Public Service

“Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and the nation” Margaret Chase Smith.

Public Service

The term “Public Service” can be imagined in two ways: 

• Government-Driven Public Service – Public service is traditionally viewed as government-led efforts to provide essential services like security, healthcare, education, law enforcement, and social welfare. It ensures governance, justice, and development, promoting societal well-being and national progress.

These are the services that the free market and the businesses therein are incapable of providing, and therefore the government has to step in.

This is the Bureaucratic Point of view.

• Citizen-Centric Public Service – Beyond government institutions, public service can be imagined as the collective social responsibility of the citizens to serve the country at large.

As per this imagination, the work done by individuals, NGOs, and private entities for public welfare should also be called public service.

This is the societal or participatory point of view.

Thus, from this understanding, Civil servants are the servants of the public and their sole job is to serve the public.

Here it is important to note that once a civil servant reaches a position of power, it is often observed that they hold the bureaucratic point of view. For them, civil services becomes law enforcement. 

The public often complains that the bureaucrats often forget to serve the society, forgetting the real meaning of ‘Public Service’.

Public Service Ethics

Public service ethics refers to the moral principles and values that guide public servants in performing their duties and responsibilities. These values are the foundation of good governance and are essential for ensuring that public officials act in the best interests of the public and are accountable for their actions.

It involves upholding high ethical standards in their conduct and decision-making, which is essential in ensuring that public officials act with integrity, honesty, and impartiality, and avoid conflicts of interest.

Public service values vs Public Service ethics

Values, in themselves, do not have agency and cannot lead to action. Instead, it is the application of ethical codes to values that leads to a particular behaviour. 

For example, civil servants may possess the value of integrity, but it is the code of ethics that transforms this value into action and behaviour.

Ethics are, therefore, the rules that translate values into everyday life. Values inform all aspects of ethical decision-making, ethical judgment, ethical choice, and ethical behaviour.

Public service values

We have already covered certain values related to civil services aptitude in our aptitude section. Let’s have a recap of these values and add a few more which we will cover in detail in later chapters. Aptitude: Public servants must have enough skills to work in different fields to improve the lives of citizens.For example, in Education, Waste Management, Healthcare services, Emergency services etc.  Integrity: It involves avoiding conflicts of interest and upholding ethical standards in all actions in all circumstances and at all times.  For example, even if there is political pressure to indulge in corruption, the civil servant must not. Impartiality: Impartiality is the principle of treating all individuals fairly and equally, without discrimination or favouritism. Civil servants must ensure that their decisions are unbiased, regardless of personal opinions or affiliations, ensuring justice for all. For example, in Manipur Violence where Police Officials of a particular community are seen     favouring their people, keeping aside their duty to maintain the Rule of Law. This should not happen. Objectivity: Objectivity entails making evidence-based and rational decisions. Civil servants should separate their personal beliefs from their professional duties, avoiding favouritism or prejudice. By being objective, they can ensure fairness and promote trust in the decision-making process. For example, the recruitment held by the UPSC and State Service Commission is based on scored        marks. Accountability: Accountability means answerability. The Civil Servants are answerable for their decisions to the elected executive and eventually to the public. They must adhere to laws, regulations, and policies. This ensures transparency and helps prevent abuse of power. For example, Internal checks and balances, external audits, and regulatory monitoring. Transparency: Public servants must be open and transparent in their actions and decision-making processes. This involves making information about government policies, programs, and decisions available to the public. Transparency and accountability go hand in hand. For example, public hearings, access to government documents, disclosure of government budgets, transparent procurement processes, and clear rules and regulations. Respect for diversity:  Public servants must respect and value the diversity of the communities they serve. This includes valuing diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other personal characteristics. Responsibility: Public servants must be responsible and accountable for their actions and decisions. This means taking ownership of their work and being accountable to the public for their actions.For example, DM is both responsible as well as accountable for ensuring compliance with RTE in his/her district.

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