1/17/2021 OneNote

Aptitude and Foundational Values

24 February 2019 14:00

Values
• Are beliefs that m0tivate pe0ple t0 act 0ne way 0r an0ther. They serve as
guide f0r human behavi0ur
• Examples – L0ve, Truth, C0urage, Resp0nsibility
• C0nflicts can 0ccur b/w pe0ple with different values
Importance of Values
• Ethical decisi0n-making inv0lves weighing values against each 0ther and
ch00sing the best 0ne
• Essential component for organisational culture
• Instrumental in determining, guiding and informing behaviour
• CS – adherence to high-level public service values – generation of public
trust & confidence
• Weak application of values/Promotion of inappropriate values – reduction
in essential elements of democratic governance as well as to ethical and
decision-making dilemmas
• Vast areas of administrative discretion which can't be controlled by formal
laws, procedure and methods – need application of values
Examples -
• India – Secular(religious tolerance) - Sarva Dharma Sambhaw (All
religions lead to same God), Atithi Devo Bhava, Vashudev Kutumbkam,
Unity in Diversity, Sarve Bhavantu Shukhina ...
• Me – Following rules (helping seni0r citizen t0 cr0ss traffic signal),
f0ll0wing Fundamental Duties
• CS – Probity, Integrity, Non-Partisanship etc., adherence t0 c0nstituti0nal
values
Diligence -
• Carrying 0ut activities with skill, care and attenti0n as well as with
reas0nable pr0mptness
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Competence – ability to do something successfully (Use in case study to solve

problems successfully)

Values for CS
• Second Administrative Reform Commission – integrity, dedication to
public service, impartiality, political neutrality, anonymity, etc. are said to
be the hallmarks of an efficient civil service
• Adherence to the highest standards of probity, integrity and conduct
• Impartiality and non-partisanship
• Objectivity
• Commitment to the citizens' concerns and public good
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• Empathy for the vulnerable and weaker sections of society

Contradiction to these values

• Maintaining confidentiality
• Acting in public interest – old women with less documents applying for
social benefit programme
• Providing quality advice - on security vs privacy
• Avoiding conflicts of interest – personal values vs organisation's
• Ensuring accountability to a range of actors – Superiors, Public, Ruling
Politicians
• Treating all colleagues equitably
• Maintaining Law & Order vs Rights of Citizens
Solution of above
• Clarity over an organisation's values
• Appropriateness of a particular value-system is worthy of regular
consideration in the context of changing expectations and functions
Poor clarity or Uncertainty about Values
• Lead to ethical or decision making dilemmas
• Affects organisational coherence by diminishing team spirit
• Creating organisational confusion
• Weak external communication
Most common values associated with Public services
• Honesty and integrity
• Impartiality
• Respect for the law
• Respect for the persons
• Diligence – Careful and Persistent w0rk eff0rt
• Economy and effectiveness
• Responsiveness
• Accountability
Attributes of Good Administrators (useful for case studies)
• Willingness to assume responsibility
• Steadily enlarging ability to deal with more problems
• Strong bent towards action
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• Good listener
• Effective with people
• Capacity to build his own strength by building the competence of his
organization
• Capacity to utilize his/her institutional resources
• No use of power for personal gain
• Good team-worker
• Good initiator
Public Values
• Values that an organisation contributes to society
• It is no longer limited to Public sector, but is used by all types of
organisations – NGOs, Private sector
• Source of Public Values – results from improving the government itself as
an asset to society, values that results from the delivery of specific benefits
directly to persons
• Can be of 4 Categories

Ethical Democratic Professional People

Integrity Rule of Law Effectiveness Caring
Fairness Neutrality Efficiency Tolerance
Accountability Accountability Leadership Compassion
Excellence Openness Innovation/Creativity Benevolence
Probity Responsiveness Quality Courage

