GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

Is it justifiable to say that corruption is a social phenomenon? What are the various ways through which administrative corruption can be tackled?

Answered by 8 toppers · CSE 2022–2025

CorruptionProbity in GovernanceAccountability and Ethical GovernanceSocial Influence and PersuasionTransparency and InformationCivil Service ValuesWork Culture

Syllabus: Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

How toppers approached it

From all 8 answers · about 170 words.

Opening

  • A definition75%
  • No separate opening13%
  • A quotation13%

Body

  • Points63%
  • Points and prose38%

Close

  • No separate close50%
  • A summary25%
  • A way forward25%

The toppers’ answers

Aditya SrivastavaAIR 1 · CSE 2023 · 166 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Corruption has been defined as misuse of authority for personal monetary or other gains (Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988)

Despite being presented as a individual phenomenon of greed; it goes deeper --

Body · points

Corruption as a social phenomenon

  1. Acceptance due to attitude of society that 'small payments are the oil of bureaucracy'.
  2. Collusion by members of society for personal gain. (Eg. ICICI-Videocon Scam).
  3. Bureaucrats are a reflection of the society.
  4. Moral corruption due to hope for

favouritism in return for money.

However, apart from being a social phenomenon, it reflects the individual level lack of temperance and presence of desire & greed (Buddha considered wrong) leading to Gandhian sin of wealth without morality on work.

Way ahead

→ Moral attitude of society needs to be changed via classical conditioning. → Strict enforcement of POCA Act, 1988 for deterrance → Dillard's fear theory → Moral overhauling of bureaucracy via soft skill training (II ARC)

Close · a way forward

This will uphold the substantive role of bureaucracy towards Yogakshema.

More on Corruption

The challenge of corruption: its causes, forms and control, whistleblowing, and the ethics of tolerating it.

All GS4 questions on Corruption