Mentor’s Comment:

Bring the essence of integrity in own word. Explain about various aspects of integrity like how it requires the self discipline and will power capable of resisting the temptation which results into peace of mind and true dignity.

Next, in main body, mention why it is important for public servants. In order to set out highest standards of integrity and morality and create a environment of public duty, the integrity holds importance.

Next, mention what does integrity inculcates in public servants. Honesty, sympathy, empathy, compassion, fairness, self control and duty etc and how these lead to efficiency. choosing the right course of conduct; acting consistently with the choice—even when it is inconvenient or unprofitable to do so; openly declaring where one stands.

Accordingly, integrity is equated with moral reflection, steadfastness to commitments, trustworthiness.

 

Model Answer:

• Integrity is a personal quality of fairness that we all aspire to. It is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
• Integrity is a “concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions.”

Traits of integrity:

• Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and consistent commitment to honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles. Integrity compels us to be socially conscious and to welcome both personal and professional responsibility. Its values encourage us to be honest in all our dealings and committed to a lifelong search for truth and justice.
• Integrity requires a self discipline and will power capable of resisting the temptation. Its priceless reward is peace of mind and true dignity. There’s one proviso, no one can guarantee that his or her particular version of integrity is actually sound and true, and not misguided.

Integrity in Civil Servants:

• The civil servants need to be people of absolute integrity because only then they can take the civil service as a ’vocation’. It strengthens the sense of mission which a civil servant is supposed to undertake to serve the public; perform duties and fulfill obligations.
• A similar doetrine of vocation was enunciated several thousand years ago by Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Gita (chapter III, verse20).  It has been mentioned there, that ‘’Securing” universal welfare by one’s action is the ultimate measure of a human being but more so of those who hold the public office”.
• Civil servants have to set out highest standards of integrity and morality. This requires self sacrifice a concept that rises above individualism and ‘hedonism’ to create an environment of public duty among the civil servants. An exemplary civil servants is not simply one who obeys the laws and behaves within the confines of law but is also one who strives for a moral government.
• Integrity requires in a civil servant to incorporate the values of honesty, sympathy empathy, compassion, fairness, self control and duty so that S/He will be able to uphold high personal and professional standards in all circumstances.
• ‘Honesty’ requires ‘truthfulness’, freedom from deception and fraud, fair and straight forward conduct. Sympathy enables a person to be deeply affected and concerned about the well beings of others, to imagine their suffering and be moved by their experience of others especially people who need assistance compassion is a form of spirituality, a way of living and walking through life.

Conclusion:

• ‘Civil Service Conduct Rules’ recommends ‘absolute integrity’ for civil servants, irrespective of their department. Also every civil servant is supposed to take all possible steps to ensure the integrity of all government servants for the time being under his control and only be honest but should also have the reputation of being so. Integrity has been considerably widened by declaring that a civil servant must keep himself within bounds of administrative decency.