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.
- Informational Campaigns: aimed at challenging prevalent belief systems that consider corruption as normal.
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.
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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.
- Build up the legitimacy of the system, i.e., the state.
- 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.
- A large number of people are either unaware about their rights and entitlements or do not have means to fight for them.
- 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.
- Therefore, a better strategy to guide ethical behaviour is the internalisation of ethical values.
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.
- From red-tapism to red-carpet: need to shift the focus from strict procedures, which lead to delays and inefficiencies at all levels.
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.
