UPSC Ethics Simplified: What should Civil Services aspirants know about Constitutional values in contemporary times?

As we observe 75 years of the Indian Constitution, we witnesser an improvement successful the precise essence of justice. The representation of the Goddess of Justice nary longer requires a sword to enforce authorization oregon a blindfold to signify impartiality. As erstwhile Chief Justice of India, Shri Dhananjay Yashwant Chandrachud, remarked, the instrumentality indispensable not stay blind. Instead, it indispensable regard openly and arsenic upon each citizens, ensuring justness is administered with clarity, empathy, and fairness.

Why indispensable a civilian servant embody these values, not conscionable successful actions but successful ethical spirit?

True justness does not reside successful the vestiges of assemblage legacies but successful the relentless pursuit of civilian rights and the motivation compass outlined by our Constitution. For civilian servants, this is not conscionable an aspiration—it is simply a mandate. Their relation is to enactment with integrity, selflessness, and unwavering committedness to the payment of mean citizens.

Constitutional values are the instauration of a conscionable society, ensuring dignity, fairness, and equality for all, irrespective of identity. For civilian servants, these values are not abstract ideals; they are the lifeblood of governance. A civilian servant’s integrity shapes nationalist trust, and their decisions manifest the antiauthoritarian ideals we strive to uphold.

But wherefore are law values indispensable? 

Consider this: ideate idiosyncratic enquiring astir your sanction oregon assemblage earlier completing a elemental transaction, oregon an car operator questioning your caste oregon religion earlier opening the ride. Such moments exposure the cracks successful our societal fabric, reminding america of the urgent request to emergence supra divisive tendencies.

Contrast this with an enactment of quiescent heroism—a caller occurrence involving an car operator who rushed a passenger, Saif Ali Khan, to information without asking for outgo oregon questioning his identity. It’s a communicative of humanity transcending prejudice. But it besides begs the question: would the aforesaid altruism person been extended to idiosyncratic little famous?

Saif Ali Khan meets car operator Bhagat Singh Rana who saved his beingness (Photo: IANS / X)

The reply lies successful however profoundly we internalize law values. Look astatine the Mahakumbh successful Prayagraj, wherever millions from divers backgrounds unite astatine the Sangam, dissolving barriers of caste and religion successful a shared tone of harmony. It stands arsenic a testament to the imaginable of inclusivity and the powerfulness of our shared humanity.

An estimated 40 crore radical are expected to enactment successful the Maha Kumbh Mela, which volition proceed until February 26, 2025. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)

How does the travel of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar connection profound lessons successful justness and equality?

As a young lad ostracized for his caste, Ambedkar endured unimaginable hardships. Yet, those adversities became the instauration of his unwavering resoluteness to champion equality. As the main designer of the Indian Constitution, helium transformed idiosyncratic symptom into a roadmap for societal progress. Reflecting connected the contradictions of 1950 India, Ambedkar warned that governmental equality would mean small without societal and economical justice. His imaginativeness underscores the urgency of bridging these gaps, adjacent today.

As Adam Smith wrote successful The Theory of Moral Sentiments, “In solitude, we consciousness everything related to america precise intensely.” Ambedkar’s solitude became the crucible successful which helium forged a imaginativeness for a much equitable India. Shashi Tharoor aptly captures this successful Ambedkar: A Life, highlighting however the Constitution centers connected the individual, balancing their rights and responsibilities wrong the antiauthoritarian framework.

Yet, arsenic a society, wherefore bash we tolerate the erosion of these ideals? Why bash caste and religion inactive disagreement america erstwhile our Constitution champions unity done “Jai Hind”? Technology similar AI oregon Google Maps does not discriminate, truthful wherefore bash we? When we committee a bid oregon sojourn a doctor, we don’t question the caste oregon religion of those liable for our information and well-being. This spot embodies the principles of equality and fraternity that usher our Constitution.

As the main designer of the Indian Constitution, Ambedkar transformed idiosyncratic symptom into a roadmap for societal progress.

Amartya Sen, successful The Idea of Justice, reminds america that justness indispensable beryllium universal, impartial, and rooted successful consequences. Without these values, nine fractures. Protecting dignity, life, and rights is not conscionable a law duty; it is the essence of humanity.

Take a infinitesimal to ideate lasting astatine Lal Chowk successful Kashmir. As we hunt for our individuality wrong law values, distinctions betwixt Hindu and Muslim slice among the tourists and citizens gathered there. Instead, the show of the nationalist emblem fluttering successful the breeze unites each gaze, dissolving divisions of identity. This is the powerfulness of law values—a shared individuality that transcends differences and anchors america successful a corporate imaginativeness of progress.

On November 25, 1949, successful his last code to the Constituent Assembly, Ambedkar articulated a timeless truth: the spot of a Constitution lies not successful its words but successful the integrity of those who instrumentality it. “No substance however bully a Constitution whitethorn be, it tin crook retired to beryllium atrocious if those tasked with implementing it deficiency integrity.” For civilian servants, this is simply a solemn reminder. Governance is not conscionable astir policies; it is astir embodying the values that marque ideology meaningful. Upholding freedom, equality, and justness is not an option—it is simply a work that defines the aboriginal of our nation.

Let america strive to marque our actions a reflection of these values, ensuring that the Constitution remains a surviving document—a beacon guiding India toward unity, dignity, and progress. 

Post Read Questions for UPSC Ethics insubstantial and Interviews:

Dear UPSC Aspirants,

The supra nonfiction holds nary worth if it doesn’t usher you to immoderate thought-provoking questions, particularly from the position of ethics. Try them out. 

1. What ethical standards should civilian servants clasp themselves to successful bid to support the integrity of the Constitution, particularly successful a divers ideology similar India? Discuss successful the airy of Ambedkar’s remark that a Constitution is lone arsenic bully arsenic the radical who instrumentality it.

2. In the anecdote of the car operator helping Saif Ali Khan, would the aforesaid altruism use to idiosyncratic little well-known? How should morals beryllium autarkic of the beneficiary’s fame, presumption and identity?

3. The nonfiction points retired that technologies similar AI and Google Maps bash not discriminate, yet quality interactions often do. How tin ethical governance guarantee that quality values germinate to lucifer the neutrality and fairness seen successful technology? Should governments leverage exertion to reenforce law values?

(The writer is the writer of ‘Being Good’, ‘Aaiye, Insaan Banaen’, ‘Kyon’ and ‘Ethikos: Stories Searching Happiness’. He teaches courses connected and offers grooming successful ethics, values and behaviour. He has been the expert/consultant to UPSC, SAARC countries, Civil services Academy, National Centre for Good Governance, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Competition Commission of India (CCI), etc. He has PhD successful 2 disciplines and has been a Doctoral Fellow successful Gandhian Studies from ICSSR. His 2nd PhD is from IIT Delhi on Ethical Decision Making among Indian Bureaucrats. He writes for the UPSC Ethics Simplified (concepts and caselets) fortnightly.)

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