Subject: Public/Civil Service Values

Public interest is a broad, dynamic concept that refers to the welfare, well-being, and general good of the community as a whole and prioritizing collective benefits over individual or sectional advantages.

“A public official is a fiduciary of the public’s interest.” – Paul H. Douglas

Principles to be Followed in Public Interest

Maxim of utilitarianism – “greatest happiness of greatest number”

Selflessness- Prioritizing public gain over personal material benefits.

Integrity- Absolute consistency between one’s values and actions.

Objectivity- Making decisions based solely on merit, facts, and evidence. Eg- E. Sreedharan in awarding delhi metro projects

Accountability- Being answerable for the consequences of administrative decisions. Eg- Lal Bahadur Shastri resigning as Railway Minister following a major train accident.

Openness (Transparency)- Proactively sharing information to foster public trust. Eg- U. Sagayam (IAS) – 1st IAS office to declare his personal assets

Impartiality- Acting without bias toward any caste, creed, or political affiliation. Eg- T. N. Seshan as CEC

Empathy and Compassion- Sensitivity toward the plight of the marginalized. Eg- Prashant Nair’s “Operation Sulaimani” – Use of crowdsourced coupons to feed hunger

Commitment to Public Service- Viewing the job as a “mission”. Eg- Dr. Rajendra Bharud (IAS) setting up an oxygen plant in tribal Nandurbar before the second COVID wave

Leadership- Leading by example to uphold ethical standards. Eg- S.R. Sankaran – “an ideal people’s IAS officer” remained unmarried for service of nation

Courage of Conviction- Eg- Durga Shakti Nagpal (IAS) taking a firm stand against the powerful sand mining mafia in Noida.

Procedures to be Followed in Public Interest

Adherence to code of conduct and code of ethics

Adherence to the Rule of Law- Every decision must be rooted in constitutional or statutory authority

Due Process in Procurement- Eg- using GeM-Government e-Marketplace.

Public Consultation- Eg- “Gram Sabhas” or “Jan Sunwais” before major projects

Grievance Redressal Mechanisms- Eg- CPGRAMS

Recusal from Conflict of Interest

Evidence-Based Policy Making- Eg- GATI Shakti mission

These principles and procedures ensure that governance is not only efficient but ethical, humane and resilient.

This statement reflects the principle of Administrative Discretion and Innovation in public service. It also highlights the shift from “Rule-based” to “Goal-oriented” governance.

Everything is permitted in doing good thing

Adherence to the utilitarian principle of ‘greatest happiness.’

Resource optimization- Eg- Armstrong Pame (IAS) crowdfunded the “People’s Road”.

Innovation for reformative justice- Kiran Bedi (IPS) introduced Vipassana.

Behavioral Nudging (Gandhigiri)- Using psychology instead of force. Eg- In the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, officers gifted flowers to people defecating in the open.

Prioritising social welfare by bypassing bureaucratic rigidity. Eg- Prashant Nair’s “Operation Sulaimani” – Use of crowdsourced coupons to feed hunger

Finding ‘out of the box’ solutions. Eg- IPS chetan singh Rathore using National Anthem to manage protesting crowd.

Ethical use of discretion in crises. Eg- Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar used her office as a “human call center” during communication blackouts in J&K

Helps in collaborative problem solving rather than a top-down approach. Eg- S.R. Sankaran involved local community elders in identifying bonded laborers.

Creativity and innovations facilitate adoption of technology to solve problems. Eg- Dr. Hari Chandana building pavements from recycled plastic in Hyderabad.

Inaction out of fear of rules is often a greater “evil” than Innovation within the framework of the law. – leads to policy paralysis

Constitutional Morality- One cannot “do good” by violating Fundamental Rights. Eg- unauthorized phone tapping.

Financial Propriety- Eg- following due process in tender allocation

Avoiding Conflict of Interest through declaration and recusal

Acting in the “spirit” of the law

Dignity and Human Rights- Adherence to Kant’s categorical imperative.

Non-arbitrariness – No favouritism under the garb of welfare.

The ultimate test for any “permitted” action is Mahatma Gandhi’s Talisman– “Will it lead to the upliftment of the poorest?”

“The greatest corruption is the corruption of duty.” – Edmund Burke

Conventionally, corruption is viewed as the “misuse of public office for private gain,” however, in a broader ethical sense, omission (failing to act) is as damaging as commission (acting wrongly).

