Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumQualitative Cause-and-Effect Problem Solving

In a rural district, the local administration recently introduced a mandatory biometric authentication system at all subsidized ration shops to eliminate corruption and ghost beneficiaries. After three months, field surveys indicate a severe rise in food insecurity among marginalized households. Investigations reveal the primary cause is the widespread denial of rations due to frequent biometric mismatches (caused by worn fingerprints from manual labor) and persistent internet connectivity outages at the shop level. Based on principles of administrative problem-solving, which of the following is the most proportionate and effective intervention to resolve this crisis?

  1. Implement a formal exception protocol allowing verification through alternative government IDs and offline registers, subject to strict periodic audits.Answer
  2. B
    Immediately dismantle the biometric authentication system across the entire district and permanently revert to the previous manual paper ledger system.
  3. C
    Issue a directive demanding that all affected beneficiaries travel to the district headquarters to re-register their fingerprints within 48 hours or face cancellation of their rations.
  4. D
    Instruct ration shop dealers verbally to bypass the authentication system and distribute grains to anyone they personally recognize, without maintaining formal records, until internet connectivity improves.

Answer

The correct intervention is to implement a formal exception protocol allowing verification through alternative government IDs and offline registers, subject to strict periodic audits.
The correct intervention is proportional and addresses the specific qualitative causes of the crisis (worn fingerprints and network issues) without destroying the systemic goal. By authorizing alternative IDs and offline registers, it ensures immediate food security. By mandating strict periodic audits, it prevents the return of the corruption the biometric system was designed to stop.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary causes of the problem.
The crisis is caused by two distinct issues: biometric mismatches due to worn fingerprints, and network outages.
Understanding the exact mechanism of failure prevents deploying solutions that only address symptoms.
2
Evaluate the administrative goals.
The administration must balance two critical goals: ensuring food security for genuine beneficiaries and preventing corruption/leakage.
A valid solution must satisfy both qualitative criteria without entirely compromising one for the other.
3
Assess the proposed interventions against proportionality and efficacy.
Creating an audited offline exception protocol is the only option that restores food access immediately while maintaining institutional accountability.
Extreme rollbacks, punitive deadlines, or informal workarounds either fail the beneficiaries or destroy administrative integrity.

Key Concept

Administrative Proportionality and Root Cause Mitigation
Rate this question

Topics

Qualitative Cause-and-Effect Problem Solving

More questions from this topic