Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain, which includes dishonest acts such as bribery, abuse or nepotism, which can seriously harm society by hindering economic growth, increasing inequality, weakening institutions, violating human rights, fostering instability, and ultimately diverting resources from public welfare, and moral decay. Based on global awareness and need, International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed annually on 9 December since 2003 to promote anti-corruption policies. The theme of Anti-Corruption Day 2025 is “Value Ethics, Transparency and Student Participation in Fostering a Responsible Society”. Corruption is often driven by weak governance, lack of transparency, poor law enforcement and low wages, which push officials towards bribery. It also stems from political instability, greed, and unethical behavior.
Corruption in society leads to poverty, misuse of public resources, loss of trust in institutions, foreign investment, economic growth and justice, and fuels social inequality. It undermines democratic values. That is why the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 has set itself the goal of significantly reducing corruption. Denmark leads the way in the least corrupt countries with a score of 90. Finland is next with 88, Singapore with 84. New Zealand (83), and Luxembourg is in fifth place with 81. The most corrupt countries are South Sudan, Somalia, Venezuela, Syria, and Yemen. Corruption in countries like Nigeria harms economic development by driving away investors.
Oil sector corruption has discouraged foreign companies. It has reduced revenues. It increases the cost of doing business because companies have to pay bribes to obtain licenses or avoid harassment, as is the case in many developing countries with weak regulatory systems. In Kenya, funds for infrastructure projects have been diverted through fraud. Corruption also undermines tax collection, as seen in parts of South Asia, where some public sector enterprises in Russia, for example, are successful through political connections rather than performance. Corruption distorts markets, as in the Petrobras scandal in Brazil, and when corrupt officials steal money, essential services fail, contributing to poverty.
Causes of Corruption in India
The causes of corruption in India are excessive regulations, complex tax and licensing systems, opaque bureaucracy, multiple government departments with discretionary powers, monopoly of government-controlled entities in the provision of certain goods and services, lack of transparent laws and procedures, and inadequate punishments. These include political causes such as the use of black money in elections, criminalization of politics, lawbreakers becoming lawmakers, and nepotism between politicians and businessmen. Similarly, economic causes such as the fact that more than 80% of the workforce in India is in the unorganized sector and is not covered by tax and labor laws, easy legal accountability through red-tapism, high economic inequality, and crony capitalism.
There are also some administrative causes. They are 19th century laws, failed reforms, lack of political will, failure of major reforms like Right to Information, e-Governance, low salaries, failure of judiciary to bring corrupt officials including politicians to justice. Social and moral reasons include globalisation-induced lifestyle changes, social discrimination, failure of education system, failure of value education to inculcate values like empathy, compassion, integrity, equality, etc. in the younger generation. According to various estimates, the size of the shadow economy in India is up to 50 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. According to several CAG reports, the country is suffering huge losses due to nepotism and corruption. Corruption in the police encourages criminals. Corruption increases the cost of production, which is ultimately borne by the consumer.
Corruption Trends in India
* According to a study conducted by Transparency International in 2005, 62 per cent of Indians have paid a bribe to a government official at some point in their lives. Another report in 2008 found that nearly half of Indians have had experience of paying bribes or using contacts to get services from government agencies. However, in 2018, the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranked the country 78th out of 180 countries, indicating a steady decline in public perception of corruption. The CPI, which highlighted in 2019 that unfair, opaque political finance, and the influence of powerful corporate lobbying have led to stagnation in curbing corruption. In 2021, their Corruption Perceptions Index ranked the country 85th out of 180. Of the total number of people charged with corruption by various investigative agencies, only 31% have been convicted by the courts in the last 15 years. 69% have been acquitted by the courts. India ranked 96th out of 180 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024, released in February 2025.
Measures to prevent corruption
Corruption is less in an educated society. The government should make India free from corruption. Otherwise, our country will not develop. Corruption should be eradicated at its source. If we are united and committed to rid the world of this evil, we can defeat corruption. People involved in corrupt activities should be punished severely. To curb corruption, the media and the government should jointly conduct sting operations to expose corrupt people in various industries. Technology can also help in reducing corruption. CCTV cameras should be installed in government buildings, at red lights, and other places where bribes are mostly taken and given.
In addition to these, administrative reforms such as e-governance programs, grievance laws, economic reforms such as simplification, privatization, simplification of the tax structure of the Goods and Services Act (GST), electoral reforms such as cash donations, judicial intervention, etc. should be implemented vigorously. Moreover, the implementation of laws to prevent corruption such as the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988), Benami Property Act (1988), Central Vigilance Commission Act (2003), Right to Information Act (2005), Lokpal and Lokayukta Act (2013), Whistleblower Protection Act (2014) should be strong.
Although corruption is widespread in India, it is also true that most Indians have a deep aversion to corruption. Corruption, no matter how deep, can be successfully eradicated with political will and public knowledge. The central government should bring strict laws to solve this problem. Individuals, media and government should all work together to achieve a corruption-free India. To make it a better country to live in, citizens should cooperate.
