44 MMPs; motto: “Transforming e-Governance for Transforming Governance”.
- Digital India — launched on 1 July 2015 (MeitY). Three vision areas: (1) digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen, (2) governance and services on demand, (3) digital empowerment of citizens.
- The 9 pillars of Digital India: broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity, public internet access, e-governance (reforming government through technology), e-Kranti (electronic delivery of services), information for all, electronics manufacturing, IT for jobs, early harvest programmes.
- BharatNet: optical-fibre broadband to gram panchayats; CSCs: e-service points in villages run by Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs); MeghRaj: the Government of India cloud (GI Cloud).
📌 3. Digital Public Infrastructure and Key Platforms
| Platform | What it does |
|---|---|
| Aadhaar | 12-digit unique identity (UIDAI, 2009); statutory under the Aadhaar Act 2016; the basis of e-KYC |
| DigiLocker | Cloud platform to store and issue documents; documents issued in it are valid like originals |
| UMANG | One mobile app for many central, state and local services (2017) |
| GeM | Online procurement of goods and services by government departments (9 August 2016) |
| e-NAM | Online National Agriculture Market for farm produce (14 April 2016) |
| CPGRAMS | Online redressal of public grievances (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, DARPG) |
| PRAGATI | Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation — the Prime Minister’s ICT platform for grievance redressal and project monitoring (25 March 2015) |
| MyGov | Citizen engagement platform — suggestions, discussions, contests (26 July 2014) |
| PFMS | Tracks funds of central schemes and DBT payments (Controller General of Accounts, CGA) |
| e-Courts / NJDG | Computerisation of courts; case data on the National Judicial Data Grid |
💡 Memory Tip: “GeM = Government e-Marketplace (buying); e-NAM = the farmer’s market; CPGRAMS = grievances; PRAGATI = the PM’s review.”
📌 4. Laws, Security and Challenges
- Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act): legal recognition of electronic records and digital signatures; amended in 2008.
- CERT-In (MeitY): the national nodal agency for responding to cyber-security incidents.
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act): protection of personal data; sets up the Data Protection Board of India.
- Benefits: transparency, less corruption, faster service, lower cost, services from home. Challenges: the digital divide, digital literacy, cyber security, privacy, interoperability between departments.
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- The IT Act 2000 is not the data-protection law — that is the DPDP Act 2023.
- e-Kranti is the second phase of NeGP, not another name for Digital India; it is one pillar of Digital India.
📌 5. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. A citizen files an income-tax return online. Which e-governance model is this? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
A service between the government and a citizen = G2C (Government to Citizen).
A service between the government and a citizen = G2C (Government to Citizen).
Q2. What is the main purpose of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
GeM (2016) is the online marketplace for public procurement; e-NAM is for farmers.
GeM (2016) is the online marketplace for public procurement; e-NAM is for farmers.
Q3. In SMART governance, ‘M’ stands for: Practice
Correct answer: (D)
SMART = Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Transparent (11th report of the 2nd ARC).
SMART = Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Transparent (11th report of the 2nd ARC).
Q4. In which year was the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) approved? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
NeGP was approved on 18 May 2006; e-Kranti (NeGP 2.0) followed in 2015.
NeGP was approved on 18 May 2006; e-Kranti (NeGP 2.0) followed in 2015.
Q5. e-Kranti is also known as: Practice
Correct answer: (C)
e-Kranti (2015) is the second phase of the National e-Governance Plan and also a pillar of Digital India.
e-Kranti (2015) is the second phase of the National e-Governance Plan and also a pillar of Digital India.
Q6. When was the Digital India programme launched? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Digital India was launched on 1 July 2015 under MeitY.
Digital India was launched on 1 July 2015 under MeitY.
Q7. Which of the following is NOT one of the three vision areas of Digital India? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
The three vision areas are digital infrastructure, services on demand and digital empowerment. Free smartphones are not one of them.
The three vision areas are digital infrastructure, services on demand and digital empowerment. Free smartphones are not one of them.
Q8. Karnataka’s ‘Bhoomi’ project is related to: Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Bhoomi began issuing land records (RTCs) to farmers by computer — an early e-governance success in India.
Bhoomi began issuing land records (RTCs) to farmers by computer — an early e-governance success in India.
Q9. The rural intranet kiosk project ‘Gyandoot’ began in which state? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Gyandoot began in 2000 in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
Gyandoot began in 2000 in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
Q10. What is the PRAGATI platform used for? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
PRAGATI = Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation (2015), the Prime Minister’s ICT-based review platform.
PRAGATI = Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation (2015), the Prime Minister’s ICT-based review platform.
Q11. What is DigiLocker? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Documents issued in DigiLocker (such as driving licences and marksheets) are valid like the originals.
Documents issued in DigiLocker (such as driving licences and marksheets) are valid like the originals.
Q12. What is the main feature of the UMANG app? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
UMANG (2017) offers hundreds of central, state and local services in one app.
UMANG (2017) offers hundreds of central, state and local services in one app.
Q13. Who runs Common Services Centres (CSCs)? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
CSCs are e-service points in villages; they are run by local entrepreneurs (VLEs).
CSCs are e-service points in villages; they are run by local entrepreneurs (VLEs).
Q14. The CPGRAMS portal deals with: Practice
Correct answer: (D)
CPGRAMS = Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, run by DARPG.
CPGRAMS = Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, run by DARPG.
Q15. What is the main purpose of the MyGov platform (2014)? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
On MyGov citizens give suggestions on policies and take part in discussions and contests.
On MyGov citizens give suggestions on policies and take part in discussions and contests.
Q16. e-NAM is related to: Practice
Correct answer: (C)
e-NAM (14 April 2016) links mandis so that farmers can sell online.
e-NAM (14 April 2016) links mandis so that farmers can sell online.
Q17. What is the main purpose of the Information Technology Act 2000? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
The IT Act 2000 gave a legal basis to e-commerce and e-governance; the data protection board comes from the DPDP Act 2023.
The IT Act 2000 gave a legal basis to e-commerce and e-governance; the data protection board comes from the DPDP Act 2023.
Q18. Which is India’s national nodal agency for responding to cyber-security incidents? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) works under MeitY.
CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) works under MeitY.
Q19. Which system tracks the funds of central schemes and DBT payments? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
PFMS (Public Financial Management System) is run by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
PFMS (Public Financial Management System) is run by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
Q20. Which organisation provides ICT services such as e-Office and the infrastructure for government websites? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
NIC (1976, MeitY) is the government’s main ICT service organisation.
NIC (1976, MeitY) is the government’s main ICT service organisation.