paper V General Studies IV

Accountability and ethical governance

Accountability and ethical governance Accountability means being answerable for the performance of tasks assigned to a person; if task assigned is selection of beneficiaries for a scheme, then accountability will imply whether the selection has been carried out by applying the criteria, and following the procedures laid down, in the timely manner within the budgets specified. Therefore, accountability requires the clear specification of tasks to be performed, the time frame and budget available for performing those tasks. In addition, it is also important to be clear about the responsibility for performance of those tasks; who is responsible? Is it clear ... Read more

Information sharing and transparency in government and Right to information act 2005

Information sharing and transparency in government and Right to information act 2005 Transparency and accountability in administration as the sine qua non of participatory democracy, gained recognition as the new commitments of the state towards its citizens. It is considered imperative to enlist the support and participation of citizens in management of public services. Traditionally, participation in political and economic processes and the ability to make informed choices has been restricted to a small elite in India. Consultation on important policy matters, even when they directly concern the people was rarely the practice. Information-sharing being limited, the consultative process was ... Read more

Challenges of corruption

Challenges of corruption Corruption is an age old phenomenon and can be seen everywhere now a days. It is like a cancer in public life, which has not become to rampant and perpetuated overnight, but is course of time. The word corruption means destruction, ruining or spoiling a society or nation. A corrupt society is characterized by immorality and lack of fear or respect for the law. It is the abuse of public power for private gain. Corruption comes under many different guises like bribery, extortion, fraud, embezzlement. misappropriations of public goods, nepotism (favoring family members for jobs and contracts) ... Read more

Human values :Lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, administrators

Human values :Lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, administrators Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or Mahatma Gandhi as he is fondly called, was the greatest political figure in India’s history. Hailed as the Father of the Nation, Gandhi inspired Indians with his non-violent movements for civil rights and freedom from the British rule. He had an outstanding approach fighting for the rights of the people. Gandhi was an inspiration for many and a claimant of truth and simplicity. His autobiography, ‘My Experiments with Truth’, gives a detailed insight into his life from the time he was ... Read more

Human values

Human values Human values have been employed in so distinctively different ways in human discourse. It is often said that a person has a value or an object has a value. Value is “a concept explicit of implicit, distinctive of an individual or characteristics of a group of those desirable traits which influence the selection from available modes and ends of action.” value is an abstract term which is commonly regarded as an economic conception. In the words of John Dewey, “Value means primarily, to price, to esteem, to appraise, to estimate. It means the act of cherishing something holding ... Read more

Quality of service delivery

Quality of service delivery After over a decade of rapid economic growth in India, the biggest challenge facing policymakers at both central and state levels is to ensure ‘inclusive’ growth so that the gains from increased national income are shared by all sections of society. In particular, it is imperative that a high quality of basic services such as health and education be provided to all citizens, since these are not only ends in themselves, but also play a critical role in enhancing individual capabilities to participate fully in the growth of the economy.  Central and state governments have recognized ... Read more

Role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values

Role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values Family Family is the most important platform for a child to learn, especially during the early stages on one’s life. Many of beliefs and opinion are directly imbibed by an individual, from his family. We learn about the different social relations, responsibilities, religious ideas and codes of conduct from our family.  It is often believed that a Mother is the first teacher. She plays a foundational, central and life-shaping part in the development of the child. A child gets the basic awareness, self confidence, self-satisfaction, principle of sacrifice and love ... Read more

Work culture

Work culture An organization is formed to achieve certain goals and objectives by bringing individuals together on a common platform and motivating them to deliver their level best. It is essential for the employees to enjoy at the workplace for them to develop a sense of loyalty towards it. Work culture plays an important role in extracting the best out of employees and making them stick to the organization for a longer duration. The organization must offer a positive ambience to the employees for them to concentrate on their work rather than interfering in each other’s work. Work culture is ... Read more

Philosophical basis of governance

Philosophical basis of governance Governance is the exercise of economic, political, and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. It comprises mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations, and mediate their differences. The challenge for all societies is to create a system of governance that promotes supports and sustains human development – especially for the poorest and most marginal. But the search for a clearly articulated concept of governance has just begun. Good governance is, among other things, participatory, transparent and accountable. It is also ... Read more

Ethics in international relations

Ethics in international relations What role do moral principles play in the conduct of foreign relations? First, morality helps define the goals and purposes of states and other actors. Moral norms do not provide policy directives, but they can offer a general vision and broad direction and provide the moral norms by which to illuminate and define a country’s vital interests. As theologian John C. Bennett once noted, moral values contribute to public policy debates on foreign policy goals by providing “ultimate perspectives, broad criteria, motives, inspirations, sensitivities, warnings, moral limits.”26 In effect, moral norms can establish the boundaries for ... Read more