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Ethics

Discussion on Concepts

Discussion on concepts : Q 1.
Introduction
Functionality
RTI & Civil Servants
Does RTI Act actually encumbers Civil Servants

The RTI Act, 2005

An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime

of right to information for citizens to secure access to

information under the control of public authorities in
order to promote transparency and accountability in
the working of every public authority, the constitution
of a Central Information Commission and State
Information Commissions and for matters connected
therewith or incidental thereto.

 SMART Government lays down SMART goals

/ SMART Government Officials strive to achieve

SMART goals
SMART Governance machinery: Simple, Moral,

Accountable, Responsive & Transparent

SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable,

Realistic & Time bound

 Right to Information Act 2005 mandates timely response to

citizen requests for government information.

It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and
Training [Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions] to provide a RTI Portal Gateway to the citizens
for quick search of information on the details of first
Appellate Authorities,PIOs etc. amongst others, besides
access to RTI related information / disclosures published
on the web by various Public Authorities under the
government of India as well as the State Governments.

 The Constitution of India has established India as a

democratic Republic;

And whereas democracy requires an informed citizenry

and transparency of information which are vital to its

functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold
Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to
the governed;

And whereas revelation of information in actual practice is

likely to conflict with other public interests including

efficient operations of the Governments, optimum use of
limited fiscal resources and the preservation of
confidentiality of sensitive information;

 It is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests

while preserving the supremacy of the democratic

ideal;
Now, therefore, it is expedient to provide for

furnishing certain information to citizens who

desire to have it.

 Information" means any material in any form, including

records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices,

press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts,
reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any
electronic form and information relating to any private
body which can be accessed by a public authority under any
other law for the time being in force;
This law was passed by Parliament on 15 June 2005 and
came fully into force on 12 October 2005, which was
Vijayadashmi. The first application was given to a Pune
police station.

 If we understand the true meaning and role of a Civil

servant, then we can conclusively say that it does NOT

encumber a civil servant. After all, a civil servant is
expected to discharge the role of a facilitator of citizen
empowerment and information is indeed a great tool
of empowering the masses. This concept has to be
clearly spelt out while briefing the future civil servants
as well as the existing officials so that they do not see
the RTI applications as a burden, but instead as a tool
to disseminate the information.

 Traditionally, the information held by the Govt

departments has been maintained in a very restrictive

manner that has led to a number of problems for the
citizens in the form of unnecessary delays, avoidable
problems, harassment, avenues for corruption,
malpractices etc.
The information dissemination by means of RTI is
indeed a powerful tool as the citizens can seek the
information which they feel is of relevance to them
and which has been projected as a hindrance for them.

 However, the fact that at times the information sought

may be tedious to collate and furnish, yet it should be

seen as a part of the complex nature of duties that a
Civil servant is expected to perform. The job of a civil
servant is indeed a challenging one and with the
advent/popularisation of tools like the RTI, the
challenges have increased manifold. And, it is here
that the true mettle of a Civil servant comes to fore.

A
Thoughts > Words> Behaviour> Habit> Value>

Destiny
And the common thread is POSITIVITY.
There are 6 levels in the above awesome wisdom that
Gandhiji has shared with us. He is drawing our
attention upon 6 words:
THOUGHTS, WORDS, BEHAVIOR, HABITS,
VALUES, DESTINY. Gandhi used the word positive
in relation with the first 5 words.

 Infact, when you focus to keep your THOUGHTS,

WORDS, BEHAVIOR positive then you do not have to

work on keeping your HABITS, VALUES and DESTINY
also positive. Your thoughts, words and behavior are
the cause (the source) while your habits, values and
destiny are only consequences.

 In the present times, the statement holds all the more

relevance because of the presence of a large number of

stressors in the environment, various kinds of
inducements that threaten to take us away from our
core values and the popularity of unhealthy habits as
well which if not checked can prove to be very costly
and ultimately may force one to adopt unfair practices
to garner illegal money.

 So, focussing on Positives is the real mantra for long term

and consistent happiness. For example:

Not focussing on negatives
Not complaining
Celebrating small triumphs
Looking for the good in people
Being generous with compliments
Consciously feeling grateful
Savouring joys
Forgiving people
Downplaying lifes little irritations.

