Corruption Index: India's Alarming Fall
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31 JANUARY 2024
Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index shows corruption in India's public sector is a serious concern. Overall, India's ranking among 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index has fallen from 85 to 93.
For the past 20 years, India's ranking has fluctuated between 70 and 96, demonstrating that the country can still not effectively combat the vulnerability of corruption.
Every year, after the publication of the Corruption Perception Index, the country engages in the same debate like a broken record player.
India's corruption problem continues to be a profound worry. Comparing it with our neighbour China's history reveals no better situation.
The methodology of reaching the score comes from institutions like the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, incorporating 13 different corruption assessments perceived by various reputable institutions.
Another interesting fact is that India shares the ranking with Kazakhstan and Lesotho, raising questions when comparing apples with oranges.
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India's corruption problem continues to be a profound worry
According to the report, the Corruption Perception Index excludes parameters like bribery, public office for personal gains, red tape, the government's ability to control corruption in the public sector,
people's experience of correct practices, tax fraud, informal economy, and illicit financial flows. It is intriguing, as these parameters are often tools and methods for corruption.
Informal economies still constitute a large part of the Indian financial system, making it vulnerable to corruption, even though it may not directly contribute to the corruption perception.
There are severe limitations to how the Corruption Perception Index is calculated.
The fact that the name contains the word "perception" defines the idea behind the index—it is based on perception, not concrete evidence.
Many argue that it does not provide a definitive and holistic picture of the situation in a country.
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Informal economies still constitute a large part of the Indian financial system, making it vulnerable to corruption...
Different countries have different methods of corruption.
While corruption is often seen as bribery and petty bureaucracy in India, other countries like China and some developed countries may be involved in a larger scale of accessing money.
Doubts arise about whether the index captures the quantum of corrupt money or provides a risk assessment of a particular process.
Corruption is often seen as prevalent in developing countries, but developed countries also demonstrate different corrupt practices.
The U.S. faces serious corruption problems through lobbying, political campaign financing, and corporate scandals involving bribery and influence peddling.
Similarly, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan have their share of corruption issues.
High-profile cases include the FIFA corruption scandal of 2015, where officials were indicted on charges of bribery and racketeering related to avoiding World Cup hosting rights and contracts.
The Volkswagen emissions scandal and the cash-for-honors scandal in the U.K. are other examples.
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Different countries have different methods of corruption
The methodology used for this index calculation is influenced by India's institutional mechanisms like GST and insolvency law, providing a positive boost against the corruption perception index.
Another crucial factor is the delivery of justice; India is struggling with a fast-paced and robust justice delivery system, with two crore cases pending across different courts.
Despite India's poor performance in the corruption perception index, the country has witnessed many high-profile anti-corruption movements since gaining independence from the British.
Corruption is not a stand-alone issue; it is an interplay between various social, political, economic, power structure, and opportunity factors.
The top scorers in the Corruption Perception Index report have consistently been countries like Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and Sweden.
These countries have demonstrated their ability to control corruption consistently.
Tackling corruption is a long-term process, and there are no overnight solutions. India must take concrete measures continuously.
An independent and impartial judiciary supported by anti-corruption agencies with sufficient resources, autonomy, and investigative powers is crucial.
Whistleblower protection is another key aspect of the fight against corruption.
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...the United Kingdom, France, and Japan have their share of corruption issues
Enhancing accountability and transparency using tools like the right to information and e-governance can help curb corrupt practices.
Political funding, a major cause of corruption in the supply chain of illicit funds, requires urgent reform with transparency and accountability.
Corruption is primarily a human psychological problem that manifests itself into a social and logical issue. It is fueled by greed, the desire for power, and the lack of rational and moral decision-making.
This personality trait develops due to social and logical issues such as inequality, power imbalances, and limited resource access.
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Corruption is primarily a human psychological problem...
Understanding at what stage the psychological problem snowballs into a culture of corrupt practices, weakening institutions with poor governance and lack of transparency, is crucial.
It is like a pandemic with an uncontrollable multiplier factor.
There are no straightforward interpretation of Corruption Perception Index. One can only form a indicative outlook from the value of the index.
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