Centre for Competitive Examinations, PU organised special lecture by Krishna Mohan

Chandigarh, May 28, 2016: Centre for Competitive Examinations, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh organised a special lecture by Krishna Mohan, an IAS office of 1977 batch who retired as additional Chief Secretary of Haryana after 37 years of distinguished service.
Speaking on the theme 'ethics and values in public governance', Krishna Mohan referred to the shift from colonial system of law and order/revenue collection oriented governance to citizen-centric governance. The latter especially needs public servants to have firm belief in ethics and values. Values like empathy, truth, right conduct, peace are the cause and ethics is the effect. In fact, good grounding in ethics is more important than knowledge of law for a public servant, who is paid out of public exchequer. However, a public servant has a duty of serving the people not by being dictated by them but by enforcing the rule of law. A public servant should use his/her power to do greatest good to greatest number of people. As for the policies are concerned, a good officer should be fearless to give his opinion to political bosses about their effectiveness and desirability without trying to be yes man. And while carrying out his responsibility, an officer needs to take firm decision according to the context, situation and need of hour. There are three rules for a officer: he should act in accordance with her own personal code of ethics; he should take responsibility for his action and not just 'follow the orders'; he also should not blame others for his own
unethical behaviour.