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GS-4
Case Study: Ethical Governance in the PMKVY Implementation
The case highlights serious ethical and administrative lapses in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), where fraudulent training centres, duplicate beneficiaries, and financial irregularities were reported.
Stakeholders include unemployed youth (primary beneficiaries), implementing agencies such as NSDC, training providers, government officials, and taxpayers.
The key ethical issues involved are:
- Breach of public trust and erosion of institutional credibility
- Violation of integrity, probity, and fiduciary responsibility
- Procedural injustice by excluding genuine beneficiaries
- Abuse of authority and discretion
- Lack of transparency and answerability, especially under RTI
Possible options before the administrator:
Overlook irregularities to protect institutional image — reflects moral cowardice and violates public interest.
Make cosmetic corrections without fixing responsibility — shows ethical evasion and weak accountability.
Take decisive corrective action with systemic reform — ethically justified.
Best course of action:
I would adopt the third option. This includes ordering an independent inquiry, suspending erring officials and blacklisting fraudulent institutions, and initiating recovery of misappropriated funds. Simultaneously, I would strengthen systems through Aadhaar-based de-duplication, biometric attendance, real-time monitoring, and proactive RTI disclosure.
This approach reflects ethical leadership, accountability, transparency, justice, and compassion, ensuring welfare schemes serve the public good and restoring citizens’ faith in governance.
