UPSC Mains 2019 · GS IV · Q1(a) · 10 marks · 150 words

What are the basic principles of public life ? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples.

हिन्दी में

सार्वजनिक जीवन के आधारिक सिद्धांत क्या हैं ? इन में से किन्हीं तीन सिद्धांतों को उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ स्पष्ट कीजिए ।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Discuss, with examples, the significance of principles of public life as recommended by Nolan committee. Why are these principles considered as an essential set of expectations from public servants?”

Junaid AhmadAIR 3 · CSE 2018 · 147 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Nolan committee was constituted in UK to bring in ethics in governance.

Principles which it recommended:

S - Selflessness H - Honesty O - Openness O - Objectivity L - Leadership A - Accountability I - Integrity

Significance of these:

Body · points

(a) Selflessness Kautilya said that a king should not do anything to please himself but to please his subjects. Corruption like 2G, Coal scam happens due to individual greed.

(b) Honesty and Integrity (c) Openness and objectivity

  • MIS system in MGNREGA helped in curbing corruption.
  • RTI ensured accountability. (d) Leadership Vinod Rai ex CAG exposed corruption. TN Seshan showed what EC can do. (e) Accountability Exposure of scams like Adarsh housing by RTI.
  • Essential for public servant → Discharge of their duties without fear → Accountability → Servants not masters of people → Ethics → Empathy

Close

↘ Emotional intelligence 2nd ARC recommended the same.

17 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper IV, Q1(a). The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.