Ethics is an attempt to guide human conduct and
it is also an attempt to help man in leading good life by applying moral
principles. Ethics refers to well based standards of right and wrong that
prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations,
benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Ethics is related to issues
of propriety, rightness and wrongness. What is right is ethical and what is
wrong is unethical. Value is an important conception in ethical discussion. Values relate to the norms of a culture, but they are more global
and abstract than norms. In certain cultures norms reflect the values of
respect and support of friends and family. Different cultures reflect different
values. Over the last three decades, traditional-age college students have
shown an increased interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in
the welfare of others. Recently, the
department of personnel and training has decided to change the pattern of the
Civil Services Examination by stressing more on general studies and aptitude
skills. A notification has been issued is this regard. From this year the Civil
Services (Mains) will also have a separate paper on “ethics, integrity and
aptitude”. The notification for the 2013 exam said the “paper (on ethics,
integrity and aptitude) will include questions to test the candidate’s attitude
and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his
problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts in dealing with
society”. There are six major sections (i) Ethics and Human Interfaith, (ii)
Attitude, (iii) Emotional Intelligence, (iv) Contributions of Moral thinkers
and philosophers of India and World, (v) Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics
in Public Administration and (vi) Probity in Governance. In this
paper an attempt is made to describe the values needed in public service sector
and ethical principles might use in public administration and related to the V
section of this syllabus.
Published:
“Public Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration” in The Religious-Philosophical Dimensions
edited by Merina Islam, CPPIS, Pehowa in 2015, pp. 109-122 (ISBN: 978-81-922377-5-6).
