Dirty Hands

Corruption is one of the common hindrances that slow down the development process. This is one of the basic reasons why a country fails in meeting its objectives.
As per the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Nepal got a rating of 2.8 way back in 2005 when it was still a monarchy. And by 2011, the figure had reached 2.2 showing an increment of 0.6 in the rate of corruption. The data clearly reveals that Nepal has been moving towards greater corruption after the removal of the monarchy. That could be the reason why we see political leaders with huge houses and great cars today!

It is not always government employees who indulge in corruption. Many other people who occupy positions of responsibility have been involved in this evil practice. An accountant wants to earn extra money by showing a difference in profits. A CEO wants to take a bribe for selecting a candidate for a job. An officer seeks extra money for doing a public task as a priority. A cook wants to save something till the last so that he can take it home. A cleaner wants to pick up something that is less likely to be noticed for his personal purpose. A teacher wants to grab a few pens and a few sheets of paper from the office so that he can use them at home to make notes. A receptionist wants to make an extra call as soon as she gets some free time for some personal purpose. A manager wants to make a deal with those who will pay him a bit extra.

Likewise, a lawyer is ready to represent a criminal despite knowing his guilt for the sake of money. A pilot looks for some extra plane tickets if there are some available so that he can give them to some family members. A bus driver may be having the same thoughts. A travel and tour employee wants to send someone near on a tour package meant for student groups. Corruption takes place when students cheat during their exams. Oh, and didn’t we all expect some relief during the earthquake relief programme? So corruption exists not only in society, it exists in the mind.



There are corruption cases which cannot be measured and remains invisible. However, the basic reason is because corruption is in our mind where we always seek something extra. This is called social loafing. Until and unless we are motivated to work with sincerity and society respects honesty, corruption cannot be removed from the mind. The effort to remove corruption can start with the individual. The best way to start is by respecting the marks your child earned in the exam instead of expecting him to score more. Only when honesty is respected at the grass root level will it become a reality. Anyway, corruption can never be removed, it can only be minimised.

Published in The Kathmandu Post in July 17, 2015.