Ethics in Governance (Mohan Kanda)

Ethics is gaining prominence in the debates on Governance in recent years on account of increasing expectations from people in regard to ethical standards in public services. There is a general perception across the country that values and standards in the delivery of public services are on the decline. This raises questions about the costs of misconduct on the part of public servants, costs in terms of losses in trust and confidence in public institutions charged with promoting economic and social development. There is a move worldwide to restore a measure of trust in the integrity of public institutions and officials, to improve the quality of service delivery and promote better governance. It can be argued that the perception of a fall in public standards in linked to the shifting role of the State, which is going through a rapid process of reform, liberalization, privatization and globalization along with advances in technology and aspirations of people.