Topic: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
7. A bureaucrat is needed to be politically neutral, not programme neutral. Justify. (250 words)
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by G Subba Rao and P N Chowdhary
Why the question:
The question is premised on the concept of political neutrality of the bureaucrats.
Key Demand of the question:
Directive:
Justify – When you are asked to justify, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidences. You have to appraise the worth of the statement in question using suitable case studies or/ and examples.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Define first what you understand by political neutrality.
Body:
Persons working in the civil services are required to act in the course of their duties in a politically neutral manner. This includes the requirement to act impartially and to implement the Government’s policies.
Recently, there has been a debate whether bureaucracy is being neutral or not. Involvement of bureaucracy in politics has become a very controversial issue.
When caught between various political ideologies and in conflicts of opinion, officials are supposed to maintain their neutrality. But there is an opposite view—that the top civil servants are not neutral at all, on the contrary, they are very “hungry for power” and to satisfy their hunger they participate in politics.
Discuss the need for Neutral Bureaucracy, explain in what way a bureaucrat is needed to be politically neutral, not programme neutral. Explain with suitable case studies.
Conclusion:
Conclude by highlighting the importance of political neutrality for bureaucrats.