Non-performance of duty as form of corruption

Theft of Public Salary- Taking a salary while deliberately avoiding work is “financial fraud” against the taxpayer. Eg- “Ghost employees” in various municipal bodies

Creation of “Induced” Corruption- Deliberate delays (Red Tapism) are often used to force citizens to pay “speed money.”

Violation of the Right to Life- Eg- delay in safety audits leading to Mundra building tragedy.

Delays in project clearance lead to Policy Paralysis- High economic “opportunity cost.” Eg- delays in environmental clearances in PPP projects

Inaction is a betrayal of the “fiduciary duty” owed to the citizens. Eg- Police officers failing to register an FIR in SC, ST atrocity cases.

Wastage of Resources- Eg- food grains roting in FCI godowns while tribal populations suffer from malnutrition.

When officials don’t work, citizens lose faith in democracy and turn to extra-constitutional means for justice. Eg- rise of “vigilante justice”

Moral hazard – Inaction normalises irresponsibility.

Facilitates exploitation. Eg- Labour inspectors not enforcing minimum wage laws.

Ways to Curb Corruption and Non-Performance

Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct. (2nd ARC)

Implementation of Citizens’ Charters- Eg- SAKALA (Karnataka Guarantee of Services Act)

Giving legal backing to Social Audits

Leveraging Technology. Eg- Faceless Income Tax Assessment

Strengthening the Lokpal and Lokayuktas to investigate “maladministration” and “neglect”

Independent Commission Against Corruption – “Hong Kong Model”

Performance-linked accountability. Eg- 360 degree feedback

A culture of active responsibility, diligence and accountability is needed to deal with the menace of corruption.

“Your right is to work only, but never to its fruits.” – Bhagavad Gita

The statement reflects the idea of Karma-Yoga – that sincere devotion to one’s duty leads to both moral excellence and inner fulfilment. For a civil servant, devotion to duty converts power into service.

Devotion to Duty leading to Sense of Responsibility

For a civil servant, duty is not just a job description, it is a moral contract with the sovereign the people. (Trusteeship principle)

Devotion ensures that the officer is upholding Constitutional Morality even under political pressure.

Professional Integrity- It manifests as doing the right thing when no one is watching. Eg- Satyendra Dubey

Accountability to the “Last Person”- A devoted officer views themselves as answerable to the most marginalized. Eg- Dr. Rajendra Bharud (IAS) – oxygen plants in tribal Nandurbar district.

Impartiality in Crisis- Devotion prevents personal biases from clouding administrative judgment.

Resource Stewardship- Eg- E. Sreedharan completed Metro projects under budget and ahead of time.

Compassionate Regulation- Balancing the “letter of the law” with the “spirit of justice.” Eg- delaying the demolition of encroachment until finalization of the rehabilitation plan.

Crisis Leadership- Eg- Krishna Teja (IAS) coordinated evacuation of over 2.5 lakh people during Kerala floods

Acts as a Internal moral compass ensuring accountability to conscience. Eg – Satish Dhawan taking responsibility for ISRO failure.

Devotion to Duty leading to Personal Fulfilment

Personal fulfilment in civil service comes from the alignment of one’s “inner conscience” with “outer action.”

Self-Actualization- Finding the highest version of oneself through service.

Emotional Intelligence- Developing a sense of “Wholeness” by connecting with the suffering and joy of the public.

The “Flow” State- Becoming so absorbed in problem-solving that work stops being stressful and becomes meditative.

Legacy Building- S.R. Sankaran – “an ideal people’s IAS officer” remained unmarried for service of nation

Inner Peace- knowing there is no gap between what you believe and what you do.

Resilience- Devotion provides the “buffer” against the frustrations of transfers or political interference.

A Clear Conscience- The ability to sleep peacefully, knowing one has not been a party to injustice

Transcendence- Moving beyond the “ego” (the I, Me, Mine) to a larger identity (The State, The People).

Institution building by prioritizing long-term public interest over short-term gain. Eg- Verghese Kurien building AMUL.

Devotion to Duty leading to Highest Perfection

“Highest Perfection” is the state where the administrator becomes an “Ethical Titan”

Sense of responsibility and fulfillment leads to unity of thought, word, and deed – a state of perfection. Eg- Mahatma Gandhi

Achieves Equanimity (Samatvam)- Remaining calm in both praise and blame, success and failure

Becoming a “Living Institution”- When the individual’s name becomes synonymous with the values of the office.

“To find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

Devotion to duty is the “alchemy” that turns a bureaucrat into a public servant.