Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly introducing crucial ethical traits for civil servants.
• Provide justification for inclusion of these ethical terms in matrix posed by civil servants.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction

• Ethics play a crucial role in determining the behavior and decision-making of individuals, particularly those in positions of power and responsibility such as civil servants. A matrix of ethical traits can be used as a tool to evaluate the performance of civil servants and ensure that they are adhering to a set of ethical principles.

Body

• Five key desirable ethical traits of a civil servants:
  • Integrity: Integrity is defined as the adherence to a set of moral and ethical principles. Civil servants with integrity are honest in their dealings and committed to a lifelong search for truth and justice.
    • This trait is crucial for building trust with the public and maintaining the integrity of the civil service.
  • Accountability and Transparency: Civil servants must be accountable for their actions and transparent in their decision-making. This trait promotes trust between the civil service and the public and deters unethical conduct.
  • Impartiality and Nonpartisanship: Civil servants must act objectively and without bias in their decision-making. This trait ensures that the civil service is not influenced by political or personal considerations, and that the best interests of the public are served.
  • Dedication to Public Service: Civil servants must be dedicated to serving the public's best interests. This trait promotes the well-being and welfare of the public and ensures that the civil service is responsive to the needs of the community.
  • Empathy, Tolerance and Compassion towards the weaker sections: Civil servants must treat all individuals with kindness, understanding, and respect, particularly those who are marginalized or vulnerable.
    • This trait promotes inclusivity and social justice within the civil service, and ensures that the needs of all members of the community are taken into consideration.
• Justification for Inclusion of Ethical terms in Matrix:
  • Inclusion of these traits in the matrix of ethical traits can help in the performance evaluation of civil servants as it would provide a framework for determining how well they are adhering to these principles.
  • It can also help in identifying areas where the civil servant may need to improve their ethical behavior and make necessary efforts to rectify it.
  • Furthermore, the matrix can be used as a tool for training and professional development for the civil servant, helping them to understand the importance of ethical behavior and how to apply these principles in their work.

Conclusion

The inclusion of above-mentioned traits in the matrix of ethical traits are crucial for the performance evaluation of civil servants and for ensuring that the civil service is operating in an ethical and responsible manner. This matrix can help civil servants to understand the importance of ethical behavior and how to apply these principles in their work.