Mains Practice Questions

Approach:

• Define ethics in public administration.
• Explain the three dimensions: personal virtue, professional integrity, and societal responsibility.
• Show interconnections and how they affect governance and service delivery.
• Include examples from Indian administrative practices, policies, or case studies.
• Conclude with relevance for modern public administration.

Introduction:

Ethics in public administration guides the behavior, decisions, and governance of public servants. It operates at the intersection of personal virtue, professional integrity, and societal responsibility, ensuring accountability, trust, and legitimacy in democratic governance.

Body:

Personal Virtue

• Personal virtue forms the foundation of ethical public service.
• It encompasses qualities like honesty, courage, empathy, and self-discipline.
• Individual morality shapes day-to-day decision-making and sets the tone for organizational behavior.
  • For instance, an officer refusing to accept a bribe or resisting political pressure demonstrates personal integrity, which influences colleagues and promotes an ethical organizational culture.
• Without personal virtue, other ethical dimensions may weaken, leading to compromised governance.

Professional Integrity

• Involves adherence to rules, transparency, accountability, and impartiality.
• Ensures objective decision-making and procedural propriety under pressure.
  • Example: Implementation of Right to Information (RTI) promotes transparency and citizen empowerment.
• Bridges personal ethics with societal responsibility, ensuring fair administration.

Societal Responsibility

• Extends ethics to serving public interest, social justice, and marginalized groups.
• Requires equitable policy implementation and citizen-focused service delivery.
  • Example: MGNREGA ensures rural livelihood security and reflects societal responsibility.
• Without this dimension, ethical behavior may become symbolic or self-serving.

Interconnection

• Personal virtue underpins professional integrity, which enables societal responsibility.
• Weakness in any dimension can undermine ethical governance.
• Example: Corruption at the individual level erodes public trust and reduces the impact of social programs.

Conclusion:

Ethics in public administration requires a holistic approach, integrating personal virtue, professional integrity, and societal responsibility. Upholding these, guided by Aristotle’s virtue ethics, where officers cultivate virtue, courage, and practical wisdom, and embracing the public service ethos of integrity, impartiality, and accountability, ensures transparent, citizen-centric, and equitable governance.