Integrity
RAS Mains, Paper II, Unit I, point 3: "philosophical basis of integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship" (this page covers integrity)
- Updated for the Jan 2026 syllabus
- Read time: about 10 minutes
Exam weight (our count from the real 2018-2024 papers)
2 questions, both Part B (5 marks): 2024 Q6 (direct) and 2021 Q10 (core values, of which integrity is one). This is our count, not RPSC information.
30-second summary
Remember
- Integrity means values, words and actions lining up, above all when nobody is watching.
- It is wider than honesty: honesty is about truth, integrity is about the wholeness of character.
- Three levels: personal, official (fitting the role) and institutional.
- The Conduct Rules say "absolute integrity" in plain words, and it is the second Nolan principle.
- Honest officers fear pressure and reprisal, so institutions (protection, codes, disclosure) must carry part of the load.
Part A box (each line 15 words or fewer)
Remember
- Question: Define integrity in administration.
- Answer: Integrity is the match of values, words and actions, whether or not anyone watches. (14 words)
- Ready line 2: Honesty is telling the truth; integrity is truth, fairness and courage held together in character. (15 words)
- Ready line 3: Probity means spotless conduct in handling public money and in using official power. (13 words)
1. Meaning
The English word comes from the Latin integer, meaning whole. A person whose inside and outside match is a person of integrity. (Standard word origin; in an exam, "wholeness" is enough.)
2. Cousins of the word
| Term | Core idea |
|---|---|
| Honesty (ईमानदारी) | Speaking truth, not cheating or stealing |
| Integrity (सत्यनिष्ठा) | Values, words and deeds in one piece, even under pressure |
| Probity (शुचिता) | Proven cleanliness in the use of public money and office |
| Objectivity (वस्तुनिष्ठता) | Deciding on evidence and criteria, without bias |
3. Three levels
(our scheme, to help recall)
Personal: truthfulness, self-control, mastery over greed.
Official: not using office for gain to self or kin, and declaring one's own interests.
Institutional: a system where dishonesty costs a lot and honesty is safe.
4. Why it weighs more in administration
An officer holds public money, discretion and information, while the citizen often has no alternative. Trust is therefore the working capital of governance. The Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption (1964) said the lack of moral earnestness was perhaps the greatest single factor hampering strong traditions of integrity and efficiency (quoted in the 2nd ARC Fourth Report, para 2.7.1).
5. Service rules and principles
Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, Rule 3(1)(i): "maintain absolute integrity". The amended text adds high ethical standards and honesty, declaring private interests, and not misusing position.
All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968: Rule 3(1) requires absolute integrity and devotion to duty; Rule 3(1A), added by the August 2014 amendment, lists high ethical standards, integrity and honesty.
Nolan principles (1995), Principle 2, Integrity: office-holders must avoid obligations to those who might inappropriately influence them, must not decide for financial or other gain for themselves, family or friends, and must declare and resolve interests and relationships (current gov.uk wording). In the 1995 original, Integrity covered only the avoidance of outside obligations; the duty to declare private interests then sat under "Honesty" (see page 3.8).
6. Philosophical basis (the syllabus asks for it)
Kant: a moral act is done from duty, on a principle that could be a universal law. A person of integrity does not bend the rule because today's gain is mine. (one line is enough in an answer.)
Aristotle: virtues grow by habit. Integrity is the habit of many small right choices.
Gita, nishkama karma (2.47): you have a right to your duty, not to the fruits. Bribery is attachment to the fruit; the Gita's detachment cuts at the root.
Gandhi: purity of means along with ends, and holding to truth. (Detail on pages 4.1 to 5.6.)
7. Threats
small compromises, group pressure, the thought that everyone does it, fear of transfer or punishment, and the weight of an order from above.
8. Supports
a code of ethics and conflict-of-interest rules (a 2nd ARC recommendation), protection of those who disclose wrongdoing, transparency, and leaders who set the example. The 2nd ARC (January 2007) noted that India's Conduct Rules forbid specific acts but are not a full Code of Ethics (para 2.7.5).
9. Reasoning for the real question: does objectivity presuppose integrity?
(Our argument.)
Yes, in practice: an officer tied by favours or greed cannot decide on evidence, so integrity works as a precondition. Nolan too puts Integrity (avoid obligations) ahead of Objectivity.
No, in logic: objectivity is a method (evidence, criteria). An honest officer can still be unconsciously biased or short of data, and a corrupt one can design "objective-looking" criteria to reach a fixed result.
Conclusion: integrity is the soil in which trustworthy objectivity grows, but it does not guarantee it.
Worked examples (documented, with year)
Satyendra Dubey, November 2003.
an NHAI engineer murdered after exposing corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral highway project. In April 2004 the government then issued the PIDPI Resolution (Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers), making the Central Vigilance Commission the "designated agency" to receive written complaints of corruption or misuse of office.
Source: Wikipedia, "Whistleblower protection in India"; government confirmation of the CVC role: PIB release of 12 December 2024.
Manjunath Shanmugam, 19 November 2005.
a sales officer of Indian Oil Corporation, shot dead in Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) while inspecting a petrol pump he had earlier had sealed for selling adulterated fuel.
Source: Wikipedia and news reports (the date agrees in both).
Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 (Act No. 17 of 2014)
notified in May 2014 (gazette 12 May 2014; assent usually given as 9 May 2014). In a Rajya Sabha reply released on 12 December 2024 the Government said no notification bringing it into force had been made because amendments were needed (the 2015 amendment bill passed the Lok Sabha on 13 May 2015 and lapsed when that Lok Sabha was dissolved). An April 2025 commentary reports the same position, and sources up to October 2026 show no notification. Law status changes: check the latest official text.
