Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a private service provider responsible for vaccine distribution was compromising on quality to make profits. Despite immense pressure to manage the issue due to vested interests, he raised his voice based on the principles of public administration which he learnt during various training programmes attended across his career. He reported the issue to the appropriate vigilance authority and halted the contract to ensure citizen welfare. Which one among the following principles of public administration was most strongly demonstrated by Mr. X's actions ?
A
Esprit de corps
B
Equity
C
Accountability
Correct answer
D
Delegation
Explanation
By reporting the compromised vaccine distribution to the vigilance authority and halting the contract despite pressure, Mr. X acted on accountability: answering for the use of public resources and putting citizens' welfare first. Esprit de corps is team spirit, equity is fair and impartial treatment, and delegation is the passing of authority to subordinates. None of these is what his actions show.
GovernancePrinciples of public administrationAccountabilityPublic administrationVigilanceEsprit de corpsEquity