You are working as an executive in a nationalised bank for several years. One day one of your close colleagues tells you that her father is suffering from heart disease and needs surgery immediately to survive. She also tells you that she has no insurance and the operation will cost about10 lakh. You are also aware of the fact that her husband is no more and that she is from a lower middle class family. You are empathetic about her situation. However, apart from expressing your sympathy, you do not have the resources to fund her.
A few weeks later, you ask her about the well-being of her father and she informs you about his successful surgery and that he is recovering. She then confides in you that the bank manager was kind enough to facilitate the release of ₹ 10 lakh from a dormant account of someone to pay for the operation with a promise that it should be confidential and be repaid at the earliest. She has already started paying it back and will continue to do so until it is all returned.
Evaluate the behaviour of the bank manager from an ethical point of view.
From an ethical perspective, the bank manager's behavior is a complex mix. On one hand, the act demonstrates profound human compassion and altruism, potentially saving a life—a laudable personal virtue. On the other hand, it represents a grave ethical misconduct from a professional standpoint. Facilitating the release of funds from a dormant account, even with the intent of repayment, is an unauthorized and illegal act. It compromises the bank's operational integrity, its duty to depositors, and establishes a dangerous precedent, demonstrating a clear disregard for established rules and internal controls. Good intentions, unfortunately, do not justify unethical means.
Answered By:
Sakshi Negi
Sakshi Negi is a Delhi-based journalist and content specialist with expertise in educational content and digital media, focusing particularly on government exam preparation and career guidance. With a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from NRAI School of Mass Communication and her background as a Kendriya Vidyalaya alumna, she brings unique insights into the Indian education system and government sector opportunities.
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