Q14.“A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also has to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties” Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically.

I agree that mere legal compliance is insufficient for effective public service. Ethical sensibility provides the moral compass essential for true public welfare beyond minimum legal standards.

It guides public servants towards fairness, justice, and compassion in complex situations. This builds public trust, ensures accountability, and enables judicious discretion, serving the law's spirit, not just its letter.

Ethically Right, Not Legally

A public servant bending a minor rule to expedite urgent, life-saving medical aid for a critically ill citizen, though technically against protocol, is ethically right but not legally compliant.

Legally Right, Not Ethically

A public servant strictly enforcing a discriminatory law, causing severe hardship to a vulnerable community by denying essential services, is legally correct but ethically reprehensible.

Thus, a well-developed ethical sensibility is paramount for public servants to uphold governance standards and truly serve citizens' best interests.