Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
Public Service Values and Probity in Governance
GS Paper IV
Public Service Values and Probity — Quick Revision
One-page GS IV revision of ethics in public administration and probity: accountability, conscience, corporate governance, RTI, codes, charters and anti-corruption law.
SyllabusGS IV · Public/civil service values and ethics in public administration; probity in governance
The two longest syllabus lines in GS IV, compressed. Most rows double as GS II governance facts.
Ethics in Public Administration
| Item | Key points |
|---|---|
| Public service values | Integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, accountability, transparency, responsiveness, courtesy, rule of law |
| Problems | Corruption, politicisation, red tape, opacity, fear of vigilance, ruler mindset |
| Sources of guidance | Laws, rules, regulations, conscience |
| Conscience vs order | Clarify → record dissent → refuse if illegal → escalate → resign |
| Accountability | Political, administrative, legal, financial, social, professional |
| Social audit | MGNREGA, Section 17 — by the Gram Sabha |
Ethics in International Relations and Funding
| Issue | Anchor |
|---|---|
| Peaceful coexistence | Panchsheel (1954) |
| Humanitarian intervention | Responsibility to Protect — 2005 World Summit |
| Climate justice | CBDR-RC — UNFCCC (1992) |
| Refugees | India not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention |
| Vaccine equity | Vaccine Maitri (from January 2021) |
| Foreign funding of NGOs | FCRA, 2010 (amended 2020) |
Corporate Governance
| Milestone | Point |
|---|---|
| Cadbury Committee (UK, 1992) | “The system by which companies are directed and controlled” |
| Kumar Mangalam Birla Committee (1999) | Clause 49 of the listing agreement |
| Narayana Murthy Committee (2003) | Audit committees, disclosures |
| Companies Act, 2013 | Independent directors (S.149), audit committee (S.177), auditor rotation (S.139), CSR (S.135), woman director |
| SEBI LODR Regulations (2015) | Governance norms for listed companies |
| Uday Kotak Committee (2017) | Board independence; separating chair and MD |
Probity
| Item | Key points |
|---|---|
| Probity | Integrity, uprightness, honesty — being and being seen to be fair |
| Philosophical basis | Social contract; Kautilya; Plato’s guardians; Gandhi’s trusteeship; public trust doctrine (M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath, 1997) |
| RTI Act, 2005 | S.4 proactive disclosure; S.6 request; S.7 30 days / 48 hours; S.8 exemptions; S.8(2) public interest; S.24 excluded organisations |
| Codes | Ethics = values (inspire); conduct = rules (enforce) — CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964, AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968 |
| Citizen’s charter | UK 1991; India 1997; Sevottam: charter, grievance redress, service capability |
| Right to services | Madhya Pradesh first, 2010 |
| Public funds | Art. 266; CAG Arts. 148–151; PAC; GFR 2017; outcome budgeting |
Anti-Corruption Framework
| Law / body | Point |
|---|---|
| Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 | 2018 amendment: bribe-giving an offence; Section 17A prior approval |
| CVC | 1964 on Santhanam Committee’s advice; statutory 2003 |
| Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 | Chairperson + up to 8 members, half judicial; first chairperson March 2019 |
| Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 | Protection for disclosures; operationalisation delayed |
| PMLA, 2002; Benami Act (amended 2016); Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 | Asset and money-trail laws |
| UNCAC | Ratified by India in 2011 |
Second ARC reports to cite
- First: Right to Information: Master Key to Good Governance (2006)
- Fourth: Ethics in Governance (2007)
- Twelfth: Citizen Centric Administration (2009)
Traps
- Codes of ethics and codes of conduct are not the same.
- Probity is more than not taking bribes.
- Conscience works through lawful channels; it does not license disobedience of lawful policy.
- RTI has legitimate exemptions balanced by a public-interest override.
Related Topics
- Ethics in public administration
- Probity in governance
- Public Service Values and Probity — practice questions
- All quick-revision sheets
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