01 Foundational Values of Civil Services

• intrinsic beliefs of individual or groups that guide, motivate one’s behaviour, actions, attitude
• diff imptance to diff values
  • some universal
• eg. truthfulness, helpfulness, compassion
• values may have spatial and temporal variation

graph LR

A[Values] --> B[Temopral] & C[Spatial]

• people pre-disposed to adopt values they are raised w/
  • they believe those values are right because they are values terminating from their particular culture
  • but it may not necessarily apply to other cultures
• making ethical decision involves weighing values against each other & choosing which value should be elevated

Foundational Values

• values, principles that form very basis of fn of any org
  • Indian Armed Forces: punctuality, discipline
  • Google: innovation
  • TATA: employee centrism
• core identity of org
• permeate entire work culture
• determined by senior leadership
• guide internal, external behaviour of org

Sources of Foundational Values of CS

• Constitution of India
  • Preamble
  • DPSP
  • FR
• Conduct Rules
  • AIS Conduct Rules
  • Central CS Conduct Rules
• Historical events of freedom struggle (51A(b))
• court judgement
• spiritual & religious texts
• laws made by legislature
• Nolan Committee on Public Service Values

Significance of foundational values for CS

Discretionary Powers

• wide discretionary powers
• following these foundational values, they can limit misuse of these powers at expense of public interest

Ethical dilemmas

• dilemma during course of work
• relying on FV can help in resolving these dilemmas in speedy, effective manner

Overcome prejudices

• own preconceived notions, values which one must know how to overcome to prioritize public interest
• FV can help in such case

Re-establish Trust

• following, adopting FV we can re-establish lost trust b/w citizen & govt

Consistency & uniformity

• help ensure consistency & uniformity in decision making
• stating FV help achieve desired objective of CS & good governance

Questions from the topics that could be asked:

• i. Importance of foundational values.
• ii. List of important 
• iii. Give examples from your own life.
• iv. Lives of public servants.
• v. Rate the given values.
• vi. Specific value-based question:
• a. Definition.
• b. Examples.
• c. Significance for civil services.
• d. Difficulties in adhering to those values.
• e. Recommendations to inculcate such values.

The values

Sympathy, empathy, compassion

• Sympathy: recognizing pain & suffering of others
• Empathy: cognitively engaging to feel the pain in one’s shoes
• Compassionate: taking action to relieve pain & suffering. It is a 4 step process
  • be aware of someone’s feelings, sufferings
  • be moved emotionally by suffering, feeling
  • developing a desire to resolve suffering
  • taking necessary steps to resolve sufferings

Compassion shows highest level of kindness, where person ready to endure pain for sake of others.

• requires person to be self aware & attentive to needs of others & be committed to the same

Dalai Lama

Love & compassion are necessities and not luxuries and without them, humanity can’t survive.

eg.

• Rahul Kumar, IAS
  • DM Gopalganj
  • ate midday meal cooked by widow
• Gandhiji
  • devoted life to upliftment of Harijan after knowing about plight of SC
• Awanish Sharan
  • admitted daughter into govt school

Significance of Compassion

• all other CS values are meaningless w/o compassion
• very purpose of CS is to relieve pains & suffering of others which cannot be achieved w/o compassion
• maintain ppl trust showing empathy & compassion is of uptmost value
• CS often victims of stereotypes that can prevent them from effectively helping others
• in such situation, empathy & compassion can come to rescue
• CS also victim of stereotypes, that can prevent them from helping others
• over period of time, public servants may become armchair advisors
  • such attitude kept in check by inculcating compassion
• go to any length to address ppl’s problems
• play crucial role in ensuring citizen centric administration
• civil servants become more aware of changing env & willing to adapt to same

Issues emanating from lack of compassion

• blaming victim
  • eg. blaming rape victim abt clothing
• intolerance towards marginalized
• lead to crimes eg. cyberbulling, trolling
• lack of empathy may lead to immoral behaviour

Inculcating empathy & compassion among CS

• conducting surprise field visit
• cultivating interest in culture thru activities eg Bharat Darshan, India Day
• roleplay eg at National Police Academy Hyderabad
• Janta Darbar to get first hand perspective of ppl problems
• organizing sensitivity training for CS throughout careers

Objectivity

• making decision on basis of careful analysis of facts & figures and not as per preconceived notions, prejudices
• person should not be influenced by one’s feeling and opinions
  • opposite of objectivity is subjectivity which means taking decision on basis of biases
  • lead to wrong policy decision
  • justification becomes difficult

Significance of objectivity

• fewer error in decision making
  • CSer make decision w/o benefit of hindsight
  • thus obj helps ensuring decision making to be more accurate
  • also helps in justification of decision at later stage
• ensure accountibility
• merit based decision making
  • promotes critical thinking, avoid situation where superstition may drive decisions
  • use merit, not biases
• limit use of discretionary powers
  • contains corruption

