General Studies Mains-2014 Paper-4 (Ethics and Integrity) Answer : Q-3-A

“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” What do you understand by this statement? Explain your stand with illustrations from the modern context. (150 words)

To perform one’s job and duties responsibly, one needs capabilities and ethical conduct. Integrity ensures that the job is done with utmost propriety. However, it takes knowledge to understand what the right conduct for a given scenario is. Being honest is not just enough to perform a certain activity; skill is an equally important component. Integrity without knowledge serves no purpose. For example, for a magistrate to take a decision on a certain case, he/she needs both knowledge and integrity. While knowledge makes him/her aware of the facts of the case, laws in question etc. so that he may provide the right judgment, integrity ensures that his actions are ethical, and that there is no conflict of interest etc. These two qualities combined together ensure the correctness and propriety of the magistrate’s actions. Without knowledge, he will not know what the right decision is despite being an honest and upright man/woman. However, without integrity, he becomes a person who is capable of not doing the right thing despite being aware of it. Ethical considerations keep a person’s actions in check, and without that he/she is a loose cannon who can be swayed by any consideration be it bribes or quid pro quos.