[srinivasg]

Interview question: How can we avoid corruption in INDIA? Your opinion on this

[Nethra K Putti]

CORRUPTION CORRUPTION CORRUPTION :

! ! - >Corruption is wide spread phenomenon in today's public life.

! ! - > Incorruptible officers & public figures have become a microscopic minority.

! ! - >Bribery, Money-Laundering, incentives, fees for services rendered & scams have become a way of life.

! ! - >Corruption at high levels of political leadership travels downwards.

! ! - >The Government can tackle corruption only if serious efforts are made to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

! ! - >The urgent need of the hour is to adopt a Zero tolereance attitude towards corruption.

! ! - >The phenomenon of corruption is rampant not only in government offices but also even in politics.

! ! - >Politics is most lucrative business these days where money power & muscle power are the best investments & leadership can be passed to the succeding generations of the family.

! ! - >Politics for many is the short-cut to fabulous wealth.

! ! - >HONEST CIVIL SERVENTS CANNOT SURVIVE UNDER CORRUPT MINISTERS.

! ! - >Corruption reached high-levels because some of them indulege in it for petty gains / convenience & the rest tolerate & accept it.

! ! - >Giving & taking bribes has become the norm than an offence.

! ! - >CORRUPTION HAS ALMOST PARALYSED THE ENTIRE INDIAN SYSTEM.

! ! - >However the greatest obstacle in eliminating corruption is the fact that public moprality is virtually non-existing.

! ! - >Wholesale corruption has corroded the PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY.

! ! - >We should demand transperancy & accountability.

! ! - >The is the crux problem in our polity, which has so far been only preached but seldom practised.

! ! - >There is a need for a new begining to make India Corruption-Free.

! ! - >The government can tackle more effectively if serious efforts are made to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

! ! - >The government should aim at lowering rates of infant morality & increasing life expectancy at birth through improved health care.

Still more points to put in..

[Anish K. Joseph]

Originally Posted by Nethra K Putti

CORRUPTION CORRUPTION CORRUPTION :

! ! - >Corruption is wide spread phenomenon in today's public life.

! ! - > Incorruptible officers & public figures have become a microscopic minority.

! ! - >Bribery, Money-Laundering, incentives, fees for services rendered & scams have become a way of life.

! ! - >Corruption at high levels of political leadership travels downwards.

! ! - >The Government can tackle corruption only if serious efforts are made to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

! ! - >The urgent need of the hour is to adopt a Zero tolereance attitude towards corruption.

! ! - >The phenomenon of corruption is rampant not only in government offices but also even in politics.

! ! - >Politics is most lucrative business these days where money power & muscle power are the best investments & leadership can be passed to the succeding generations of the family.

! ! - >Politics for many is the short-cut to fabulous wealth.

! ! - >HONEST CIVIL SERVENTS CANNOT SURVIVE UNDER CORRUPT MINISTERS.

! ! - >Corruption reached high-levels because some of them indulege in it for petty gains / convenience & the rest tolerate & accept it.

! ! - >Giving & taking bribes has become the norm than an offence.

! ! - >CORRUPTION HAS ALMOST PARALYSED THE ENTIRE INDIAN SYSTEM.

! ! - >However the greatest obstacle in eliminating corruption is the fact that public moprality is virtually non-existing.

! ! - >Wholesale corruption has corroded the PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY.

! ! - >We should demand transperancy & accountability.

! ! - >The is the crux problem in our polity, which has so far been only preached but seldom practised.

! ! - >There is a need for a new begining to make India Corruption-Free.

! ! - >The government can tackle more effectively if serious efforts are made to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

! ! - >The government should aim at lowering rates of infant morality & increasing life expectancy at birth through improved health care.

Still more points to put in..

I don't think that corruption can be eliminated only by improving the socio-economic conditions of the people or by lowering rates of infant morality & increasing life expectancy at birth through improved health care. Because we all know that most of the people who are corrupted are not economically or socially backward, surely they will be having a notable social status.
Otherwise noone will go with bribe to them to get their need fulfilled. This corruption is because of the greedy nature in the human blood to earn more & more . So we should think of some other measures to eliminate this social evil.What can be these measures???...

[maneesh]

Dear Anish,
You are right in identifying that corruption cannot be removed by improving the socio economic conditions.

My views on corruption is its all because of FEAR

If you break corruption in to categories, the accepted one are
1. Need Based
2. Greed Based

In need based the fear is of survival and
in Greed based its the Race for Significance. Each human being wants to be significant. Most feel significant by the assets they command like houses, cars, industry.
Greed based corruption also trigger need based corruption in other strata of society.

