Integrity, Impartiality, Non-partisanship and Objectivity

Foundational values

Foundational values are the basic values on which civil service rests. Without them, skill and knowledge can be misused. The syllabus names seven: integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion toward the weaker sections. This lesson covers the first group – those concerned with fairness and honesty; the next covers those concerned with care.

Integrity

Integrity comes from the Latin *integer*, meaning whole or undivided. It means consistency between values, words and actions, and adherence to moral principles even when no one is watching.

• Personal integrity – honesty, keeping promises, admitting mistakes.
• Professional integrity – following professional standards, not falsifying data or reports.
• Intellectual integrity – giving honest advice, not telling superiors only what they want to hear.
• Financial integrity – not misusing public money; declaring assets.

Nolan principle: "Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work."

Threats: gifts and favours, political pressure, peer culture of corruption, fear of transfer, greed and lifestyle pressures.

Examples: Satyendra Dubey, an Indian Engineering Service officer with the NHAI, wrote to the PMO about corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project and was murdered in 2003; S. Manjunath, an Indian Oil officer, was killed in 2005 for sealing a petrol pump selling adulterated fuel. Their deaths led to the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers Resolution (2004) and later the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014.

Impartiality

Impartiality means treating all persons and cases equally, without bias or favour, on the basis of merit and law.

• Decisions should not depend on caste, religion, gender, wealth, region or personal relationships.
• Rooted in Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 15–16 (non-discrimination).
• Includes avoiding conflicts of interest and recusal when necessary.
• Procedural impartiality – fair hearing (*audi alteram partem*) and no one should be a judge in their own cause (*nemo judex in causa sua*), the two principles of natural justice.

Non-partisanship

Non-partisanship means political neutrality: civil servants do not favour any political party and serve every elected government with equal loyalty.

• Rule 5 of the AIS (Conduct) Rules – no member shall be a member of, or associated with, any political party, or take part in any political movement or election campaign.
• Civil servants should give frank advice before a decision and loyal implementation after it, as long as the decision is lawful.
• Neutrality ≠ value-neutrality – an officer must be neutral between parties but committed to constitutional values (rights, rule of law, secularism). This is the debate between "neutral bureaucracy" and "committed bureaucracy", the latter idea raised in the early 1970s. The accepted view is commitment to the Constitution, not to a party.
• Threats: politicisation of transfers and postings, post-retirement jobs as rewards, caste and political networks.
• The Supreme Court in T. S. R. Subramanian v. Union of India (2013) called for fixed tenures, Civil Services Boards for transfers and recording of oral instructions in writing.

Objectivity

Objectivity means making decisions on the basis of facts, evidence and merit, not on personal feelings, prejudices or external pressures.

• Uses data, field verification and expert advice.
• Records reasons for decisions (speaking orders), so that others can check them.
• Avoids cognitive biases such as confirmation bias (seeing only what supports one's view), anchoring, the halo effect and stereotypes.
• Nolan principle: "Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias."

Examples: awarding contracts through e-tendering with published criteria; selecting beneficiaries using SECC data instead of local influence; promotion by objective appraisal.

How the four values relate

Integrity is the foundation; impartiality and non-partisanship apply it to people and politics; objectivity applies it to evidence.

Building these values

1. Recruitment and training – ethics papers in the exam, case studies in training.
2. Clear codes – conduct rules, a proposed Code of Ethics (the draft Public Services Bill, 2007, listed values for civil servants).
3. Institutional safeguards – Civil Services Boards, fixed tenures, written orders.
4. Transparency – RTI, e-governance, published criteria.
5. Protection – Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014.
6. Leadership – senior officers who resist pressure and back honest juniors.
7. Reward and recognition – honouring officers with clean records.

Worked example

A collector is told by a local MLA to include a few names in a housing scheme list who do not meet the criteria.

• Integrity: she will not falsify the list.
• Impartiality: all applicants are judged by the same criteria.
• Non-partisanship: she would respond the same way whatever the MLA's party.
• Objectivity: she relies on survey data and field verification.

She explains politely to the MLA that the list follows published criteria, offers to check any genuine eligible cases he knows of, and records the conversation if pressure continues. This maintains both rules and a working relationship.

Common threats and responses

The courage dimension

All four values require moral courage. Integrity is easy when there is no temptation; it is tested when honesty brings transfers, threats or isolation. Officers such as Ashok Khemka, known for more than 50 transfers in his career after questioning land deals, and Durga Shakti Nagpal, suspended in 2013 after acting against illegal sand mining (the suspension was later revoked), show the cost and importance of standing firm. Institutions must therefore protect honest officers, not merely praise them.

Quotes to use

• "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." (often attributed to C. S. Lewis)
• Sardar Patel to the first IAS probationers (1947) urged them to be free of party politics and to serve with impartiality, saying the services must be beyond the reach of political pressure.
• The Santhanam Committee (1964) on prevention of corruption recommended the creation of the Central Vigilance Commission to safeguard integrity in public services.

Mains practice question

Distinguish between impartiality and non-partisanship. Why are they important for the civil services in a democracy? (150 words)

Answer framework

• Define both; impartiality (all citizens), non-partisanship (all parties).
• Importance: trust, equality, continuity across governments, rule of law.
• Threats: politicisation, transfers, caste networks.
• Safeguards: AIS Rule 5, T. S. R. Subramanian (2013), Civil Services Boards.
• Conclude: neutral between parties, committed to the Constitution.