Inculcating objectivity in administration of governance

• drawing elaborate SoP and guidelines for various govt depts
• improving quality of data available w/ govt thru surveys, statistical exercises
  • Citizen Feedback in Bangalore Municipal Corporation
• using data analytics tools to make decisions
• seeking citizen feedback on service delivery
• social audit can be powerful measure for inculcating objectivity (eg. MGNEGA)
• evolving objective criteria to assess performance such as KPI/KR/OKR
  • key performance indicatorcs
  • key results
  • objective and key results

Challenges w/ objectivity

• not always desirable if comes at cost of empathy & compassion
• CSer may ignore genuine concerns of citizens
• Rawl’s Justice Approach, ppl placed in different circumstances should be treated differently
  • subjective approach
• R&R should not be end goal
  • focus on upliftment of society
• objectivity not useful in ethical challenge
• objective decision can be challenging
  • eg. no data,
  • lack of public acceptance
  • funding

Courage & Fearlessness

• doing duty w/o considering adverse consequences
• ability to take decisions/actions & stick to one’s values, principles despite possibility of unfavorible outcomes

Nelson Mandela

Courage is not the absence of fear but triumph over it.

• courage is first of the human qualities because it guarantees adherence to other values
• it helps individuals in making ethically correct decisions however tough the situations and circumstances

Importance of courage for the civil service

• helps civil servant to stay firm on core values & principles irrespective of hardship
• CSer often face numerous temptations as a part of their work
  • allows them to make right decisions
• CSer supposed to lead by example
  • thus courage imp
• financial irregularities hav become common
  • to expose, need courage
• policy making often results in failures & only a courageous individual has ability to accept mistakes and to rectify them
• CSer always make unpopular decisions and only courage can help them in such situations
• Courage is important to ensure well functioning society as Napolean said, “The world suffers a lot not because of violence of the bad but because of the silence of the good.”
• eg. Sam Manekshaw Bangladesh War

Measures to inculcate courage in CSer

• strong whistleblower protection law
  • fear of repurcussion
• make process of appt, postings, transfers apolitical in nature by establishing mechanism such as CS Board
• fixed tenure of imp postings
• rewarding acts of courage by CSer
• lay down comprehensive code of ethics for minister to reduce their day to day interference in functioning of administration
• independent constitutional bodies like UPSC should be given bigger role in deciding appt & posting of civil servants

Dedaction to Public Service / Spirit of Service

• it is quality of being able to apply one’s time, attention and energy entirely to the cause of public service
• commitment, passion, personal urge to do something for public good w/o external stimulus or external force
• internalizing cause of public good
• often dedication & commitment are confused
  • dedication: highest form of commitment willing to go beyond call of duty
  • commitment: obligation fulfilled by person as part of his duties

Importance of dedication to public service

• being CSer is 24x7 job
  • person can sustain such work only if one is dedicated to cause of public service
• enhances credibility of administration & increases public trust
• CSer often work in hostile conditions and under severe resource constraints
  • only dedication to public service can help in overcoming such situation
• purpose: act as agent of development and any such effort require dedication
• CSer are role model to society and their dedication to public service can inspire and motivate several others

Imparting dedication to public service

• reward & recognition for best performing officers to create inspiration for others
• organizing regular field visits and sensitizing civil servants towards challenges faced by citizens
• inspiring young civil servants through anecdotes & examples of exemplary civil servants from the past
• adopting performance based approach for appraisals as is done in pvt sector

Tolerance

• allowing existence of contrary views to one’s own view
• respecting views/opinions of others irrespective of whether they are in conflict w/ one’s views or not
• respect, acceptance, appreciation of rich diversity of culture
• involves rejection of dogmatism, absolutism
  • $\therefore$ promotes healthy env for discussion & deliberations

Voltaire

I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to death your right to say it.

Significance of Tolerance for CS

• ensures objectivity
• serving culturally different section sof soc requires tolerance
• impt to ensure goal of fraternity & long lasting peace
• promotes innovation (51A(h))
  • different ideas to emerge in society
  • allow us to challenge old beliefs
• crucial role in promoting social capital
• protecting multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual characteristics
• creates society in which ppl feel valued, respected, enough room for every person w/ diff opinions, views
• Jehovah Witness Case: SC -> our culture teaches tolerance, our philosophy preaches tolerance, our constitution practices tolerance
• Jain: Syadvada -> no particular view is absolutely correct & every view is correct from its own perspective

Ways to inculcate tolerance

• exposure to diff traditions & culture through activities eg. Bharat Darshan, India Day
  • culture immersion
• encouraging debate culture, discussion, during training for CSer
• CoC must prohibit discriminating attitude & behaviour
• organizing team sports events to encourage spirit of teamwork in CSer
• field visits & encouraging interaction with ppl from different sections of society

Impartiality, Non Partisanship

• Impartial: not supporting individual / group unfairly or due to biases
• Non patisanship: neutral wrt political groups
• CSer expected to be neutral, execute policies irrespective of who is in power
• Pol parties may change, but CSer be willing to server, provide technical advice to pol exec and keep away from politics of the day
• eg. Rajesh Bhushan, IAS, Secretary of Min of health & family welfare
  • awarded for leadership in COVID 19 vaccination program
  • ensured equitable distribution of vaccine across country
  • prioritizing health over political influences, ensuring all regions receive necessary support regardless of political alignment
• NP $\ne$ blindly following orders
  • CSer should exercise discretion & wisdom by making policy choices & decisions only in public interest

