Mains Practice Questions

Introduction:

Classically, integrity is viewed as a personal virtue, a test of character where an individual fights internal battles against greed. However, this statement argues for "Systemic Integrity" over "Moral Heroism."

• It suggests that relying solely on an individual's willpower to resist corruption is a fragile strategy. Instead, true integrity in governance is achieved by designing systems that minimize the opportunity (temptation) for corruption, making ethical behavior the path of least resistance.

Body:

The Limitations of "Resisting Temptation" (Individual Integrity)

While personal morality is essential, relying only on "resisting" has flaws:

• Finite Willpower: Constant exposure to lucrative opportunities (e.g., huge tenders, discretionary transfers) can eventually wear down even honest officers ("Moral Exhaustion").
• Subjectivity: Without clear rules, what one officer sees as a "gift," another might see as a "bribe."
• Dependency on Personality: Good governance cannot depend on the chance of having a "good officer" at the helm; it needs to be officer-proof.

"Eliminating Situations of Temptation":

The Structural Approach: This approach focuses on Preventive Vigilance. It aligns with the Fraud Triangle Theory, which states that corruption happens when three elements meet: Pressure, Rationalization, and Opportunity. By eliminating the "Situation" (Opportunity), we secure integrity without testing the officer's willpower.

• Reducing Discretionary Powers:
  • The Situation: A tax officer has the discretion to choose which file to scrutinize, creating a situation for extortion.
  • The Elimination: Faceless Assessment in Income Tax. The computer randomly assigns cases; the officer doesn't know the taxpayer, and the taxpayer doesn't know the officer. The "situation" for bribery is structurally removed.
• Minimizing Human Interface (Digitization):
  • The Situation: A beneficiary needs to physically meet a Clerk to release funds, creating a checkpoint for bribery.
  • The Elimination: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Money flows directly from the Treasury to the bank account. The "middleman situation" is deleted.
• Transparency and Information Asymmetry:
  • The Situation: Only the department knows the status of a file, forcing the citizen to pay for information.
  • The Elimination: Right to Information (RTI) and e-Office systems. When file movement is visible online, the opportunity to hide files for money disappears.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs):
  • Ambiguity breeds temptation. Clear, codified SOPs (e.g., in land allocation or tenders) leave no room for "creative interpretation" of rules for personal gain.

Conclusion:

The statement essentially advocates for moving from "Rule of Men" to "Rule of Law." While we must continue to train civil servants in ethics to build their moral muscle (to resist), the State’s primary focus must be on institutional design (to eliminate). Ultimately, the most ethical system is not one populated by saints, but one where even an average person finds it difficult to be corrupt.