The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) syllabus for Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude is an important part of the General Studies Paper IV in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (Mains). Here’s an overview of the UPSC Ethics syllabus:
UPSC Ethics Syllabus
- Ethics and Human Interface:
- Essence, determinants, and consequences of Ethics in human actions.
- Dimensions of Ethics.
- Ethics in private and public relationships.
- Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators.
- Role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values.
- Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Service:
- Integrity, impartiality, and non-partisanship.
- Objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion towards the weaker sections.
- Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration:
- Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions.
- Laws, rules, regulations, and conscience as sources of ethical guidance.
- Accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance.
- Ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
- Probity in Governance:
- Concept of public service.
- Philosophical basis of governance and probity.
- Information sharing and transparency in government.
- Case Studies on Above Issues:
- Detailed case studies from various aspects and dimensions to illustrate above issues.
Preparation Tips
- Understand Concepts: Grasp the fundamental concepts of ethics and their application in public administration.
- Case Studies: Practice analyzing case studies related to ethical dilemmas and governance issues.
- Current Affairs: Stay updated with recent developments in ethics and integrity in governance.
- Philosophical and Theoretical Insights: Read about philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of ethics and morality.
- Practice Answer Writing: Practice writing answers for ethics-related questions to improve clarity and structure in your responses.
The UPSC Ethics syllabus is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to understand and analyze ethical issues and their application in real-life scenarios, making it an integral part of the Civil Services Examination preparation.
