10/17/2015

MrunalEthics(E3/P3):Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartialityvalues

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[Ethics]E3/P3:Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartiality3foundational
valuesforcivilservices
PostedByMrunalOn14/10/2015@10:37amInEthics|14Comments
1. E3/P3:VideoLecturebyKavanLimbasiya(Rank198/UPSC2014)
2. Characteristics:Ministervs.Officer
3. Neutrality
1. ConductrulesforNeutrality
2. WhyNeutralityinDanger?
3. Electionandcorruption
4. InserviceandIntraservicerivalry?
5. ArgumentsAgainstNeutrality
4. Anonymity
1. ConductrulesforAnonymity
2. Argumentsagainstanonymity
5. Impartiality,NonPartisanship
6. Othervaluesforcivilservices

E3/P3:VideoLecturebyKavanLimbasiya(Rank198/UPSC2014)

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MrunalEthics(E3/P3):Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartialityvalues

YoutubeLink:youtu.be/x4VeP0VjlHw

Characteristics:Ministervs.Officer
Politicalexecutive
Derivesauthorityfrompeople,byvirtueof
election.
Tenure:Temporaryandshort
Hasmorecontactwithpublic.
Hehasknowledgeofwhatpeopleexpect
butrarelyanexpertinspecialwork.He
thereforereliesonpermanentofficialsfor
factsandadvice
Role:Policymaking
notsurewhatisbestsolutiontoaparticular
problem

Permanentexecutive
DerivesauthorityFromtechnicalandAdministrative
expertise.
Permanentandlong
less
Sometimesoutoftouchwiththeproblemsofgeneral
public,becauseofivorytower,colonialmindset.

Policyimplementation.
Asprincipaladvisortominister,anofficermustender
advicewithoutfear/favours.
Officermustbrieflyrecordalldecisionsand
Interestedinpositiveactioninshort
instructions,toensurethatministersshortterm
termratherthangoingforalongterm
whimsicalordersdontruinhiscareerinlongtermafter
planning.
CAGauditormediaexpose.
Officershouldshowsensitivitytoministersconcern,
Notinterestedintakingunpopulardecisions ratherthanbeingcynicalaboutvotebankpoliticsallthe
time.

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MrunalEthics(E3/P3):Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartialityvalues

Meaningofeachterm
Neutrality

Servedifferentregimes/partieswithsameenthusiasm.
Stayawayfrompoliticalaffiliations

Impartiality

Actwithoutbiasofclientnature(richvspoor)orsocialpressure(caste,religion
etc.)

Anonymity

Officershouldworkbehindthecurtainswhilepoliticalbossgetsallcreditand
criticism.

Neutrality
Nonpartisanshipisattitude.Impartiallyisbehavior.
Politicalimpartiallyisneutrality.
Civilservantmustnotbeassociatedwithanypoliticalpartyorideology.
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MrunalEthics(E3/P3):Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartialityvalues

Officerisexpectedtocooperateanypoliticalpartyinpower.Hemustnotallowhispolitical
values/ideologytointerfereindaytodaywork.
Hemustfaithfullyimplementthepublicpolicies,evenIftheyrecontrarytohisbeliefs.
Neutralityisrequiredtokeep:
Publicconfidenceincivilservices.
Politicalexecutivesconfidenceincivilservicesafterregimeischanged.ifthereislackof
mutualtrust,theycantworkforlargerinterest.
Nowadays,trustislost.Therefore,aftereveryelection,thenewrulingpartywillbegin
masstransferoftheofficersfrompreviousregime.
TypesofNeutrality
Passive
neutrality

Officerwilldoanythingthatthepoliticalexecutiveorder.
Butthenhemayendupviolatingsomelegal/constitutionalprovisions.
Hencepassiveneutralityisundesirable.

Active
neutrality

Officerwilldowhatconstitution,rules,lawsandofficemanualsays,without
followinganyparticularparty.