Like the GIGO concept of computing, whatever we input

will get translated into output. So, if the input from our
end is Positivity of the inputs, the output i.e. our destiny is
expected to be positive as well.
Its seems so simple, but it is much more difficult to accept.
How we think about ourselves, our life, and circumstances
can drastically alter our levels of happiness and stress.
Our attitude can even contribute to or detract from our
achievements. A positive attitude, outlook, and overall
sense of optimism are building blocks for success.

Ans 3
The Oxford dictionary defines Ethics

as Moral principles that govern a

persons behaviour or the conducting of an activity:
Now ethics are the guiding spirit of our actions with
the aim of keeping the actions in tune with the overall
morals that govern the society.

 Going by the terms associated in this case,

Professional ethics refers to the ethics that a person

must adhere to in respect of their interactions and

business dealings in their professional life.
Professional ethics encompass the personal,
organizational and corporate standards of behaviour
expected of professionals.

 Professionals, and those working in acknowledged

professions, exercise specialist knowledge and skill. How

the use of this knowledge should be governed when
providing a service to the public can be considered a moral
issue and is termed professional ethics.
Professionals are capable of making judgements, applying
their skills and reaching informed decisions in situations
that the general public cannot, because they have not
received the relevant training. One of the earliest examples
of professional ethics is the Hippocratic oath to which
medical doctors still adhere to this day.

 Now what is the relevance of ethics at the Professional

front first of all... If there are no ethics at the workplace,

then what can we expect professionals or employees to
do..perhaps there will be a free run and a total disregard for
human values and others money or efforts.
So the ethics at the professional front help us to:

* provides explicit guidance to managers and employees so

they know what is expected of them in terms of ethical
behaviour
* provides new employees with ethical guidance and a
sense of common identity

 * enhances the organisation's reputation and inspires

public confidence
* signals to suppliers and customers the organisation's
expectation of proper conduct
* promotes a culture of excellence by demonstrating
the commitment of the organisation to ethical
behaviour.

 Ethics is a word that can be used loosely, so its

important to understand the meaning of this question

by first discussing what is meant by personal ethics.
Ethics, which is the practice of becoming excellent at

being human according to Socrates, is always

conducted with respect to something.

 Personal ethics is probably more general, and is simply

practicing becoming an excellent human being with

respect to people and situations in everyday life (our
family, our friends, our community). Professional
ethics is probably more specific, and is practicing
becoming an excellent human being with respect
people and situations in work life (co-workers,
customers, suppliers, the company).

A classic example to illustrate the

concept.
The basic underlying ethical values and commitments

remain the same, but how they are enacted may

differ. For example, honesty is a virtue which is vital in
both personal and professional settings. However, the
amount and type of information which I disclose to my
spouse is much different than the amount and type of
information which I disclose to my boss, my customer,
or my competitor.

 Further, the way in which I do so differs. For example,

accurate financial disclosure is a type of honesty.

Financial disclosure within my household might mean
that budgeting software is up to date and used
regularly, but financial disclosure within my company
might mean I need to comply with accounting
principles and laws. I can use whatever accounting
system I like in my household, as long as the bills get
paid. I cannot, however, make up my own accounting
system for use in a company, because there are specific
traditions and laws to be followed in order to
demonstrate that I am truly being honest.

 Ethics in the private life too have a great validity. Now, ,

Personal ethics refers to the ethics that a person identifies

with in respect to people and situations that they deal with
in everyday life. Personal ethics determine what an
individual believes about morality and right and wrong.
This is usually distinguished from Business ethics or Legal
ethics. These branches of ethics come from outside
organizations or governments, not the individual's
conscience. These branches of ethics occasionally overlap.
Personal ethics can affect all areas of life, including family,
finances and relationships.

 A point worth focusing is that unless a person displays

Ethical behavior, he will not be considered a

trustworthy individual.
Importance of ethics is reflected in the individuals
actions as well as reactions to the various stimuli and
towards the various people surrounding him.

 For example: Honest behaviour is an ideal construct.

