Musings 55

I feel that lack of corruption on the part of the Individual is rather a personal choice, and the society at large really does not expect it from civil servants or for that matter almost anyone...

Even peers look oddly at a colleague who stresses on objectivity and probity.

But I am also convinced that there is a lot of honesty and integrity in public recruitment system and management.


If that was not so, I am sure neither my son or me would have ever got employed by the Government.

I remember a personal episode.
Years ago I was writing the Department Examination for Incometax Officers, in Chennai..
The exam was on and the candidates were eagerly looking forward for prompting from the invigilators, especially in a complicated accountancy paper..
The invigilators were generous too... after all, the candidates were just their own junior colleagues..

I was answering the paper fairly well, though perhaps not in the best way..
One or two or the invigilators, who were also friends, were intently peering over my shoulders on my answers, and were trying to convey some words, perhaps to help me with answers..

Politely, I requested them to leave the paper to be answered on my own..

After the examination, the friends were furious with me and even scolded me saying that I would never become good..

Somehow, I cleared the test and survived in the department for three more decades..

But in retrospect, I do not know whether I was right in refusing help by our social standards..

Rather, I was afraid of God and divine retribution..

But again that is an arguable issue by practical standards..

But I am also sure morals enforced by law would be of little use if there is no binding social audit and the stigma following it....

Many things are just  winked at..