Accountability, Probity & Civil Servant Ethics
Probity in Governance: concept of public service; philosophical basis of governance and probity; information sharing and transparency in government; Right to Information; codes of ethics; codes of conduct; work culture; quality of service delivery; utilisation of public funds; challenges of corruption.— UPSC Mains Syllabus
Accountability in public service has three dimensions: accountability upward (to political hierarchy), downward (to citizens), and horizontal (to peer institutions — judiciary, audit, legislature). Civil servant social media ethics has emerged as a high-frequency theme. RTI, citizen charters, public service codes of conduct, and the philosophical basis of public trust are the static anchors. The core question: what distinguishes a civil servant from a private employee? The answer is constitutional accountability.
Standard Textbooks
Second ARC Report 4: Ethics in Governance
AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968 — summary of key provisions
Supplementary Sources
Also relevant when writing this answer
These nodes commonly intersect with this one in real Mains questions. The connection is explained below each link.
Probity in Governance & Accountability
Accountability is the umbrella; probity is one of its most important components. These nodes are often tested together.
“Questions on 'probity and transparency' or 'ethical governance' require both nodes.”
Constitutional Morality & Public Virtue
Constitutional morality provides the philosophical basis for accountability — a civil servant is accountable to the constitutional order, not just to instructions.
“Questions on 'civil servant and political loyalty' require constitutional morality as the anchor.”