Now, if we meet two individuals who profess honest

behaviour but actually practice it differently, our
obvious inclination will be towards the one who
actually does practice honesty in his dealings.
In our relationships as well, we will prefer honesty as
the basic and uncompromising virtue, whether it is
with our spouse, our sibling or our friends. None
would trust a person who is dishonest in his personal
relations and does not value the efforts or the
sentiments of others who stand in close relation to the
person.

 We may take another example of Friends wherein informal

groups are formed of those individuals who behave and

think alike under similar circumstances, and at the same
time are ready to stand by each other in turbulent times. If
one of our friends has a deceiving nature, then we wont be
ready to trust him the second time.
So, what we see that while the professional ethics i.e the
ethics in our public dealings are important, at the same
time, the practicing of ethics in our private dealings is
equally important.
Since basis of any personal relationship is the degree of
trust that we lay on the relationship, therefore, Ethics must
be considered sacrosanct in personal relationships as well.

Ans. 4
Ethical behaviour can sometimes be in sharp contrast

to practical necessities, but the fact of the matter

remains that the ethical behaviour is indeed the right
approach to adopt, rather than modifying it for the
sake of practical necessity. In such situations, Practical
necessity need not be the one that apparently calls for
the exercise of ethical behavioiur, rather Ethical
behaviour should be the guiding light, irrespective of
the fact that the immediate action may be having
adverse reaction.

 For example taking a very basic common day example.

Mr A jumps the redlight due to some exigency and is

hauled up by traffic constable. Now practically he may
think of defending himself saying that he is having an
urgency or that he did not jump the light [arguments
etc]. However, in such a situation , the ethical conduct
will be to politely explain the situation to the
Enforcement official and offer to pay the penalty. Now,
it will be upto the Official to decide upon the merits of
the exigency and penalise Mr. A or not. However, on
Mr. As part, his behaviour will be in sync with the
Ethical standards that he may possess.

 Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching.

So, if one is able to stick to ones ideals and do what one

instinctively believes in, irrespective of the consequences,
only then can he be called truly Ethical or having Integrity.
To some, this may appear as impractical or illogical, but
then what Gandhiji did on his way to Dandi too appeared
illogical to many at the time of his march.
We all may have different examples to illustrate this very
point, but the common spirit is that the practical
necessities that we have benchmarked our lives with, may
indeed be the most easy thing to do, but not the right thing
always.

 Coming to the point of view of a Civil servant, he may often have

to take decisions that may be offensive to some, and sometimes,

to his own belief set, but he still may have to take them to
conform to his professional commitments and ethical conduct.
Citing Practical reasons, a Civil servant may be asked to

perform certain tasks that may not be in the right spirit after all.
It is here that the Right-Wrong divide comes to fore, and the
Official has to take the decision by weighing the Ethical
compulsions as well.
This will make his decisions not only, well, practical, but also
more suitable to his own conscience and offer him that extra
cushion in case something goes wrong.

Ans 5
The United Nations recognizes the family as the basic unit

of society. Families have been transformed to a great degree

over the past 50 years as a result of changes in their
structure (smaller-sized households, delayed marriages,
increased divorce rates etc.), global trends in migration, the
phenomenon of demographic ageing, the HIV/AIDS
pandemic and the impacts of globalization.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of

society and is entitled to protection by society and the

State-- Article 16 (3) of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights

 The impact of family on ones profession and vice versa

is substantial and long lasting. The family conditions,

relationship dynamics etc have a great bearing on the
way one handles ones profession.
If the family is supportive, an individual may indeed
be motivated to take on newer challenges in profession
with enthusiasm and conviction. Likewise, if the
family conditions restrict an employees horizon, it will
be obviously having a direct impact on profession.

 Civil servants are expected to discharge their duties

and perform, irrespective of their personal preferences

for particular place of stay.
Now, employees might be constrained to avoid
transfers due to numerous reasons including, but not
limited to, Childrens education, Social dynamics,
Comfort zone demarcation, perception of better
avenues in terms of professional development etc.

 So obviously the interests of the family too are

intertwined in the aspects relating to transfer of the

employee from one place to another.
A practical point here is that the question asks that
what will be the impact of your familys reactions on
your career? Now whether it is positive reaction or
negative reaction from the familys side, it is left to the
individual concerned and to the degree of weightage
an individual attaches to such inputs that affect the
corresponding reaction of the individual.

