Answer:
An ethical dilemma is a complex situation, that often involves conflict between moral imperatives. Civil servants hold public positions and utilize resources to deliver public services. In performing duties, they come across various situations when they have to deal with equally important set of principles. They may face ethical dilemmas due to lack of legal/policy clarity on the issues faced by
them. Some examples of ethical dilemmas faced by civil servants are as follows:
• Allocation of limited resources amidst demands by various beneficiaries, especially in case of unclear guidelines i.e. matters which potentially influence a civil servant’s ability to work in the public interest and represent all constituents equally and fairly.
• Economic development versus its cost to the environment, for example, construction of a dam in a tribal area, which would protect them from floods and provide electricity but lead to displacement.
• Conflicts between personal life and professional life. For example, maintaining balance between catering to family needs and working beyond office hours.
• Maintaining balance between secrecy and transparency. While protecting sensitive information is necessary for security reasons, but at the same time, transparency is essential to uphold the public servants accountable.
• Dilemmas involving the faithful execution of official duties. For example, the decision to participate/be a part of say an appointment committee, interview board etc, when a civil servant has a conflict of interest which prohibits his/her participation.
• Dilemmas involving acting with integrity, for example, in cases where a civil servant is offered a legally acceptable gift for doing his/her duty diligently, where there may be a quid pro quo involved.
In these situations, public servants should follow certain fundamental principles such as democratic accountability, respect for the rule of law and the principle of legality, professional integrity and responsiveness to civil society. Adopting these principles can integrate the process of dealing with ethical dilemmas in public administration.
