Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

While GS Paper 4 is a Mains-only paper, the factual components of this topic have relevance for Prelims under the 'Polity and Governance' section. An integrated preparation is key.

What to Memorize:

Key Institutions: — Know the nature of bodies like CVC, Lokpal, NHRC (Constitutional, Statutory, or Executive body), their composition, and key functions.
Acts and Rules: — Be aware of the key provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (especially the 2018 amendment), the Lokpal Act, and the RTI Act.
Committee Names: — Remember the names of key committees and their primary recommendations (e.g., Santhanam Committee - CVC, 2nd ARC 4th Report 'Ethics in Governance').
Constitutional Articles: — Know the articles related to values, such as the Preamble's key terms, select DPSPs (Art 38, 39), and Fundamental Duties (Art 51A).

What to Understand Conceptually:

The difference between Ethics and Morals, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics.
The philosophy behind transparency (RTI) and accountability (Lokpal).
The rationale behind modern reforms like Mission Karmayogi (shift from rules to roles).

Common Traps:

Confusing statutory bodies with constitutional bodies (e.g., CVC vs. ECI).
Assuming advisory recommendations are binding (e.g., CVC's advice).
Misunderstanding the jurisdiction of bodies like the Lokpal.

Elimination Techniques: For Prelims questions on these topics, look for extreme words like 'only', 'all', or 'must'. Questions about the powers of institutions are common; often, options that grant absolute or binding power to advisory bodies are incorrect. Use your conceptual understanding of the separation of powers to eliminate unlikely options.