Day 35 – Q 4.What is code of ethics? Isn’t it a blunt tool? Discuss.
4. What is code of ethics? Isn’t it a blunt tool? Discuss.
नैतिकता का कोड क्या है? क्या यह एक असरहीन उपकरण नहीं है? चर्चा करें।
Introduction:
Code of ethics is a written set of guidelines issued by an organization to its officials, to guide their conduct in accordance with its primary values and ethical standards.
Body:
Moral values like honesty, integrity, responsibility are often translated into code of ethics. Code of ethics helps in following way
- Ensures professionalism by providing framework for public servants to carry out their public responsibilities.
- In public service it is difficult to provide laws and rules that can regulate the exercise of discretion in high places. In such a scenario, code of ethics as moral force makes them adhere to values in decision making.
- Helps individual overcome dilemmas especially when there is conflict with personal value.
- Achieve excellence in work culture.
Ex: In civil services
Accountability- ensures individual’s responsibility to his actions.
Impartiality- ensures trust in bureaucracy.
Integrity- leads to corruption free administration.
However, despite having code of ethics in various fields – for public servants, medical professionals, Business organizations- we come across various issues like
Public servants -> involving in cases of corruption, disproportionate assets.
Medical field -> exorbitant price of medical devices, exploiting common man.
Thus, Code of ethics is criticized as being blunt tool
- Being advisory in nature without any legal backing.
- Difficulty in measuring certain principles such as devotion to duty.
- Code of ethics by itself will not bring change in individual’s attitude.
- Take away individual’s decision making power.
- Not being enough as a deterrence tool.
2nd ARC rightly observes that ethical behaviour does not lie in bold words and expressions enshrined as standards, but in their adoption in action, in sanctions against violations, putting in place competent disciplinary bodies to investigate allegations of violations and to impose sanctions quickly and in promoting a culture of integrity.
Conclusion:
Code of ethics often capture vision of excellence individual must be striving for. So have to be made effective taking adequate measures.
Best Answer: kamal
