Mains Practice Questions

Introduction

In public service, probity and integrity are fundamental values, often mentioned together but with distinct meanings.

• While both aim to uphold ethical governance, probity emphasizes strict adherence to transparency and accountability in processes, whereas integrity focuses on an individual's moral commitment to honesty and ethical behavior, even when not regulated.

Body

Probity and Integrity in Public Service:

• Scope and Application:
  • Probity: Primarily concerned with processes and institutional conduct. It ensures that systems operate in a transparent and accountable manner.
  • Integrity: Focuses on the individual's moral and ethical framework, ensuring they do not deviate from righteous behavior, irrespective of external pressure or legal loopholes.
  • Example: Probity may involve publishing the details of contracts and tenders to ensure transparency, while integrity would compel an official to refuse bribes and avoid corruption, even when the process allows opportunities for personal gain.
• Preventive vs. Personal Moral Conduct:
  • Probity: Acts as a preventive measure, ensuring that public institutions follow ethical procedures and prevent misconduct.
  • Integrity: Is more personal and intrinsic, demanding that public officials act ethically out of their own moral commitment, even in ambiguous situations.
  • Example: The Right to Information (RTI) Act in India is a tool to promote probity in governance by allowing citizens to access government records.
    • On the other hand, an official declining a personal favor offered by a contractor, despite knowing they would not be caught, exemplifies integrity.
• Public Accountability vs. Personal Accountability:
  • Probity: Ensures public accountability by upholding clear, observable standards of conduct and preventing misconduct.
  • Integrity: Deals with personal accountability, ensuring an individual consistently behaves ethically, regardless of whether their actions are observable or regulated.
  • Example: Probity is evident in the transparent conduct of audits in government programs like MGNREGA.
    • Integrity would be exemplified by a district officer who does not misrepresent data for personal gain, even in situations where scrutiny is minimal.
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Ethical Impact:
  • Probity: May have immediate implications, like restoring public trust through transparency and accountability in government operations.
  • Integrity: Has long-term implications for ethical governance, fostering a culture of moral responsibility that promotes sustained ethical behavior in public administration.
  • Example: In the 2010 Commonwealth Games corruption case, transparency in auditing the irregularities was an example of probity.
    • The lasting impact of an officer maintaining integrity in preventing similar misappropriations in future events shows the long-term benefits of integrity.
• Systemic vs. Personal Ethical Governance:
  • Probity: Can be institutionalized through laws, rules, and procedures that promote fairness and transparency in public dealings.
  • Integrity: Cannot be entirely institutionalized but must be cultivated in individuals through ethical training and personal moral commitment.
  • Example: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ensures probity by institutionalizing mechanisms to prevent corruption and enforce accountability in public offices.
    • The personal integrity of an officer like E. Sreedharan, known for his ethical conduct during his leadership of the Delhi Metro project, demonstrates how individual commitment to moral principles is essential, even within systems that promote transparency.

Conclusion

While probity and integrity both contribute to ethical governance, their implications differ. Probity ensures that governance systems operate transparently, but integrity ensures that individuals within the system consistently follow ethical norms. Together, they form the bedrock of trust between citizens and the government, ensuring accountability, fairness, and moral leadership in public service.