GS4 · UPSC Mains
You are an IAS officer, currently serving as the Secretary of the Public Works Department in a hill state. Recently, a disturbing incident has come to light involving a senior Cabinet Minister and two engineers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). During an inspection of a critical highway project, the Minister was allegedly seen on video physically assaulting and verbally abusing the engineers in full public view. The video, recorded by bystanders, went viral on social media and was widely covered by television channels, sparking both outrage and support from different sections of society. The Minister later defended his actions, alleging that the officials were corrupt, unresponsive to local grievances, and responsible for inordinate delays in the project. He insisted that his actions were driven by public frustration and the urgency of delivering infrastructure to a remote region. However, the engineers have filed a police complaint and written to their superiors, claiming they demanding action against the Minister and protection of officer dignity. This has brought several critical infrastructure projects to a standstill, including road connectivity to tribal areas, pre-monsoon repair works, and strategic border roads. You have been directed by the Chief Secretary to prepare a fact-finding report, while also ensuring smooth coordination between state and central agencies. Meanwhile, the Minister's office is informally pressuring you to downplay the incident. The media is sharply divided — some portraying the Minister as a crusader against corruption, others condemning the act as a serious breach of administrative ethics and rule of law. Civil servants across departments have expressed concern about personal safety, dignity, and increasing political interference, while citizens are now growing restless due to halted infrastructure works. (a) What are the key ethical issues involved in this situation? Identify the stakeholders and their conflicting interests. (b) As the Secretary of the PWD, what actions will you take in above situation? (c) How do such incidents affect the morale of civil servants and public trust in governance? (Answer in 250 words)
GS4 · Public/civil service values & ethics in public administration — status & problems; ethical concerns & dilemmas; conflict of interest
| Topper | Rank | Source | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abhigyan Khaund | — | VisionIAS | p.37 |
| Rahul Sehkhar | — | VisionIAS | p.37 |
| Neeraj Trar | — | VisionIAS | p.37 |