I&B babus pen book to aid managers, civil services aspirants

Two serving bureaucrats in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry have co-authored a book which deals with the various ethical theories, values and dilemmas that confront administrators and managers and is also designed to be an aid for civil services aspirants.
The book, 'Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude', echoes the title of the newly-introduced general studies paper for the civil services main examination.
Authors Santosh Ajmera and Nanda Kishore Reddy said the book, which gives a holistic perspective on various ethical theories, values and dilemmas that administrators and managers may face, would also help in developing the right perspective on such matters among aspiring civil servants.

The book comes in the wake of UPSC introducing reforms in the process of recruiting civil servants with a view to creating more responsive and citizen-centric civil services.
The newly-introduced general studies paper on 'Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude', is aimed at testing the candidates' attitude and approach to issues related to integrity and probity in public life. It also seeks to ascertain their problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts in society.
Ajmera and Reddy, both Indian Information Service officers of the 2008 batch, said the focus is now on evaluating in terms of ethical and moral dimensions the aptitude of the candidates for dealing with newer challenges on the basis of their decision-making capacity.

"Over the years, challenges before civil services have grown manifold and acquired multiple facets. A workforce created on the basis of 'Right Aptitude, Right Conduct and Willingness' to work for the betterment of society would enable the nation to overcome these challenges and march towards the dream of 'Developed India'.
"Creating such a workforce thus becomes a crucial aspect of nation building," they said in a release.
Conceived and developed upon a strong theoretical base, the book has 100-plus case studies based on practical experiences and research from various government sources, the authors said.