(a) The ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Ethics’ are the sources of guidance in public administration. There is code of conduct already in operation, whereas code of ethics is not yet put in place. Suggest a suitable model for code of ethics to maintain integrity, probity and transparency in governance. (b) The soul of the new law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is Justice, Equality and Impartiality based on Indian culture and ethos. Discuss this in the light of major shift from a doctrine of punishment to justice in the present judicial system.

A code of conduct prescribes enforceable do's and don'ts (the Central Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1964), while a code of ethics articulates the aspirational values that should animate conduct. The Second ARC's report Ethics in Governance found this ethics layer missing in India.

(a) A model code of ethics

• A short, publicly declared statement of core values: integrity, impartiality, accountability, empathy and public interest, on the lines of the Nolan Committee's Seven Principles of Public Life.
• Institutional anchoring through statutory backing, an Ethics Commissioner, and induction plus mid-career sensitisation.
• Mechanisms to operationalise it: mandatory disclosure of assets, protection for whistle-blowers, and integrity pacts to deter conflicts of interest.

(b) BNS: from punishment to justice

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 shifts the criminal law's centre of gravity from retribution to reform and reparation. Community service as a sentence for petty offences, victim-centric and time-bound processes, and gender-neutral provisions reflect a restorative, Indian ethos of nyaya rather than mere danda. Ethics thus moves from control to justice.

Conclusion

Codified conduct restrains wrongdoing; a code of ethics elevates conduct. Paired with a justice-oriented legal framework, it makes integrity, probity and transparency the default culture of governance.