• Some Public Values are – Trust, Legitimacy, Fairness, Service quality,

Equity, Accessibility
Foundational Values – fundamental to organisation/profession and essential for
realisation of objectives
Example – Media (free and fair views); Business (efficiency and profit)
Integrity
• Soundness of moral principles (derived from philosophy, religion, culture)
• Character of uncorrupted virtues, uprightness, honesty and sincerity
• Ministry of Personnel, "Consistently behaves in an open, fair and
transparent manner, honours one's commitments and works to uphold the
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Public service values"

• Fundamental rule for maintaining CS integrity – avoid situations which
may give rise to conflict of interest
Guidelines for maintaining integrity/Examples (relevant for case studies)
• Don't use position to benefit yourself/family etc.
• No excessive entertainment, favours, free services
• Don't put yourself in position that can arouse suspicion of dishonesty
(appointment, promotion, company – relatives hold share)
• Encourage others – consistently follow CS values
• Treat people impartiality
• Enforce law, public services values, code of conduct
• Courage and conviction to make and stand by the right decisions, even at
significant personal cost
• Uphold public interest
• Ensure full disclosure, by sharing the political implications of the decisions
being made
• Challenge powerful and influential people, and hold them accountable to
make the right decisions
• Stand firm when dealing with unreasonable requests and demands
• Accountability for own actions and create a cultures for others
Retired civil servants should act with good sense and propriety' in pursuing post-
service employment or business and avoid engaging themselves in activities
which could be construed as being in conflict with their previous duties
Examples on Integrity –
a. Have courage to say no. Have courage to face the truth
b. Ignore someone's advice on how to cheat on your taxes and not to get
caught
c. Workplace – use materials for work, not for personal use
d. F0ll0wing the traffic rules at 2 am (d0ing the right thing even when n0 0ne
is l00king – C.S. Lewis)
e. Bhisma Pitamah Integrity, Karna Integrity in Mahabharata
Intellectual Integrity - honestly admit discrepancies and inconsistencies in one's
own thought and action, and to be able to identify it
Personal and Institutional Integrity (CAG/CVC/ECI/UPSC)
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Establishment and maintenance of integrity in Public life & services requires

• Legislations
• Regulations and code of conduct
• Good social values
• Honesty from politicians and officials
• Professionalism among officials
• Political leadership with moral & political courage
Significance
• Protect the society from many venomous ills – corruption, bribery
• Maintain integrity of nation (As pointed by Sardar Patel)
• Harmony in the society – Rule of Law & Public Order
• Acts as a bedrock for other values
Impartiality
• Acting solely according to the merits of the case and (CS) serving
governments of different political parties and the general public equally
well and in the same spirit
• It has 2 dimensions – Citizens & Political parties/Government
• No discrimination with citizens & impartial to political party/impartial
advise to government
• 5 Vices need to be removed to be Impartial
○ Leaning in favour of a party
○ Greed
○ Fear
○ Ill-will against anyone
○ No secret deal
Examples on Impartiality
• Political – Somnath Bharti resigned from party to make post of speaker
impartial
• CS – being impartial to political parties and equally serve all persons in the
implementation of government schemes
Political patronage
• Awarding of benefits and privileges in exchange for political support

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• Awarding of contracts, preferential consideration in grants and

contributions, and appointments to boards and commissions, promotions in
public services
Partisanship
• Act of supporting a party, person or cause
• In general - political parties
Non-Partisanship
• Apolitical behaviour by CS and non-prejudice behaviour
Significance of Impartiality and Non-partisanship
• Ensuring objective and evidence based advice to ministers which can be
used for policies and programmes
• Service delivery in effective manner
• Managing resources and programmes efficiently
• Ensuring a legal and constitutional transition when democratic process
results new legislators
Political neutrality
• Free and frank advice to the government impartially and without any
political consideration
Significance of Political neutrality
• Public confidence in administrators
• Trust among ministers and no difference w.r.t ideology
• Appraisals and influence w/o political interference
Political neutrality and Code of Conduct rules
• No association with political parties/organisation taking part in politics
• No association of family member in movement subversive of government
• No indication of manner in which he/she has voted
Objectivity
• Decisions and actions should be based on observable phenomena and
should not be influenced by emotions, biases or personal prejudices
Examples
• Banks checking financial statement of a company before extending loan
• Not blindly taking the side of any person especially relatives
Empathy

