Corruption refers to dishonest behavior exerted by individuals holding positions of power, such as government or business officials. It may involve actions like giving or receiving bribes, engaging in double-dealing, or defrauding investors. In the 2021 corruption perception index, India held the 85th position among 180 countries.
Reasons Behind Corruption in Civil Service
Various factors contribute to the prevalence of corruption in civil service, such as:
1. Politicization of Civil Service: The usage of civil service positions as rewards for political favors significantly increases opportunities for corruption.
2. Lower Wages Compared to Private Sector: Civil servants with lower wages might resort to bribery to match their private sector counterparts.
3. Administrative Delays: Protracted clearance of files is a prominent cause of corruption.
4. Colonial Legacy of Unchallenged Authority: Ethical misconduct becomes easier for public officials in a society that worships power.
5. Weak Enforcement of Law: Despite laws to combat corruption, their poor enforcement impedes the fight against corruption.
Impacts of Corruption on People, Society, and Economy
Corruption leads to detrimental effects on various sectors of life.
People and Public Life:
Corruption leads to poor quality services and justice, significant health issues, and failure of genuine research due to the infiltration of corrupt officers in funding agencies.
Society:
Corruption fosters disregard for officials, loss of respect for rulers, lack of trust in governments, and aversion to joining posts linked with corruption.
Economy:
Corruption results in decreased foreign investments and delays in growth and development due to corrupt officials stalling clearances for projects and industries.
Indian Initiatives to Combat Corruption
Several Indian laws and initiatives have been instituted to fight corruption, including The Indian Penal Code (1860), Prevention of Corruption Act (1988), The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (2002), The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (2010), The Companies Act (2013), and The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act (2013).
Strategies Forward in Curbing Corruption
Several strategies can be implemented to fight corruption.
Civil Service Board: Establishing a Civil Service Board can control excessive political influence.
Simplify Disciplinary Process: Ensuring that corrupt civil servants do not occupy sensitive positions can be achieved by simplifying the disciplinary process and strengthening preventive vigilance within the departments.
Emphasize Value-based Training: Implementing value-based training for all civil servants can ensure integrity in public life.
Enumerate Ethical and Public-Spirited Civil Servant: Encouraging an ideal officer who ensures zero pendency of issues, displays the highest qualities of integrity, is proactive, and sympathetic towards marginalized sections.
It is essential to re-engineer our institutions and streamline processes to reduce delays, ensure timely delivery of services, and keep the bureaucratic system ‘light, transparent, and agile’. The recent launch of ‘Mission Karmayogi’ aims to build a citizen-centric and future-ready civil service for the nation.
Previous Year Questions on Institutional Quality
“Institutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performance”. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service for strengthening democracy. (2020)
