Mains Practice Questions

Introduction:

Ethics in public administration is central to democratic governance, as it shapes how public power is exercised in pursuit of collective welfare.

• While personal integrity of officials is essential, ethical governance cannot rely solely on individual morality.
• It must be embedded in institutional responsibility, where systems, rules, and organisational cultures consistently promote ethical conduct and accountability.

Body:

Why Ethics Must Go Beyond Personal Integrity:

• Continuity And Consistency in Governance: Personal integrity varies across individuals and tenures, whereas institutions provide continuity.
  • Ethical administration requires stable norms and procedures that ensure fairness regardless of who holds office.
  • For instance, transparent recruitment rules ensure merit-based selection even when individual discretion changes with leadership.
• Limiting Discretion And Preventing Abuse Of Power: Institutions create checks and balances that constrain arbitrary action.
  • Ethical outcomes depend not only on good intentions but also on structured decision-making.
  • For example, e-procurement systems reduce scope for favouritism even if individual officials face external pressure.
• Addressing Systemic And Collective Failures: Many ethical failures arise from systemic issues rather than individual misconduct.
  • Institutional responsibility helps identify and correct structural weaknesses.
  • For instance, repeated infrastructure failures point to institutional lapses in planning and oversight, not merely personal negligence.
• Protecting Whistleblowers: Ethical individuals need institutional backing to act against wrongdoing. Without safeguards, personal integrity may be punished rather than rewarded.
  • Cases where whistleblowers faced retaliation highlight the need for strong institutional protection mechanisms.
• Enhancing Public Trust And Legitimacy: Citizens trust institutions more than individuals. Ethical institutions build credibility through predictable, fair, and transparent processes.
  • For example, independent grievance redressal mechanisms enhance trust even when individual officials change.

Challenges In Upholding Institutional Responsibility

• Weak Enforcement Of Ethical Norms: Codes of conduct often exist on paper but lack effective enforcement and penalties. This reduces deterrence against unethical practices.
  • For example, delayed disciplinary proceedings weaken accountability and embolden misconduct.
• Political Interference And Administrative Capture: Institutions may be compromised by political pressures, undermining ethical independence.
  • Frequent transfers or selective application of rules dilute institutional neutrality and responsibility.
• Fragmented Accountability Structures: Overlapping jurisdictions and unclear responsibilities allow ethical lapses to go unaddressed.
  • In large welfare programmes, diffusion of responsibility across departments often obscures accountability.
• Normalisation Of Unethical Practices: Over time, systemic tolerance of minor violations creates an ethical blind spot within institutions.
  • Routine procedural shortcuts gradually erode ethical standards and institutional culture.

Measures To Strengthen Institutional Responsibility

• Strengthening Ethical Frameworks And Codes: Clear, enforceable codes of conduct with defined consequences institutionalise ethical expectations and guide behaviour.
• Enhancing Transparency And Process Automation: Digitisation, standard operating procedures, and open data reduce discretion and improve traceability of decisions.
• Independent Oversight And Accountability Bodies: Autonomous vigilance, audit, and grievance institutions ensure impartial scrutiny and corrective action.
• Building Ethical Institutional Culture: Regular ethics training, leadership by example, and internal dialogue help embed ethical values into organisational norms.

Conclusion:

Ethics in public administration cannot rest solely on the moral strength of individuals; it must be sustained through responsible institutions that guide, constrain, and correct behaviour. When systems reinforce ethical conduct, integrity becomes the norm rather than an exception.