The Book
A textbook written specially for the UPSC Mains General Studies Paper-IV, Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude provides systematic guidance to students preparing for Civil Services examinations by presenting comprehensive material on the topic of ethics, integrity and aptitude.
The authors give a detailed account of the various principles of ethics and covers topics such as:
- ethics and its dimensions, and human values
- lessons from the lives of great leaders
- attitude and aptitude
- foundational values for civil servants and ethics in public administration
- ethical and moral values in governance
- ethics in international relations, and
- corporate governance and public service.
The book contains questions from previous years’ UPSC exams at the end of each chapter, as well as solved and unsolved case studies from the last ten years’ UPSC Civil Services Mains Examinations (2013–23). In addition, the book includes a few sample case studies with solutions, which are based on the authors’ knowledge of philosophy and administrative experience.
Written in a simple and lucid language, this comprehensive study of ethics will help aspirants prepare better for the civil services examinations.
The Author(s)
S. S. Baredia is an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer in the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. Before he joined the civil services in 2016, he worked with Madhya Pradesh State Civil Services. He worked as Child Development Project Officer, Department of Women and Child Development; and served as CEO, Janpad Panchayat, Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development. In addition to his extensive experience as a civil servant, he has also taught Ethics in various reputed coaching institutes.
A. Lilhare is a postgraduate in English Literature. He has a vast experience in teaching aspirants for UPSC, State PSC and other examinations. He is the director of Ajab’s Academy, Delhi.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Ethics and Human Interface
Ethics: Essence, Determinants and Consequence; Why Ethics?; How are Ethical
Frameworks Built?; Ethics and Morality; Ethics as a Guide to Life: The End Goal;
Free Will and Determinism; Character in Ethics; The Historical Evolution of Ethics;
Religion and Morality
2. Dimensions of Ethics
Normative Ethics; Meta-Ethics; Applied Ethics; Evolutionary Ethics; Lying and Ethics
3. Ethics in Private and Public Relationships
What, Why, How; Types of Conduct; Evolution and Emergence of Morality; Public and Private Relationships; Legal Intervention in the Realm of the Private
4. Human Values
What are Values?; Hierarchy and Classification of Values; Value Theory of Milton
Rokeach (1918–88); Value Theory of Clare W. Graves (1914–86); Choosing Personal Core Values; Role of Family in Inculcating Values; Role of Society
in Inculcating Values; Role of Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values
5. Lessons from the Lives and Teachings of Great Leaders, Reformers and Administrators
Mahatma Gandhi; Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Jawaharlal Nehru; Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar;
Napoleon Bonaparte; Abraham Lincoln; Swami Vivekananda; Raja Rammohan Roy;
Nelson Mandela; Martin Luther King Jr; George Washington; Deendayal Upadhyaya;
Rammanohar Lohiya; Swami Dayananda Saraswati; Tulsidas; Kabir; Guru Nanak;
Guru Ravidas; Sri Ramakrishna Paramhans; Sri Narayan Guru; Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad; Rabindranath Tagore; Mother Teresa; A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
6. Attitude
What is Attitude?; Components of Attitude: The Tripartite ABC Model;
Implicit and Explicit Attitudes; Measuring Attitude; Behaviour, Intention,
Beliefs and Goals; Functions of Attitude; Attitude and Behaviour; Attitude Formation
and Attitude Change; Factors Controlling Attitude Change; Methods of Attitude Change;
Goals and Attitude Change; Moral, Political and Bureaucratic Attitudes;
Persuasion as a Model of Belief Correction for Attitude Change
7. Aptitude
Introduction; Aptitude for the Civil Services; Intelligence; Role of Personality
in Learning; Aptitude versus Attitude
8. Emotional Intelligence
Introduction; Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?; Classifying Emotional
Intelligence; How to Achieve Emotional Intelligence; Working with Emotional
Intelligence; Models of Emotional Intelligence
9. Foundational Values for Civil Servants
Introduction; Integrity; Objectivity; Impartiality and Non-Partisanship; Empathy;
Dedication to Public Service; Tolerance; Compassion towards Weaker Sections;
Courage of Conviction; Perseverance
10. Contributions of Moral Philosophers and Thinkers from India and the World
Indian Philosophers; Ethics in Religion; Western Philosophers; Chinese Philosophers;
Social Contract Theory; Contemporary Critique of Social Contract Theory
11. Ethics in Public Administration
Status and Problem; The Politics-Administration Dichotomy; The Principles of
Administration; Public Administration as Political Science; Public Administration as an Independent Discipline; Ethical Concerns in Government; Low Road Approach;
High Road Approach; Public Service Ethos; Ethical Minimum and Ethical Maximum;
Ethical Dilemma in Government; Ethical Dilemma in Private Institutions
12. Source of Ethical Guidance
Laws, Rules and Regulations as Sources of Ethical Guidance; Conscience as the
Source of Ethical Guidance
13. Accountability
Accountability and Ethical Governance; Types of Accountability; Accountability and
New Public Management
14. Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values in Governance
Introduction; Ethics Training for Public Servants; Steps taken by India
in Ethics Training
15. Ethical Dilemma
Introduction; Trolley Problem; How to Handle Ethical Dilemma
16. Ethics in International Relations
Introduction; Ethical Theories of International Relations; Different Ideologies of
International Relations; Ethics of International Funding
17. Corporate Governance
Introduction; Ethics of Corporate Governance; Corporate Governance in India;
Corporate Social Responsibility
18. Public Service
Introduction; Meaning of ‘Public’ in Public Service; Public Interest; Conflict of Interest;
Public Service Values
19. Probity in Governance
Philosophical Basis of Governance; Good Governance; Key Challenges in Governance;
Social Capital: A Shared Destiny; Philosophical Basis of Probity; Code of Ethics and
Code of Conduct; Citizen’s Charter; Utilisation of Public Funds; Probity in Governance
and Challenges of Corruption; Measures for Curbing Corruption and Ensuring Probity
in Governance; Fourth Report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission: Ethics in Governance; Causes of Corruption; Ethical Framework; Recommendations Related to Ethical
Framework for Ministers; Ethical Framework for Legislatures; Code of Ethics for Civil
Servants; Ethical Framework for the Judiciary; Legal Framework for Fighting Corruption;
Protecting the Honest Civil Servants; Seventh Report of the Second Administrative
Reforms Commission
20. Work Culture
Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism, Masculinity/Femininity
21. Quality of Service Delivery
Introduction; Framework for Quality Service Delivery; Six Sigma; Lean Methodology
22. Case Studies
Solved Case Studies (UPSC Civil Services Mains Examinations 2013–19); Unsolved Case Studies (UPSC Civil Services Mains Examinations 2020–23);
Sample Case Studies with Solutions
Bibliography