ConductrulesforNeutrality
Officermustnottakepartinpolitics
Hemustnotgiveelectionfund/assistancetoanypoliticalparty
Hecanvote.Butmustnottellhispreferencetootherpeople.
Hemustnotdisplayanyelectionsymbolsonhisperson,vehicleorhome.
Hemustnotparticipateinrally,dharnapradarshan,anddemonstrationwithoutgovernment
permission.

WhyNeutralityinDanger?

Electionandcorruption
Ministersneedlotofmoneytofinanceelectioncampaigns,sotheypreferaconvenient
subordinate.Theydontlikeanofficerwhogivesfreeandfrankadvice.
Officerstrytoanticipateministerswishesandofferadviceaccordingly.Theyevenbenddown
andtouchfeetofthepoliticiansinpublicceremonies.
Officerwhodoesntbehaveinthatmanner,getssidelinepostings,hebecomesasulkyunwilling
workerthathelpsneitherhimnortheorganization.
EndofCongresssonepartyrule=politicalinstability=opportunitiesinbothpoliticiansand
bureaucrats.E.g.ifBJP@centreandcongress@stateandanIASwantstogetplumpostingin
Centralminister,hellplayhiscardsaccordingly.

InserviceandIntraservicerivalry?
Ineachgovernmentservice,therearevariousfactionsbasedonlanguage,religion,casteand
region.
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MrunalEthics(E3/P3):Neutrality,Anonymity,Impartialityvalues

Togainpromotionandperksfortheirfaction,theydbendtothewillsofpoliticians.
1stARCobservedIAShaslostitsenthusiasmandvigor.Theyrereadytodoanythingand
everythingforreward/fearoftransfer.
Theyalignwithrulingpartyandhavecynicaldisregardforpublicinterest.
Internalfighting/rivalryamongIAS/IPS/IRSlobby,alsounderminesnonpartisanshipinsteadof
focusingontheservicetothepeople/nation.

ArgumentsAgainstNeutrality
Tomaintainneutrality,officermaybecomeindifferenttosocialpolicesinchangingregimes.
Inertiaandstatusquowillcreepinhiswork.
IndiraGandhiandothershavelamentedthatIndianbureaucracyisnotcommittedenoughforthe
socialwelfareideology,theyrelivingintheirownivorytowersandaimingonlytowards
careerism.
InUSA,everypresidentbringshisownexecutiveteam.Theydonthavetoplayneutralcard.
Theyvehavemanagerialskills,andfaithfullyimplementpoliciesofthepresident.(Criticism
suchpartisanmachinerymayignorepeoplewhorenottheprimevotebank.)
Neutralityconceptworkswellinfirstworldbecausebothministerandbureaucratcomefrom
similarclassandculture.ButinIndia,situationdifferent.
Neutralityisnotadvocatedinanyprofession,exceptbureaucracy.Butitisonlyinthe
bureaucracy,wefindcynicsandweaklings.

Anonymity
Bureaucratissupposedtoworkbehindthecurtainandavoidmedialimelightandpublicgaze.
Hellnotgetcreditforthesuccessandhellnotbeblamedforthefailure.Itllberesponsibilityof
thepoliticalexecutivetohandlealltheapplaudandcriticism.
E.g.Mundhradealscam(1957):ChaglacommissionheldthatMinisterT.T.Krishnamachariis
constitutionallyresponsiblefortheactionsofhissecretary(H.M.Patel)hecanttakeshelter
behindthemordisownreasonability.Consequently,Ministerresigned.
Heshouldavoidgoingtomediatoairhisgrievancesordifferencesofopinion.
Ministermustbegiventhepowertoextrawork,powertorewardandpunish.
Officerhastobeaccountabletohissuperiorexecutive(bothpermanentandpolitical).
Ministerhastobeaccountabletopeople.

