Status and Problems of Ethics

"Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and adherence of the rule of law." Examine the significance of constitutional morality for public servant highlighting the role in promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration.

You are Vice Principal of a degree college in one of the middle–class towns. The principal has recently retired and management is looking for his replacement. There are also feelers that the management may promote you as Principal. In the meantime, during annual examination, the flying squad came from the university caught two students red-handed involving in unfair means. A senior lecturer of the college was personally helping these student in this act. This senior lecturer also happens to be close to the management. One of the students was son of a local politician who was responsible in getting college affiliated to the present reputed university. The second student was son of a local businessman who has donated maximum funds for running of the college. You immediately informed the management regarding this unfortunate incident. The management told you to resolve the issue with flying squad at any cost. They further said that such an incident will not only tarnish the image of the college but also the politician and businessmen are very important personalities for the functioning of the college. You were also given hint that your further promotion to Principal depends on your capability in resolving this issue with flying squad. In the meantime, you were intimated by your administrative officer that certain members of the student union are protesting outside the college gate against the senior lecturer and the students involved in this incident and demanding strict action against defaulters. 1) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case. 2) Critically examine the options available with you as Vice Principal. What option will you adopt and why?

Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations.

Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix.

Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent Public service values non-ethical behaviour in public servants.

basic principles of What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples. It is believed that adherence to ethics in human actions would

develop effective civil service ethics, code of conduct, transparency measures, ethics and integrity systems and anti-corruption agencies. In view of this, there is a need being felt to focus on three specific areas, which are directly relevant to the problems of internalizing integrity and ethics in the civil services. These are as follows: 1) Anticipating specific threats to ethical standards and integrity Civil Service Ethics in the civil services, 2) Strengthening the ethical competence of civil servant and 3) Developing administrative processes and practices which promote ethical values and integrity in civil services. Suggest institutional measures to address the above three issues.

“In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not prohibited expressly or by clear implication”. Examine the statement with suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her duties.

Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public Ethical Dilemmas Administration

What is mean by public interest? What are the principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest? What does this quotations mean to you in the present context:

Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organisation. Discuss.

Why should impartiality and non-partisanship be considered as foundational values in public services, especially in the present day socio-political context? Illustrate your answer with examples.

administration the sort of moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realise that the State bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality. Critically analyse this statement.

How do the virtues of trustworthiness and fortitude get manifested in public service? Explain with examples. Public servants are likely to confront with the issues of ‘Conflict

A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also has to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties.” Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples, where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically.

What does ethics seek to promote in human life? Why is it all the more important in public administration? Differentiate between the following

There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide-ranging impact on society and environment. What steps have you taken to improve

Suppose one of your close friends, who is also aspiring for civil services, comes to you for discussing some of the issues related to ethical conduct in public service. He raises the following points : 1) In the present times, when unethical environment is quite prevalent, individual attempts to stick to ethical principles may cause a lot of problems in one’s career. It may also cause hardship to the family members as well as risk to one’s life. Why should we not be pragmatic and follow the path of least resistance, and be happy with doing whatever good we can? 2) When so many people are adopting wrong means and are grossly harming the system, what difference would it make if only a small minority tries to be ethical? They are going to be rather ineffective and are bound to get frustrated. 3) If we become fussy about ethical considerations, will it not hamper the economic progress of our country? After all, in the present age of high competition, we cannot afford to be left behind in the race of development. 4)It is understandable that we should not get involved in grossly unethical practices, but giving and accepting small gratifications and doing small favours increases everybody’s motivation. It also