Why evidence, not ideology, should be the cornerstone of governance policy
A democratic government’s reformist attitude and openness to dynamic methods of governance pave the way for efficient policy formation and their successful implementation. Since governance is a public endeavour and the needs of the public evolve constantly, ideal governance continually aims for "what works" in a real-time scenario.
In India, there is a pressing need to identify a comprehensive policy approach that suggests enterprise, creativity, inclusiveness and optimisation of resources. Such an all-encompassing approach, however, needs a pragmatic ideology backed by scientifically robust methodology so that the planned outcomes do not stray from their objectives.
Worldwide experience suggests that planned, controlled, and realistic development is achieved when the policy model follows a robust scientific method of planning, implementing and monitoring, preferably in a “cause and effect” setting. Evidence-based policy, therefore, appears as the most appropriate method for Indian governance.
It follows scientific principles and connects the policies as "causes" directly to the resultant public outcomes as "effects". The information used in this method varies, tailored to what best suits each issue, from localised surveys, to systematic, robust and extensive evidence.
This unique method allows researchers to collate the best available evidence on a policy question while focusing on the effectiveness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of public interventions. It is more flexible and so more accurate than a one-size-fits-all approach. The way to practice evidence-based policy is to use resources that continually search, appraise, and summarise the scientific literature and give a useful, practical, actionable recommendation based on trustworthy evidence.
evidence-based policy has emerged from evidence-based medicine, which focuses on the refinement and effectiveness of medical practices. This is why; evidence-based methods are widely used in health-related decision making to ensure the precise role of life-saving interventions. The method has, however, proven effective when applied to all walks of public life, such as agriculture, rural development, social care, environment, and sustainability.
The central idea of all these areas is that a policy decision isn’t made on ideology alone. A policy is not made through intuition, general understanding or abstract theories, but based on the evidence of success. Ideology decides the aims, but the practical enactment is dictated by scientific understanding. In areas where direct prior examples are scant, the evidence can be imported from other global examples or policy areas.
However, a better long-term solution would be for the government to invest in developing reliable evidence through commissioning randomised controlled trials. Randomised controlled trials are considered the gold-standard source of primary evidence for systematic reviews, and can identify causal relations, which is extremely helpful in localised decision making.
Evidence-based policy involves political judgement, professional expertise, and scientific evidence as the driving forces for policy. In the process, the political leader or the chief policy maker enjoys precise control and continuous feedback. This system of ongoing monitoring helps politicians to know where exactly they are in implementation and what modifications are required.
evidence-based policy also helps to assess beforehand the likely effectiveness of the policy. This helps to save scarce resources. These features of evidence-based policy give leadership an upper hand in an increasingly uncertain world, where a variable mix of socio-economic and political factors make the decision making and delivery unpredictable and complex.
The precision and predictability of outcomes of evidence-based policy has been proven in many developing societies where the result was extremely unpredictable and complex. One such example is in Mexico where the flagship poverty reduction programme PROGRESA was deployed as a large social experiment. It was a direct cash transfer to the affected families, with certain conditions attached, such as regular school attendance of the children, and pregnant women attending regular health services.
The programme achieved its outcomes very successfully and was adapted by other South American countries, such as Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. These countries have more in common with India economically and culturally than Western economies and evidence-based policy was proven to be a fresh and effective approach, clearly achieving its aims.
Evidence-based policy has gained practical popularity through think-tank system in the West. The policy aims are generated by the political leadership and processed professionally at the think-tanks whether owned by the governments or private. Both access the available evidence through academic institutions. In this way, a huge repository of the scientific evidence generated at academic institutions is made relevant to policy by the think tanks, and so moves from academia to practicality.
Since India has also shown its openness to the think-tank system via Niti Ayog, we have an open opportunity to try evidence-based policy at the mass level. Evidence-based policy is less established in India, therefore the potential for change is greater and the country can make most of this method. One can claim that evidence-based methods are already used in India in bits and pieces – in certain areas such as health – but if it were to be used as a frontline, dominant method in all of national policy, it would bring great benefits for the overall development of our country.
Of the many economies across the developed world who have used evidence-based policy as a precise tool to achieve realistic, focused development, some have been so inspired that they have applied evidence-based policy not only in the national policy system but at the unit levels of government too.
This inspires the concept of an evidence-based panchayat. This is only possible if the concept of evidence-based policy takes a centre stage and then trickles down to unit levels. The benefit would be robust leadership at all levels, easily adapted to local contextual factors particularly economy, politics, sociology and geography.
In a national political scenario, new ideologies must prove their success at the international level through achieving realistic development at domestic level. Considering the latest public needs, the Union government has declared its all-inclusive developmental motto, “sabka saath sabka vikaas” which implies an umbrella approach of holistic development.
This motto could be best served by evidence-based policy which is a fresh but internationally effective programme that represents reformist and creative approaches while effectively helping to save lives, reduce poverty and improve development. The government must deploy evidence-based policy to change the direction of common policy discourse away from empty rhetoric and inadequate measures and towards the importance and utility of evidence for enacting lasting positive change.