 Now whether an employee will be feeling bitter at the

end of the day, and whether he should be feeling

bitter due to this aspect of Civil services, is again a
question of practical experiences vis a vis the Ethical
standards.
Ideally, Civil servants should not consider the transfers
as Punishments provided they are in the normal
course of their duties and are not effected by any
malafide interest.

 The right way to handle transfers, as many senior and

successful Civil servants do , is to consider them as

another opportunity to explore the nation and serve
another subset of populace with its own unique
challenges as well as Opportunities.

 Now coming to the last part that if a senior politician

assures you of the posting of your choice provided you

take good care of the people of his constituency, what
will be your course of action, the expected line of
action is neither too hard to guess, nor too tough to
actually follow.
As a Civil servant, I am anyway expected to take good
care of the people whom I am appointed to serve, and
whether they belong to the constituency of a particular
Politician or not is immaterial.

 The promise of the politician to return favour is also

unethical because as a Civil servant it will be my basic

duty to take care of the members of public without any
fear or favour.
So, I wont require the lure of any promise or any fear

from anyone to do what I am expected to do. I shall

walk the talk and perform to the best of my capacity to
serve all.

Ans. 6
Introduction about the Sevottam model
Public service excellence and the Sevottam model
Impact of singular initiatives and how the snowball

effect.

 Introduction about the basics of the topic

WHAT IS SEVOTTAM?
SEVOTTAM is a Service Delivery Excellence Model

which provides an assessment improvement

framework to bring about excellence in public service
delivery. It is a programme for further improvement in
system to deliver excellence in service delivery.

 Sevottam literally is the combination of Hindi words

SEWA + UTTAM, meaning uttam sewa i.e. excellence

in services
It has basically three modules - Citizen Charter, Public
Grievance Redress Mechanism and Service Delivery
Capability. The framework helps Government
Departments towards improving their public service
delivery.

 The model works as an evaluation mechanism to

assess the quality of internal processes and their

impact on the quality of service delivery. The
SEVOTTAM model seeks to assess an organization
on (i) implementation of the Citizens Charter, (ii)
implementation of grievances redress system and (iii)
service delivery capability. This assessment is made
through three modules.

 The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public

Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public

Grievances and Pensions has taken steps to put in
place Sevottam Compliant Citizens Charter and
Grievance Redress Mechanism.
The Sevottam framework was designed by DARPG in
2006 as an assessment improvement framework for
public service delivery.

 The Second Administrative Reforms Commission

(ARC) in its 12th Report Citizen Centric

Administration The Heart of Governance has
recommended that Union and State Governments
should make the Seven Step Model mandatory for all
organizations having public interface which was
accepted by the Government of India. The ARC had
made the recommendations after studying
the Sevottam model which the Commission felt was a
step in the right direction.

 The first component of the model requires effective

Charter implementation thereby opening up a channel

for receiving citizens inputs into the way in which
organizations determine service delivery
requirements. Citizens Charters publicly declare the
information on citizens entitlements thereby making
citizens better informed and hence empowering them
to demand better services.
The second component of the model Public Grievance
Redress requires a good grievance redress system
operating in a manner that leaves the citizen more
satisfied with how the organization responds to
complaints/grievances, irrespective of the final
decision.

 The third component Excellence in Service Delivery

postulates that an organization can have an excellent

performance in service delivery only if it is efficiently
managing well the key ingredients for good service
delivery and building its own capacity to continuously
improve service delivery.

 Sevottam targets assessees stated as well as implied

needs
Sevottam gives framework to understand and address
assessees stated needs as well as implied needs.
Sevottam targets stated needs like
Timeliness: time norms for specific services are

enumerated in Citizens Charter. The services and norms

are set as per active discussions with different stakeholders.
Effectiveness: a single window system for service
deliverables is targeted for delivery to cut down on
assessees shuttling from one desk to another to get
services.
Responsiveness: a robust grievance redress system is
needed to listen to assessees grievance as well as redress
them timely.

 Sevottam targets implied needs like

Courteous behaviour: norms for behaviour are

described in the Citizens Charter and pro-active

feedback on service delivery is gathered to judge this.
Information: Facilitation centres and help centres are
targeted to meet assesses needs of information.
Empathy: Public grievance officers are needed to
listen to assessees in their time of need.

