Ethics concept series by Tirthankar Sir

2. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 01_Meaning and Dimensions of Ethics Meaning of Ethics ethics focuses on providing a framework for deciding what is right and wrong. Three com- mon frameworks are deontology, consequen- tialism (utilitarianism), and virtue ethics. Normative ethics examines moral standards that attempt to define right and wrong con- duct. Historically, this has involved examining good and bad habits, duties, or an action’s con- sequences. In addition, historically, normative ethics has focused on the prospect of a single moral standard defining right and wrong con- duct; but it has become more common for phi- losophers to propose a moral pluralism with multiple moral standards. Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of phi- losophy that “involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior”. Ethics refers to a set of standards, norms, principles or directives that a society places over itself and against which actions of individuals are judged from the viewpoint of rightness and wrongness or good- ness and badness. Ethics thus, is the branch of philosophy that con- templates what is right and wrong. It explores the nature of morality and examines how people should live their lives in relation to others. Ethics is the ra- tional study of the meaning and justification of moral claims. A moral claim evaluates the right- ness or wrongness of an action or a person’s character. For example, “Lying is wrong” claims the act of lying is wrong, while “One shouldn’t be lazy” claims a character trait (i.e., laziness) is wrong. c) Applied Ethics: It addresses specific, practi- cal issues of moral importance. For example, one is doing applied ethics when one address- es the morality of specific practical issues like abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, en- vironmental concerns, homosexuality, terror- ism etc. By using the conceptual tools of me- taethics and normative ethics, discussions in applied ethics try to resolve these issues. Applied ethics also tackles specific moral chal- lenges that people face daily, such as whether they should lie to help a friend or a co-worker. Meta-ethics, Normative-ethics and Applied-ethics Ethics is usually divided into three distinct subject areas: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. While metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics are distinct subjects, these subjects are in- terdependent. For example, how one pursues nor- mative ethics will be greatly affected by one’s meta- ethical assumptions. If one assumes, for example, that moral claims are divine commands, then one’s normative positions will be determined by identifying divine commands. Given this relation- ship between metaethics and normative ethics, it is common for metaethical questions to arise during a discussion on normative ethics. Similarly, how one pursues applied ethics will be greatly affected by one’s normative assumptions. If one assumes that one always should pursue those actions which lead to the best consequences, then one’s position on, for example, capital punishment, abortion, and terrorism will be determined by identifying which action(s) will lead to the best consequences. This interdependence between me- taethics, normative ethics and applied ethics is the core of all moral philosophical studies, interpreta- tions and interpolations. a) Meta Ethics: Meta Ethics is the study of eth- ical ideas or ethical language. Metaethics examines the nature of moral claims and arguments. Meta-ethics, investigates big pic- ture questions such as, “What is morality?” “What is justice?” “Is there truth?” and “How can I justify my beliefs as better than conflict- ing beliefs held by others?” This partly in- volves attempting to determine if moral claims have clear essential meanings (i.e., they avoid vagueness and ambiguity). But it also attempts to answer questions such as: Are moral claims expressions of individual emotions? Are moral “EmpoweringEndeavours” claims social inventions? Are moral claims di- vine commands? Can one justify moral claims? How does one justify them? b) Normative Ethics: Another branch of moral philosophy is normative ethics. It answers the question of what we ought to do. Normative WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 1

3. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary Consequentialist ethics duty. Consequentialism, as the name suggests, bases mo- rality on the consequences of human actions and not on the actions themselves, its emphasis, thus, is on the rightness of the ‘end’ rather than morality of the ‘means’ employed. Three subdivisions of conse- quentialism are: Modern deontological ethics was introduced by Immanuel Kant in the late 18th Century, with his theory of the Categorical Imperative. Categorical Imperatives command unconditionally. They are non-negotiable and should be always adhered to. E.g. “Don’t cheat in your exam.” Even if you want to cheat and doing so would serve your interests, you should not cheat, as cheating is inherently bad. • Ethical egoism • Ethical altruism • Utilitarianism Virtue Ethics Ethical egoism is an ethical position which claims that it is always right to do what would benefit you the most. In other words what ever will give the best outcome to you is the most moral thing to pursue Virtues are good traits of character and vices are bad traits of character. Virtue ethics is person rather than action based: it looks at the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out an ac- tion, rather than at ethical duties and rules, or the consequences of particular actions. Ethical holds tion to help, serve or benefit others, if necessary at the sacrifice of self interest. Altruism that is an ethical have doctrine moral that individuals a obliga- Virtue ethics not only deals with the rightness or wrongness of individual actions, it provides guid- ance as to the sort of characteristics and behaviours a good person will seek to achieve. In that way, vir- tue ethics is concerned with the whole of a person’s life, rather than particular episodes or actions. A good person is someone who lives virtuously - who possesses and lives the virtues. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are the biggest proponents of vir- tue-ethics. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a normative-consequentialist ethi- cal theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on the outcomes (consequences) of choos- ing one action/policy over other actions/policies. The underlying principle of utilitarianism is that an action is right if it produces greatest good for the greatest number. According to this perspective, an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to ev- eryone’. In normative ethics the idea of utilitarianism emerged from the writings of 18th- and 19th-cen- tury English philosophers and economists namely Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. “EmpoweringEndeavours” the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions (Consequentialism). Deontological Ethics Deontology (or Deontological Ethics) is an ap- proach to Ethics that focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to Therefore it is sometimes described as “duty-based” or “obligation-based” ethics, because Deontolo- gists believe that ethical rules bind people to their WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 2

4. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 02_Human Values Meaning of “Value” in Ethics aspirations and form the basis of our lives as in- dividuals and as societies. Human values are ‘Uni- versal’ in nature as they shared by all human beings irrespective of their religion, nationality or cultural background. Human values induce consideration for fellow human beings. The word value is an ambiguous term as it has been used, indiscriminately, by Philosophers, Psycholo- gists, Administrators, Political scientists, Econo- mists, Sociologists, Historians, Anthropologists, Engineers, Medical practioners, Lawyers and so on; hence it becomes indispensible for us to have a look at the etymological origin of the word to understand its meaning in the context of ethics. Classification of Human values A] Terminal values and Instrumental values Terminal values are the core permanent values that often become the traits of one’s character. They can be good or bad. They are very hard to change. Terminal Values include things like hap- piness, self respect, family security, recognition, freedom, inner harmony, comfortable life, pro- fessional excellence, etc. terminal values are desir- able states of existence. The word “Value” is derived from the Latin word ‘Valere’ meaning “to be of worth”. Therefore, et- ymologically the term value denotes the worth of something. The word ‘value’ came to ethics by the way of economics. In Economics, it is used for a) value in use that is, the capacity of object to sat- isfy a human need or desire and b) value in exchange or the amount of one com- modity that can be obtained in exchange for an- other. Instrumental values are a part of a values defi- nition created by social psychologist Milton Rokeach. He defined instrumental values as those which are specific modes of behavior. They are not an end goal, but provide a means by which an end goal is accomplished. Generally, an object is said to have value, if it contrib- utes to the satisfaction of a human need. In ethics, values mean our core ideas or beliefs that guide our action. Values are acquired from knowledge, awareness, experience or through the process of so- cialization. These ideas or beliefs are dear to us and on the basis of these ideas we decide what is right and what is wrong. Thus values are something that are desirable and worthy of esteem for their own sake. Values have an intrinsic worth in ‘usefulness or importance’ to the possessor. Values are princi- ples, standards, or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable. Good values engender good thoughts and ultimately translate into good behaviour. In a nutshell, Terminal Values signify the objec- tives of the life of a person – the ultimate things the person wants to achieve through his or her behaviour (the destination he wants to reach in life) whereas Instrumental Values indicate the meth- ods an individual would like to adopt for achieving his life’s aim (the path he would like to take to reach his destination). B] Intrinsic values and Extrinsic values An intrinsic value is one which has worth in its own right. It is an end- in-itself. Intrinsic values are good irrespective of the consequences they bring. Intrinsic value has traditionally been thought to lie at the heart of ethics. Honesty, temperance, courage, happiness, peace etc are examples of intrinsic values. An Extrinsic value is one which is a means to at- tain some other intrinsic value. It is of instrumen- tal worth only as they serve as means to achieve an end. Values such as health, money, fame, status, intelligence, and so on are the ‘means-values’ or ‘path-values’ which help achieve the end values. “EmpoweringEndeavours” er human beings. Human values are those values which help man to live in harmony with the world. Without values, human life would be drained of significance, degenerating into a bland and tex- tureless existence without differentiation. What are Human values? Human values are the virtues (i.e. desirable traits of character) that guide us to take into account the human element when we interact with oth- Human values contain mankind’s deepest moral WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 3

5. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary Fundamental Human Values C] Institutional values and Individual values Institutional values are propagated by political, social, economic or cultural institutions. For ex- ample in a democratic society liberty becomes an in- stitutional value. Similarly loyalty becomes a value in a social institution like marriage. Individual val- ues include both intrinsic and extrinsic values which are considered important by the posses- sor of these values. Self-esteem and fame can be thought of as such values. The values which are considered basic inherent values in humans include truth, honesty, loyalty, love, peace, etc. because they bring out the fun- damental goodness of human beings and society at large. Further, since these values are unifying in nature and cut across individual’s social, cultur- al, religious and sectarian interests; they are also considered universal, timeless and eternal apply- ing to all human beings. How are Values formed? People’s value system comprises both sets of values—terminal and instrumental—which are developed and reinforced through the culture in which they grow on one side and the environ- ment on the other. Socialisation from parents, religious institutions, friends, personal experiences, and society contrib- ute to the formation of values in individuals. The individual values are affected by our belief system, prevailing social systems, and to some extent so- cio- economic conditions. The terminal values are formed over the years, whereas the instrumen- tal values are determined by situations. GRID OF HUMAN VALUES AND SUB-VALUES Peace Truth Patience Truthfulness Concentration Honesty Positiveness Fairness Self-acceptance Trust Self-discipline Reflection Contentment Determination Right-Conduct Manners Awareness Responsibility Independence Perseverance Courage Love Kindness Forgiveness Generosity Compassion Tolerance Service Non-violence Consideration Stewardship Justice Respect Cooperation Harmlessness “EmpoweringEndeavours” WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 4

6. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 03_Attitude Meaning of Attitude of ways. For example, many people are afraid / scared of spiders. So this negative affective re- sponse is likely to cause you to have a negative attitude towards spiders. Affect plays a very im- portant role in attitude formation. Also, affect is a common component in attitude change. How we feel about an outcome may override pure- ly cognitive rationales. Attitude refers to a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular object with some degree of favour or disfavour. “Object” includes people, things, events, and issues. Attitudes are the feelings and beliefs that determine the be- haviour of the persons. They provide framework for responding in a particular fashion. 3) Behavioural component: The behavioural component of attitudes refers to a tendency or a predisposition to act in a certain manner. The predisposition to behave in a certain manner may be caused by affective and cognitive compo- nents. Attitudes may be positive or negative. Positive at- titudes yield favourable behaviour and negative at- titudes yield unfavourable behaviour. According to theorists, an attitude is “a relatively enduring or- ganization of beliefs, feelings, and behavioural tendencies towards socially significant objects, groups, events or symbols” Attitude and Values Attitude is all about whether you like or dislike something. Value is a belief (about what is import- ant). Value can exist in itself. Attitudes are formed on the basis of underlying values. Components of Attitude Rosenberg and Hovland have expressed the tri- partite view and stated that anattitude contains cognitive, affective, and behavioural components Explicit and Implicit attitudes • Explicit Attitude (Conscious) – If a person is aware of his attitudes and how they influence his behaviour, then those attitudes are explicit. Ex- plicit attitudes are formed consciously. These are largely governed by the cognitive component. Every attitude has three components that are repre- sented in what is called the ABC model of attitudes: A for affective, B for behavioral and C for cogni- tive. Although every attitude has these three com- ponents, any particular attitude can be based on one component more than another. • Implicit Attitude (Sub-Conscious) – If a per- son is unaware of his attitudes (beliefs) and how they influence his behaviour, then those atti- tudes are implicit. Implicit attitudes are formed sub-consciously. These are largely influenced by affective experiences. 1) Cognitive component: The cognitive component of attitudes denotes to the beliefs, thoughts, and attributes that people would associate with an object. Many times a person’s attitude might be based on the negative and positive attributes they associate with an object. When we form our opinion or judgment on the basis of avail- able information and decide whether you have a favourable or unfavourable opinion on that, it is the cognitive part of an attitude “EmpoweringEndeavours” we are talking about. 2) Affective component: The affective component of attitudes is related to feelings or emotions (e.g., fear, sympathy, hate, like, pleasure) of people linked to an attitude object. Affec- tive responses influence attitudes in a number WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 5

7. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary Dimensions of attitudes Attitude-Functions The structure of attitudes can be examined by ex- ploring their STRENGTH, ACCESSIBILITY and AM- BIVALANCE. Daniel Katz classified attitudes into different groups based on their functions • Knowledge function: knowing one’s or other’s attitude imparts knowledge. 1) Attitude Strength • Ego-defensive function: attitudes can help peo- ple protect their self-esteem and avoid depres- sion. Attitudes differ in strength. Some attitudes are strong while some attitudes are weak. The strength with which an attitude is held is often a good predic- tor of behaviour. The stronger the attitude the more likely it should affect behaviour • Ego-expressive function: used to express one’s core values or beliefs. 2) Attitude Accessibility • Instrumental function: helps to choose what is rewarding (and also avoid punishment). Attitude accessibility refers to the ease with which attitudes can be retrieved from memory, in other words how readily available is an attitude about an object, issue, or situation. Attitudes that are more accessible from memory are more predictive of be- haviour and are more stable across time • Social Acceptance function: adapt to the so- cially approved attitudes of a larger group. 3) Attitude Ambivalence Attitude ambivalence refers to the fact that our eval- uations of objects, issues, events, or people are not always uniformly positive or negative; our evalu- ations are often mixed, consisting of both positive and negative reactions. In other words when we simultaneously possess both positive and negative attitudes toward the object in question we exhibit attitude ambivalence. “EmpoweringEndeavours” WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 6

8. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 04_Foundational Values in Civil Services The Necessity of Foundational Values Anonymity Under modern rights based governance systems the concept of public services is fast changing. Bureaucrats today have become directly account- able to the citizens. Modern Bureaucracy has to respond to moral universe of the citizens. Anonymity is a key aspect of civil services. The task of a civil servant is to assist the representatives of the people by providing advice which is beneficial for the society and country. He should work from be- hind the curtains in an honest and non-partisan way, helping the ministers to the best of his ability. Bureaucrats have discretionary powers, therefore they must be provided with guiding principles to prevent ‘abuse of power’. The foundational values provide these guiding principles. Integrity Integrity is the fundamental moral concept in civil services. It is an important basis of ethical behaviour and ethical competency. It is associated with the value of being honest and maintain strong moral principles. Integrity includes financial integ- rity, professional integrity and intellectual integrity. Ethics and integrity are closely related. An ethical person having strong moral values is bound to be a man of integrity. Major Foundational Values for Civil Ser- vants The major foundational values include the following  Neutrality  Anonymity Impartiality  Commitment and dedication to public ser- vice Impartiality implies that the behavior and treat- ment by a bureaucrat to any individual or entity has to be exclusively based on merit. To make fair, just, equitable effective and efficient decisions, there has to be absolute impartiality.  Civil Activism  Important Commandment for Civil Servants  Civil Services Accountability Objectivity  Ethical Conduct of a Civil Servant  Responsibility Objectivity is founding advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence. It entails that truth remains true universally, independently of hu- man thought or approaches. An objective approach is particularly important in decision-making pro- cesses.  Courage of conviction  Discipline  Integrity  Humility Dedication “EmpoweringEndeavours” flict (physical or ideological), which may not suggest neutral parties do not have a side or are not a side themselves. In colloquial use neutral can be synonymous with unbiased approach. Neutrali- ty implies tolerance regardless of how disagreeable, deplorable, or unusual a perspective might be.  Impartiality Dedication is the eminence of people to be de- voted or loyal to duty or purpose, thought or ac- tion. Dedication is a vital personality trait of an indi- vidual. This value gives the ability to continue acting when motivation is lacking. Dedication will drive to certain task rapidly Neutrality Neutrality is the tendency of not to side in a con- WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 7

9. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary Empathy, Tolerance and Compassion The spirit of service Public servants are meant to serve and this requires developing a humanistic attitude. These values guarantee that the public servants act sympatheti- cally and interpret the rules to advance the public interest. They must exhibit empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections. The domain of civil service calls for duty in the spir- it of service for country, society and its people and sacrifices by putting aside greed, personal entitlements and engagements. This is perhaps the most important value that marks civil services apart from other services and keeps the civil ser- vants motivated to keep working for the welfare of the people and betterment of the society. Courage and Conviction In public service, while facing different situa- tions one may be buoyed by the circumstances, fear, passions, greed since the decisions at the helm would be affecting many interests, vested or non-vested. It is during these trying moments that courage of conviction helps a civil servant to stay on the best course of action despite various temptations and risks, staying firm in his beliefs, values and duty. Hence, Courage of conviction as- sumes importance in public service. Humility Humility is the feeling or attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than oth- ers or having a lack of pride. At first glance, humility seems like a negative quality, almost like a sign of weakness rather than strength. In reality, humility is a type of modesty that helps the civil servants to develop the art of empathy and dedication. These foundational values creates an environment of acceptance, and engenders currents that ulti- mately lead to the creation of happiness and justice for all “EmpoweringEndeavours” WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 8

10. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 05_ Emotional Intelligence Meaning of Emotional Intelligence (EI)  Self-Motivation: The ability to channel emo- tions towards the achievement of personal goals. This includes the ability to delay gratification and stifle impulses. Emotional intelligence (sometimes referred to as EQ) is the ability to perceive, understand, ex- press, and control emotions.  Empathy: The ability to read other people’s emotional cues and to take their perspective, be- ing sensitive to how their feelings may be differ- ent. Emotional intelligence has been defined, by Peter Salovey and John Mayer, as “the ability to mon- itor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior”.  Managing Relationships: The ability to react appropriately to the emotions of others as well as manage one’s own; social competence. The concept was popularized in a 1995 book by Daniel Goleman, in which he argues that emo- tional intelligence counts more for success in life than IQ does. Significance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in Public Services  EI helps in better targeting of Beneficiary schemes Difference between IQ and EQ IQ is known as “Intelligence Quotient” and it’s a measure of a person’s relative intelligence. Emo- tional Quotient, also known as EQ, is the ability to identify and manage your emotions and the emotions of others.  EI helps in motivating the sub-ordinates espe- cially under exigent or demanding situations  EI helps in appreciating the challenges of public services better and helps in reducing stress  EI helps in engendering policies that bring tangi- ble improvements in the lives of the vulnerable sections of the society Merriam-Webster defines IQ as “a number used to express the apparent relative intelligence of a person. Determined by either the ratio of the mental age (as reported on a standardized test) to the chronological age multiplied by 100 - or a score determined by one’s performance on a stan- dardized intelligence test relative to the average performance of others of the same age. Emotional Intelligence is measured through assessments.  EI act as a viable device to take relevant and sound decisions  EI helps in bridges the communication gap and reduces the chances of mis-communication  EI imparts flexibility, empathy and clarity Traits of Emotional Intelligence (EI) Ways to improve Emotional Intelligence (EI) The term emotional intelligence was coined by Pe- ter Salovey and John Mayer in 1990, who described it as consisting of five traits: “EmpoweringEndeavours”  Self-Management: The ability to control im- pulses, ensure that emotional reactions are ap- propriate, and understand what underlies those feelings. 1. Utilize an assertive style of communicating: - Assertive communication goes a long way toward earning respect without coming across as too ag- gressive or too passive. Emotionally intelligent peo- ple know how to communicate their opinions and needs in a direct way while still respecting others.  Emotional Self-Awareness: The ability to mon- itor your own feelings and recognize emotional states as they occur. 2. Respond instead of reacting to conflict: - During instances of conflict, emotional outbursts and feel- ings of anger are common. The emotionally intelli- gent person knows how to stay calm during stressful WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 9

11. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary situations. They don’t make impulsive decisions that can lead to even bigger problems. They understand that in times of conflict the goal is a resolution, and they make a conscious choice to focus on ensuring that their actions and words are in alignment with that. 10. Be approachable and sociable: -Emotionally intelligent people come off as approachable. They smile and give off a positive presence. They utilize appropriate social skills based on their relationship with whomever they are around. They have great interpersonal skills and know how to communicate clearly, whether the communication is verbal or nonverbal. 3. Utilize active listening skills: - In conversations, emotionally intelligent people listen for clarity in- stead of just waiting for their turn to speak. 4. Be motivated: -Emotionally intelligent people are self-motivated and their attitude motivates oth- ers. They set goals and are resilient in the face of challenges. 5. Practice ways to maintain a positive attitude: - Emotionally intelligent people have an awareness of the moods of those around them and guard their attitude accordingly. 6. Practice self-awareness: -Emotionally intelli- gent people are self-aware and intuitive. They are aware of their own emotions and how they can af- fect those around them. They also pick up on others’ emotions and body language and use that informa- tion to enhance their communication skills. 7. Take critique well: - An important part of in- creasing your emotional intelligence is to be able to take critique. Instead of getting offended or defen- sive, high EQ people take a few moments to under- stand where the critique is coming from, how it is affecting others or their own performance and how they can constructively resolve any issues. 8. Empathize with others: -Emotionally intelli- gent people know how to empathize. They under- stand that empathy is a trait that shows emotional strength, not weakness. Empathy helps them to re- late to others on a basic human level. It opens the door for mutual respect and understanding between people with differing opinions and situations. “EmpoweringEndeavours” ample for others to follow. They take initiative and have great decision making and problem-solving skills. This allows for a higher and more productive level of performance in life and at work. 9. Utilize leadership skills: -Emotionally intelli- gent people have excellent leadership skills. They have high standards for themselves and set an ex- WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 10

12. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 06_ Probity in Governance Meaning of Probity • Openness – Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands. Probity means integrity, uprightness and hon- esty. For public servants probity is not the mere avoidance of corruption but enforcement of im- partiality, accountability, objectivity and trans- parency. • Honesty – Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest. Probity in governance is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for socio-economic develop- ment. An important requisite for ensuring probity in governance is absence of corruption. The other requirements are effective laws, rules and regula- tions governing every aspect of public life and, more important, an effective and fair implemen- tation of those laws. Indeed, a proper, fair and ef- fective enforcement of law is a facet of probity. • Leadership – Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example. The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This includes all those who are elected or ap- pointed to public office, nationally and locally, and all people appointed to work in the Civil Service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), and in the health, education, social and care services. All public office-holders are both servants of the public and stewards of public resources. The principles also apply to all those in other sectors delivering public services. Nolan Principles In 1994, the UK government established a Com- mittee on Standards in Public Life. The commit- tee was chaired by Lord Nolan, and was tasked with making recommendations to improve standards of behaviour in public life. The report of the committee established the seven principles of public life, also known as the “Nolan principles”. These principles encourage probity in governance. The seven princi- ples are: Philosophical basis of Probity in Gover- nance • Selflessness – Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends. Probity is an indispensible component of any peo- ple-centric government. Indian scriptures and texts like Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Buddha Charita, Arthashastra, Panchatantra, Hitopadesh etc. up- hold the principles of probity. Chinese philosophers like Loa Tse, Confucius and Mencius have cele- brated the concept of probity • Integrity – Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties. “EmpoweringEndeavours” and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit. Aristotle holds that virtues such as justice, char- ity and generosity are dispositions to act in ways that benefit the possessor of these virtues and the society of which he is a part. • Objectivity – In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards For Immanuel Kant duty is central to morality. Commitment to justice and probity become insep- arable from the performance of duty. Utilitarian viewpoint asserts that the highest happiness is the greatest happiness of the greatest number and it cannot be obtained without probity. Schol- • Accountability – Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office. WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 11

13. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary ars and leaders like John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Nelson Mandela, Edmund Burke etc are also champions of probity. Utility of Probity in Governance  To ensure accountability in governance  To maintain integrity in public services  To ensure compliance with processes  To preserve public confidence in Govern- ment institutions and processes  To avoid misconduct, fraud, mismanagement or corruption “EmpoweringEndeavours” WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 12

14. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 07_Codes of Ethics and Codes of Conduct Difference between codes of ethics and codes of conduct public officials of acts of corruption to appropri- ate authorities, when such acts come to their no- tice in the performance of their functions A Code of Ethics governs decision-making, and a Code of Conduct governs actions. The primary dif- ference between code of ethics and code of conduct is that code of ethics is a set of principles which influence the judgement while the code of con- duct is a set of guidelines that influence actions.  Each party shall also consider establishing mea- sures and systems to facilitate the reporting by public officials to make declarations to appropri- ate authorities regarding their outside activities, employment, investments, assets and substan- tial gifts or benefits from which a conflict of in- terest may result with respect to their functions as public officials Code of Ethics is an aspirational document, con- taining core ethical values, principles and ideals of any institution, organization or community. Codes of Conduct is a directional document con- taining specific practices and behavior that are followed or restricted under the institution, or- ganization or community. Code of Conduct origi- nates from the code of ethics  Each state-party shall consider taking disci- plinary or other measures against public officials who violate the codes established in accordance with this article. For the purposes of implementing the provisions of this article each state-party shall take note of the relevant initiatives of regional, inter-regional and multi-lateral organisations such as the international code of conduct for public officials contained in the annex to General assembly resolution, 1996. Basis for Comparison Nature Scope Governs Codes of Ethics General Wide Decision mak- ing Publicly dis- closed. Codes of Conduct Specific Narrow Actions Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964 Indian Civil Services is governed by the Central Civil Services (conduct) rules, 1964. These rules were amended in 2014. This code requires the bureau- crats to be politically neutral, honest, impartial and maintain high ethical standards. Disclosure Only for Employees or insiders Compliance and rules Primary focus is on Values or prin- ciples The amended rules state that every member of the All India Services shall be courteous and respon- sive to the public, particularly the weaker sec- tions, and ensure accountability and transpar- ency in the discharge of his duties. UN Convention against Corruption- Codes of conduct for officials “EmpoweringEndeavours”  Each party shall endeavour to apply, within its own institutional and legal systems, codes of conduct for the correct, honourable and proper performance of public functions The broad highlights of the rules are  Each party shall promote integrity, honesty and responsibility among its public officials, in ac- cordance with the fundamental principles of its legal system  Every member of the service shall take decisions solely based on merit and in public interest and use public resources efficiently, effectively and economically  A bureaucrat shall not misuse his position to take decisions that seek to derive financial or material benefit for himself, his family or friends.  Every member of the civil services shall make choices, take decisions and make recommenda-  Each party shall also consider establishing mea- sures and systems to facilitate the reporting by WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 13

15. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary tions on merit alone.  Civil servants shall not place themselves under any financial or other obligations to any individ- ual or organisation which may affect the perfor- mance of his duties or discharge of his functions  Civil Servants will now be required to declare their private interests, if any, relating to their public duties and take steps to resolve any con- flicts in a way that protects public interest over personal interest.  Civil servants must maintain discipline in the discharge of their duties and be liable to imple- ment lawful orders duly communicated to them. Civil servants are liable to maintain confidentiality in performance of their duties as required by the laws, particularly where the information or dis- closure may prejudicially affect the security of the state, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, friendly relations with foreign countries or lead to incitement of an offence or illegal or un- lawful gains to any person or organisation. Other amendments require the Civil servants to per- form their duties with a high degree of professional- ism, uphold supremacy of the constitution, uphold sovereignty and integrity of India, the security pf the state, public order, decency and morality; main- tain integrity in public service, act with fairness and impartiality and not discriminate against anyone particularly the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. “EmpoweringEndeavours” WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 14

16. ethics concept series by t. roychowdhary 08_Aptitude • Decision-making ability Meaning of Aptitude • Ability to lead a team or work in a team Aptitude is an innate inherent capacity to perform a task or learn a skill. An aptitude is a component of a competence to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Outstanding aptitude can be con- sidered as “talent.” An aptitude may be physical or mental. Aptitude is inborn potential to do certain kinds of work whether developed or undevel- oped. • The ability to breakdown a complex problem at hand • Good communication skills to bridge com- munication gaps • Time-management skills and ability to meet deadlines The innate nature of aptitude is in contrast to skills and achievement, which represent knowl- edge or ability that is gained through learning. Aptitude and intelligence quotient (IQ) are re- lated. • The ability to organise and prioritise work- load • Logical and rational approach towards ad- ministrative problems Difference between Skill, Ability and Ap- titude • Scientific temperament • Basic awareness about technology, economy and geography Difference between skill and aptitude is that skill is capacity to do something well; Skills are usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abil- ities, which are often thought of as innate while aptitude is natural ability to acquire knowledge or skill. • High level of professionalism • Art of persuasion and ability to negotiate un- der tough circumstances without sacrificing public interest Utility of Aptitude Good aptitude and positive attitude makes the bu- reaucracy efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the people. Aptitude is an innate potential that helps in creating • Conceptualization and creativity • Leadership and adaptability • Critical thinking and problem solving • Technical and inter-personal skills • Coordination and collaboration “EmpoweringEndeavours” • Brainstorming and trouble shooting Aptitude Desirable in a Civil Servant Some of the desired aptitudes in public services in- clude • Excellent organisation and negotiating skills • Creativity and flexible thinking • Leadership skills WWW.EDENIAS.COM | CONTACT US-9311092321 15