Mains Practice Questions

Approach:

• Introduction: Define Probity in Governance and its significance
• Body: Discuss its Impacts on administrative effectiveness and suggest measures to ensure probity in governance
• Conclusion: Conclude with a positive note

Introduction:

Probity in governance is the quality of having strong moral principles such as honesty, integrity, accountability, and transparency in public service. It is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for socio-economic development. It is concerned with procedures, processes, and systems rather than outcomes.

Body:

Probity in governance has a significant impact on administrative effectiveness and public trust. Some of the impacts are:

• Ensures that public officials perform their duties with competence, diligence, and impartiality, and avoid any conflict of interest or abuse of power.
• Enhances the credibility and legitimacy of the government and its policies and fosters public confidence and participation in the democratic process.
• Promotes the optimal utilization of public resources and prevents corruption, fraud, waste, and mismanagement.
• Safeguards the rights and interests of the citizens, especially the vulnerable and marginalized sections, and ensures that they receive fair, equitable and quality public services.
• Contributes to the achievement of the national goals and objectives, such as poverty alleviation, social justice, environmental protection, and national security.

Some of the measures to ensure probity in governance are:

• Establishing a clear and comprehensive legal and ethical framework for public service, such as codes of conduct, oaths of office, disclosure of assets, whistle-blower protection, etc.
• Strengthening the institutions and mechanisms for oversight, accountability, and transparency, such as anti-corruption agencies, audit bodies, ombudsman, right to information, etc.
• Enhancing the capacity and professionalism of public officials through training, education, mentoring and performance appraisal.
• Encouraging the participation and engagement of civil society, media and citizens in monitoring and evaluating public service delivery and governance outcomes.
• Fostering a culture of integrity, ethics and values among public officials and citizens through awareness campaigns, role models, incentives, and sanctions.

Conclusion:

Probity in governance is not only a legal or moral obligation but also a strategic necessity for good governance. It is a key determinant of administrative effectiveness and public trust. It is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders to uphold probity in governance.