How to use in an answer
a rule (Rule 3 or Nolan) + one person (Shastri or Dubey) + one institutional gap (the 2014 Act not in force).
Thinkers and quotes box
| Name | Idea | Usable line |
|---|---|---|
| Santhanam Committee (1964) | Lack of moral earnestness | "The lack of moral earnestness... is perhaps the greatest single factor which hampers the growth of strong traditions of integrity and efficiency." (quoted in 2nd ARC Fourth Report, para 2.7.1) |
| Nolan Committee (1995) | Integrity of office-holders | "They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships." (current gov.uk wording) |
| Mahatma Gandhi (published by) | The seven social sins | "Commerce without morality", "Knowledge without character" (Young India, 22 October 1925, as quoted in Box 2.8 of the 2nd ARC Fourth Report) |
Diagram: flow
Values
Top row, three blocks: then then (with an sign beneath: alignment)
Words
Deeds
=
Personal: truth, restraint
Three layers below: / /
Official: declare interests, use office rightly
Institutional: code, protection, accountability
Greed, fear, group pressure
Side arrows: pressure arrow pushing on the top blocks; support arrow holding them
Code, protection, leadership
How the concept was asked before: integrity has always come in Part B (5 marks). No question carrying the word appeared in 2018 or 2023.
Common mistakes
Remember
- Reducing integrity to "not taking bribes"; it includes truth, fairness, courage and declaring interests.
- Answering a "necessarily" question with a flat yes or no.
- Preaching without naming a rule such as the Conduct Rules or Nolan.
Self-check (5 questions)
Remember
- How does integrity differ from honesty?
- Name the three levels of integrity.
- What does Conduct Rule 3(1)(i) say?
- What role did the 2004 PIDPI order give the CVC?
- Is integrity "necessary" or "sufficient" for objectivity? Argue in one sentence.
Case studyLal Bahadur Shastri, 1956
as Railway Minister he offered to resign after the Mahbubnagar rail accident, and Nehru refused; after the Ariyalur accident his offer was accepted and he left office on 7 December 1956.
- Source
- Wikipedia, "Lal Bahadur Shastri".
Lesson
moral responsibility for the office's failure.
Mini case study
Illustrative exampleHypothetical case (काल्पनिक केस)
Arjun is an accounts officer in a district water department. His audit shows that bills for a village drinking-water scheme were inflated, and the senior engineer who signed them had helped Arjun get his posting. The engineer says, "It is a small thing. Just move the file along."
- Stakeholders
- Arjun, the senior engineer, the contractor, village consumers, the department, the vigilance authority, Arjun's family.
- Issue and clashing values
- integrity and public interest against gratitude, career safety and fear of discipline.
- Three options
- (a) Move the file along. Pro: avoids conflict. Con: becomes a party to corruption, risks action against himself, and the village loses. (b) Talk privately to the engineer and "settle" it. Pro: soft and direct. Con: gives time to alter records, and the matter may be buried. (c) Record the objection in writing, preserve the documents, and complain in writing to the competent vigilance authority. Pro: rule-bound, evidence safe. Con: risk of retaliation and stress.
- Best option and supporting value
- option (c). Values: integrity, accountability and public interest. The route must carry integrity too, so it should be written and lawful.
Lesson
Action: Short term: first firm up the facts against the measurement books and payment records (state facts, not accusations); then a written note of objection on each bill, copies kept safe, a complaint to the competent authority, a request to protect his identity. Long term: third-party verification of bills, field inspection before payment, a village social audit meeting, and a push for stronger protection of those who disclose wrongdoing.
Practice Questions
Practice questionabout 50 words
Does administrative objectivity necessarily presuppose administrative integrity?
Model answer
In practice, largely yes. An officer bound by favours, greed or pressure cannot decide on evidence, so integrity is the soil for objectivity. In logic, not necessarily: an honest officer may carry unconscious bias, and a corrupt one can frame criteria that look objective. Integrity is a precondition, not a guarantee.
Practice questionabout 100 words
Integrity is the foundation of public service. Discuss the challenges an honest officer faces and how institutions can support such an officer.
Model answer
Integrity is the match of values, words and actions; Conduct Rule 3(1) asks for "absolute integrity". An honest officer faces retaliation, repeated transfers and group pressure. The 2003 murder of Satyendra Dubey showed how exposed those who disclose wrongdoing are. For support, the 2nd ARC proposed a code of ethics, conflict-of-interest rules and protection for those who report. The 2014 Act, though passed, has not been brought into force, a serious gap. Institutions must provide transparency, written orders and independent oversight; only then does integrity become a quality of the system, not just of heroic individuals.
Real PYQs
2024Paper II, Part B5 marks
Does administrative objectivity necessarily presuppose administrative integrity? Answer line: define both → yes (precondition) → no (logically distinct) → balanced close.
2021Paper II, Part B5 marks
What are the core ethical values required for excellence in civil service? (treated fully on page 3.8; integrity is the first of those values.)
How to Write This Answer
Introduction
meaning + rule
Body
- three levels, threats, supports, one or two examples
Conclusion
from person to system
Value addition
- Nolan, the Santhanam quote
One-page Revision
- Integrity = values + words + deeds
- integer = whole
- honesty vs integrity vs probity vs objectivity
- three levels (person, office, institution)
- CCS Rule 3(1)(i) "absolute integrity"
- AIS Rule 3(1A), 2014
- Nolan: avoid obligations, declare interests
- Santhanam Committee 1964
- Dubey Nov 2003, PIDPI April 2004, CVC designated agency
- Manjunath 19 Nov 2005
- Shastri 1956
- WBPA 2014 (Act 17, May 2014; not in force per 12.12.2024 reply)
- 2024 Q6: precondition yes, sufficient no
- Case: Arjun, written objection plus competent authority.