 The Sevottam model has been developed with the

overarching objective of improving the quality of

public service delivery in the country. The model has
three components, and in addition to this overarching
objective, there are intermediate outcomes expected
from compliance of conditions designed for each of
these three components.

 Thus, the Sevottam model is a Quality Management

framework applicable to the activities of public service

delivery organizations at the point of interface with
service recipients. The framework is a tool in the
hands of implementing organizations. It guides them
through systematic initiatives for sustainable
improvements in service delivery.
The framework enables implementing organizations
to undertake a systematic, credible and authenticated
self-assessment (or gap analysis) for citizen-centric
service delivery. Using this analysis, practical solutions
are gradually and systematically incorporated into the
organizations day-to-day routine thereby ensuring
sustainable results.

To summarise, the Twelfth Report of the Second

Administrative Reforms Commission, February
2009 states that:

Seven Steps to Sevottam are:

Define your services and identify your clients
Set standards and norms for each service
Develop capability to meet the set standards
Perform to achieve the standards
Monitor performance against the set standards
Evaluate impact through an independent mechanism
Continuous improvement based on monitoring
and evaluation

Now, can an individual alone do something

that can make an impact
Most of the notable achievements that mankind can

remember have essentially been the result of

successful team work.
Here, however, it is worthwhile to mention that in a
team, the efforts of every individual count.
So, in essence, it is the efforts of the individual which
form the building block of the team efforts and
successful co-ordination of efforts of all individuals in
a team ultimately bring out the overall success.

 So, as an individual I shall certainly strive to do the best on

my part and at the same time, I will try to encourage others

as well to contribute their best towards the common goal
which in case of Civil servants is Public welfare.
Government of India is encouraging Transparency,
Responsiveness and Accountability through tools like the
Sevottam model and I shall contribute effectively to make
it a success by encouraging my team members as well to try
and act as a facilitator rather than restricting their role as
Regulators and acting in a high handed manner .

Ans 7
Firstly, what does Probity actually stand for, apart from

its literal meaning

Next come the requisites to ensure Probity in
Governance

 The Oxford Dictionary defines probity as the quality

or condition of having strong moral principles;

integrity, good character, honesty, decency. It is the
act of adhering to the highest principles and ideals
rather than avoiding corrupt or dishonest conduct. It
balances service to the community against the selfinterest of individuals.

 Probity in governance is an essential and vital

requirement for an efficient and effective system of

governance and for socio-economic development.
An important requisite for ensuring probity in
governance is absence of corruption. The other
requirements are effective laws, rules and regulations
governing every aspect of public life and, more
important, an effective and fair implementation of
those laws.

So why is Probity important..

Government organisations are accountable and subject

to audit and scrutiny.

The Standards of acceptable conduct cannot be
compromised. Organisations need to be able to assure
the legislature as well as the public at large that they
are indeed performing to the best of the capacity.
Good governance includes the avoidance of conflicts
of interest and corrupt practices

 The famous economist, Late Mehbub-Ul-Haq succinctly and

poignantly set out the ill-effects of corruption in a South Asian country

like ours. He said:

Corruption happens everywhere. It has been at the center of election

campaigns in Italy and the United Kingdom, led to the fall of

governments in Japan and Indonesia, and resulted in legislative action
in Russia and the United States. But, if corruption exists in rich,
economically successful countries, why should South Asia be worried
about it? The answer is simple: South Asian corruption has four key
characteristics that make it far more damaging than corruption in any
other parts of the world.

First, corruption in South Asia occurs up-stream, not down-

stream. Corruption at the top distorts fundamental decisions about

development priorities, policies, and projects. In industrial countries,
these core decisions are taken through transparent competition and on
merit, even though petty corruption may occur down-stream.

 Second, corruption money in South Asia has wings, not wheels. Most

of the corrupt gains made in the region are immediately smuggled out
to safe havens abroad. Whereas there is some capital flight in other
countries as well, a greater proportion goes into investment. In other
words, it is more likely that corruption money in the North Asia is used
to finance business than to fill foreign accounts.

