24-11-2025 Mains Question Answer
Explain the significance of the World Governance Indicators in assessing the quality of governance across countries.
The World Governance Indicators (WGI), developed by the World Bank since 1996, provide a comprehensive dataset covering over 200 countries. They measure governance through six dimensions: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption. These indicators are widely used to evaluate governance performance globally.
Body:
Significance of World Governance Indicators:
| Significance | Explanation | Example |
| Helps in Comparative Assessment |
| India’s improvement in Government Effectiveness ranking can be compared with ASEAN economies to gauge policy progress. |
| Evidence Based Policy Formulation |
| Low Control of Corruption scores can drive targeted anti-corruption laws and institutions. |
| International Investment and Aid Decisions |
| Scandinavian nations with high WGI rankings are seen as safe investment destinations. |
| Strengthening Accountability |
| Civil society campaigns using governance indicators to push for the Right to Information Act and Whistle Blowers Protection Act. |
| Tracking Governance Reforms over time. |
| Post-2014 reforms in India’s Ease of Doing Business and regulatory frameworks reflected in improved Regulatory Quality scores |
| Global Governance Discourse |
| WGI findings cited in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index to assess governance–linked goals like justice and strong institutions. |
Conclusion:
The WGI serves as a vital tool for assessing governance quality, enabling data-driven reforms, and promoting accountability. While its composite nature makes it valuable for global comparison, countries must interpret it contextually, complementing it with local realities. Ultimately, WGI’s significance lies in guiding both domestic reform agendas and international development strategies towards transparent, effective, and inclusive governance.