[ganeshvs71]

Spot on maneesh. Its easy to answer the first question. Just dont indulge in it - small or big - if you want to avoid the corruption. But is avoiding corruption the solution. In fact we need to eliminate corruption. How do we eliminate corruption? Two approaches, punitive and reformative. Harsh punishment - including capital punishment - for the corrupt. And on the other try to inculcate the value system in the generation. But its a complex world out there. The will power of those who want to eliminate corruption against those who want to sustain it, will be working against each other. :Lets guess who will succeed.

[Sreekar]

The 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International (TI), surveying perceptions of public sector corruption in 163 countries, points to a strong correlation between corruption and poverty, with a concentration of impoverished states at the bottom of the ranking.

According to the annual survey by the Berlin-based organization Transparency International, India’s CPI score is 3.6; where the scores range from ten (squeaky clean) to zero (highly corrupt). A score of 5.0 is the number Transparency International considers the borderline figure distinguishing countries that do and do not have a serious corruption problem.

"Despite a decade of progress in establishing anti-corruption laws and regulations, these results indicate that much remains to be done before we see meaningful improvements in the lives of the world's poorest citizens."

According to me following steps should be considered to eradicate corruption:

Ø Greedy business people and unscrupulous investors should stop bribing the political elites.
Ø Don’t be either at the receiving or at the bribing end.
Ø Political elites should stop putting their private gains before the welfare of citizens and economic development of their regions.
Ø As our president Dr. Abdul Kalam said in his 55th Republic day of India speech; Youth should take a responsibility in eradicating corruption.
Ø Government should include a chapter in text books related to corruption and its desire consequences.
Ø By improving corporate governance and increasing transparency in govt. departments.

Bottom line we should all know that “Corruption is a malady not only affecting developing countries, but also the developed world”.

-Thanks,
Sreekar

[s_murade]

Eradication of corruption is a time taking effort involving every Indian. First of we need to have awareness amongst the common people about their rights. every politician and goverment machinary should work with high morale and transperency.There should be a severe punishment for those indulges in the unlawful act of corruption.It needs involvement of youths who are the future of India.

[maneesh]

A very informative post by Seekar.

Indeed with best of intention in heart the actual action remains a lot less from desired.

If you look into corruption the genesis of corruption comes from the use of discreation or power.

Why in the first place a person is vested with discreation power?
A person is vested with the discretionary authority to ensure justice to delivered to the people who came to seek. The civil servants enjoy power because of this discreationary power vested in them. Same goes with Politician, Business man etc.

The only way to ensure the authority is not mis utilised is by way of transparency. If you had noticed the organisation which is working in this field is also names Transparency International.

The one concrete step towards removing corruption is to increase transparency in all ways one can.
I flag some points there can be many and i am sure you guys will find intutive and creative ways to increase transparency and fight corruption.
1. Leveraging Information Technology in decesion making - E Gov
2. Dissemenating information through websites
3. Productive use of RTI

[riteshmisra]

There was an almost 10 mt discussion on corruption in my interview in 2000. My interview was almost 45 mts, and I had scored 240.
I had been asked what are major problems faced by India ( separate post on this). I listed corruption as 4th major problem.
I was then asked
What will you do if your boss asks you to something illegal and corrupt
Ans. I will not do it sir, i will politely tell my boss that it is not possible and the same result can be achieved in a more legal alternative method.
Q. No, he will insist, what will you do then?
A. I will stilll not do it, i will tell him politely the negative consequences
Q. He will still insist
A. I will ask him whether he can give it in writing.
Q. Yes, he is ready to give it in writing, what then?
A. I will request him once again not to do so as the consequences will be disastrous.
Q. He says that is none of your business, an order is an order, do it
A. I will go to the boss of my boss, and try to reason with him
Q. He too does not agree with you, and orders you to do so.
A. I will still not do it, I may go on leave.
Q Isnt going on leave admitting defeat.
A. No sir, it is a way of showing protest
Q. Will you resign?
A. No. I will not resign. I have fought among a few lakh competitors to join Civil Services. Why should i resign because of one tift with my boss, there may be many such tifts, I will certainly not resign since there will be many instances, years to show my mettle.
Last question in this segment
Mr Misra, You seem to be an honest person, What will you do in the Indian bureaucracy which is totally corrupt, ineffective and inefficient?
Ans I dont agree with you sir. There are so many honest, effective and efficient officers. I will be one of them.

I could see that the interview was going on well, already there was a feel good factor.

[gaurav]

Thanku For Such N Informative Reference