Third, corruption in South Asia often leads to promotion, not

prison. The big fish unless they belong to the opposition rarely fry.
In contrast, industrialised countries often have a process of
accountability where even top leaders are investigated and
prosecuted. For instance, former Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi
was forced to live in exile in Tunisia to escape extradition on corruption
charges in Rome. The most frustrating aspect of corruption in South
Asia is that the corrupt are often too powerful to go through such an
honest process of accountability.

 Fourth, corruption in South Asia occurs with 515 million people

in poverty, not with per capita incomes above twenty thousand

dollars. While corruption in rich rapidly growing countries may
be tolerable, though reprehensible, in poverty stricken South
Asia, it is political dynamite when the majority of the population
cannot, but to massive human deprivation and even more
extreme income meet their basic needs while a few make
fortunes through corruption.
Thus corruption in South Asia does not lead to simply Cabinet

portfolio shifts or newspaper headlines inequalities. Combating

corruption in the region is not just about punishing corrupt
politicians and bureaucrats but about saving human lives. There
are two dimensions of corruption. One is the exploitative
corruption where the public servant exploits the helpless poor
citizen.

Measures required to be taken for

ensuring probity in governance
As per the Consultation paper on Probity in Governance by the

National Commission to review the Working of the

Constitution, for ensuring probity in governance, several
measures are necessary, some of which are:

A.

Need for enforcing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act,

1988
: the Central Government should enact a comprehensive law
on public servants. Such a measure would act as a salutary
check-a deterrent - upon corrupt public servants and would
certainly be a measure to ensure probity in governance. A law
for forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants otherwise
then through the route of conviction is absolutely essential. In
other words, wherever a public servant is found to have
screened the illegally acquired assets, action should be taken
under this Act and the Rules framed thereunder, and those
assets acquired by State without any compensation.

B. Remedy for Misfeasance {an act that is legal but

performed improperly } in Public Office

The principle on which liability can be placed on
public servants must be clear and must also be a fair
principle consistent with need to act fearlessly. It is
necessary that the principle must promote good
governance.

 C. Necessity for a law providing for confiscation of illegally

acquired assets of public servants

D. Enactment of a Public Interest Disclosure Act

One of the measures adopted in several western countries to fight

corruption and mal-administration is enactment of Public Interest

Disclosure Acts, which are popularly called Whistle-blower Acts.

The object of such enactments is to improve accountability in

government and public sector organizations by encouraging people not

to turn a blind eye to mal-practice taking place in their organizations
and to report the same to the specified authority.

The Act provides for protection of Whistle-blowers from dismissal

and victimization by making appropriate provisions in that behalf.

 The Act is really aimed at improving accountability within

the government and public sector by allowing the

employees to inform the appropriate authorities of
organizational or individual wrong-doing either in a
confidential manner or by a public report.

The Act should provide that the authority receiving such

information should be an independent person and not be a

part of the concerned government or public sector
organization. If any information is received by him
confidentially containing some allegations, he must
investigate the same without publicly humiliating the
suspect or the Whistle-blower.

 E. Necessity for enacting a Lok Pal Bill in addition to

the Central Vigilance Commission Act

F. Strengthening of the Criminal Judicial System

Principles of Probity
There are several generally accepted probity principles that
serve to maintain the integrity of a process.
These are:
Accountability: is the obligation to be able to explain or
account for the way duties have been performed.
Government should have appropriate mechanisms in place
to show that they are accountable for their practices and
decisions.
Transparency: It is important that the process is

transparent to the maximum extent possible so that all

stakeholders can have confidence in the outcomes.
Transparent, open processes also minimise the opportunity
for, and the risk of, fraud and corruption.

 Confidentiality: As a condition of employment, all

public servants are under a general obligation of

confidentiality to their employer. All Government
advisors, members and any other third party that is
privy to commercially sensitive information must
provide a formal undertaking to Government that they
will keep this information confidential.

 Management of Conflicts of Interest: A conflict of

interest arises where an individual associated with the

process is, through their particular associations or
circumstances, influenced, or perceived to be
influenced, to obtain an unfair advantage for him or
herself or another party. Conflicts of interest are often
unavoidable. However, provided they are identified
early and dealt with effectively, they need not
prejudice the process. Policies to deal with potential
conflicts of interest should be established at the
outset, rather than attempting to manage such issues
on an ad-hoc basis as they arise.