Significance of impartiality, non partisanship

• need to provide wholehearted support to reforms introduced by pol executive
• maintain public confidence in apolitical character of civil service
• courage to show alternate policies to pol exec
• CSer be only tool for implementation of pol decisions
• serve different sections of society & there should not be any feeling of discrimination existing among citizen

Examples:

• VV Laxminarayan, Former Joint Director CBI
  • worked without biases
• PS Appu: chairman LBSNAA
• Rajiv Gauba, former Chief Secretary of Jharkhand
  • coal block allocation
• Anil Swarup

Challenges wrt non partisan behaviour

• excessive pol influence
• lack of independence in appt, posting, transfer
• opaque functioning of services
• implementation of policies to impress political bosses to get plum positions
• lack of security of tenure
• legacy of colonial administration where loyalty to ruling was paramount
• inter service rivalry

Inculcating non partisanship

• reforms in transfer policy (TODO: look up what suggestions)
• independent oversight bodies to conduct performance appraisals
• strengthening whistleblower protection law
• legal safeguards against political interefrence
• regular training on ethics, integrity
• enacting robust CoC
• introducing transparency in public offices
• enforcing accountability to citizens
• egovernance mechanism to reduce human interaction in gov process
• establishing feedback mech to continuously improve administration
• mandatory cooling off period after retirement

Honesty & Integrity

• Honesty: truthful approach towards one’s actions, thoughts, expressions
• Integrity: wholesome value, steadfast adherence to values & principles
  • non negotiable & non selective
  • following highest standardprincilpess of behaviour and consistence in one’s actions, words & thoughts

Definition of Integrity as per 2nd ARC

• CSer be guided solely by public interest in official decision making & not by any other financial or other considerations either for themselves, their families or friends
• must be responsible for their duties & obligations and try to make optimum utilization of public money, deal impartially with public, comply with laws and show transparency in actions

Integrity has following aspects

• choosing right conduct
• openly declaring one’s stance & acting consistently w/ choice made even if its inconvenient
• demonstrated through pattern of behaviour over time reflecting a commitment to ethical values not just in specific instances but in all situation

Integrity of Characteristics

• Academic integrity
  • plagiarism
  • researcher fabricating data
• Political integrity
  • politicians should work according to promises
• Professional integrity
  • willingness to do right thing in one’s profession
  • adhering to CoC, ethics, social/moral values
• intellectual integrity
  • requires willingness to stand up for best judgement by acting in accordance with judgement
  • commitment to truth, pursuit of knowledge ensuring beliefs, statements are based on evidence and reason
  • be wiling to consider new evidence & change one’s beliefs accordingly
  • applying rigorous standards of reasoning (critical thinking) & logic to one’s views & opinions
• moral integrity
  • being honest & having strong ethical principles
  • constantly adhering to them
  • doing right thing even when nobody watching
  • maintaining ones’s moral values irrespective of situation
  • eg. Satyendra Dube, Edward snowden
  • Difference w/ intellectual: moral focus on ethical behaviour, moral principles whereas II focus on pursuit of truth. MI applied to all areas of life, while II to academic, intellectual pursuits

Importance of integrity for CS

• being aware of ground reality
• learn from mistakes
• not live under false presumptions
• address stereotypes, preconveived notions
• just & fair
• less likely to engage in corrupt behaviour
• credibility for govt
• role models for society, enjoy respect of people
• prioritize public welfare, good
• policies aligned w/ long term sustainable goals rather than short term
• likely to own responsibility for actions
• more efficient & effective administrations

Inculcating integrity

• education & training
  • assigning mentors to young CSer to learn to deal w/ adverse situations w/ utmost integrity
  • curriculum of training academies should be revised to include significant amount of course material on ethical dilemmas, decision making
  • real life case studies of exemplary civil servants to illustrate imptance of integrity
• institutional reforms
  • enacting public service code as recommended by 2nd ARC
    • outline acceptable & unacceptable behaviours
  • introduce transparency measures for recruitment, promotions, transfers
  • implementing robust RTI mech to ensure greater transparency in govt functioning
• Recognition & Reward Mechanism
  • providing awards & incentives for honest CSer & ones who exhibit outstanding integrity
  • highlighting & publicizing success stories of integrity to create +ve example for others
• Accountability
  • ensuring strict enforcement of anti corruption laws
  • swift action be taken against unethical behaviour
  • confiscation of disproportionate assets from CSer found guilty of corrupt activities

Anonymity

• CSer work behind scenes, stay away from limelight
• understand difference b/we permanent & pol executive
• pol executive accountable to people, they should gather attention, not CSer
• CSer only a tool for political exec to fulfill aspiration of ppl

Importance of anonymity

• allows CSer to work w/o fear & favour
• avoids unnecessary scrutiny of personalities & focuses on institutions
• inhibits populist thinking
• prevent victimization of individuals after change of govt
• insulates CSer from lure of money & power