> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.upscprep.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # UPSC Mains Answer Writing (GS 4 - Day 08) - URL: https://www.upscprep.com/upsc-mains-answer-writing-gs-4-day-08/ - Published: 2026-06-11T14:45:44.000Z - Updated: 2026-06-11T14:45:44.000Z - Author: UPSCprep.com - Tags: UPSC Mains Daily Answer Writing **Topic: Probity in Governance** Q 1) **What is good governance and how is transparency in government organisations important to attain it? (10 M)** **Model Structure** **Introduction** - The World Bank defines governance as “**the method through which power is exercised in the management of a country's political, economic and social resources for development**.” At the same time, good governance is **more qualified with parameters like participatory, consensus-oriented, responsive, transparent, accountable, equitable and inclusive**. **Main Body** - Of all the parameters, transparency is most important because it ensures fairness in decision-making and availability of information in the public domain. **Importance of transparency includes-** - Allows **stakeholders access to information** which is critical to their interests. - Ensures **enforcement of rules and regulations** upholding core values of public service. - Opens **channels of communication** with flawless decision-making. - It enhances **public scrutiny** thus building public trust. - Its philosophy is that people are not subjects to be governed but **citizens to be empowered**. - Few **initiatives to enhance transparency** include- **Right to Information Act, citizens charter, social audits,** e-governance initiatives like **MyGov.in, e-choupal** etc. **Conclusion** Thus transparency is a virtue of a healthy government-citizen relationship which makes the government honest and truthful to its communities. As aptly stated by Mahatma Gandhi, **“Truth never damages a cause that is just.”** --- Q 2) **There is a view that corrupt practices have been socially accepted in India. How can this 'acceptance' be shifted to 'rejection' towards corruption? (10 M)** **Model structure** **Introduction:** - Corruption is the use of public office for private gain or dishonest behaviour by those in power. It is so widespread that it has become a socio-cultural issue. **Main Body:** - **Reasons for its increasing acceptance in society:** - People’s willingness to offer bribes to the public officials as a **sign of gratitude to get work done** and cut bureaucratic delays and complexities. - **Low awareness about rules of conduct/anti-corruption laws** or lack of courage to denounce corrupt behaviour and situations conducive to corruption. - **Personal greed** that leads to an unfettered desire for money or power, with no regard whatsoever to moral boundaries. - **Lack of internalisation of universal democratic norms** allows nepotism and favouritism to thrive and breed corruption. - **Less focus on moral and value education** than on technical and job-oriented education. - **Overburdened judiciary and low conviction rate** in corruption cases have undermined the legitimacy of anti-corruption measures. In India, corruption is said to be not just tolerated but also viewed as a status symbol and people strive for it to gain respect. The stigma is against those who condemn corruption and not those who engage in it. - Changing social attitude towards corruption - **Informational Campaigns:** aimed at challenging prevalent belief systems that consider corruption as normal. - Widely **disseminating stories of its negative consequences and reinforcing positive role models** for people to follow, with technology and social media actively facilitating the process. - For example, **marathons against corruption;** organising informative sessions on anti-corruption efforts before public events like cricket matches, movies etc. - **Focus on value education:** Increasing the role of the family and educational institutions to ingrain the importance of upright and moral conduct in children during early socialisation. - **Leadership and instilling a culture of integrity:** leadership that represents high levels of integrity, honesty and transparency inspires mass behaviour against corruption. - Strong leadership and political will can ensure timely justice, which will deter people from promoting corruption. - **Reframing the cultural environment and identity:** There is a need to first identify and acknowledge parts of culture that facilitate corrupt behaviour. - The cultural values that go against corruption need to be promoted by attaching them to the collective identity in the public discourse through media campaigns. **Conclusion:** - There is a need to promote the emotional reward in individuals that comes from doing something “right” by appealing to the conscience inside each of us. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/92/07/9207d054-5e99-4b26-b8c8-424994497a07/content/images/2026/06/Mains-AW-Group.png) #### Mains Focus Group 2026 with Mentorship Comprehensive lectures to make you Mains ready in 75 Days [Know More](https://courses.upscprep.com/products/mains-focus-group-2026-with-mentorship/?ref=upscprep.com) --- Q 3) **Probity in governance is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for socio-economic development. Discuss. Also, state ways to enhance probity in governance. (10 M)** **Model structure** **Introduction:** - Probity is the quality of having strong moral principles and strictly following them. It includes principles such as - **honesty, integrity, uprightness, transparency and incorruptibility.** Probity is confirmed integrity. It is usually regarded as being incorruptible. **Main body:** - **Probity: Essential requirement for an effective and efficient governance** - **Build up the legitimacy of the system,** i.e., the state. - It builds trust in the institutions of the state and a belief that the actions of the state will be for the welfare of the beneficiaries. - **Avoidance of sub-optimal outcomes, corruption and poor perception** as it ensures an objective and independent view on the fairness of the process - **Checking the abuse and misuse of power** by various organs of government such as magistracy, police and all other providers of public service e.g. PWD, health, education, etc. - **Probity: Essential requirement for socio-economic development** - A large number of people are either unaware about their rights and entitlements or do not have means to fight for them. - In the absence of probity, this section would remain deprived. - Because of the scarcity of resources, it is essential that their