 Information Sharing And Transparency

The ability to seek, receive and impart information is

crucial for respect of human rights. One way of looking at

Democratisation of Information is the ability of every
person to get the information they need to make their lives
better as it helps them in effective decision-making.
Another dimension to this is building an informationdriven society which has access to all services and facilities
with minimum bureaucratic and procedural formalities.
An information-driven society leads to transparency and
accountability. This provides impetus to programmes
aimed at improving the processes and systems of public
bodies thereby improving service delivery.

 The Supreme Court had given certain directions in the case

of Vineet Narain vs. Union of India (AIR 1998 SC 889) for

conferring statutory status upon the Central Vigilance
Commission and to insulate the Central Bureau of
Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate from
political control and pressures.
In the said decision, the Supreme Court referred with

approval the recommendations of Lord Nolan Committee

on Standards in Public Life in the United Kingdom. The
following principles of public life, of general application,
were commended by the court:

The Seven Principles of Public Life:

Selflessness:

Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of

the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or

other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

Integrity:

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any

financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations

that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity:

In carrying out public business, including making public

appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for

rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on
merit.

 Accountability:
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to
the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to
their office.

Openness:
Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions
and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and
restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty:
Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating
to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way
that protects the public interest.

Leadership:
Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by
leadership and example

Probity & Good Governance

Thus, a well-functioning civil service helps to foster good

policy making, effective service delivery, accountability and

responsibility in utilizing public resources which are the
characteristics of good governance.
Governance reform tends to refer to the improvement of
legal and policy frameworks to create proper decision
making environment; participatory systems for elements of
civil society to become actively involved in policy and
programme formulation and their implementation; and an
effective and transparent system and process for control
and accountability in government activities.
The challenge lies in finding and linkages among the
governance, civil service and civil society components,
determining which require priority attention.

Ans. 8 Dedication to Public service

vs Personal Goals
Public service calls for a great degree of commitment

and zeal from the Civil servants in terms of time,

resources, passion and degree of involvement.
A Civil servant may have to slog continuously for long

hours, running into several days at a stretch on certain

occasions and has to be on his toes as a matter of rule,
rather than exception.

 Dedication to Public service may involve putting in

more productive hours, Proactive learning, Assisting

the other officials in their work areas etc.
All this indeed requires tremendous efforts and time
on part of the Public Servant concerned. So, the trick
here is to not let the Personal goals take a backseat,
since that would mean faster burn-out, increasingly
reduced interest in professional commitments,
lopsided personality development etc.

 While Goal-setting is an essential part of a successful

Career, setting professional goals may be exciting for a

considerable period of time, but after that it may lose
its sheen if the goals remain just Professional goals.
This is why it s so essential to consider personal goals

along with your professional goals. It is the personal

goals that give lasting passion and drive to professional
achievement.

 We need goals for advancement in our personal lives as

much as we need them in our professional lives.

When personal goals and professional goals are well-

integrated, each one helps in achieving the other. Your

personal life fuels your professional life, and vice versa.
There is more momentum in both areas, and the
individual is able to accomplish more with greater
success.

 So, the key is to set our personal goals in terms of

tangible definition like Success, Long term happiness,

Stable income, Upgradation of professional skills,
Higher education, Sound Health, Family members
progress etc.
Now, all these can effectively be achieved while

remaining dedicated to the Civil services and by

having a sound balance.

 Dedication to Civil service thus does not mean putting the

personal goals on the backburner.

Rather, it may infact act as a catalyst to achieve them more
fruitfully. Be it better compensation, happiness or ones
skill upgradation zeal, the approach of contributing
dedicatedly to the Civil services will take along all these
and many more personal goals as well.
Working hard for public welfare as a Civil servant will not
only ensure professional welfare and job satisfaction, but at
the same time, overall contentment of delivering effectively
and open up avenues for personal progress of self and
family as well. The family members too shall be exposed to
newer avenues, better growth opportunities, learn the
importance of hard work and excellence in whatever one
takes up.

 For Case studies, classroom discussion points on

related topics may be referred.