ConductrulesforAnonymity
OfficerShallnotdivulgeinformationhegotduringhisofficialcapacitytoathirdpartyexcept
undergoodfaithorwhenrequiredbythelaw/departmentalrules.
shallguardtheofficialsecrets.(ExceptwhereRTIapplies.)
Shallnotmakeanypublicutterancethatwouldembarrassrelationsbetween
unionvsstate
statevsstate
Indiavsforeigncountry
executive/judi./legislature
Criticizinganypolicyofunion/stategovernment.
Needsgovernmentpermissionbeforepublishingbook/writinginnewspaper/appearingonTV
radioEXCEPTliterary,artisticorscientificcharacter.
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Heshallnotdoabovethingsevenanonymouslyorpseudonymously.
Withoutgovernmentpermission,hemustnotacceptanyhonor,ceremony,meeting,rallyheldin
hishonor(orinhonorofanotheremployee).
Farewellpartyduringretirement/transfer=permitted.
Simpleandinexpensiveentertainmentsarrangedbypublicbodiesorinstitutions=permitted.
Vindicationofofficialacts:Supposepublic/presshasmadesomeremarksagainsthimforhis
officialconduct.Hecannotfiledefamationsuitagainstthemormakepressstatements,without
governmentpermission.
Thisensuresdiscipline,decorumandmoraloftheservices.

Argumentsagainstanonymity
Oftenministerscomeupwithpopulistschemes/policieswithunattainabletargetsandthenblames
officersfornotimplementingitfaithfully.
Ministersopenlycriticizebureaucratsbutbureaucratscantdefendbecausenormsofanonymity.
Stilltheyvetofacethepeopleprotestingagainstthestate.(counterargument:officersalso
criticisethepoliticiansintheirdaytodayofficelifeandprivatelife.Hencethemutualrespectis
lost.)
Oftentheentirestatebureaucracyiscorruptandinefficient.So,despiteusingtheofficialchannels
(suchassendingapplicationtohigherbossesorfilingcourtpetitions),thehonestofficermaynot
getanyjustice.Andstillthenormofanonymitywillstophimfromapproachingmedia.Andstill
ifheapproachesmedia,hellbefurtherpersecutedforviolatingtheservicenorms.

Impartiality,NonPartisanship
Theyrerequiredbecauseoursocietyisdividedoncasteandreligiouslines.
Acivilservantalsocomesfromthissociety,belongtoaparticularcaste/class/religion/region.If
heremainsconsciousofthoseparameters,hellmakebiaseddecisionsandtreatclients/citizens
basedontheirsocioeconomicstatus.
Ifsuchofficerislazy/corruptandifdepartmentalactionistaken,hedblamehissuperiorsof
discriminationoncaste/regionallines.
InDevyanicase,hisfatherallegedshesbeenvictimizedbecauseshesDalit.Personalcriticismis
attributedtocaste.

Othervaluesforcivilservices
Theseothervaluesarerequiredundernewpublicmanagement,becausenowcitizenhasbecamea
customerandheseeksvalueformoney/taxespaidwhilegettingpublicservice.
Optimism:youreincivilserviceforreforms,youmustbeoptimistabouttheoutcomes.
Creativity:inarapidlychangingenvironmentwithnewICTtechnologiescomingeveryday,
youvetobecreativetoutilizethemtomakeyouradministrativeworkfaster,smootherandmore
efficient.
Responsiveness:forsamereasonscitedabove,youveberesponsivetowhatevernew
opportunitiesandchallengesariseeveryday.
Courage:toinitiatereforms,toapplycreativesolutions,youneedtobecourageous.
Efficiency
Effectiveness.
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Inexamyoucouldfacetwotypeofquestions
Directdescriptivequestionssuchasexplaintheimportanceofneutralityincivilservices.OR
Casestudybasedquestionwhereanofficerisfacedwithxyzchallengeandwhatshouldhedo?
Insuchcasestudies,
Firstyouidentifywhichfundamentalvaluesarepresent
thenyoutestthemonethicaltheories
presenttheanswer,preferablyalongwithrecommendationof2ndARC.
Inthenextpart(E3/P4),weshalllookatsomecasestudies.
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civilservices.html
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