Tips to take note of

Read about how to approach the topic of essential values needed to be an effective public servant

Hyderabad: Today we will discuss about the questions asked from “Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude” syllabus of UPSC in the UPSC Mains – 2021 of GS – 4 Paper.

Decoding and solving recent previous year’s questions will help us in understanding the most important areas in the syllabus and recent trends of the examination. Focusing more on these areas/topics will help in the upcoming examination too. If we observe the recent mains questions in other state PSCs, a few themes are repeating from the UPSC Mains exam.

---

The topic for today is “Essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant”. Now we will see how to address this topic in a question-and-answer format.

It is been asked in the mains – 2021 question paper in UPSC examination.

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

Introduction: Briefly describe the need for essential values for civil servants.

Body: Ten essential values that are needed to be an effective civil servant. The ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in the public servants.

Conclusion: Mention the need of preventing non-ethical behaviour in public servants as a way ahead.

Introduction:

Public servants form the bridge between the government and the people. To develop citizen-centric administration and governance they must have values to be an effective public servant.
Body:
Ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant:

1) Transparency: The decisions taken and enforced must be based on rules and regulations rather than their interests. Example: RTI is the powerful instrument of the people to ensure transparency in executive decision making.

2) Accountable: Public servants must be responsible for their actions and decisions. There must be answerability to their policies and sanctions. Example: IAS officer Ritu Maheswari installed new electricity smart meters to tackle electricity theft in Kanpur.

3) Being responsive: Institutions and processes must be developed to serve all stakeholders in the society promoting the welfare of the people. Example: Arif Shaik an IPS officer started the initiative of ‘Chuppi Todd’ for complaining against domestic violence at Covid times that received 100 complaints on its first day.

4) Being effective and efficient: Developing institutions and processes to adopt measures that produce results with optimum use of resources. Example: IAS officer Devansh Yadav has empowered local SHGs to start endeavours like sanitary pad making and bamboo furniture units.

5) Being equitable and inclusive: Ensuring all the members of society have a stake in governance and providing opportunities to improve it. Example: IAS officer Raj Yadav started the “District administrations adopted village” initiative. The villagers extended manpower and financial aid which turned gram panchayats into model villages.

6) Selflessness: The decisions must be taken by officials for the society without any personal motives. Example: IAS officer, Armstrong Pame, known as miracle man got a 100km stretch of road constructed in Manipur without government help.

7) Integrity: Public officials must do their duty without any influence which hampers their official duties. Example: Operation Sulaimani to address hunger in Kerala is a decentralised participatory project.
8) Objectivity: The appointments and awarding contracts in public businesses by the civil servants should be made based on merit. Example: Civil services (conduct) rules, 1964 prevents nepotism of the civil servants.

9) Openness: Reasons must be cited for the decision they take and restrict information only to wider public interests. Example: The answerability of civil servants to RTI applications provide openness to their decisions.
10) Honesty: Honesty is the virtue of the public servant which provides efficiency in decision making and implementation. Example: Satyendra Dubey, the IES officer exposed the corruption in the golden quadrilateral highway project and was murdered.

The Ways and Means to Prevent Non-Ethical Behaviour in the Public Services
1) Anticipating specific threats to ethical standards: Attention needs to be paid to systemic threats that could weaken adherence to core public sector ethical values and commitment to good governance.
2) Strengthen mechanisms to support professional ethics: New techniques need to be undertaken to institutionalise ethically competent decision making.

3) Developing administrative practices that promote ethical values: The laws to promote ethical values need effective implementation.

4) HR Management strategies: These link ethical performance with advancement and underperformance with disciplinary actions.

Conclusion:

The efficiency of public servants reflect the governance. The unethical behaviour must be addressed through imbibing values instead of disciplinary actions, through self-discipline and responsibility.

Do make note of important points from the above model answer and make your answers enriched. We will discuss a few more questions related to recently asked questions in the upcoming articles in this series.

Anirudh Billa