Mains Practice Questions

Introduction :

Attitude refers to a learned and relatively enduring tendency to respond in a consistently favourable or unfavourable manner toward people, situations, or institutions.

• In public administration, attitudes of civil servants and political executives significantly shape ethical behaviour, as they influence perception of duty, interpretation of rules, and responses to moral dilemmas.
• Ethical governance depends not only on laws and codes but also on the underlying attitudes of those who implement them.

Body

Role of Attitude in Shaping Ethical Behaviour

• For Individuals
  • Moral Sensitivity and Ethical Awareness: A positive ethical attitude makes individuals more sensitive to right–wrong distinctions and consequences of actions.
    • For example, a civil servant with a pro-integrity attitude refuses a bribe despite personal financial stress, recognising its long-term harm to public trust.
  • Consistency between Values and Action: Attitude acts as an internal compass that aligns beliefs with conduct, especially under pressure.
    • Example: Mahatma Gandhi’s attitude of truthfulness ensured ethical behaviour even during imprisonment and political adversity.
  • Resilience against Ethical Dilemmas and Temptations: An ethical attitude builds moral courage to resist social pressure and personal gain.
    • Example: An employee acting as a whistleblower exposes corporate fraud despite fear of retaliation.
• For Institutions
  • Ethical Culture and Organisational Climate: Institutional attitude shapes norms, incentives, and “acceptable behaviour” within organisations.
    • Example: The Indian Supreme Court’s attitude of judicial independence reinforces fairness, transparency, and constitutional morality.
  • Decision-Making and Policy Orientation: An institution’s ethical attitude determines whether efficiency is pursued with fairness and accountability.
    • Example: The Election Commission of India’s strict attitude towards Model Code of Conduct violations strengthens electoral integrity.
  • Public Trust and Legitimacy: Ethical institutional attitude enhances credibility and citizen confidence.
    • Example: The CAG’s audit-oriented attitude promotes probity in public finance, strengthening trust in democratic oversight.

How Attitudes Influence Ethical Decision-Making

• Attitude towards Public Service and Power: A service-oriented attitude promotes integrity, empathy, and accountability, while a power-centric attitude encourages misuse of authority.
  • For example, an officer with a “public trustee” mindset ensures fair delivery of welfare schemes, whereas one with a “ruler” attitude may demand favors or show arbitrariness.
• Attitude towards Rules and Procedures: A rule-respecting attitude ensures impartiality and consistency, while a casual or instrumental attitude towards rules leads to selective enforcement.
  • For example, strict adherence to procurement norms prevents corruption, whereas treating procedures as obstacles facilitates rent-seeking.
• Attitude towards Ethics vs. Convenience: Ethical decision-making often requires moral courage. A convenience-driven attitude results in silence or compromise in the face of wrongdoing.
  • For instance, ignoring illegal mining due to political pressure reflects an accommodative attitude rather than ethical commitment.
• Attitude towards Citizens and Vulnerable Groups: Empathetic attitudes foster inclusive governance, while apathy leads to exclusion and injustice.
  • Sensitivity of district officials during disaster relief ensures equitable assistance; lack of empathy results in elite capture of resources.
• Institutional Attitudes and Organisational Culture: When institutions reward honesty and transparency, ethical conduct becomes the norm. Conversely, tolerance of corruption institutionalises unethical behaviour.
  • Example, Departments with strong internal vigilance and ethical leadership show lower instances of misconduct.

Conclusion:

Attitudes act as the moral compass of public administration, shaping how laws are interpreted and power is exercised. While legal frameworks provide structure, it is ethical attitudes, rooted in constitutional values, empathy, and integrity—that translate governance into ethical action. Therefore, attitude building through training, leadership example, and institutional reforms is essential for ethical public administration.