Quotes & Anecdotes that can be used in Essays - Ethics and Integrity

Using quotes in an ethics and integrity essay for UPSC is like adding spice to a dish. They make your essay more flavorful and convincing. Quotes from wise people show that ethics and integrity are timeless values upheld by great minds throughout history. They add credibility to your arguments and demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic. Moreover, quotes can help you express complex ideas in a simple and impactful way, making your essay more engaging and memorable. Overall, incorporating quotes in your essay enhances its depth, persuasiveness, and overall quality, which are crucial for success in the UPSC exam.

1. "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in a harmony"- MAHATMA GANDHI
2. "Be truthful, gentle and fearless"- MAHATMA GANDHI
3. "Heart is a very good fertilizer; anything we plant love, fear, hate, hope, revenge, jealousy-surely grows and bears fruit. We have to decide what to harvest" - SWAMI VIVEKANAND
4. "We must become the change we want to see" - MAHATMA GANDHI
5. "To believe in something, and not live it, is dishonest" - MAHATMA GANDHI
6. "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." - C.S. Lewis
7. "The time is always right to do what is right." - Martin Luther King Jr.
8. "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
9. "Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." - Oprah Winfrey
10. "Character is like a tree and reputation is like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." - Abraham Lincoln
11. "The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded." - Scott Hamilton
12. "The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively." - Bob Marley
13. "The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity." - Zig Ziglar
14. "The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
15. "It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
16. "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean area dirty, the ocean does not become dirty" - MAHATMA GANDHI
17. "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" - MAHATMA GANDHI
18. "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" - MAHATMA GANDHI
19. "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will"- MAHATMA GANDHI
20. "It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow beings"- MAHATMA GANDHI

Dos and don'ts

• Do introduce the quote and link it to the point you are making.
• Do use quotes for opening lines, for emphasising a turning point in argument, or in the conclusion to summarise a key idea.
• Do prefer quotes from ethical thinkers, philosophers, national leaders and recognised social reformers when writing on integrity and ethics.
• Don't begin every paragraph with a new quotation - that weakens your own voice.
• Don't use quotations that are too long or that require extended explanation unrelated to the main argument.
• Don't attribute a quote incorrectly; if unsure, either verify the source or omit the name.

Examples of integrating quotes into short passages

• Opening example: "As Mahatma Gandhi said, 'We must become the change we want to see.' This idea underlines the personal responsibility in public service: systemic reform begins with individual conduct."
• Body paragraph example: "Public accountability requires courage. As Martin Luther King Jr. observed, 'The time is always right to do what is right.' Applying this to administrative ethics, officials should act promptly to correct wrongdoing rather than delay for convenience."
• Conclusion example: "Integrity cannot be performed only when observed; it must be habitual. As Oprah Winfrey remarked, 'Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.' This remains the test for every public servant."