UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 2 : Questions on Rules and guidelines that govern civil servants in India and Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Week 62)

QUESTION 2

Discuss the importance of the office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the specific rules and guidelines that govern the behaviour of civil servants in India.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— All Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service officers are governed by the AIS (Conduct) Rules from the time they are allotted their service, and begin training.

— Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 states: “Every member of the Service shall at all times maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty and shall do nothing which is unbecoming of a member of the Service.”

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

— Rule 4(1) is more specific about what is “unbecoming”. It states that officers must not use their “position or influence” to “secure employment for any member of his family with any private undertaking or NGO”.

— In 2014, the government added a few sub-rules which included that officers should maintain “high ethical standards, integrity and honesty; political neutrality; accountability and transparency; responsiveness to the public, particularly to the weaker sections; courtesy and good behaviour with the public”.

— According to Rule 11(1), officers may accept gifts from “near relatives” or “personal friends” with whom they have “no official dealings”, on occasions such as “weddings, anniversaries, funerals and religious functions”. However, they must report (to the government) any gift whose value exceeds Rs 25,000.

What are the rules for probationers?

— An extra set of guidelines governs officers’ conduct during their probation period, which lasts at least two years after selection to the services. This comprises the officers’ training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. Officers take an examination after two years and are confirmed in their respective services if they pass it.

— During the probation period, officers draw a fixed salary and travel allowance. But they are not entitled to, as a right, a number of benefits that confirmed IAS officers receive.

— Rule 12 gives the circumstances in which probationers can be discharged. These include, among other things, the central government finding the probationer “ineligible for recruitment” or “unsuitable to be a member of” the service; the probationer “wilfully” neglecting her probationary studies or duties; and the probationer lacking in “qualities of mind and character” needed for the service.

Conclusion:

— A 1993 DoPT circular reads as follows: “Wherever it is found that a Government servant…had furnished false information or produced a false certificate in order to secure appointment, he should not be retained in service…” . This applies even if the person in question is not on probation and has previously been confirmed.

— Since the 1995 batch, 27% of seats in the services have been designated for OBCs. The Physically Handicapped (PH) reservation was implemented with the 2006 batch; 3% of seats in each category (General, OBC, SC, and ST) are reserved for the differently abled.

(Source: Puja Khedkar controversy: What are the rules governing civil servants? by Shyamlal Yadav)

Points to Ponder

Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)

What does the Indian Administrative Service (Probation) Rules, 1954 say?

Related Previous Year Questions

Can Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organisations present an alternative model of public service delivery to benefit the common citizen? Discuss the challenges of this alternative model. (2021)

Does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensure effective mechanism for empowerment and inclusion of the intended beneficiaries in the society? Discuss. (2017)

QUESTION 2: Discuss the importance of the office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Speaker’s Office plays an important role in our parliamentary democracy.

— The Speaker’s Office has been described as representing the complete authority of the House, whilst members of Parliament represent individual constituencies.

— He/she represents the dignity and power of the House over which he/she presides.

— The Speaker serves from the date of his/her election until the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following the dissolution of the one to which he/she was elected. He or she is eligible for re-election.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

Importance of the office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha

— The Speaker’s Chair is prominently positioned in the Lok Sabha Chamber, providing him or her with a commanding view of the whole House.

— He/she also benefits from the directions issued by his/her predecessors, which are collated on a regular basis. In addition, the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and senior Secretariat staff assist him/her with parliamentary duties, as well as practice and procedure.

— In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker performs his or her duties. When the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not present, a member of the Panel of Chairmen preside over the House.

Regulating the Business of the House

— The Presiding Officer decides if a Question is admissible; he or she also decides what forms amendments to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address can be moved in.

— If a bill is pending in the House, the Speaker determines whether or not to allow modifications to specific parts of the bill.

— Under Article 110(3), only the Speaker has the authority to certify that a bill is a money bill. The advantage of this procedure is obvious: the money bill cannot be enacted or rejected by the Rajya Sabha. It can simply make a suggestion that may or may not be adopted by the Lok Sabha, which alone has a final say in the matter.

— He/she regulates all topics not specifically covered by the rules, as well as all concerns about how the rules work.

— The Speaker also serves on the tribunal that determines cases of MP defection, which can be extremely beneficial to the parties in power.

Speaker and the Committees

— The Speaker directs the general operation of the House Committees. All such committees are formed by him/her or the House. He/she nominates the chairs of all Parliamentary Committees.

— The Speaker refers bills to the standing committees. He has the option of deciding whether or not to refer the bills, and his choice is definitive. Similarly, the Speaker has the authority to reject any Parliament question proposed by a member who is unable to explain why his question was rejected.

Speaker and Inter-Parliamentary Relations

— As the head of the Lok Sabha, the Speaker is also responsible for additional tasks. He/she is the ex officio President of the Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG), which was established in 1949 and serves as the National Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Main Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

Speaker’s Administrative Role

— The Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, which is completely under his or her supervision and guidance. The Speaker has supreme responsibility over the House’s Secretariat staff, precincts, and security measures.

Conclusion:

— The Speaker’s office dates back to 13th century England, when Parliament was established. The House of Commons of England has a history of disagreements and clashes with the kings.

— In Practice and Procedure of Parliament by M N Kaul and S L Shakdhar, the Speaker’s impartiality is discussed as follows: “Within the walls of the House his power is absolute. This authority is founded on the Speaker’s absolute and unwavering impartiality, which is the defining element of his office and the law of its operation.”

(Source: The importance of Om Birla: Why the office of the Speaker matters by P D T Achary, sansad.in)

Points to Ponder

Role of deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha

Role of Chairman in the Upper House

Related Previous Year Questions

Discuss the role of Presiding Officers of state legislatures in maintaining order and impartiality in conducting legislative work and in facilitating best democratic practices. (2023)

Discuss the role of the Vice-President of India as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. (2022)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 61)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 60)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 60)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 61)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 61)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 62)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC4ckaj-dJI?si=OJuMvIT2GTuDLdOc