best allocation and optimal utilisation take place. - It **prevents corruption** that leads to diversion of funds towards unauthorised sources affecting socio-economic development. - **Ways to enhance probity in governance** - **Controlling Misfeasance in public office:** A comprehensive law to make the public servants liable for the losses made to the State by their mala fide actions or omissions of a palpable character. - **Forfeiture of properties:** strictly implement legislation for confiscation of illegally acquired assets of public servants. - **Ethics Act:** Civil Services Conduct Rules should be given statutory status in the form of Ethics Act to ensure its better implementation. - Strengthening criminal judicial system: needs to be strengthened so that quality judgments take place without unnecessary delays. **Conclusion** - Probity helps in ushering good governance which not only leads to effective use of public resources but will also lead to higher socio-economic growth and human development. - It is necessary to take initiatives, enact strong legislations and ensure their effective implementation to inculcate a culture of probity in governance. --- Q 4) **While a code of conduct merely establishes minimal standards of conduct, a better strategy to promote an ethical work culture is through internalisation of values. Discuss. (10 M)** **Model Structure** **Introduction** - Individuals’ behavior within organisations is subject to formal and informal rules and regulations. - While formal rules ensure consistency, control and accountability, informal rules tend to aid in the functioning of organisations by developing an organisational culture, establishing customs and developing harmonious relationships. - Code of conduct for ethical work culture - A code of conduct functions as an internal document, regulating activities and, particularly, the decision-making process. - It provides for a set of standards, against which to judge behavior. - It is a statement of principles indicating what the profession or organization stands for. - Codes of conduct may have the following shortcomings: - Code of conduct can never be fully descriptive of what a person should do. They can, at best, simply establish minimal standards of conduct. - Possible variations in behavior are infinite, and are impossible to describe and prescribe by statute. - Lack of objective standards: it needs to take subjective ideals and make them objective. - Enforceability: A code of conduct needs to be routinely enforced in order to be effective, which is at odds with autonomy needed by employees. - They also lack enforceability in disciplinary matters. - Vagueness: To ensure universal application, a code of conduct tends to get vague. - This leads to its subjective interpretation. - Ethical codes of conduct cannot anticipate every situation, and often, these codes mainly address past failures. - Ethical challenges often arise because of dynamic, ill-defined and unanticipated situations that demand immediate decision or action. - **Way Forward** - Therefore, a better strategy to guide ethical behaviour is the internalisation of ethical values. - Internalisation of values brings ethical clarity, which can ease the tension of difficult workplace situations. - Internalised values help predict ethical behaviour better. - In Nordic countries, without any written codes of conduct for public servants, they are committed to existing organisational and professional cultures. - Ethically engaged, internally motivated employees tend to learn and adapt faster than ethically disengaged, externally motivated workers. **Conclusion** - The internalisation of values results from the behaviours of its members that, in turn, result from management’s ethics. It also requires that values and expectations are clearly communicated. --- Q 5) **India cannot march successfully into the 21st century with the administrative system having a colonial mindset. Discuss in the context of the bureaucratic work culture in India. (10 M)** **Model Structure** **Introduction** - The bureaucratic setup in India is characterised by a strict hierarchy and rule-based decision-making. - The work culture that has developed in administration is that of red-tapism, inefficiency in providing services, inordinate delays in decision-making and even lethargy. **Main Body** - The main issue associated with bureaucracy is that the administrative system was set up under colonial rule in the 19th century. - 21st century, which is marked by- - Rapidly evolving technological systems. - Emergence of a knowledge-based economy. - Increasing inter-dependence due to globalisation. - Rising environmental concerns etc. - Need of paradigmatic shift in the approach of the administration - **From red-tapism to red-carpet:** need to shift the focus from strict procedures, which lead to delays and inefficiencies at all levels. - The mind-set needs to shift from evasion of decision-making to proactive facilitation of decisions. - **From rule orientation to goal orientation:** need to shift the focus on performance- - Through continuous performance analysis. - Data driven goal-setting and real time monitoring. - To ensure that administrators are bound to take necessary bold decisions towards development. - **From rigidity to flexibility:** need to adopt fast paced reforms and new innovations to be at par in terms of global advancements. - Adoption of 360-degree performance evaluation. - **From inaccessibility to responsiveness:** a shift from behaving as a ruling class to a serving one. - They need to be responsive and collaborate with people rather than alienate them by being inaccessible at all levels. - **From generalist to specialisation:** Recent times require technical and professional competence to handle complex issues. - Recent reforms like lateral entry and Mission Karmayogi, the mindset of civil servants needs to shift towards domain specialization. - **From secrecy to transparency:** Absence of transparency not only leads to unlawful practices but also breeds unethical nexus. **Conclusion** The transformed bureaucratic setup that is tuned to international best practices, technology driven competency and improved state capacity would usher in the progress towards development and welfare indicators. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/92/07/9207d054-5e99-4b26-b8c8-424994497a07/content/images/2026/06/UPSC-Essential-2027.png) #### UPSC Essential 2027 + Mentorship (New Batch) Weekly Current Affairs + Lectures + Material [Know More](https://courses.upscprep.com/products/upsc-essential-2027-mentorship/?ref=upscprep.com)