Q: Examine the relevance of the following in the context of civil service: (150 Words, 10 Marks)
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Fairness and justice
- Courage of conviction
- Spirit of Service
Tag: Accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction, try to mention the context (in brief)
- In Body, explain all the terms in the context of civil service.
- In Conclusion, try to write your opinion.
Answer:
A civil servant is a critical link between the government and the common people and is responsible for the smooth conduct of administration. The presence of strong morals and a good understanding of the nature of the job guides a civil servant in delivering his/her duties. Certain qualities have strong significance for civil servants, which are:
Transparency means sharing information and acting openly. Transparency is essential for controlling corruption in public life, upholding accountability, and delivering information to stakeholders about the activities, procedures and policies of the Government. It also allows stakeholders to collect information that may be critical to uncovering abuses and defending their interests.
Accountability is the process of holding the officials answerable and responsible for their judgments and actions. This process makes public officials more cautious while making decisions. They are nudged to use their discretion rationally and objectively.
Justice means giving each person what he or she deserves while fairness is associated with an ability to judge without reference to one’s feelings or interests. The principles of justice and fairness can be thought of as rules of “fair play” for issues of social justice. These principles of justice and fairness are needed in civil service to ensure that the common man receives his due without bias, inefficiencies, or greed of the civil servant affecting his entitlements.
Courage of conviction: In public service, while facing different situations one may be buoyed by the circumstances, fear, passions, and greed since the decisions at the helm would be affecting many interests, vested or non-vested. It is during these trying moments that courage of conviction helps a civil servant to stay on the best course of action despite various temptations and risks, staying firm in his beliefs, values, and duty. Hence, this quality assumes importance in public service.
Spirit of Service: Quality of being committed to public service without any self motives. The domain of civil service calls for duty in the spirit of service for the country, society, and its people and sacrifices by putting aside greed, personal entitlements, and engagements. This is the single most important value that marks civil services apart from other services and keeps the civil servant motivated to keep working for the betterment of society.
All these qualities form the core of civil services and guide civil servants to deliver good governance for the benefit of all. A civil servant should be aware of all these facets of the service. A civil servant must not only know, but he must also bring this philosophy into his personality, because as Leonardo da Vinci has said, “Knowing is not enough, we must apply”.
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