Correct Option (C)
The passage explicitly states that the emphasis has tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of civil services to the political executive, leading to a system where external accountability to society has not worked out. This imbalance between internal and external accountabilities is directly identified as a factor leading to "several adverse consequences for governance." Therefore, the inability to effectively balance these two forms of accountability is a primary cause of the deficiencies.
The passage also highlights the need for defining "The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive" to depoliticize managerial functions and improve accountability. This implies that the current framework, whether constitutional or statutory, lacks clear provisions for delineating these roles. The absence of such clear definitions contributes to the issues in governance and public administration by allowing for ambiguity and politicization, thereby hindering effective accountability.
Incorrect Options:
The passage does not mention a lack of sufficient professional training for officers of All India Services as a contributing factor to the adverse consequences for governance or public administration. The discussion focuses on structural and systemic issues related to accountability.
The passage does not identify a lack of proper service benefits in civil services as a cause of deficiencies in governance. The text is exclusively concerned with the framework of accountability, its implementation, and its impact on public administration.