GS4 · 20 marks · 250 words

You have recently joined the Statistical Department of the State as Deputy Head of Records. Your duties involved supervising the timely inflow of data, scrutinising the data source and ensuring data entry and updating. You had a staff of 32 to manage, and it was a mixed bag; some were young recruits, some were in the department for some time, and some were on the verge of retirement. Overall, the Staff was not very efficient, but somehow they managed their jobs. In one of the meetings, the Head of the Department mentioned outsourcing of jobs of your staff as a cost-cutting measure. But there were no serious deliberations, so you didn't think much of it. But yesterday, you received an official order stating that your department tasks will be outsourced and your Staff will be downsized. You had no problems with outsourcing, but you did not favour downsizing, as it would lead to people losing their jobs. You sought a meeting with your Head to discuss the ramifications of the new order, specifically the downsizing part. Your Head was very emphatic about the whole process and seemed to be least concerned with people losing their livelihood. Disappointed, you got back to your office thinking of ways of saving your staff's jobs. In utter desperation, you wrote to the concerned Minister, marking a copy to your Head and the Chief Secretary. The Minister sympathetically received the note, and he assured some positive action. But your Head was not happy about you going above without his consent. He immediately orders your transfer and starts disciplinary proceedings for non-compliance with the office order. 1. Discuss the administrative and ethical issues involved in the above case. 2. Do you think it was morally right on your part to write to the minister? Justify 3. How will you respond to the action initiated against you? Discuss the available options and justify your selected course of action.

Answered by 9 toppers · CSE 2022–2025

Syllabus: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.

How toppers approached it

From all 9 answers · about 350 words · 56% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening89%
  • A definition11%

Body

  • Points and prose67%
  • Points33%

Close

  • No separate close56%
  • A summary33%
  • A quotation11%

The toppers’ answers

Komal PuniaAIR 6 · CSE 2024 · 301 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

The case involves displeasing seniors culminating into transfer orders in order to save jobs of my staff.

Body · points and prose

Diagram
* Stakeholders * Minister concerned to case * Me & my staff & their families * Society at large * Outsourcing company * Head of Dept. & other seniors (Chief Secy.)
  1. Administrative issues involved
  1. loss of livelihood of staff members
  2. Efficiency management in dept. by outsourcing work.
  3. Cost cutting measures negatively affecting employees.
  4. Indifference of department seniors to grievance of staff losing job.
  5. Transfer orders - unjustified.

Ethical issues

  1. efficient service delivery vs job loss → by outsourcing work → of staff member

↳ (2) Inhumane face of administration indifferent to employee's issues. ↳ (3) Staff not performing their work efficiently though taking salary out of public resources. ↳ (4) Unethical & unprofessional behaviour of head of dept. by issuing transfer & disciplinary proceedings. ↳ (5) Unacceptance of junior's request and rigid hierarchical administrative structure.

  1. Justification on morality of writing to minister → In favour ↳ (1) saving livelihoods and sustenary of staff's families. ↳ (2) Compassionate and empathetic behaviour towards staff.

↳ 3 tried convincing head, but he was least concerned with people's grievance.

↳ 4 Humanitarian duty to help others.

Diagram
- Arguments against - 1. Should have tried alternative options - 2. Disobey and contempt towards senior - 3. Personal loss - transfer & disciplinary action - 4. Staff was relatively inefficient

Overall, I think, drastic measures like cutting from job is not the way forward.

& for available options

  1. My response would be - ↳ first, sincerely apologizing senior if he got offended. ↳ second, won't accept disciplinary proceedings and will present my case honestly.

(3) Making senior aware of grievance of staff and emotional appeal to them.

(4) Alternate solutions like phasewise downsizing and alternate employment opportunities to young recruits.

(5) Ensuring staff work efficiently → by training, skilling and upskilling

Close · a quotation

↓ will reduce need of downsizing.

"Minimum government maximum governance is ideal but means to achieve it should not be drastic as in above case.

"In process of attaining our goal, our means should be as fair as our ideal" - Rajendra Prasad.

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