Civil servants should be guided by certain principles: VP

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said civil servants should be guided by the principles of empathy, efficiency, impartiality and incorruptibility.
Naidu was addressing the inaugural of the 92nd foundation course for All India Service officers at MCR HRD Institute here.
"There are, however, some guiding principles that form the bedrock of the higher civil services in the country. These essential well springs must not be allowed to dry up.
"I shall outline four salient aspects you may like to keep in view: 'empathy', 'efficiency', 'impartiality' and 'incorruptibility'," he said.
To highlight the principle of empathy, he cited Mahatma Gandhi's advice that impact on poor should be the determining factor to take up a particular action.

Stressing that cost and time overruns retard the nation's developmental progress, he said civil servants must be mindful that people expect the top bureaucracy to be highly efficient.

Naidu quoted the country's first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel to highlight the significance of impartiality and incorruptibility.
"The third and the fourth principles -- impartiality and incorruptibility are contained in Sardar Patel's exhortation: Above all I would advise you to maintain to the utmost the impartiality and incorruptibility of administration," Naidu said.
Observing that civil service was created to provide an "impartial inclusive management culture" in the country's governance, he said such a system was absolutely necessary in a multi-lingual, multi-religious and pluralistic society like India.

"The civil services were the binding force that would be able to bridge the many 'divides' that India has. Being impartial and having a broad vision of national integration and inclusive development, the founding fathers thought of the higher civil services as the steel frame of the country," he said.
The country expects not only high levels of performance, but also high levels of integrity and rectitude from higher civil services, the vice president said.
"The word 'civil' is part of the nomenclature of the services and the public at large expects the civil servants to behave in a dignified manner and have the ability to patiently listen and take a balanced view," he said.

"The 'Iron Man' of India (Sardar Patel) has conceived of the steel frame. I would urge you all to add lustre to this frame by your energetic positive contributions.
"Make it a stainless steel frame, unsullied, shining and providing the support and glow for illuminating the lives of millions of Indians who are looking for ways to better their lives," he added.