GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

How should public servants ethically balance stakeholder interests, official obligations, and regime values when making administrative decisions, and which of these should be given the most moral weight?

Answered by 7 toppers · CSE 2024–2025

Civil Service ValuesEthical Dilemmas in GovernmentAccountability and Ethical GovernanceDedication to Public ServiceSources of Ethical Guidance

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 7 answers · about 160 words · 57% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening86%
  • A restatement14%

Body

  • Points57%
  • Points and prose43%

Close

  • No separate close71%
  • A summary14%
  • A way forward14%

The toppers’ answers

Raghav JhunjhunwalaAIR 4 · CSE 2025 · 130 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Public services often involve clash & bargain amongst varied interests which often create dilemmas for civil servants.

Body · points and prose

Balancing conflicts:

  1. Using rules, laws, regulations as external guide to navigate conflicts.

  2. Using inner conscience to prioritize among conflicting values.

(Ex: Gandhiji during NCM Chaurichaura)

Diagram
Interest: unity / \ / \ / \ Values: Obligation: Nonviolence law & order
  1. seeking external guidance from seniors, colleagues, etc. may help

(Ex: Krishna guide → Arjuna (mahabharat))

Order of Precedence

Diagram
[Stakeholder Interests (Priority 1)] [Regime values (Priority 2)] [Official obligations (Priority 3)]

Reason behind:

  • As per both Deontology (Duty bound to cater to needs of citizens) as well as Teleology (welfare of maximum citizens); need to prioritize stakeholder interests esp. downtrodden. [Vivekananda: Daridra Narayan]

  • Public service / Regime values must also be given precedence as they guide the basic framework of service ethos; official compliances can be later dealt with.

Close · a summary

Thus, public welfare is the pertinent goal.

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