General Studies Mains-2014 Paper-4 (Ethics and Integrity) Answer : Q-7

What does ‘accountability’ mean in the context of public service? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability of public servants?

Accountability refers to the act of being held responsible for one’s actions. In the context of public service, public servants are/must be accountable to the public at large for their actions. The public servants must be able to explain and answer to questions arising from their conduct, and accepts any blame or liability that ensues from their actions.

Transparency acts as a check which ensures individual and collective accountability. The roles of every person must be clearly defined, and the hierarchy delineated so that there is clarity as to which official is to be held accountable for which action. The chain of command and the individual responsibilities must be well-defined. Presence of a system of checks and balances and an overarching authority responsible for making persons accountable for their actions is required.