🎬 Video explanationGood Governance Act 2064, Ethics and Anti-Corruption (सुशासन र सदाचार)
⏱ 4 min read
Corruption weakens public trust and wastes public money. Every civil servant is expected to follow ethical values such as honesty, impartiality and accountability. Lok Sewa asks about forms of corruption, Nepal’s anti-corruption laws and institutions, and international efforts. This note explains them clearly.
1. Ethics in public service
- Ethics are moral principles that guide right and wrong behaviour.
- Core values of public servants: integrity, honesty, impartiality and neutrality, accountability, transparency, respect for law and service to the public.
- A code of conduct sets out how staff should behave, e.g. punctuality, politeness, not accepting gifts, keeping official secrets.
- Conflict of interest occurs when a public official’s personal interest could affect official decisions; officials should declare it and stay away from the decision.
2. Forms of corruption
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bribery | Giving or taking money or favours to influence a decision |
| Embezzlement | Misusing or stealing public money or property in one’s care |
| Nepotism | Favouring relatives in jobs or benefits |
| Favouritism | Unfairly favouring friends or supporters |
| Policy corruption | Making or changing policies for private benefit |
| Extortion | Demanding money by threat or abuse of power |
| Illegal wealth | Assets that cannot be explained by legal income |
3. Anti-corruption institutions of Nepal
| Institution | Role |
|---|---|
| CIAA (Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority) | Constitutional body (Article 238); investigates corruption and improper conduct by public officials and files cases in the Special Court |
| National Vigilance Centre | Under the Office of the Prime Minister (set up in 2059 BS); preventive and promotional work, technical audits and checking property details of officials |
| Special Court | Hears corruption cases filed by CIAA |
| Department of Money Laundering Investigation | Investigates money laundering (set up in 2068 BS) |
| Office of the Auditor General | Audits public spending and reports irregularities |
| Public Procurement Monitoring Office | Monitors fairness in government purchases |
4. Main laws and international efforts
- Prevention of Corruption Act 2059: defines corruption offences and penalties; public officials must submit property details.
- CIAA Act 2048: powers and working of the CIAA.
- Asset (Money) Laundering Prevention Act 2064.
- Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act 2064: transparency, citizen charter, public hearing.
- The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was adopted in 2003; Nepal ratified it in 2011.
- Transparency International (headquarters in Berlin) publishes the yearly Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
- International Anti-Corruption Day is observed on 9 December.
5. Key anti-corruption facts at a glance
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| CIAA (अख्तियार दुरुपयोग अनुसन्धान आयोग) | Constitutional body, Articles 238–239; investigates abuse of authority and corruption |
| Special Court | Hears corruption cases filed by the CIAA |
| National Vigilance Centre | Under the Office of the Prime Minister; checks property details and technical audits |
| Prevention of Corruption Act | 2059 BS; defines bribery, illegal property and other offences |
| Department of Money Laundering Investigation | Investigates money laundering under the Asset (Money) Laundering Prevention Act, 2064 |
| UNCAC | UN Convention against Corruption; Nepal ratified it in 2011 |
| Good Governance Act | 2064 BS; time limits, reasons for decisions and citizen charters |
6. Practical ethics for a civil servant
- Declare property every year as required and avoid unexplained wealth.
- Refuse gifts that could influence a decision.
- Step aside from a decision where you have a personal interest (conflict of interest).
- Record decisions with reasons and keep files open to inspection.
- Report wrongdoing through proper channels such as the CIAA or Hello Sarkar.
7. How this topic is asked in the exam
Objective items ask the constitutional articles on the CIAA, the year of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the role of the National Vigilance Centre and when Nepal ratified UNCAC. Subjective questions often ask “What are the causes of corruption in Nepal and how can it be controlled?” Structure the answer as causes, effects, institutions and laws, then practical suggestions.
📌 Key points to remember
- Public service values: integrity, honesty, impartiality, accountability, transparency.
- Conflict of interest must be declared, and the official should stay away from the decision.
- Forms of corruption: bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, favouritism, policy corruption, extortion.
- CIAA (Article 238) investigates and files cases in the Special Court.
- National Vigilance Centre (2059 BS) works under the PM’s Office.
- Prevention of Corruption Act 2059; CIAA Act 2048; Money Laundering Prevention Act 2064.
- UNCAC adopted in 2003; Nepal ratified it in 2011.
- Transparency International (Berlin) publishes the CPI; Anti-Corruption Day is 9 December.
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Ethics and Anti-Corruption in Public Service
Practise Ethics in public service, Anti-corruption institutions of Nepal and Main laws and international efforts with 50 questions. Each attempt picks 25 at random.
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