“Public service ethics deteriorate not due to lack of laws, but due to selective enforcement”. Analyse its impact on trust and accountability in governance.
Kartavya Desk Staff
Q7. “Public service ethics deteriorate not due to lack of laws, but due to selective enforcement”. Analyse its impact on trust and accountability in governance. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the question The ethical foundations of governance by linking declining public service ethics with enforcement practices, a concern repeatedly flagged by constitutional bodies and ethics reform committees in India. Key Demand of the question The question requires examining the claim that ethical deterioration stems from selective enforcement rather than absence of laws, and then analysing how such enforcement practices affect trust and accountability in governance structures. Structure of the Answer: Introduction Briefly contextualise public service ethics within constitutional morality and the rule of law, highlighting the gap between formal legal frameworks and ethical governance outcomes. Body Examine how selective enforcement of laws and rules contributes to ethical erosion in public services. Analyse the impact of such selective enforcement on public trust and institutional accountability in governance. Conclusion Conclude by stressing the need for impartial enforcement and institutional integrity to restore ethical governance and citizen trust.
Why the question The ethical foundations of governance by linking declining public service ethics with enforcement practices, a concern repeatedly flagged by constitutional bodies and ethics reform committees in India.
Key Demand of the question The question requires examining the claim that ethical deterioration stems from selective enforcement rather than absence of laws, and then analysing how such enforcement practices affect trust and accountability in governance structures.
Structure of the Answer:
Introduction Briefly contextualise public service ethics within constitutional morality and the rule of law, highlighting the gap between formal legal frameworks and ethical governance outcomes.
• Examine how selective enforcement of laws and rules contributes to ethical erosion in public services.
• Analyse the impact of such selective enforcement on public trust and institutional accountability in governance.
Conclusion Conclude by stressing the need for impartial enforcement and institutional integrity to restore ethical governance and citizen trust.