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• Ability to understand things from others point of view. Understanding

things by putting yourself in others shoe
Examples
• Understanding your mother when she says I want you to work in the same
city where they stay, although you may have best job offer in another city
• Acknowledging the pain of friends or loved ones or vulnerable when they
just want to be heard and being supportive
Need certain characteristics to be empathetic
• Demonstrate active listening skills
• Understand unspoken message – body language, facial expression
Significance (empathy)
• Recognized as universal virtue
• Cornerstone for moral and character development
• Essential towards inclusiveness in the society
• To survive and succeed in complex world
Tolerance
• Fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions,
practices, race, religion, nationality, etc differ from us
• Respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's
cultures, our forms of expression
• Fostered by knowledge, openness, communication, and freedom of thought,
conscience and belief. Tolerance is harmony in difference
Examples
• Europe's (Particularly Germany, Hungary and Sweden) tolerance towards
Refugees
• India a living example of religious tolerance by Dalai Lama
• Tolerance towards friends with totally opposite political or economic
opinion
Significance of Tolerance
• Upholds human rights, pluralism, democracy, harmony and the rule of law
• Involves the rejection of dogmatism and absolutism
• Tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the abandonment
or weakening of one's convictions

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• Means that one is free to adhere to one's own convictions and accepts that
others adhere to theirs
• One's views are not to be imposed on others
Compassion
• Understanding or empathy for the suffering of others
• Commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering'
• Involves a sense of empathy
Examples
• Sonam Wangchuk contribution in education and made learning fun and
practical in Ladakh. 'Ice stupas' - for water conservation
• CS – eating MDM with students to break the caste barriers w.r.t cook
Compassionate person has following characteristics (helpful for case studies)
• Active desire to alleviate another's suffering
• Understands the feelings of others
• Shows empathy towards another person
Empathy and Compassion
• Empathy precedes compassion and is a pre-requisite for compassion
Significance of Compassion in CS
• Able to deliver the services efficiently and address the concerns of weaker
sections
• Understands the needs of the marginalised and disadvantaged, along with
the needs of the wider public
• Strives to respond quickly to meet their needs
• Reports issues that affect service delivery
• Free from biasness
• Ensures that levels of service are maintained
• Accessible to all citizens and seeks their feedback
Dedication to Public Services
• Implies commitment to a task or a purpose, thought or action
• Important personality characteristics of an individual
• Organisation point of view – dedicated employees working towards
organisation's goal
• Intrinsic factor – Inner motivation

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• Extrinsic factor – Encouragement by organisation (Reward & Punishment

mechanism), Monitoring – performance analysis (on different parameters)
• Examples – proper execution of schemes and programmes (tough ones) -
family planning
○ Delivering same performance even if unrecognised publicly,
unrewarded professionally
Rule of Law
• Indicates that no branch of government is above the law
• No public official may act arbitrarily or unilaterally outside the law.
• Regarded as a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and
entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to
laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and Independently
adjudicated
• Adherence to the principles of supremacy of law, equality before the law
and accountability to the law
Equality and Equity
• Equality is usually taken to mean that everyone should be treated the same
{due to the fundamental equality of at! persons}, whereas an equity
approach holds that groups and individuals should be treated according to
their particular circumstances and requirements – because of poverty,
illiteracy etc.
• According to equity principle, groups can be treated differently in the
application of policy or the law, so as to compensate for these obstacles,
and to produce just or fair outcomes

Aptitude
• Competency to do a certain kind of work or aptness/quickness to succeed in
specific field
• It deals with ability and capability
• Can be said as combination of Professional, Social, Ethical and Emotional
aptitudes
• Example – ability to learn a language say French/Mandarin quickly,
Sporting skills

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• For CS – quick analysis of problems and coming to solution in less time,

quick interpretation of emotions, needs and aspirations of those who come
to desk, aptitude to solve complex public law and order situations, aptitude
to deal with political pressure/interference smoothly

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